MBA programs have been wrongly stereotyped as being a course reserved for business students. This is a common misconception as the MBA degree is more inclined towards practical and experiential learning rather than theoretical knowledge. Further, more so in other countries than in India, MBA departments prefer, in order to preserve diversity, are quite keen to take students from different backgrounds with varied interests. An MBA program is much more than just a business qualification. It is a way to learn the mechanics of business processes and how to run an organisation successfully.
The Graduate Management Admission Council which governs the GMAT test says that over 50% of fresh MBA candidates hail from non-business backgrounds. Thus, to answer your question, ‘Can I Do MBA After BA’, we say that YES, you can do an MBA after BA.
Vast Scope Of MBA After BA You Can Chooses From
The scope of MBA after BA is quite promising and is expected to grow even more considering the rise in interdisciplinary courses. Here are a few points you must consider.
- Flexible and Creative: An MBA course has flexible eligibility conditions and is quite bendable with course requirements providing students numerous pathways according to their interests and objectives. For instance, an MBA in Marketing has other sub-streams such as Digital Marketing, Business Analytics, Advertising, Communication, etc. which you can pursue.
- Innovative Teaching Methods: The course curriculum and teaching methods adopted by MBA departments are not designed keeping in mind just business students but rather for students from all backgrounds. Methods such as case study teaching, workshops, project-based learning and much more.
- Popular Options of MBA after BA: Here are a few options of MBA which you can pursue with a BA degree or any other non-business degree.
MBA Business Analytics | MBA Human Resource Management | MBA Petroleum Management |
MBA Fashion Management | MBA Media Management | MBA in Aviation |
MBA Event Management | MBA Insurance and Banking | MBA International Business |
MBA in Hotel Management | MBA Digital Marketing | MBA in Sports Management |
MBA Operations | MBA Strategy | MBA in Construction Management |
MBA Marketing | MBA Information Technology | MBA Communication |
MBA Construction Management | MBA E-Business | MBA Arts and Culture Management |
MBA Entrepreneurship | MBA Engineering Management | MBA Rural Management |
MBA Sales | MBA Hospitality Management | MBA Healthcare Management |
MBA Supply Chain Management | MBA Finance | MBA Accounting |
MBA Product Management | MBA Interior Designing | MBA Logistics |
- Preference in the Job Market: Organisations are much more open and in fact prefer MBA graduates who have a background in engineering, humanities and social sciences so that they bring a new perspective and offer creative solutions to problems of the modern business scenario. In addition to heavy substantial financial rewards, you will get a chance to be face to face with complex business decisions.
- Great Scope in Policy Making: Policy making departments of governments, research organisations and think tanks also have huge demand for MBA graduates who belong to varied fields. Policy making tasks are quite challenging and require someone with a solid grasp in, say economics as well as business fundamentals.
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MBA after BA: A Few Common Pathways
Given below are some prevalent career pathways that candidates choose.
MBA after BA Political Science
- Candidates who go for an MBA after BA Political Science typically go for courses such as MBA Strategy, MBA Consulting, MBA Communication, MBA Rural Management, MBA Entrepreneurship and like.
- An MBA after BA Political Science prepares you for a solid career in political analysis, media management, social work, political research as well as marketing, advertising and communication.
MBA After BA English
- Candidates who opt for an MBA after BA English usually enrol for streams like MBA Communication, MBA Consulting, MBA Marketing, MBA Human Resource Management, MBA Advertising, MBA Digital Marketing, Event Management, MBA Media Management, MBA Arts and Culture Management, etc.
- An MBA after BA English trains a candidate for fruitful careers in fields of communication, marketing, advertising, consulting, human resources management and much more.
MBA After BA Economics
- Pursuing an MBA after BA Economics is a quite popular career path. Most commonly, one can go for MBA Business Analytics, MBA International Business, MBA Operations, MBA Strategy, MBA Finance, MBA E-Business, MBA Insurance and Banking, MBA in Foreign Trade, MBA Product Management, etc.
- An MBA after BA English is well-suited for careers in Finance and Banking, for example, Financial Analyst, Investment Banker, Risk and Insurance Manager, Management Consultant, Pricing Analyst, Economic Forecaster, etc.
MBA After BA LLB
- Going for an MBA after BA LLB is also not uncommon. Many choose to opt for courses such as MBA Strategy, MBA Intellectual Property Rights, MBA Business Law, MBA Legal Leadership, MBA Business Law and Public Relations, etc. Many schools also dual and join degrees, for instance, MBA Business Law/MA Public Policy.
- An MBA after BA LLB sets you up for fruitful careers in legal management, intellectual property rights, corporate governance, International Business, Strategy and so on.
MBA After BA Psychology
- Programs of MBA after BA Psychology which you must keep in mind before selecting one are MBA Communication, MBA Consulting, MBA Marketing, MBA Human Resource Management, MBA Advertising, MBA Digital Marketing, MBA Media Management, MBA Arts and Culture Management, MBA Operations, MBA Event Management, MBA Hotel Management etc.
- Doing an MBA after BA Psychology gives you advantages in careers in communication, marketing, advertising, consulting, Operations, Hotel Management, human resources management, Event Management and much more
MBA After BA History
- Candidates who opt for an MBA after BA History usually enrol for streams like MBA Communication, MBA Consulting, MBA Marketing, MBA Human Resource Management, MBA Advertising, MBA Digital Marketing, Event Management, MBA Media Management, MBA Arts and Culture Management, MBA International Business etc.
- An MBA after BA History trains a candidate for fruitful careers in fields of communication and media, marketing, advertising, consulting, event management, human resources management, International Business and much more.
MBA after BA: Top Universities
- University of Wisconsin Madison, USA
- Indiana University, Bloomington, USA
- Newcastle University, UK
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, USA
- University of Calgary, Canada
- IESE Business School, Spain
- York University, Canada
- La Trobe University, Australia
- The University of Adelaide, Australia
MBA after BA abroad: Eligibility
To apply for an MBA after BA at foreign universities, there are some guidelines you will be expected to which have been listed out below. The below-stated conditions are subject to alteration with respect to the university, department, location, course structure and objectives.
- Equivalent qualifying degree in any discipline, for instance, a ‘Bachelors in Economics. This can be from any discipline though a background related to what you are applying is recommended.
- Minimum marks in the qualifying degree examination. Typically it is based on 10 pointer scale or on a 4 pointer scale. Don’t convert yourself, though.
- An eligibility condition typically recommended for an MBA degree is to possess around 1-3 years of relevant experience. This is not a strict condition and so, refer to university recommendations.
- GRE/GMAT exam scores, if required. For an MBA course application, GMAT is highly recommended though GRE is also widely accepted at a lot of universities.
- Indian applications are typically required to have IELTS/TOEFL/PTE exam scores as proof of English speaking proficiency. Obtaining a 7+ band score is usually enough to be considered, though check the guidelines beforehand.
MBA after BA abroad: Application
The primary admissions cycle typically begin in September/October and end in February/March of the subsequent year. There are secondary admissions cycles as well starting in January. Keep checking university websites.
- As mentioned above, fulfil the basic eligibility requirements [Equivalent qualifying degree, industry experience, etc.]
- Submit your scores of GMAT/GRE along with IELTS/TOEFL/PTE scores [as required].
- Complete Application Set [Passport, Curriculum Vitae/Resume Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement/Statement of Intent, Two/Three Letters of Recommendations, College Transcripts, Experience Letter (if required), Financial Support Statement/Funding Essay (if applying for scholarships/funding), etc.].
- Pay the necessary Application Fee to submit your application and save the acknowledgement for future reference.
- At the next phase, you may have to appear for a Personal Interview/Group Discussion/ Writing Task [if required]
- The admissions department take around 2-3 months to review and confirm, waitlist or reject usually.
- Deposit the Tuition Fees or Blocking Fees and submit Student Visa Application.
MBA after BA: How to Make the Decision?
- While we have made it quite clear that you have abundant opportunities of MBA after BA, it is extremely important that you weigh in your goals and objectives against the nature of the course.
- Some MBA programs have a technical aspect for which you may have to undergo foundational statistics and mathematics courses.
- Are you prepared to bear the cost of an MBA program? MBA courses are one of the costliest in the world.
- Whether a Graduate Certificate/Post Graduate Diploma/Specialised Training Courses serves your interests best or not.
MBA after BA: Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can I Do MBA After BA Economics?
Ans. Refer to the section on ‘MBA After BA Economics’ above
- Can I Do MBA After BA Private?
Ans. Yes, you can pursue MBA after BA Private, Open, Online, Correspondence and Distance courses.
- Can I Do MBA After BA in Political Science?
Ans. Refer to the section on ‘MBA After BA Political Science’ above. Don’t let your non-business bachelors prevent you from pursuing the MBA course.