MBA vs MS Management

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Bruboy, Apr 15, 2004.

Loading...
  1. Bruboy

    Bruboy New Member

    I am trying to determine which program to enroll in at Capella. My choices are the MBA and the MS in Organization & Management (Information Technology Specialization).

    My current position is an IT manager and I am pursuing a masters degree to advance in the business world but I also want a broad business foundation. I have a purely technical background and have never taken a business course.

    I would appreciate any input regarding pros and cons for these two types of degrees and how they would be applicable to my situation.
     
  2. Mike Albrecht

    Mike Albrecht New Member

    The general thinking (a lot of comments here and elsewhere) is that MBA's are getting very common and that a specialist degree would be more valuable. But, an MBA is still a good choice if you have no business background.

    Depemding on your future hopes and desires one mihgt be a better choice than the other.

    For my 2 centavos if you are committed to Capella do the MBA. Personnaly I would do the MS in Organization & Management (Information Technology Specialization), but not through Capella. There are othr lower cost and acdemically better choices such as:

    Technology Management

    Indiana State University
    Stevens Institute of Technology
    The University of Alabama
    University of Oregon
    Worcester Polytechnic Institute
    Ball State University
    Illinois Institute of Technology
    OGI School of Science & Engineering at Oregon Health & Science University
    University of Maryland University College
    University of Nebraska at Kearney
     
  3. Han

    Han New Member

    I agree, but this may swing back in a few years.
     
  4. iquagmire

    iquagmire Member

    MBA

    I think that you would have more flexibility with an MBA if you choose to get out of your field. You may also develop an entrepreneurial mindset at some point in your life and an MBA could, possibly, give you a general foundation for running your business.


    Gilbert Labossiere
    BBA, Baker College
    MBA, Nova Southeastern (2005)
     
  5. Bruboy

    Bruboy New Member

    What are your thoughts on Regis University in Colorado?
     
  6. Mike Albrecht

    Mike Albrecht New Member

    No direct experience at all, looked at them breifly thought they were a bit pricey, but then saw Case Western and Duke and realized they were middle of the road.
     
  7. AV8R

    AV8R Active Member

    Been there; done that. It's a solid program. If you have any specific questions about the program, post them here and I'll answer them for you.

    Cy
     
  8. Bruboy

    Bruboy New Member

    A poster on a different thread mentioned that the program was extremely demanding to the point where he simply didn't have the time to put in the required effort. I also recall him saying it was near impossible to attempt more than one course at a time.

    Did you find it very demanding. I'm referring to the MBA program.
     
  9. Dr Dave

    Dr Dave New Member

    My sense is that an MSM, or in this case an MSOM, is a specialized degree similar to an MS in Finance, which prepares one in the "tools" of one functional area. If you are convinced that you wish to spend your career in a single career path--the IT function--then the specialized master's degree is probably a wise choice, and could conceivably help you to attain a CIO position some day. If, however, you expect to go beyond that function to become more of a generalist in the executive ranks, then the MBA is what will give you the broad perspective on business AND management, the interrelationships among the various functions, the relationship of business to the external environment, and business policy and strategy.

    Realize too that careers can take you in new directions. When I was getting ready to do a master's degree years ago, I could have undertaken an MS in Administration, since I saw my career at that time as beinging in Administration, encompassing all the internal service and support functions of a business. But I opted instead for the MBA. It's a good thing I did. These days my role is Chief Operating Officer at a health care company, with involvement in all parts of the business. So for this stage of my career, the MBA (reinforced by the DBA) was certainly a superior preparation as compared to the MS. Thus, it's important not to lock yourself in, but rather to retain flexibility, especially in this economy.

    David A. April
    B.A., University of Massachusetts at Amherst
    M.B.A., Boston College
    ACM, Boston College
    D.B.A., California Pacific University
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 16, 2004
  10. AV8R

    AV8R Active Member

    It is true that the Regis MBA program is a VERY demanding program. Since it is largely research based you can expect to spend a significant amount of time each week researching and paper writing. In one class, Issues in International Business, I was writing and submitting a 10 page research paper each week. The class also required a class project to be submitted at the end of the eight-week course. For this project the class members were divided into groups of four each. My group submitted a 50+ page paper on starting and running a business in Russia. So, you can probably imagine that I had very little time for much other than researching and writing during this course. Other courses were still demanding but Issues in International Business required the most of my time. Regis University is ranked as a top tier western university by U.S. News and World Report for a good reason. If you are looking for a solid MBA program that will prepare you for doctoral-level studies, you can't go wrong with Regis.
     
  11. AV8R

    AV8R Active Member

    I also wanted to mention that Regis University has been ranked as a top tier western university by U.S. News and World Report for 7 years in a row. The magazine also ranked the Regis MBA program one of the best MBA, MBA Finance & Accounting, and MBA/Healthcare Management programs in the U.S.

    Cy
     
  12. Bruboy

    Bruboy New Member

    Thanks Dave for your advice. So many here provide excellent information that one can use to help the decision making process.

    I understand very well how careers can take different directions. My path has included Marine, factory worker, research technician, systems administrator, and IT Manager. I've never directly used my BSEE degree in any of these positions.

    You own experience reinforces my own thoughts. I feel that my goals would be best served by pursuing a MBA for the very reason you stated, I would prefer to become more of a generalist.

    I noticed you've attended very reputable schools. Has any part of your education been by DL? In the position of COO would any of your hiring criteria include how a candidate earned his/her degree, DL or B&M schools?
     
  13. Bruboy

    Bruboy New Member

    Thankyou Cyrus for all the information you have provided. It appears that Regis may be a good choice for me. May I ask if you were working fulltime while pursuing your MBA. Did you ever attempt to take 2 courses concurrently? Would you be able to estimate how many hours per week you dedicated per course? It appears that the first two courses are prepratory. Do you feel they would give a person without any formal business training an adequate foundation?

    My congratulations on getting through such a rigorous program!
     
  14. AV8R

    AV8R Active Member

    I was working full-time while working on this program so I never did take two courses at one time. The amount of time that I needed per week varied by a large margin. There were a couple of courses where I was able to get by with maybe ten hours of study per week; others required more. Those first two foundation courses are a new thing. They were not required when I started the program as long as certain courses were completed at the undergraduate level prior to entering the program, so I can't comment on them.
     
  15. Dr Dave

    Dr Dave New Member

    Hi Bruboy,

    To answer your questions, yes I have had experience with DL--the DBA program at California Pacific. Your other question on my propensity to hire DL or B&M applicants would depend. In making that decision, yes, I would be considering education, but I would also be evaluating experience, transferrable skills, other professional qualifications such as certification(s), the interview itself, and references. And, of course, there is the competiveness of the other candidates. Thus, the decision would be more multi-faceted than focused on education alone. So would I perhaps hire someone from a good DL school rather than someone else from Dartmouth? Quite possibly, if the other factors mentioned here indicated that I should. The other point I would make is that, as a general rule, the more seasoned the candidate and the richer his/her relevant experience and accomplishments, the less important education becomes, at least in the business world.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 17, 2004
  16. Bruboy

    Bruboy New Member

    I understand your points and how education can be weighed according to the target position and pertinent experience. I've worked with a MIT PhD at Lehman brothers whose speciality was fluid dynamics for heart valve design. Obviously he wasn't hired for his expertise in UNIX but for his ability to do research, plus he was a pleasure to work with.

    Lastly, how was you DL experience? Did you find it stimulating, challenging? What was the mode of delivery? How did it compare to your years of classroom experience?
     
  17. jimnagrom

    jimnagrom New Member

    FYI - we just completed the initial cut for a new academic hire - Capella grads were not considered. Capella is not an academicly acceptable degree at the BS/MS level.
     
  18. Bruboy

    Bruboy New Member

    How was it determined that Capella is not academicly acceptable? Does your HR department make that determination? Were there any candidates that graduated from DL schools in the running? By "new academic hire" do you mean little or no experience?

    Thanks in advance.
     
  19. AV8R

    AV8R Active Member


    Were Capella grads being cut from consideration based on an actual evaluation of the school or was it based on DL prejudice?
     
  20. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    Can you elaborate a little bit more on the reasons why?
     

Share This Page