Forum: General Forum (7 Comments)

Is a Master in Management a good investment?

  • Posted by - Mikey - on 19 August 2010 - 6:52pm

    I currently think about doing a Master in Management. But since the study fees are quite high I am not sure whether this would be a good investment. Do you think that I would earn so much more after a Master in Management that I get my money back soon?

    • Posted by - kartnite - on 7 July 2011 - 6:30am

      Mikey Wrote:

      I currently think about doing a Master in
      Management. But since the study fees are quite
      high I am not sure whether this would be a good
      investment. Do you think that I would earn so much
      more after a Master in Management that I get my
      money back soon?


      An old post. My response, nonetheless.

      I dare say that it is a worthy investment. Mind you, that an MM is NOT a substitute for an MBA.

      As I see it, knowledge is always respected.

      Provided you graduate with good grades from a recognised university, you shouldn't have a problem in getting employed. Agreed, market conditions are tough in the UK. But there are always takers.

      For instance, if you are able to successfully network whilst studying, getting employed will not be an arduous task because you will know "where" to search. Networking shouldn't be a question when you are part of a top school.

      Bonne chance!

    • Posted by - rahulnair - on 24 January 2011 - 6:22am

      Hi Thomas,

      Recently I spoke to my brother currently settled in London regarding the Masters in Management program. I asked him about the courses in UK namely Warwick, Lancaster, Bath, Manchester, Edinburgh and some more.

      What he told me was that the job situation in UK is bad and its very difficult to get a job post your masters. A factor adding to this is there are no placements as such in the UK.

      Could you please share some light over this? I want to get as close to the real picture as possible. The MiM although cheaper than an MBA is still a big investment. I dont want to fall into a situation where I opt for the MiM and then find that they are no jobs in the market. Could you please advice?

      • Posted by - akitos - on 11 April 2011 - 9:53pm

        Hi Rahul,

        I happen to sail in the same boat.

        Have you been able ascertain good job prospects after MIM from any specific UNis.

        I have my bit of knowledge and research which I would be happy to share.

        connect with me @ akitosforeveratgmaildotcom

        Cheers and Thanks Thomas for some great info there.

      • Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 24 January 2011 - 3:29pm

        Hi Rahul,

        you touch a core question about Management Masters: Is it worth the investment?

        And my answer will not be straightforward - partly because I can not tell you real numbers and partly because it leads beyond the question of your return on investment in monetary terms.

        First if all, I know that last year many MBA graduates from European business schools had problems to find a job after graduating. I talked to some of them personally, people from the top European business schools in the Financial Times Ranking. The problem indeed had to do with the crisis.

        Second, I don't know about the situation today in the UK but I would never limit my view on one country and one period of time only when I consider doing an MIM or MBA. This is maybe my most important advise for you.

        • Think about Germany at the moment: The economy is booming and the prospections are very good. You can do an MBA or MIM in the UK if you prefer that and then apply for a job in Germany
        • The other aspect to keep in mind is that the investment may go beyond higher income. If you choose a good school your will profit from a personal experience that may shape you as a person. A business school for instance that I am closely related with has students from about 66 different nationalities in their MBA program. You probably will never again be and work in such an international environment and the experience (and fun) is amazing.I don't want to sound esoterical but I can truely say that the MBA changed my thinking and my business approach / work style - I even profit today in my MIM-COMPASS project. Thus, the benefits maybe long-term and show up in several dimensions.

        Nevertheless, you have money to pay and maybe even debts to accept. So of course you want your money back in the form of a (better) job afterwards. The difficulty is to get reliable information.

        • You can use the Financial Times Rankings as a proxy and look at the statistics regarding the time between graduation and the new job for each school
        • You can visit the schools' websites and check their statistics
        • You can ask the admissions department openly about the situation and see if they convince you or if they can provide you with good arguments - e.g. you can ask them some nasty questions such as how many people work in the career office, how long does it take till the graduates from the last intake found a job, and how they deal with the current situation that jobs are lacking - see what they answer you :)
        • You can visit the campus and ask current students about how they feel about their future after graduation
        • You can compare national economies in general and follow the business press
        • Talk to employers: Do you offer jobs for MIMs? Do you offer jobs for MBAs? What are your plans for next year?

        I am aware that I am not giving you a clear answer but hopefully some ideas about:

        • what "investment" means in this context and what you may like to think about beyond monetary returns
        • some flexibility regarding the location you want to work later on
        • and proxies on how to estimate your later career chances

        Good luck!
        Thomas

    • Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 24 October 2010 - 7:09pm

      Hi Mikey,

      the Financial Times Ranking for Master in Management Programs includes the following criteria in their evaluation:

      • weighted salary (US$)
      • value for money
      • careers
      • aims achieved (per cent)
      • placement success
      • international mobility

      In short: The better the scores the higher the ranking position. Please find the ranking methodology published at the Financial Times site.

      If you are interested in a program not listed in the FT ranking, my advice is to consult the school's website directly. At least they should have data published about how much time passed by until the Master in Management students found a job after graduation.

      You can also call the schools directly and pose the question about returns on investment perceived by their alumni. This will also provide you with a first impression of the school, for example how serious the school's representatives take your question and how accurately they can answer it.

      Best
      Thomas

    • Posted by - Aniket - on 20 August 2010 - 1:50pm

      If you choose a good Master you have higher costs but also perhaps a higher salary afterwards. You should definitely take a school with a good career service, that will enhance your chances to get a well paid job. You can ask the school's alumni how the liked the career service at their school.