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Advice on Business Postgrad

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  • 26-07-2015 2:30pm
    #1
    aunt aggie
    Registered Users Posts: 454 ✭✭


    Hi, I'd tried posting about this in Postgraduate forum but got no response. I hope the Mods won't mind me posting here for a bit of advice.

    I come from a degree with a strong Maths background and I'm looking into possibly changing career. I'm considering applying for the MSc in Business and Management . Has anyone here any experience of this or a similar Masters?

    The course has key modules and then students specialise in either Financial Management or HR. No idea which I would go for but with my previous Maths experience, I'd probably lean more towards Financial Management. Has anyone with experience working or studying in these areas got any advice?

    Any idea on the availability of job opportunities with this type of qualification?

    Any advice would be really appreciated.


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    #2
    pedroeibar1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,108 ✭✭✭pedroeibar1


    aunt aggie wrote: »
    Hi, I'd tried posting about this in Postgraduate forum but got no response. I hope the Mods won't mind me posting here for a bit of advice.

    I come from a degree with a strong Maths background and I'm looking into possibly changing career. I'm considering applying for the MSc in Business and Management . Has anyone here any experience of this or a similar Masters?

    The course has key modules and then students specialise in either Financial Management or HR. No idea which I would go for but with my previous Maths experience, I'd probably lean more towards Financial Management. Has anyone with experience working or studying in these areas got any advice?

    Any idea on the availability of job opportunities with this type of qualification?

    Any advice would be really appreciated.

    That is a very wide question. It really depends on what you want to do with your life – and how much money you can afford to spend on a postgrad!
    What is your interest? Your motivation? Your experience? Are you a recent grad with no business experience? Want to move fields?
    An understanding of and a facility with numbers is critical in all business functions, so math is a given at management level. It’s what you do afterwards that counts ….With a maths background many doors are open – from accounting / audit / marketing research / treasury functions / funds management / insurance / reinsurance / stockbroking / whatever.
    In most MSc Business and Management programmes HR usually is a compulsory module but unless you intend to go into that field I’d not specialise in it.
    What sort of GMAT score would you expect to achieve? If you have a high score and good work experience do not limit yourself to Irish programmes – they are very expensive and not necessarily the best – for e.g. RSM is No.1 in Europe and as an EU citizen you would pay a fraction of the fees at TCD or Smurfit. Where you study counts for future earning potential (if you are driven by money!)
    In your position I’d do a more general masters, and not pigeonhole myself into a pure math slot. Some maths people do not like the interpersonal aspects of business and are uncomfortable with for e.g. sales; others love to get away from the figures. It really is down to your personality and what suits you. Best of luck with it!


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    #3
    aunt aggie
    Registered Users Posts: 454 ✭✭aunt aggie


    Like I said in my OP I want to change careers and I don't have any previous experience in business. The motivation is about having more secure employment rather than making more money. In fact if I do follow through on this I know it will mean a pay cut.

    The course I'm looking at seems quite broad as I don't want to spend my time looking at a computer all day and would like to have opportunities for interaction with other staff or customers. Thanks for the advice on HR but I obviously need to do a lot more research on this before making a final decision. I have no idea what GMATs are.


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    #4
    Voltex
    Registered Users Posts: 1,580 ✭✭✭Voltex


    OP...are you looking for an MSc or a MBA? Theres bit of a difference...with the latter having a stronger focus on applied learning. I did an MSc in business & mgmt, but that was because my interest lay more in the theoretics.

    The MBA has more recognition than an MSc generally speaking, although there is some suggestions that those sporting a MSc in business and mgmt tend to have bit of a novelty factor associated with their credentials.

    Either way both Degrees will put you on a solid footing for the business world. Best of luck OP.


  • Options
    #5
    aunt aggie
    Registered Users Posts: 454 ✭✭aunt aggie


    Voltex wrote: »
    OP...are you looking for an MSc or a MBA? Theres bit of a difference...with the latter having a stronger focus on applied learning. I did an MSc in business & mgmt, but that was because my interest lay more in the theoretics.

    The MBA has more recognition than an MSc generally speaking, although there is some suggestions that those sporting a MSc in business and mgmt tend to have bit of a novelty factor associated with their credentials.

    Either way both Degrees will put you on a solid footing for the business world. Best of luck OP.

    Thanks for the clarification. Its hard to tell if a course focuses more on applied learning or theory until you're in the middle of it. Prospectuses can be very vague sometimes. Personally, I would like a course that does a fair bit of theory as a I don't have a business degree and I feel that that's an area I should really focus on.


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