A Master in Management or an MBA?

It was once a non-decision, if you wanted to get ahead in business, you undertook an MBA. These days, is a Master of Management (MiM) rated just as highly as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) by many employers, so what is the difference?

Whilst primarily a European qualification, the MiM has spread to South East Asian universities as professional experience is not required to apply. As such, MiM programs tend to have a younger cohort whereas MBA programs gain value from the professional experience students bring to course discussions and case studies. So, MiM programs are primarily designed for students in early career stages directly preceding an undergraduate degree with MBA programs, by contrast, targeting people with management experience of at least five years of workforce experience.

According to analysis, MiM and MBA programs tend overlap by about 30% with both programs providing an overview of general management topics, fostering team work utilising case studies simulating real-world problems as well as written exams and essays. The MiM tends to focus on the theoretical side of management with the MBA requiring strong analytical and mathematical skills; as such, MBA programs primarily emphasis practical application. The MiM tends to be shorter in duration than the MBA and tend to run cheaper course fees than the MBA.

Ultimately, the MiM is a qualification for young and ambitious people who perceive their initial bachelor degree as insufficient for early career progression. MBA students have begun careers requiring updated knowledge, analytic tools and networking opportunities or may have hit a career wall seeking the qualification to gain a promotion or change jobs and/or industries. The question now remains, do employers rate the MiM as highly as the MBA?