Thinking of an MBA? Prior Business Degrees Not Needed.
With job offers delayed or withdrawn in a pandemic economy, some professionals may find that getting a Virginia Tech MBA can be a productive way to sharpen skills and add credentials while waiting to launch the next stage of their careers while thinking of an MBA.
Those who majored in science, engineering, and other nonbusiness disciplines as undergraduates will discover that a prior business education isn’t needed to enroll or excel in an MBA program.
Far from being a barrier to success, technical backgrounds can be a basis for diversifying or rounding out knowledge and skills for managing or leading change in today’s data economy.
From the Students
Ryan Feber, a 2003 Virginia Tech graduate in computer science, for example, believes his computer science degree “is more important than a business undergrad degree when thinking about product management or positions at tech companies.”
Feber chose to pursue a Virginia Tech MBA for a number of reasons: “I was certainly familiar with the brand, loved my time in Blacksburg, and wanted to extend that to my graduate degree. The availability of the Commonwealth Campus student approach, the value of the program, and the proximity to my current workplace (and Metro access) also factored in.”
Bryan Gassenmeyer earned a degree in industrial and systems engineering at Virginia Tech in 2006 and has developed a successful career in sales engineering ever since.
Currently a senior sales engineer for a leading global manufacturer of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning equipment for the residential, commercial, and transportation markets, Gassenmeyer decided he wanted to build his business knowledge base and get a master’s degree to strengthen his credentials and create a foundation for his next career steps.
“Many employers find an individual with an engineering background and an understanding of business to be very attractive as someone who can communicate in both areas,” Gassenmeyer said. “The VT MBA achieves this goal for me. It increases my value to my current employer for promotion opportunities and also increases my competitiveness for opportunities outside my current company.”
Virginia Tech’s MBA program was his “clear first choice,” he said. Its top ranking and reputation and convenient location in metro Washington, D.C. made it an enticing choice.
Return on Investment
Both students are pleased with the skills and knowledge they have gained so far. Feber cited concepts and frameworks around entrepreneurship, corporate finance and accounting, and leadership. “I’ve polished a bit around product development, marketing, and technology.”
Gassenmeyer noted that he has a much better fundamental understanding of the basic structure and essential components of a successful business, from financials and accounting to marketing and reputation management. “I had little prior exposure to these subjects, but I now have a greater appreciation of the roles of these functions and have seen many ways in which they impact my current work.”
He has been able to better identify operational, marketing, and other issues and recommend solutions, and his interpersonal skills have improved. “I am able to speak much more intelligently with my management team about the issues that impact our business.”
Gassenmeyer and Feber both expect that a Virginia Tech MBA will serve them well in their careers.
“I continue to look for ways to integrate what I learn,” Feber said. “Being in a small startup, I’ve found ample opportunities, such as venture finance, to apply and help translate what I hear from senior leaders in my company and industry.”
Gassenmeyer said the MBA will give him more confidence to pursue opportunities for greater responsibility. “I expect the MBA to open doors for me both inside and outside my current company, including the possibility of opening my own firm.”
Learn more about Virginia Tech’s MBA programs at mba.vt.edu.
The 5 Best DC Part-Time MBA Programs
The necessity of continuing to work while pursuing an MBA is a reality for many students. Part-time programs, built to fit into work and family schedules, are an increasingly sought after format for the MBA. The DMV metro area is home to some of the top part-time MBAs in the country. Here is a look at five of the best Washington DC part-time MBA programs.
Virginia Tech’s Pamplin School of Business’ evening part-time program recently jumped three places to 14th in U.S. News and World Report‘s rankings. Also ranked as the top public university part-time degree, the evening program at Pamplin begins in spring or fall, and can take anywhere from two-to-five years to complete, with the average student receiving an MBA in 3.5 years.
Part-time students at Pamplin can choose how many courses to take each semester, and the highly flexible format is fit for professionals who may be searching for a way to shift in their current career. According to Dean Robert Sumichrast, part of what makes Pamplin a leader in part-time education is its awareness of the needs of the working professional. “What we did at Virginia Tech a few years ago was to say that we really want to focus on the working [student]—someone who wants to enhance their career or make a change in the direction of their career … We want [professionals] to use what they’ve learned as part of the experience of the MBA program.”
Johns Hopkins’ Carey School of Business’ Flexible MBA also has the success of the working student at its forefront. With a degree “proven to get six-figure results” Carey’s flex MBA is online, in-person, or in a blended format. The program’s average length is 2.7 years and is comprised of 54 credits. With concentrations in Healthcare Management, Leading Organizations, and Marketing, the online courses are offered in eight-week terms. The in person delivery method, also comprised of eight-week terms, offers the additional concentrations of entrepreneurship, financial businesses, interdisciplinary business, and real estate and infrastructure.
While graduates of the Carey Flex MBA program succeed in a wide variety of industries, recent data shows that 67 percent of students landed in consulting positions, and 33 percent took roles in healthcare.
The University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business, allowed one part-time MBA student, Marie-Anne Audige, ’17, to realize that she was “much more resilient than I thought I was … Smith allowed me to take a leap of faith to start my business.” With classes available at three different campuses (Shady Grove, Downtown D.C. and Baltimore), Smith’s part-time MBA is one of the “most versatile MBA programs in the Washington D.C. region.”
With several different options available—24 months, 28 months, or a flexible, self-paced duration—Smith’s degree meets the professional in the middle between their education and career. Smith offers frequent info sessions, both in person and online, for those who wish to learn more about the flex programs in person. Classes are offered throughout the year in four terms.
Loyola University’s Sellinger School of Business also ranked among U.S. News and World Report’s top part-time MBA programs. Sellinger Professional MBAs may complete the program’s 33-42 credits at a self created pace, in as many as six years or as few as two and a half. Encouraging “students to align personal interests and career goals” with the curriculum, Sellinger has a wide variety of specializations from which to choose; professional MBAs can major in data analytics, finance, accounting, and marketing to name just a few.
Kogod School of Business at American University offers its top-ranked part-time online degree in a 24-month course sequence (completed by most students), but it can also be completed on a 12-month, 15-month, or 18-month track. Comprised of 48 credits, there are 12 core courses, three electives, and two in-person immersions.
The Kogod MBA is pointed squarely at helping businesses to grow, as stated on the program’s site. “The online MBA program prepares students to apply leadership and financial analysis skills to help businesses operate more effectively”. Students can choose from six concentrations or can customize their degree to their specific career goals. Concentrations include Business Analytics, Finance, International Business, Cybersecurity and Marketing.
