All MBAs cover the same foundational topics of management, economics, leadership, communications, and information technology. But beyond the basics of business, many MBA curricula offer the option to specialize through in-depth concentrations. If you have a certain career path in mind, you may be able to find a program that helps you direct your focus on exactly what will serve you best in your desired field.

Below are just some examples of popular MBA concentrations:

Accounting & Finance

A concentration in accounting and/or finance provide the training for a professional position that any company can find useful. Able to plan fiscal spending and investments, financial managers and auditors have the analytical skills to strategize efficient corporate spending.

International Business

Globalization is not going to stop expanding any time soon, and companies are in need of internationally savvy leaders. Those who study international business are exposed to the complexities of global financial markets as well as how different cultures manage both internal and external relations. The concentration allows students to get a firm grasp on the way networks operate, interact, and compete on a global scale. Some programs with an international business concentration may offer—or even require—students to study abroad. No matter whether a trip lasts a few days or a few weeks, the opportunity allows these future global business leaders to get firsthand experience of foreign business operations.

Entrepreneurship

Starting a company from the ground up is an ambitious feat, and with a concentration in entrepreneurship, an MBA is the perfect degree to establish the know-how for every stage of innovative development. In general, graduates with an entrepreneurial foundation are motivated to bring creative strategy to the workplace, a useful skill in businesses both old and new. Even as professionals in established companies, those with entrepreneurial training can introduce a fresh perspective with out-of-the-box ideas. This concentration is all about innovation, supporting a range of students from those who want to launch new startups to those who want to be forward-thinking “intrapreneurs” within larger companies.

Healthcare Administration

A concentration in healthcare administration applies an MBA’s management-based education to the specific intricacies of a healthcare facility. The healthcare industry is evolving at a rapid pace, and the need for skilled administrators continues to grow. In fact, the demand for managers in the healthcare industry is one of the fastest growing among all occupations. Along with managerial training, the concentration introduces students both to the technology used in clinics and hospitals as well as to the complex financial dealings for healthcare providers and patients.

Project Management

While all MBAs stress the importance of effective administration, a concentration in project management teaches graduates to organize all levels and stages of development. Project managers require the foresight for long-term growth as well as the scrutiny for productivity in all departments. Course topics range all the way from market research and macroeconomics to interpersonal conflict resolution.

Leadership

Executive leaders must be keenly aware of how micro-level interaction affects macro-level growth. A concentration in leadership complements the MBA with an exploration of human resources, ethics, and psychology. It emphasizes the skills needed to delegate tasks and maintain a healthy work environment among all kinds of personalities.

Supply Chain Management

The concentration in supply chain management brings focus to the logistical functions involved in product development. It exposes students to financial planning, operations management, and sales, helping them learn to plan a smooth chain of production and delivery.

Marketing

A marketing concentration in an MBA program incorporates the creative aspects that allow a business to thrive. Its courses range from advertising and branding to global marketing and economics. Combined with the managerial training of an MBA, a graduate skilled in marketing is able to plan effective campaigns and organize successful product launches with measurable customer allure.