2008年4月2日星期三

Master of Business Administration

Master of Business Administration

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The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a master’s degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out scientific approaches to management. The MBA degree has since achieved worldwide recognition. Accreditation bodies exist specifically for MBA programs to ensure consistency and quality of graduate business education, and business schools in many countries offer MBA programs tailored to full-time, part-time, executive, and distance learning students, with specialized concentrations. Each year, well-known business publications such as Business Week, US News & World Report, Fortune, Financial Times, and the Wall Street Journal publish rankings of selected MBA programs that, while controversial in their methodology, nevertheless can directly influence the prestige of schools that achieve high scores.
Background
The first American business school, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, was established in 1881. The Tuck School of Business, part of Dartmouth College, was the first graduate school of management in the United States. Founded in 1900, it was the first institution conferring advanced degrees (masters) in the commercial sciences, the forebearer of the modern MBA.
As the U.S. MBA model emerged at the turn of the 20th century, Europeans developed such business schools as Webster Graduate School at Regent’s College, London; elsewhere colleges such as Cranfield School of Management, Cass Business School, London, INSEAD, IMD, SIBM, and MBA-HSG were established for management training. The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business first offered working professionals the Executive MBA (EMBA) program in 1940, and this type of program is now offered by most business schools today. In 1950 the first MBA degrees were awarded outside the United States by the University of Western Ontario in Canada,[1] followed in 1951 with the degree awarded across the Atlantic by the University of Pretoria in South Africa.[2] Moreover, the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi in Pakistan was established in 1955 as the first Asian business school by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. In 1957, INSEAD became the first European business school to offer an MBA program.
The MBA degree has been adopted by universities worldwide, and all six habitable continents have universities offering MBA programs.
AccreditationBusiness schools or MBA programs may be accredited by external bodies which provide students and employers with an independent view of their quality, and indicate that the school’s educational curriculum meets specific quality standards. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation is generally regarded as the standard for MBA programs. The AACSB covers business schools worldwide.
The United States also has six regional accreditation agencies as members of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA): Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA), New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASCSC), North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), and Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).[3]
Other U.S. accreditation agencies include the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) which typically accredits smaller, private American schools, and the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). In addition, MBA programs with specializations for students pursuing careers in healthcare management also eligible for accreditation by the Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).
Accreditation agencies outside the United States include the Association of MBAs (AMBA), a UK based organization that accredits MBA, DBA and MBM programmes worldwide; the Council on Higher Education (CHE) in South Africa; the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) for mostly European and Asian schools; and the Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBAA) in Europe.
Basic types of MBA programsTwo year MBA programs normally take place over two academic years (i.e. approximately 18 months of term time), in the Northern Hemisphere beginning in late August/September of year one and continuing until May of year two, with a three to four month summer break in between years one and two. Students enter with a reasonable amount of prior real-world work experience and take classes during weekdays like other university students.
Accelerated MBA programs are a variation of the two year programs. They involve a higher course load and less “down time” during the program and between semesters, for example, with one rather than three to four weeks vacation between semesters.
Part-time MBA programs normally hold classes on weekday evenings, after normal working hours. Part-time programs normally last three years or more. The students in these programs typically consist of working professionals, who take a light course load for a longer period of time until the graduation requirements are met.
Executive MBA (EMBA) programs developed to meet the educational needs of managers and executives, allowing students to earn an MBA or another business-related graduate degree in two years or less while working full time. Participants come from every type and size of organization – profit, nonprofit, government — representing a variety of industries. EMBA students typically have a higher level of work experience, often 10 years or more, compared to other MBA students. In response to the increasing number of EMBA programs offered, The Executive MBA Council was formed in 1981 to advance executive education.
Distance learning MBA programs hold classes off-campus. These programs can be offered in a number of different formats: correspondence courses by postal mail or email, non-interactive broadcast video, pre-recorded video, live teleconference or videoconference, offline or online computer courses. Many respectable schools offer these programs; however, so do many diploma mills. Potential students should check the school’s accreditation before undertaking distance learning coursework.
Dual MBA programs combine MBA degree with others (such as an MS or a J.D., etc) to let students cut costs (dual programs usually cost less than pursuing 2 degrees separately), save time on education and to tailor the business education courses to their needs.
Admissions criteria
Most programs base admission on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), significant work experience, academic transcripts, essays, references or letters of recommendation, and personal interviews. Schools are also interested in extracurricular activities, community service activities and how the student can improve the diversity and contribute to the student body as a whole. All of these qualifications are important for admission; however, some schools do not weigh GMAT scores as heavily as other criteria.
Most schools are first concerned with whether or not the applicant can handle the quantity of course work. The GMAT (the quantitative score) and academic transcripts help determine this. Once the school determines that the student can succeed academically, they examine the remainder of the application to evaluate the applicant’s experience and leadership abilities.
Program content
Most top MBA programs cover similar subjects within their core required courses. For information about the typical content of an MBA program’s core curriculum, see the overview at the Wikiversity MBA topic page.
BreadthMBA programs expose students to a variety of subjects, including economics, organizational behavior, marketing, accounting, finance, strategy, operations management, international business, information technology management, supply chain management, project management, government policy, and ethics. Students traditionally study a wide breadth of courses in the program’s first year, then pursue a specialized curriculum in the second year. Full-time students typically seek an internship during the interim.
SpecializationMany programs allow students to specialize or concentrate in a particular area. Standard concentrations include accounting, corporate strategy, decision sciences, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, general management, human resources, international business, marketing, organizational behavior, project management, and operations management. Unspecialized MBA programs often focus second-year studies on strategic management or finance.
In addition, a program may offer more specialized concentrations such as Asian business, consulting, sports management, or degrees emphasizing real estate or insurance. Many schools offer unique concentrations available nowhere else.

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Executive MBA (EMBA) Programs

Executive MBA (EMBA) Programs

For those already in a career but wishing to pursue promotion or speed up progression through the ranks, today’s executive MBA programs could prove ideal. These programs are especially designed for executives, enabling them to add to their experience and work-related knowledge a valuable qualification that shows they have the skills and knowledge to progress and work with competence and confidence in this area. These executive MBA programs enable students to put existing executive experience to good use by channelling them into study to effectively further their careers and improve promotional prospects.
executive MBA programs are available from a number of institutions, and are offered on a schedule that enables executives to continue with their careers without disruption and fit the studying in with their current jobs. You will learn all of the same skills and enjoy the same knowledge with executive MBA programs as you would with full time, part time, or online MBA programs; however, these courses also take into account that the executives on the programs will have some sort of prior experience and skill in the area.
You will develop new skills as well as enhance existing ones as part of these executive MBA programs, making them ideal for the ambitious executive that wants to maximize the chances of success and career progression within this area. Some of the skills you will learn and enhance include marketing, management, operations, and finance – all integral skills in this sort of environment, and all of which can provide you with valuable skills and knowledge to pursue the perfect career.
Leadership, problem solving, technology, decision making, and plan implementation are additional skills that executives can develop and enhance on these executive MBA programs, again all valuable skills in the area of business administration. You should ensure that you check the criteria and course structure of any executive MBA programs that you are considering, as this will help you to make a more informed choice about the program for which you apply.

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GMAT-The Graduate Management Admission Test

GMAT-The Graduate Management Admission Test

MORE Related Information about MBA,Please Visit MBA World

WHAT IS THE GMAT TEST?
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a standardized test which has been widely used as part of the assessment process for admission to MBA programs in Business Schools for many years.
The test measures skills and abilities that develop over time. Although it is basically verbal and mathematical, the complete test offers a method of measuring overall ability. It doesn’t test specific knowledge in specific subject areas.
The test has three main sections - quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning , and analytical writing. Each complete test has the same format and areas of content, but specific questions vary from one to another. The questions are continuously replaced, but must fit the overall content and statistical requirements for the test.
The GMAT is only available as a Computer Adaptive Test ( CAT )
HOW IS THE TEST SCORED?
The test scores are intended as one measure of your ability to do graduate work. The test aims to predict your chances of academic success in the first year of an MBA program. It yields four scores - verbal, quantitative, total, and analytical writing.
Quantitative, Verbal and Total ScoresBoth verbal and quantitative scores range from 0 to 60, (scores below 10 and above 46 are unusual). These are on a fixed scale and can be compared across any individuals. They measure different things and are not comparable to each other. The total scores for the test ranges from 200 to 800.
Analytical Writing ScoreThe analytical writing score is an average of the ratings given to two writing tasks. Each response is given two independent ratings. Once both essays by a candidate have been scored, they are averaged to provide an overall score. This average score can range from 0 to 6 in half point intervals.
How Schools Use and Interpret ScoresTest scores have two important characteristics:
1. They are reliable measures of certain developed skills that have been found to be important in the study of management/business at the graduate level. They have been found to be good, but imperfect, in predicting academic success in the first year of study at Graduate Schools of Management.
2. Unlike academic grades, which vary in meaning across School, test scores are based on the same standard for all test takers.
The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) has published guidelines for the use of test scores. Because the test only measures some of the characteristics related to success in graduate School, Schools usually use test scores as only one source of information. Undergraduate record and information obtained from applications, interviews, and letters of recommendation are other good predictors of success. Each School evaluates the scores in its own way. Some set and state a minimum total score for entry.
PLANNING WHEN TO TAKE THE TEST
The test is available, year-round, at test centers throughout the world. In the United States, U.S. territories, Canada, and Puerto Rico, it may be possible to schedule your test within a few days of taking it, but popular dates (especially weekends) book up quickly. In some countries the test may be offered only once per year, so planning is essential. Refer to the admissions deadlines of the Schools to which you are applying and make your appointment early enough to increase your chances of receiving your chosen test date and the test center most convenient to you. You cannot take the test more than one time in any calendar month, even if you have taken the test and cancelled your scores. If you test more than once in a calendar month, your new scores will not be reported and your test fee will be forfeited.

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