Benefits of an RA/AACSB MBA

I am looking at an MBA program and was wondering what the benefits might be if I wanted to focus on getting a teaching position. Would it be worth it if I have a PhD from NCU or would it look strange?

Any comments are welcome.
By the way, the school is The University of Tampa which is a traditional B&M school and here is the program I would go for.

Thanks-

 

Randell,

I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but after you finish your PhD, won't it be time to start using your training by publishing, researching, teaching or simply enjoying life? You face your education with a fury matched by few and I'm sure you enjoy it (I know I do) but when is enough, enough?

Merry Christmas!

 

I don't take that the wrong way. I am looking at options. If I want to teach, and only teach, it (getting the RA/ AACSB MBA)would be a small price to pay.

Right now I make a very comfortable living but I work a lot of hours and travel a lot. If I ever want a change, I want to be best positioned for it.

 

Your PhD will be RA, right? Doesn't that pretty much cover it?

I think JoAnn's onto something. Life's short. Don't squander it. Yes, I said "squander." Even education can be life-squandering when it's overdone... or so it is my opinion.

 

If you complete the PhD, the education you already have tells a wonderful story about you. If you really need AACSB isn't there DL a program you could earn a DBA in? Maybe you should switch doctoral programs if thats important to you. It just feels like you are going backwards if you get an MBA after getting a PhD in Business Admin from NCU. What about investigating some sort of post doctorate program (do they have those thingies in business?) Good luck with whatever you want to do.

BTW, the U of Tampa MBA looks like an interesting program. It might be the program I look at after I complete my MSCS. Thanks for pointing it out.

 

I'd like to echo the other sentiments expressed here. Don't you already have an MBA from California Coast University? Why bother with a second MBA?

I think you have it covered, personally.

 

Randall1234,

You don’t want to be adding more to your plate after you complete your doctorate. With your PhD in hand, as you compete for a teaching position, and even more after you get a teaching position, the hard work just begins. Developing proposals for research grants, conducting research, getting published, looking for consulting opportunities, becoming active in professional associations, and presenting at conferences and symposia will more than fill your time, and will be what colleges and universities are looking for in potential faculty and current faculty.

Looking back on my experience, getting the DBA was relatively straightforward. The professors handed out reading assignments, research assignments, I studied for my comps, and I completed my dissertation. The hard part comes after you get your doctorate and there is no one giving you assignments anymore, but you know you need to continue your research focus and getting established in academia.

It’s a different perspective. As you pursue your PhD at NCU, you should be establishing your research focus, and continuing and enhancing it after you graduate. The extra MBA won’t really add anything to your credentials after your PhD.

 

Randall1234,

A few months ago I was speaking with the director of my local Florida Tech graduate center about the value of a DL doctoral degree versus earning a second masters degree from Florida Tech. His response was that as long as the doctoral degree is RA, it will be worth more than a second master’s degree. He told me that one of his students is working on his fourth master’s degree from Florida Tech but that his accomplishments would not be given the same respect as that of an RA DL doctoral degree.

I think Dr. Rene hit the nail on the head with this one. Besides, being that NCU is the new kid on the block of DL schools, you’ll want to get the NCU name out in the form of professional publications.

 

I'm with the gang on this. Before you do it ruthlessly think not only about benefits but also about opportunity cost. There's a lot of writing, speaking and other punditry-proving Brand Randall stuff you could do with the time you'd spend on that MBA.

 

I spoke with an assistant dean of the Adult Programs at an AACSB school. Although his area is not affected by AACSB he told me the exact same thing. As long as the doctorate is RA it is much more valuable than a masters.

He told me that there are no extra value accreditation-wise for the school if a degree is AACSB or not. SACS nor the AACSB themselves award any extra points towards regional or professional accreditation for AACSB degrees.

A RA only PhD is of more value to a school seeking or maintaining regional\professional accrediation than a AACSB MBA.

Again, this is what I was told.

 

Thanks for everyones responses.

 

Agreed. At least as far as AACSB's published accreditation standards.

But it is quite difficult to obtain a regular (tenure-track) position nowdays at an American AACSB school with a business doctorate that is not AACSB accredited. There are small exceptions to this reality, such as DBAs from Harvard and business doctorates from top tier foreign institutions.

There is a very real bias against non-AACSB accredited business doctorates in AACSB schools. You'll find most individuals in academia with non-AACSB business doctorates teaching at non-AACSB schools. It seems strange, but it is probably easier to get a teaching position in an AACSB school with a non-business doctorate (education, psychology, engineering, specialty management) than a non-AACSB accredited business doctorate.