MBA or MSc in Management (Various)

000sparks000

Evening all, hope yee can help!

Right here it goes. I have been following a few threads on here now for a while trying to get an idea of opinion etc, to help me choose between an MBA and an MSc in Management.

Here’s the background, age 33, been in the workplace now for 16 years, failed my Leaving (didn’t have the commitment), bummed off to London, ended up working for Ryanair and left there after 5 years, last 2 being at managerial level running their pilot training school (no, I cant fly planes, but put the lads through their paces), came back to Ireland, got a job as an estate agent, left that company after 5 years, last 2 being a branch manager, did a honours degree part-time for 4 years while working as an estate agent and finished that last year, got a 2:1 (had the commitment!!!), now I work for a strategic property/property asset management company for the past 2 years, not at managerial level, but was the right choice to make in a strategic way for my career!

Now, the company I am with support part-time education, so much so, they will pay for me to do an MSc or MBA, but which do I do??

I had a frank talk with the MD here and he feels that I should do a basic business managerial course to get the fundamentals right, but I don’t want to waste time!! My wife thinks I should do a MBA as it is highly recognised! Plus, if I decide to move on, then I can sooner!

I am looking for something broad, as I may move away from property.

I had good exposure to piers over the past 2 years and I hear them say that they became CEO of this company, CEO of that company, moved here, moved there……… but if you hear the company names, you realise that they are in completely different fields of work!! I have been told that the managers/MD’s/CEO’s of the future are generalists, big problem solvers who can put there hand to anything. I have a varied background and I want to capitalise on that! But to be honest my business mind has only started to develop since I joined here, as my two jobs previous to that (mentioned above) was very repetitious. My role now is at a consultancy level, but property is not floating my boat any more, I need a different playing field, but not to start at the bottom again, I shouldn’t have to!

So, do I do the MBA in DCU or DIT. Do I do an MSc in Management, Strategic Management & Planning, Management Consultancy – UCD or MSc in Strategic Management in Angier DIT??

Any advice, help would be appreciated.

I find it very, very hard to see where I fit in job opportunities or where I want to be!!

Sorry if I have ranted, screaming baby in the background!!

Have a good weekend!

lizanne83

Hi Sparks... wow you have some amount of experiences there! I am replying to your questions in relation to a different thread you posted: I am doing the Master in Management (MiM) Part-Time in Smurfit while working fulltime job. I, like most in the class, are working directly with business enviornments in various organisations but our primary degrees before commencing work are not business related (eg: a lot of us are science / engineering / IT, etc…) but like you, want to gain a broad spectrum of knowledge in business and management. I find the distance learning fine. We’re in classes once a month for all day Friday’s and Saturday’s (1 block weekend per month) with continuous group & solo (but mostly group) assignments throughout each semester and exams (December then May) and again on Friday and Saturday. Because most of the modules are very relevant to your workplace (Human Resource Management, organizational behavior, strategic management, operations management, accountancy… etc) you can base most of your assignments on your own work experience so it is quite helpful….
Honestly I have to say the support and study guides are very clear and structured… the Blackboard interface is a central info place for your entire course with ongoing interaction with your project groups. But in sum, here is the general gist: The sheer volume of the work, amount of assignments etc, is daunting – particularly when you’re working fulltime work 45+ hours in office…. But the material content is very interesting, manageable and relevant. Yes I did a bit of research talking to previous students before embarking on this. The time flies, coming towards end of 1st year now - half way through course
It is general – a broad spectrum of modules… however, it does provide clear direction of where you want to go and if you choose your option modules carefully to specialize in for 2nd year and structure your thesis in your interested direction – you can gain more specialty in a certain area. As for job market… I don’t know as it can’t be measured yet as this is only the 2nd year of the part-time /distance learning version of the course (started fulltime as 1 year). I know it’s not based on ‘reputation’ and some people will criticize this perception – but Smurfit business school does hold a very good name & recognized international accreditation… sorry I can’t be very comprehensive now... exhausted with work then projects & study in evenings. The joys! No honestly, it’s very interesting – difficult time-management wise sometimes of course juggling fulltime jobs, evening studies and trying to fit ‘life’ in-between… but it’s manageable

000sparks000

lizanne83 wrote: »

Hi Sparks... wow you have some amount of experiences there! I am replying to your questions in relation to a different thread you posted: I am doing the Master in Management (MiM) Part-Time in Smurfit while working fulltime job. I, like most in the class, are working directly with business enviornments in various organisations but our primary degrees before commencing work are not business related (eg: a lot of us are science / engineering / IT, etc…) but like you, want to gain a broad spectrum of knowledge in business and management. I find the distance learning fine. We’re in classes once a month for all day Friday’s and Saturday’s (1 block weekend per month) with continuous group & solo (but mostly group) assignments throughout each semester and exams (December then May) and again on Friday and Saturday. Because most of the modules are very relevant to your workplace (Human Resource Management, organizational behavior, strategic management, operations management, accountancy… etc) you can base most of your assignments on your own work experience so it is quite helpful….
Honestly I have to say the support and study guides are very clear and structured… the Blackboard interface is a central info place for your entire course with ongoing interaction with your project groups. But in sum, here is the general gist: The sheer volume of the work, amount of assignments etc, is daunting – particularly when you’re working fulltime work 45+ hours in office…. But the material content is very interesting, manageable and relevant. Yes I did a bit of research talking to previous students before embarking on this. The time flies, coming towards end of 1st year now - half way through course
It is general – a broad spectrum of modules… however, it does provide clear direction of where you want to go and if you choose your option modules carefully to specialize in for 2nd year and structure your thesis in your interested direction – you can gain more specialty in a certain area. As for job market… I don’t know as it can’t be measured yet as this is only the 2nd year of the part-time /distance learning version of the course (started fulltime as 1 year). I know it’s not based on ‘reputation’ and some people will criticize this perception – but Smurfit business school does hold a very good name & recognized international accreditation… sorry I can’t be very comprehensive now... exhausted with work then projects & study in evenings. The joys! No honestly, it’s very interesting – difficult time-management wise sometimes of course juggling fulltime jobs, evening studies and trying to fit ‘life’ in-between… but it’s manageable

Lizanne, thanks a mil fo rgetting back to me:D

I have a couple of questions, but have to run out the door, will post them up in the next day or so if thats ok?

Just wanted to get back and say thanks for the informative reply.

brndonnie

I have just begun the long process of applying for an MBA by opening the books for the GMAT. However Im hoping to get some advice on this thread on other parts of the application particularly letters of recommendations and the actually essays the schools require you to answer.

By way of background have a very good 2.1 from UCD followed up with MSc in Finance from a prestigious London school. I worked in Investment Banking (Lehman!!) for 3+ years before being made redundant. Came back to Ireland, setup business and sold it within 18 months for profit. Since then have been working with an Irish charity on online strategy.

Im intending on applying to the top 5 in Europe and the U.S so any help, recommendations even brute honesty would be great from those who have been through the process.

Thanks