Combining an MBA with another graduate degree can be a very efficient way to drill into your graduate education, so if you’re looking for something more than the traditional, full-time MBA, the MS/MBA might be just the ticket.

Schools all over the world are leveraging the MS/MBA opportunity by offering students the ability to bolt-on an extra year to a traditional master’s degree and graduate with both a Master’s and an MBA.  This approach to graduate school is for people who want to focus in a particular area of interest or industry.  Historically, the MBA has most often been coupled with the J.D., which is still an option, albeit a less popular one. 

The inextricable combination of technology and business has in part driven this trend, which is popular with engineering and computer science students in particular. 

You can thank the dot-com bubble and all the startups over recent years for this.  Engineering students have recognized that technical knowledge alone is not enough to successfully launch a new business, and they perhaps recognized or even experienced the loss of equity in a new idea when they had to go out and give away a portion because they did not have a full understanding of how to commercialize their ideas. 

Venture capitalists and angel investors also want to see business prowess in the lineup when new businesses are pitching for funding. 

An MBA credential from a top school can often grease the wheels and provide the necessary assurance to investors that their money will be well handled by people who have been educated to do so.

But it’s not all about startups. 

What about combining and MBA with a Master’s in public policy, accounting or even art history?  Differentiation in the workplace is just as important as differentiation in the MBA application process, so the extra edge of an additional graduate degree can be just the ticket to standing out and drilling down into an area of expertise.  If you have a very specific career vision and can afford the extra year of school, adding a Master’s degree to your MBA will position you with an edge with recruiters and possibly advance your career progression more rapidly than you might have experienced with only one designation alone.

The application process for dual degree candidates can be complicated, particularly when it comes to timing, so make sure you do your research before you dive in.  We can help you strategize, so don’t hesitate to reach out.

To find out more about your options and how we can guide your business school application process, email us at mba@amerasiaconsulting.com or contact us via http://www.amerasiaconsulting.com/contact