Online MBA in Management Degrees
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The Master of Business Administration, or MBA, in management prepares students for specialized, upper-level business management careers. In the past, the MBA did not have any specializations, but today, there are many different concentrations that students may pursue to help give them an edge in a competitive job market. Typically, the main reason to specialize in management at the master's level is to pursue top-level management positions such as executive roles including CEOs and COOs. However, just having the MBA is not enough to take on an executive role; the graduate needs several years of management experience in a wide variety of areas.
The MBA degree itself typically covers a variety of business coursework including financial accounting, economics, statistics, and marketing. The student then can choose to specialize in management by completing three to four courses, which typically consist of courses such as global management, managing change, and managing large corporations, to name a few. Every university will have its own set of courses, and many schools allow students to create their own management specialization. The MBA in management also teaches students to be effective leaders by improving their interpersonal communication skills and their ability to build strong teams within a corporation.
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Featured Accredited Schools Offering Online MBA in Management Degrees
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Learn more about Kaplan University - Business Programs
Career Specializations
Graduates with an MBA in management may pursue careers managing a wide variety of businesses and organizations. Examples of just some of the fields that employ management professionals include construction, education, healthcare, finance, retail, information technology, and agriculture.
Degree Levels Available for MBA in Management
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Masters of Business Administration: This degree can be completed in two years from start to finish both on campus and online. The degree can be completed part-time, which is convenient for working adults or those that have other time constraints.
Education & Certification Requirements
The only degree that can be obtained in this area is the MBA, which is a master's degree. Many people begin with a bachelor's in business administration and enter directly into the MBA. However, many people may have a liberal arts bachelor's degree and still can apply to and be accepted into an MBA program. Most MBAs do not require a thesis to be completed, which means the student simply has to complete the coursework, and then they receive their diploma. The coursework in the MBA is intensive and thorough, typically requiring students to do quite a bit of research and write 15- to 20-page papers for each course. The reason for the research and the lengthy papers is to ensure that the student has a firm grasp on the various concepts of business and management. In addition, the MBA can be completed online without the need to attend college campus-based classes, which is very convenient for the working adult.
Those who complete an MBA with a management specialization do not have to take any certifications if they choose not to, but there is an optional Certified Professional Manager certification that graduates can receive via the Institute of Certified Managers. Having this credential on a resume demonstrates that applicants they have the needed skills to lead and manage both small and large teams. In addition, certification helps give the recipient an advantage since the field is highly competitive. (BLS)
Salary Information
Top managers who have earned an MBA in management earn different wages depending on demographics, the size of the company, and the amount of leadership experience the graduate has. Operations managers earned $62,900 to $137,020 annually in 2008. Many top-level managers also receive annual bonuses when they stay under budget, which adds to their overall earnings. Chief executive officers or CEOs earned a median salary of $158,560 annually in 2008, but top-level executives can earn close to or over $1 million annually. (BLS)
Job Outlook
Top-level management jobs are not expected to see a lot of growth through the year 2018, and those jobs that do open will have more qualified candidates, which means that competition will be keen. Many companies promote from within, which means that if a higher management position opens, many companies will promote an exceptional lower-level manager. Therefore, many MBA graduates may take on less-than-desirable management roles initially, but this experience may eventually lead to opportunities to move up the ranks of leadership. (BLS)
Related Careers
A degree in economics teaches students to predict the economy based on several tools, such as market analysis and commodities. Economists spend a lot of their time researching the market and gathering information in order to predict the future of the economy. Most economists will know the immediate future of the economy long before the general public ever feels the effect. (BLS)
Finance management is another related career, as these professionals often work as managers in banks and other financial institutions. In addition, many finance managers also work for large insurance companies and need at least a bachelor's degree, but some companies prefer their management staff to have master's degrees -- especially in large corporations. In addition, many professionals in this field go for the MBA with a specialization in finance, which is very common since the graduate will need both a good business sense, and finance and the degree can meet both of these criteria. (BLS)
Marketing professionals are concerned with how to get a product or service into the hands of the consumer. They often work with advertisers in order to develop a campaign that is suited to their audience. Marketing managers may oversee an entire team of marketing professionals that also include graphic designers, animators, and advertisers. As with finance degrees, there is an MBA with a marketing concentration that many choose if they want to move into the management side of marketing. (BLS)
