Glossy brochures, eloquent admissions officers, elaborate advertising campaigns, appearances on education fairs and interactive profiles –many MBA and Masters institutions present themselves and their programs to the outside world in the most sophisticated ways. But it is not all gold that glitters, and not every program can keep the promise its makes in their stylish marketing campaigns. Many new MBA and Masters providers have entered the market in the last few years and they all want a share of the cake. Many of these new providers make a positive contribution to the sector internationally as competition can make anindustry livelier and ensure a greater diversity of offers. In addition to the traditional top tier business schools, a growing group of mid-level segment providers has formed to offer mostly specialised course modules. Parallel to this development, however, some institutions have emerged whose core competencies reside in student recruitment rather than conveying skills and knowledge to their students. It is often difficult to know at first glance which institution might be a degree mill and which one is the real deal, particularly as many of the less serious providers are entirely within legal bounds with their questionable offers.
10 Guidelines for finding a quality MBA or Masters program:
This list is intended for the objective external assessment of the standards of a program (rather than the suitability for a student) and is merely providing a guideline for the inquiring student.
1. Location of Award
Who actually awards the degree and title? In some institution locations you may only find the local marketing office of internationally active schools, in other instances institutions will entercollaborations in which the local office is merely dealing with student recruitment. For titles and degrees awarded outside your country of residence it is recommended to be cautious. In a number of countries, the degree and title is only valid if it is approved by the respective ministry, which will assess any equivalencies to national standards. In some cases, when the equivalency is not granted, the title obtained may not be carried.
2. Accreditation
Has the respective program been tested by a reputable accreditation agency? Is the accreditation complete and / or still valid? If in doubt, it is worth checking with the respective agency’s website. For more information on common accreditation bodies read oursection
‘Accreditations – Seal of Approval’.
3. New or old
How long has the provider been on the market? A new provider is not necessarily a bad provider, but it often takes a few years until the programs are fully optimized. Can you contact any alumni? What kind of reputation does the institution have?
Make as many enquiries as you can.
4. Ownership
Who owns the institution?
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Publicly owned: often the most secure type of provider, but can also be bureaucratically unwieldy.
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Private-public partnership: this model,which combines public organs with private enterprise,has proven successful so far. It provides both, security and dynamism. The question to ask here: which part holds the majority share in the partnership?
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Private providers: privately owned institutions can provide a highly dynamic and market-oriented structure for the business school. Such institutions can much more easily adapt their course contents to client demand. However, degree mills are all private providers and it is recommended to thoroughly check any privately owned institution before enrolling in any of their programs.
5. Reputation
What is the reputation an institution holds? How do HR managers view the institution? Here the general rule applies: the more well known, the better. This, however, is sometimes difficult to ascertain. Rankings may serve as an indicator in
finding out who is who, but in many cases, rankings provide information only for a limited number of institutions.
6. References
Are any external references available for the institution? How certain is the continuity of the program? Are there any alumni or companies closely working with the institution that might be able to give you more information? How many graduates
has the program produced so far? The more graduates, the more likely is the continuation of the program in the long run. The cancellation of a program may have adverse effects on the graduate’s career.
7. Pricing
Take caution if you notice any abnormalities in pricing.
MBA programs costing less than 10,000 or over 40,000 Euros should raise a red flag. Investigate those programs more carefully.
8. Alumni / Networks
The alumni organization of a business school is almost as important as the education itself. Strong alumni and other networks will ensure that you will benefit from the program for years after graduation. Asking the program provider specific questions can be very helpful: How many graduates does the alumni organization
comprise? How is the network organized? Alumni websites also often offer information on the size and activities of alumni and other networks.
9. Participant structure
Classmates are an important factor when choosing an MBA program. Not only because you will often work in teams, but also because you and your classmates represent the program externally. A high percentage of international students is
always desirable. You can get an idea of what your classmates might be like by checking the terms of admission (job experience, leadership experience and type of diploma required).
10. Expert advice
If you are unsure about a certain MBA program or would like to have more information on a particular institution consult an expert in the field. MBA. INFO is happy to offer free advice via our
