The Specializations Boom


MBA programs come in all shapes and sizes, but most prospective students play it safe and plump for one of the stalwarts of finance, marketing, or management. One of the main reasons for this is that they do not fully investigate the diversity of specializations out there, and that’s a great shame because only once a student knows the full range of MBA options can they select the one that best fits their career goals.The standard specializations are: Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, IT/Systems, Operations, and Entrepreneurship, but these are rapidly being joined by more specific subjects, such as Corporate Social Responsibility, Wine Management, Football Industries, Luxury Brand Management, Hotel Management etc.

Example MBA Specializations

Marketing MBA Specialization-
This specialization can help accelerate your entry and progress in some of the most competitive fields: marketing, advertising and public relations.
Hospitality & Tourism MBA Specialization
For those that want to work in management roles in hotels, restaurants and the tourism sector this MBA can equip you with the management techniques needed to rise to a senior position.
Human Resources MBA Specialization
This MBA can lead to a key role managing a company’s most important asset – its people. You will learn about best practices in hiring and training.
Health Care Management MBA Specialization
This is a specialization that could prepare you for management positions in health care facilities, pharmaceuticals, insurance, care facilities for the elderly, and public health agencies. It’s a growing industry, which is seeing this become an increasingly popular MBA.
Communication MBA Specialization
This is for students looking at jobs in media, advertising, journalism, and public relations. MBAs are not widespread in these fields in the same way that they are in finance, and they can give a real competitive edge in advancing to mid- to upper-level management positions.
Entrepreneurship MBA Specialization
This is a controversial one because many claim that entrepreneurship is not something that can be taught. These criticisms miss the point that this MBA is really about business administration strategies that engender the same innovation that makes entrepreneurs so successful.
Are Specializations Credible?
All MBAs hold certain core attributes that are valued by employers seeking to hire the managers of the future, and general MBAs teach their students to think strategically and analytically. However, if you add to this a specialization that matches with future career goals then the combination can fast track a candidate to senior management.Some people think that prospective employers are reluctant to hire people from such specialized programs because they lack credibility. After all does Hilton Hotels really need to hire an MBA in Hotel Management rather than an MBA generalist from a top school? The answer is not a simple one, and it all comes down to the credibility of the course in question. Students should be wary of small universities that are just using marketing skills to promote “hot topic” courses without having the depth to deliver a high quality course.
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