Many people pursuing a career in business want to get a Master of Business Administration, or MBA. Getting a master\u2019s degree in business can provide you with better employment opportunities as well as better job security. If you want to advance in your career, getting an MBA might be the perfect choice for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a common misconception that you can\u2019t get an MBA unless you have a bachelor\u2019s degree in business or did some kind of business schooling in your undergraduate career. You\u2019re actually more than capable of pursuing an MBA even if you don\u2019t currently have a degree in business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep reading to learn more about getting your MBA and to get insight into the application requirements and processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s true that having business experience may help you get into an MBA program, but you are not required to have an extensive business background to apply. Most schools are more concerned with your skills, real-world experience, comportment, and motivation over prior education. At Adelphi University<\/a> in New York, healthcare is a major component of the local economy. Adelphi\u2019s Robert B. Willumstad School of Business has many students with backgrounds in clinical healthcare who enroll in the MBA program. Real-world experience is considered when accepting applicants with a healthcare background and no business background is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you apply, use your statement of purpose<\/a> to emphasize the transferable skills that will help you succeed in an MBA program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAn MBA helps students, regardless of background, transform and translate the skills and experience they bring into business value,\u201d says Dr. Daniel Hall, Dean of the Phillips School of Business at High Point University<\/a>. \u201cShow you are already planning for this in your application to be seen as an attractive candidate.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking to change or supercharge your career with skills from an MBA program? What you need is a bachelor’s degree. The type of degree won’t matter, so long as it is from an accredited university<\/a>. For a university or program to be accredited, it needs to maintain a certain level of educational standards. Accreditation can be issued both to institutions as a whole\u2014like an entire university\u2014or to smaller programs and departments within a larger school. At Adelphi University<\/a>, the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), which is the most recognized form of accreditation that a business school can earn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Accrediting agencies are in charge of issuing accreditations. The U.S. Department of Education maintains a list of federally-recognized accrediting agencies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bottom line is that the kind of bachelor\u2019s degree you have is not as important as having a degree from an accredited university. As long as you have a recognized degree, you can apply to get an MBA. Of course, it will still benefit you to emphasize any business-related knowledge, skills, or experiences in your application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The required application criteria will very depending on the MBA program you apply to. Some common criteria include prerequisites or post-baccalaureate coursework, scores from standardized tests, and skill assessments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Post-baccalaureate programs and degrees (also called a post-bacc) are intended to help people who already have a degree get more experience in a different field. Many people who want to change careers or get a higher education degree in a different subject than their original field pursue a post-bacc to prepare. Business schools, medical schools, and computer science programs are all well known for post-baccalaureate programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may need to complete some prerequisite coursework before applying to an MBA program. Some of these courses might include mathematics, statistics, economics, finance, and more. Depending on the institution and program you apply to, you may also need to take a standardized test, such as the GRE or the GMAT<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The GMAT measures things like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be sure to double-check which standardized test you should sign up for, or whether you need to take one at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some programs also require at least one year of business-related work experience or a demonstration of certain skills. For example, Adelphi\u2019s Robert B. Willumstad School of Business requires four years of managerial experience for its Professional Accelerated MBA<\/a>. Check with your institution to see if there are any unique requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMBA Application Requirements for Non-Business Applicants<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Why Get an MBA if You Don\u2019t Have a Bachelor\u2019s in Business?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n