Hello everyone.

Very soon I will be getting into school for a graduate study and I intend the area of management though I have my first degree in Microbiology and presently work in a consulting firm. The thing is, I intend to further to a Ph.D. level as I have an eye on academia.

The questions now are:
1. An M.Sc. (Business) Management and an MBA which gives a better understanding of the field of management?
2. With an MBA can one further towards a Ph.D.?
3. Which of the two offers a better career progression and relevance?

Moderator, Please can you make this front page to get more respondents. Thank you.

There are important questions for you to answer first before finally making this decision. But starting with the most relevant, what role are you involved in your firm? I think from there it is easier to continue with opinions on what might be your best bet.

I think you need to spend more time in consulting.

Thanks my people for your inputs. I really appreciate them all.
More inputs please.
Moderator front page please.

MSc Business mgt is your best bet if u intend going for a PhD. Some business schools will take ur MBA for PhD str8 if u have above 4.0. But based on ur background. Bsc microbiology. You can do MBA first then apply for Msc. Cos the MBA would serve like ur PGD to enter mgt field. No university will take BSc Microbiology for Msc Business. But MBA is GBOGBO ERO. (Any body).


I read Business Administration for Bsc and Imagine I want to do MSc Microbiology because I have passion for Sciences, will they take me? One would mess up the class.

I also have MSc in Business Administration. Dont think management field is just what anybody will just enter without pre requisite. Start with one first. Few MBA fellows can conduct thorough Business research to PhD level. So move proper with MSc but MBA first.

Am also a consultant. Msc will help your consulting career. So start with one first. u can inbox me if u want more guidance.

Thanks a lot Excellencies.

You know you cannot compare Microbiology to Management with Management to Microbiology. From my research many schools in Nigeria and abroad offer M.Sc. Management to science graduates. I appreaciate your view. Thanks.

More inputs people.

I dont believe u can do Msc Management str8 with Bsc microbiology, no pgd, no mba. If u say it is possible. Pls tell me 2 or 3 skls doing dat in uk or us so I can recommend for pple close to me. Also I doubt the global relevance of such schools in Management programs.

excellencies: MSc Business mgt is your best bet if u intend going for a PhD. Some business schools will take ur MBA for PhD str8 if u have above 4.0. But based on ur background. Bsc microbiology. You can do MBA first then apply for Msc. Cos the MBA would serve like ur PGD to enter mgt field. No university will take BSc Microbiology for Msc Business. But MBA is GBOGBO ERO. (Any body).


I read Business Administration for Bsc and Imagine I want to do MSc Microbiology because I have passion for Sciences, will they take me? One would mess up the class.

I also have MSc in Business Administration. Dont think management field is just what anybody will just enter without pre requisite. Start with one first. Few MBA fellows can conduct thorough Business research to PhD level. So move proper with MSc but MBA first.

Am also a consultant. Msc will help your consulting career. So start with one first. u can inbox me if u want more guidance.

Bros, your highlighted argument sounds plausible but it is not always the case. There are several counter examples http://www.lums.lancs.ac.uk/masters/msc-management/, http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/business-school/programmes/msc-management/admissions/entryrequirements, http://www.bath.ac.uk/management/msc_management/, http://www2.lse.ac.uk/study/graduate/taughtProgrammes2012/MScManagementScience.aspx, http://www.cass.city.ac.uk/courses/masters/courses/management#courses-details=5. There are many others like these schools. Also see http://gmatclub.com/forum/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-msc-in-management-88867.html for a clear distinction between MBA and MiM.

Many science grads can move into almost any other field they desire, but the converse is a very serious pain in the ass.

Not that what you said is a lie, but it is definitely far from being always true. If a Zoology graduate can win prizes in ACCA/ICAN and co, what stops him from doing very well in MSc Management and co? To me, the most aloof course in Naija's Faculties of Business Administration is Actuarial Science. Very, very few graduates of any other course in Administration can pursue further studies in Actuarial Science.

Once one has the ability to read, understand, assimilate, write, gather information and do some basic intermediate level arithmetic/statistics/calculus, the person can comfortably cope in many fields, especially in the fields of Administration.

T22

T22. I understand your point as regards ICAN and mgt courses. Am not saying a science person will never cope. But schools require that MBA or PGD in mgt is a pre requisite for msc mgt. Also d links u provided only stated programs available and not requisite whether Msc Microbiology can come in for Msc Management. This is not to say he cant have phD in management. Cos I have someone who did Biochem for first degree, holds an MBA Then a DBA in Mgt. But I can say that for Msc u need MBA or Pgd if u re not from mgt field before. Prove me if am qrong. Also note that the respect for a PhD is higher than that of a DBA in Nigeria.

Reply

excellencies: T22. I understand your point as regards ICAN and mgt courses. Am not saying a science person will never cope. But schools require that MBA or PGD in mgt is a pre requisite for msc mgt. Also d links u provided only stated programs available and not requisite whether Msc Microbiology can come in for Msc Management. This is not to say he cant have phD in management. Cos I have someone who did Biochem for first degree, holds an MBA Then a DBA in Mgt. But I can say that for Msc u need MBA or Pgd if u re not from mgt field before. Prove me if am qrong. Also note that the respect for a PhD is higher than that of a DBA in Nigeria.

Reply

Hi,

MSc Management, Lancaster University Management School

Key Facts

Duration: 11 months, full-time

Starts: October

Designed for: recent graduates of any degree discipline wanting to build a business career

Intake: 120 students

Entry requirements: at least upper second class honours degree or equivalent; IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL iBT 100 if first language is not English. >> more information

Work experience: not essential

Fees: £9,750 UK/EU;
£15,000 Overseas

Academic qualifications

We look for a minimum of a 2:1 honours degree or equivalent (a minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4-point scale). The degree can be in any discipline



MSc Management, Imperial College

Undergraduate achievement

A First or Upper Second Class honours degree (or international equivalent) from a recognised university in a subject other than business or management.
We will not accept candidates whose degrees are in business or management. If your degree contains modules similar to more than one quarter of the MSc Management programme you will not be eligible for a place.


MSc Management, City University London

A good Bachelors degree is required to enter this course, usually a UK 2.1 or above or the equivalent from an overseas institution. This course is open to graduates of all disciplines.

T22

T22. Tanx so much. This is insightful. These are top universities. It will take a well to do and brilliant Nigerian to do this with such amount. Best option for a Nigeria graduate with Sciences degree is to travel there for it, because if they stay here to do it, they will have to go through that my initial process I stated. Thank u sir.

excellencies: T22. Tanx so much. This is insightful. These are top universities. It will take a well to do and brilliant Nigerian to do this with such amount. Best option for a Nigeria graduate with Sciences degree is to travel there for it, because if they stay here to do it, they will have to go through that my initial process I stated. Thank u sir.

Of course, 10-15K Pounds no be beans!

T22

neduzi: Hello everyone.

Very soon I will be getting into school for a graduate study and I intend the area of management though I have my first degree in Microbiology and presently work in a consulting firm. The thing is, I intend to further to a Ph.D. level as I have an eye on academia.

The questions now are:
1. An M.Sc. (Business) Management and an MBA which gives a better understanding of the field of management?
2. With an MBA can one further towards a Ph.D.?
3. Which of the two offers a better career progression and relevance?

Moderator, Please can you make this front page to get more respondents. Thank you.

@ Poster from a career progression point of view,an MBA trumps an M.Sc for the acquisition of business management skills,fact. Also further down your career if you were in competition with an equally skilled and experienced candidate the one with an MBA normally wins out fact.
It's worth noting that you can carve a path to your PhD via both routes. All in all, anyone who has climbed the corporate ladder at any level will tell you that an MBA is a far superior degree to an M.Sc.

@Excellencies I hope T22's points got you clarified on the issue. That was what I meant by it is always easy hitting it from the sciences to management.

I so much appreciate all Nairalanders for your opinions!!!

Krucifax:

@ Poster from a career progression point of view,an MBA trumps an M.Sc for the acquisition of business management skills,fact. Also further down your career if you were in competition with an equally skilled and experienced candidate the one with an MBA normally wins out fact.
It's worth noting that you can carve a path to your PhD via both routes. All in all, anyone who has climbed the corporate ladder at any level will tell you that an MBA is a far superior degree to an M.Sc.

I really love this input of yours. It braced me.

@Krucifax, MBA is not superior to Msc. MBA is a terminal degree. MSc is better because your chances are high to progress academically and professionally especially when you are in consulting industry. There are substitutes for MBA degrees which includes conferences and Advanced mgt programs. But no substitute for MSc. u no get am, u no get be dat. MBA lessons can be learnt via the AMP route. MSc is highly superior, also knowledge based organizations will confirm that to you. Is it not PhD holders and Profs that are teaching in MBA skls? but just leveraging on industry networks and experience. So if u re good in business and knows how to network, u dnt need an MBA because u can use d AMP route. But no substitute for Msc. (very superior)

@Krucifax u can check dis links.

www.nairaland.com/916478/mba-msc-advice

www.nairaland.com/34116/mba-msc

https://www.nairaland.com/844361/after-msc-ivy-league-mba

Krucifax:

@ Poster from a career progression point of view,an MBA trumps an M.Sc for the acquisition of business management skills,fact. Also further down your career if you were in competition with an equally skilled and experienced candidate the one with an MBA normally wins out fact.
It's worth noting that you can carve a path to your PhD via both routes. All in all, anyone who has climbed the corporate ladder at any level will tell you that an MBA is a far superior degree to an M.Sc.

Hope u know what it takes to get Msc? How can u say MBA is superior to Msc? I'm laffing at ur ignorance, and i feel u don't really know what the Msc degree is. In nigeria every Dick & Harry can get MBA within 12 months while very few people go for Msc and it takes a minimum of 24 months to get it. Some people even spend 48 months to get Msc, and u are here saying that MBA is superior. I pity u.

ishmael: Hope u know what it takes to get Msc? How can u say MBA is superior to Msc? I'm laffing at ur ignorance, and i feel u don't really know what the Msc degree is. In nigeria every Dick & Harry can get MBA within 12 months while very few people go for Msc and it takes a minimum of 24 months to get it. Some people even spend 48 months to get Msc, and u are here saying that MBA is superior. I pity u.

Are you sure? Maybe you are making conclusions based on the number of years it takes to finish both, do you know that normally, you need 5yrs experience before you can go for MBA?, that alone makes it superior, what about the fact that to assume a managerial position, you need Mba and experience or even experience alone, seriously, in the coporate world, mba is the better option of the two.
M.sc is good for those that are in academics line.
Btw, you can have m.sc within a year too, it will be without dissertation.

@Nitrogen.

You dont know much about MBA and MSc yet, The reason why schools require 3-5 years for MBA before enrolling is to make sure candidates understand the concept of business process of the industry that they belong because of the Academic background of the persons that are allowed to enrol for MBA.
MSc is highly tasking and not for unsound persons. because if ur Msc is less than a required CGPA, it will just be as a terminal degree like an MBA. There is no where an MBA would function that a good MSc holder will not do better.

Both is good but an MSc is better by far for those who want to enjoy both industry and academics. MSc fits in all.

excellencies: @Nitrogen. You dont know enough much MBA and MSc yet, The reason why schools require 3-5 years for MBA before enrolling is to make sure you understand the concept of the business process of the industry that you belong because of the Academic background of the persons that are allowed to enrol for MBA.
MSc is highly tasking and not for unsound persons. because if ur Msc is less than a required CGPA, it will just be as a terminal degree like an MBA. There is no where an MBA would function that a good MSc holder will not do better.

Both is good but an MSc is better by far for those who want to enjoy both industry and academics. MSc fits in all.

No, m.sc does not, m.sc is research based, so i think it is best for those along the academics line, when both (m.sc and mba holder) are looking to get a position in the coporate world, mba holder will be prefered, cos of mainly the experience, or would you as an employer take in an m.sc holder with no experience to a top position that needs an experienced hand?. I can be out of school (1st degree) now and go on to get a masters degree (msc), but thats not the case for mba, u surely need experience and this is paramount in the coporate world.

Bros, m.sc is good and might fit in both lines(perhaps in under-developed and developing countries) but mba will still be preferred in the industry. M.sc best fits in academic line.

Can i ask this, 'why do msc holders go for internships in coys and firms? You will tell me, because the want to have that experience needed in order to get to the target position. So, that tells both of us that mba is the better of the two outside academics.

@ Nitrogen. MSc is not meant for fresh grads alone and is not only Msc holders that do go for internship. In LBS, Nigeria. MBA goes for internship. MBA in Nigeria is done by people with little or no experience most times and thats why MBA is not so valued by Nigerian companies because it is not what it should be here.Truly MBA is good for industry and MSc fits in too depending on organizations.
Are u telling me if an organization shld place an advert for job and they say an MBA preferred or an Msc, and the MSc has enough experience, will they take the MBA because of paper qualification without exposure or will they compensate d MBA more if both are taken with a masters degree in a standard organization.

One thing I know is that experience beats paper qualifications and business skills development and networking exposure wil give u a match up for MBA. But for MSc Business or Management, no alternative.

Both are good but for continous relevance MSc is better.

What are the entry req for MBA and Msc? I've seen people with 3rd class Bsc degree in nigeria bagging MBA, but have never seen any attempting to do Msc. Most skools req u to hold a 2.1 minimum to be admitted 4 Msc programme. MBA is an executive masters prog and does not give u time to do any serious research within one year. Don't compare it with the Msc that stretches u for 2 + x yrs, where x is unknown, doing both course work and research.

I appreciate you all and your knowlege based arguements. To me, none is superior to the other. How important MBA or MSC is to the career growth of an individual can define its superiority. I went for my MBA after I gained employment in the banking industry with my BSC MICROBIOLOGY. This is now superior to my initial plan to go for PHD after MSC. For your information, the MBA/PT took my classmates and I 4 precious yrs in UNIBEN. God bless you.

@ ishmael , it's useful to actually know what you are talking about before putting up a post or at least do some research so people may think you know what you are talking about.

Just so you know a lot of MSc Business degrees are administered for ONE YEAR only.So saying Mscs last longer is just nonsense. Now i've studied at university level in Africa and Europe,i have also worked in both continents. I have applied for jobs in both continents,networked in both continents when i was looking for work i registered with recruitment consultants like "Hays","Eden Brown", "Badenoch & Clark","Reed". I have liaised with professionals whose job is to hire for organisations from small outfits to multinationals.

Making a comparison can be deceptive as it's really dependent on industry,but if you read my initial post properly i said " from a career progression point of view,an MBA trumps an M.Sc for the acquisition of business management skills".

So just to reiterate for you, an MBA is a superior degree for progression of a career whose aim is the acquisition of management skills. Fact.

Before any Pseudo-knowledgeable persons posts any more rubbish please go and compare the two degree here http://www.findamasters.com

Krucifax: @ ishmael and Nitrogen, it's useful to actually know what you are talking about before putting up a post or at least do some research so people may think you know what you are talking about.

Just so you know a lot of MSc Business degrees are administered for ONE YEAR only.So saying Mscs last longer is just nonsense. Now i've studied at university level in Africa and Europe,i have also worked in both continents. I have applied for jobs in both continents,networked in both continents when i was looking for work i registered with recruitment consultants like "Hays","Eden Brown", "Badenoch & Clark","Reed". I have liaised with professionals whose job is to hire for organisations from small outfits to multinationals.

Making a comparison can be deceptive as it's really dependent on industry,but if you read my initial post properly i said " from a career progression point of view,an MBA trumps an M.Sc for the acquisition of business management skills".

So just to reiterate for you, an MBA is a superior degree for progression of a career whose aim is the acquisition of management skills. Fact.

Perhaps, you never did go through my posts, i was trying to tell both guys that for moving up easily, mba is the best, i even stressed it that some m.sc programmes lasts only a year, only didnt i mention the particular course, i was trying to disprove assertions, particularly that of ishmael, so?

^^^ btw, i still appreciate the inputs, twas really helpful. Seriously.

@ nitrogen,my apologies i've edited my post. It's directed @ Ishamel.

@ Krucifax, lets not attack people on dis kind of interactive media. MSc Business that I got was for 18 months and not 1yr. As u said no degree is superior to another at the same pedestal depending on d industry but one gives u more options than the other. For me I wil advice MSc for those with first degree in mgt and MBA for those who dont have mgt backgroung as first degree.

MBA is a walkover for a good mgt or Business graduate.

Nice thread.

Before I advise you i would like to give u a synopsis of my resume. I have an MBA from University of Toronto. Currently working on my DBA (Doctor of Business Administration). For sure MBA holds more weight than an MSC. Msc is for people that are looking to get into Phd. Msc curriculum is more academic while MBA curriculum is more of real life case, case analysis and all that. For example while I was in the MBA program one of my exam was to consult for Bombadier, the company was trying to come up with AMHS and they wanted to know if it would make business sense to go ahead with this product of not. So, my colleagues and I prepared a report and presented to Bombardier's management team (What an interesting exam). Were as in the Msc program you would be doing term paper and all that.

In the MBA program you would take interesting courses like Negotiation, Advanced supply chain management, Strategy, Management Accounting, Business Law etc. For me I would advise that you go for the MBA and if u decide to further go can go for your DBA. If you decide to go for the MBA pleasego to a school in North America. Most companies prefer MBA to Msc, telling u from experience. If you want some more advise lemme know and we could talk outside this forum.

With an MBA you could get into the Phd program. However, over here you would have to get an A- (80 AND ABOVE) average to be able to get into the PHD. Consulting firms prefer MBA, if you want to get into the Leadership Development Program for top companies, they prefer MBA (I am in the program now and the requirement was MBA).

CONCLUSION
MBA would give you a better sense of Management.

@Mevisbleek. Thank God u said MBA wil give one a better sense of management but not that all good managers have MBA, some are trained on advanced mgt programs (AMP) and they are better by far than most MBAs. I prefer a good Msc and AMP than MBA. Also a PhD is more honourable than DBA. Especially in good Universities and for you to rise fast to be a Professor that would be reckoned with. That's a secret.


Also note that DBA is like the senior brother of MBA while PhD is like the senior brother of MSc. Lol. For real.

Nice thread.