With the advent of the financial crisis in Russia, the demand for qualified economists has increased dramatically. In a highly competitive environment, large companies prefer to hire experienced professionals with an MBA (Master of Business Administration) degree for management positions. The Master of Business Administration is the most well-known and popular academic degree in business management. There are several ways to get it now.

An MBA degree can be obtained in many Western universities. Therefore, the Russians are faced with a difficult choice: to go to study abroad or to enter a domestic university.

On an alien planet

Of course, studying abroad will not be in vain: two years later, the master will return to Russia with good knowledge of the global economy. In addition, he will be able to see how Western companies work, and he will certainly use their experience in his work. True, it should be remembered here that studying abroad will be in a foreign language, which the applicant for the degree must know at an excellent level. In addition, the MBA program in each country is unique. “It depends on the economic situation, on the current legal norms, on a number of local specific features,” Tatyana Loskova, manager of one of the capital's business schools, told NI. “Therefore, after studying abroad, many graduates are not immediately able to orient themselves in the situation that has changed in two years at home.”

Do not forget about the financial aspect. “Studying abroad costs from 450 to 600 thousand rubles, and in addition to paying for the program, a significant part of the money will go to living expenses,” Ms. Loskova added to NI. Aleksey Eremenko, deputy marketing director of one of the Moscow business academies, agrees with her. According to him, we must also keep in mind this fact: training abroad is conducted according to Western standards, and the lectures deal with examples mainly from the work of local companies.

Home schooling

When studying in Russia, degree applicants look at examples from the domestic economy and analyze the behavior of our consumers. For practice, this is certainly very important. Now several forms of education are open in Russia: full-time (full-time), part-time (part-time) and the Executive program, designed for those who hold leadership positions. It is worth noting that a rare university provides full-time education. “In this case, the possibility of combining work with study is almost completely excluded,” Mr. Eremenko explained to NI. “Most people come to us who already have a stable income, and they are not going to lose it, which means they cannot afford to spend all their time studying. Even with part-time employment, it’s hard for a person: they have to sacrifice personal hobbies, but they understand that this work is an investment in a career.”

It is for this reason that most universities offer a form of study in which the student attends classes only two or three times a week in the evenings. However, those who believe that such training is less burdensome are mistaken. Within two years, the student will have to not only attend classes, but also study independently.

For those who make a career

Another form of study is the Executive MBA. Traditionally, it is intended for people in leadership positions who, after receiving a business education, plan to return to their company and move up the career ladder. While a regular MBA degree can be obtained with a first-time diploma and at least two years of work experience, in order to receive an Executive MBA, a student must work in a managerial position for at least three to four years.

The advantage of this program is that students have the opportunity to go on probation abroad. Most major universities cooperate with foreign partners and can offer their students such an internship. Some universities even provide students with the opportunity to receive two diplomas at once at the end of the program.

Be mindful of status

Education in Russia will cost from 360 to 600 thousand rubles for two years, depending on what form of education and what program the student chooses. And yet it is not so easy to give away such a lot of money at once, so some educational institutions began to offer a mini-MBA program, promising to teach in 6 months what usually takes two years. However, most universities and academies are wary of these programs. In their opinion, it is impossible to shorten the program so that in just six months to study the full course.

However, one of the problems that a person may face at the end of the program is inadequate requests. Having spent a lot of money on training, he expects a serious increase in salary or career advancement, but these requests are not always commensurate with the possibilities. It all depends on the loyalty of the employer. And although now many people know about the MBA program, and therefore even the status of the educational institution in which you received your degree is important. In addition to the loyalty of the employer, it is also worth remembering that your own requests must be adequate to the circumstances: of course, having an MBA diploma will be a big plus in the eyes of the employer, but this does not guarantee a job.

Business Administration is an international training program for highly qualified professional managers. This training system is of a high level, gives the right to hold managerial positions in organizations and enterprises. The question of what is an MBA is of interest to specialists who expect to take the post of a high or middle-level manager. In addition, this program is suitable for those who seek career growth. It is also designed for top-level managers who strive for self-development and successful business. Since, having received an MBA degree, the student acquires practical experience and means that the specialist will be able to perform managerial work and hold positions in the field of middle and top management.

About what an MBA is known all over the world. This program is very popular abroad, so diplomas with the qualification "Master of Business Administration" are recognized by the business community of all countries.

In addition to the theoretical aspects of management, various practical exercises are used: trainings, role-playing games, seminars, examples and situations of various companies, computer simulations. Trainings, for example, contribute to the development of creativity and help to comprehensively approach the solution of the desired problem. The creative atmosphere of learning was adopted due to the use of new psychological methods and the desire of the students of the program for self-development. The MBA system offers general ways to solve problems that are related to management. The use of theory and practice, and also helps to find common ground between the students of the program. Here it is also possible to listen to the business experience of colleagues. Characterizes the MBA and In addition to the basic subjects, the student chooses those that are important and interesting to him.

You can study in the MBA system if you already have a higher education. To do this, you need to pass a special test that will determine your English language skills. And for studying abroad, the selection is very tough, you also need to undergo psychological testing in order to assess the ability to perceive learning at this level.

The cost of completing an MBA program in Russia is approximately 11-13 thousand dollars. In the West, this amount varies from 20 to 100 thousand dollars, depending on the program and university.

There are such types of education in the MBA system:

• Full-Time is a very similar form of study as in the full-time department of the university. You need to study every day and do more. This will take 1-2 years.
• Part-Time - training in an evening or modular format. Gives the opportunity to study and work at the same time (takes 2 - 3 years).
• Distance Learning - equivalent to the correspondence department of the university. Lasts exactly 2 years.
• The Executive Program is a unique program that specifically aims to improve the skills of managers.

Obtaining an MBA degree helps to increase salaries, increase business profitability, and acquire new economic knowledge.

In Russia, for the first time, what an MBA was, when the Ministry of Education conducted an experiment on the preparation of top-level managers using such a system from 1994 to 2004. Since 2004, Russian universities have been able to license MBA programs.

Today, many Russian businessmen and company directors want to know what an MBA is. It is believed that if you indicate the diploma of a master of business administration in the resume in the “education” column, then this is a big bonus when applying for a job. But statistics show that the employer first looks at the “work experience” column. Often there are such applicants for a vacancy who have completed an MBA, but have only a superficial knowledge of the business. And a high-level specialist who does not have a collection of diplomas may have the necessary knowledge and skills.

Directors of large companies consider the passage of these programs a tribute to fashion. This is partly true. Many people want to get a degree for the sake of a "cool" line in the resume. One way or another, any additional education indicates that a person is constantly striving for self-development.

At a certain stage in their career, many people begin to think about getting an MBA degree. Often they have the same questions: is it necessary? Where to do it - in Russia or abroad? Will Russian employers appreciate it?

Ekaterina Ilashchuk, Head of Education at AT Consulting, answered all questions and told who really should get a degree.

Short story

Not everyone is ready to spend two years on advanced training, top managers and middle managers want to receive information that will be useful here and now. Therefore, they are increasingly choosing modular programs or looking for solutions that allow them to study with minimal distraction from work.

Modular programs involve obtaining the necessary skills to solve urgent problems in a short time. It turns out, on the scales, on the one hand, a big expensive complex MBA product, and on the other hand, short modular programs that allow you to quickly move on.

Russian or foreign school?

As for geography, Russian educational institutions are becoming increasingly popular. Just a few years ago, everyone was striving to get the “seal” of the Western MBA quality standard. Then, joint projects gradually began to open - branches of foreign schools, from which Russian ones grew.

So far, domestic business education cannot boast of a large selection of programs, but it is actively developing, and it has a number of advantages.

For example, the opportunity to combine study with work, unlike the Western MBA. Obtaining a foreign business education involves leaving the work process, which is not always convenient. In addition, our schools are well aware of the specifics of the domestic market, and getting education in Russia is cheaper than in the West. Russian schools are independent of the foreign exchange rate.

Ultimately, it is not so important whether you choose a Russian or a foreign program. The main thing is the practical benefit and the goals that you set for yourself.

Personal experience

One of the popular business schools in Russia is Skolkovo. For example, we sent our employees there for training, they left good reviews about it. The program costs about 700 thousand rubles and consists of four modules, several days each.

MBA diplomas in our company are mainly held by top managers - some of them are Western, some are Russian. We discuss this moment with each employee individually and, based on this, we select the necessary course.

It is clear that it will not be possible to immediately evaluate the results of an MBA. The programs have a prolonged effect. But I can definitely say that they have meaning. By developing one employee, we develop the entire company. transfer knowledge to their subordinates, and the efficiency of the work of the entire team increases. Over the past five years, three employees have received MBAs in our company.

My advice to those who decide to get an MBA:

• choose the right program;
• weigh all the pros and cons;
• study the composition of teachers;
• Meet your future classmates. It is necessary to understand whether it will be interesting to exchange cases with them;
• evaluate the possibility of combining with work (if it is important).

Cherished crusts with the inscription "Master of Business Administration" are the dream of many Russian specialists and a coveted line in the resume for HR specialists. But will the degree you get be the key that opens all the doors?

Today MBA is one of the most popular business educations in Russia. Its essence boils down to obtaining general knowledge on the topic of organization management (in world practice, there are also schools that offer a profile MBA in a particular area, but they are in the minority).

In our Career Consultant project, readers have repeatedly asked questions about the value that an MBA degree has in the eyes of an employer. Candidates want to know whether it is justified to interrupt their work experience to study at a business school, whether such a diploma will be the engine of their future career, how great the return on an MBA degree will be.

In the context of an economic recession, these questions have become even more relevant: after all, studying for an MBA program means not only spending your free time on it, but also risking money.

pros

The popularity of the MBA is due to its universality - and this is, of course, a significant plus for those specialists whose first education did not give them the fundamental foundations of general economics and management theory.

This is a basic business education that allows you to broaden your horizons, replenish your terminology and more deeply comprehend the ongoing social processes.

HeadHunter Live reader Konstantin Tsvetkov shared his personal experience of obtaining a Master of Business Administration degree at a Russian business school, thus highlighting the benefits: “Knowledge in an MBA is good, applicable to practice.

The main thing is that the worldview and understanding of business is changing. If your company has well-established business processes, then with this knowledge you will be able to perfectly implement them, improve them and speak with the top management of the company “in the same language.”

There is an opinion that candidates with an MBA degree attract special attention from employers. “In itself, an MBA education is not an unambiguous reason for unconditional employment. However, having it is an undoubted plus for the applicant,” says career consultant Yulia Kotova, job search mentor and career consultant, Job Search Coach.

In addition, it is believed that an MBA can provide useful benefits in terms of career growth and wealth, especially when it comes to working in branded Russian and foreign companies.

Minuses

If the supporters of the MBA emphasize that this education gives an idea of ​​the basic business strategies and processes, then the opponents write down the same in the minuses. As you know, the classical MBA programs reflect the principles of the capitalist system: society is a competitive environment in which the strongest survive.

At the same time, some innovative economists, such as Edward Deming, who is known for nothing less than having raised the economy of Japan, criticize these principles. Deming's concept of quality management and other theories remain outside the scope of the MBA.

It turns out that managers who have received dosed knowledge become closed to innovations and work within a certain management scheme. “Employers today are very cautious about this diploma,” says career consultant Vera Ignatkina, career consultant and job search coach at Job Search Coach, about the MBA.

There is an opinion that the outbreak of the global crisis, or rather its consequences, lie in the fact that the very leaders who received this business education, and found themselves in other conditions (that is, conditions different from those in which they solved business cases in time of training), were unable to develop an anti-crisis plan for the development of the company, that is, in fact, to answer the question “What to do?”.

Underwater rocks

Getting additional education, systematizing or deepening knowledge is always useful. But the problem is that young professionals often associate the benefits of acquired knowledge with career and material benefits. They get an MBA degree and are disappointed because they cannot find a job: companies accept specialists without an MBA, but with real management experience behind them. This happens because yesterday's business school graduates with no managerial experience raise their expectations.

But it would seem that it could be easier: to understand that an MBA is not an absolute competitive advantage and not a universal key to all doors, but just another “competitive plus”, a golden key that opens a strictly defined door.

Is it worth it?

Of course, it's hard to argue with the fact that having an "MBA" on your resume is better than not having one. But still, getting an MBA just for the sake of an MBA is not worth it, because the crusts themselves do not give any guarantees.

“If you don’t have a clear idea about your career, about what direction you are moving in, and you decide to go for an MBA just in order to have such an idea, then this is most likely a waste of time and money,” says Anna Nazarova, a participant in the HeadHunter Live project. But if you are absolutely clear about what your business education will give you and how you will be able to put it into practice, then an MBA may well be a worthy choice.

The MBA will provide young professionals with knowledge that will be useful in their work in the future, will contribute to the acquisition of the image of a career-oriented person and useful contacts in the business environment.

First, a few words about terms. MBA (master of business administration or master of business administration) is a master's degree in economics and management. Accordingly, an MBA education is the training that allows one to obtain such a degree.

There are many different things being said about an MBA education. An IBA can raise salaries many times over, makes it possible to get a position of a top manager, freely choose a job in the labor market... Is this true? Let's figure it out.

Where does the MBA come from?

MBA programs originally appeared in the United States around the beginning of the 20th century. The purpose of such training was to prepare senior managers for the needs of the business. The MBA very quickly became the standard for top management training and a brand in the American labor market. This was partly due to the high quality of education, partly due to high requirements for students and a rigid selection system. It is difficult to enter the MBA in the USA and not everyone will be taken to study despite the high cost of education.

MBA is hands-on learning

The highlight of an MBA business education is practical training, working with real cases and solving problems faced by real companies. Accordingly, teachers are also practitioners, consultants or current managers and directors of companies.

It is for this reason that they do not teach in universities when they receive their first higher education. There are practically no teachers who are or have been in business.

In addition to case studies, the learning process includes business games, trainings, seminars, development of own projects and their defense, as well as constant teamwork. Of course, the composition of classes varies depending on the format of training (full-time, part-time, distance).

MBA, second higher education, magistracy - what to choose?

Often people ask themselves: what to choose, MBA, second higher education or master's degree?". The practical approach is a strong difference between the MBA and the second higher and master's programs. MBA students must have work experience and business management skills. Master's and second higher education, on the contrary, are focused on the theoretical training of students.

The second argument in favor MBA - good teaching staff. In general, I would like to say that it is better to choose business training not by the prestige of a school or university, but by the level of teachers. The stronger they are, the stronger the curriculum. The prestige of a diploma is a second matter.

What is MBA training

There are many different MBA programs and here are the main types:

• EMBA (Executive MBA), focused only on top managers.
• Full-time MBA - full-time, full-time education. It is not particularly popular, because. With such training, it is impossible to combine work and study.
• Part-time MBA is part-time education that makes it easy to combine work and study. Classes can take place in the evening, on weekends (for example, 2 times a week in the evenings and one full day off or two full days off) or have a modular system (for example, 4 full days per month).
• Distance learning MBA is a format that involves distance learning. This format is now gaining popularity, although it has its pros and cons.
• Mini-MBA is not an abbreviated MBA, but simply a management training course, usually designed for 6 months. Now such training is very popular, because. takes a little time, costs significantly less and has a good teaching staff.

MBA program specializations

Curricula can be of a general and sectoral plan. In both options, general managers are being trained, but in the second case, a little more material is given on a certain profile.

• MBA Start (General Management), which is a kind of basic education for a manager of any level.
• MBA professional. Highly specialized (marketing, personnel management, sales...) or industry-specific programs (logistics, HoReCa, retail, manufacturing, construction, and much more).

Why you need an MBA

There are several benefits of an MBA education:

• Practical skills and knowledge. MBA is cases from real business, communication with directors of corporations, modern presentation of material, home practical assignments. All this makes the MBA a good investment in yourself and your career.
• Exchange of experience with colleagues for study. Perhaps this is even the most important moment of such a business education.
• Connections and acquaintances. In the learning process, you can meet interesting and active people (both students and teachers).
• Expanding horizons. The MBA covers all aspects of business management: leadership, marketing, sales, HR, project management and more. The learning process is focused not on the narrow sharpening of managers, but on the training of specialists who can think and make decisions in various situations.
• An MBA can make your job search easier. For example, now hh.ru has 98 vacancies in Moscow, which say that the MBA is a significant plus for the candidate.

The cost of MBA programs in Russia ranges from about 30,000 rubles (for distance learning mini-MBA) to 1.5 million rubles and more (for a full-fledged 2-year MBA program). However, such investments in oneself fully pay for themselves, because. raise managers to a new level of development.

Will there be an increase in income after completing an MBA?

An MBA education not only increases income, but also improves the qualifications of a manager and helps him move up the career ladder. Such an increase will inevitably increase earnings. Experts call earnings growth figures in the region of 30-70%.

Experience is more important than a degree

Despite all the advantages of an MBA, work experience is always more important. MBA is not a panacea for all troubles and it will not solve all issues. Any employer always first evaluates the experience, achievements and level of companies in which the candidate worked, and only then looks at education and diplomas.

Figuratively speaking, the MBA is a handy and modern rod with which you can catch a lot of fish. However, you will have to catch this fish yourself.