A Professional MBA program is perfect for experienced business professionals who are looking for a way to balance their work obligations all while they study for a business degree. While it is possible to land a position with even the most well-known companies with only a bachelor's degree, to advance your career it is often necessary that you advance your education level. Some professionals who find a great position put off returning to school, but with the right MBA structures you do not have to. Read on, and find out how traditional MBA programs and Executive EMBA programs different from Professional PMBA programs.
Career Stage and How it Affects Your Options for MBA Programs
Typically, anyone who has an accredited four-year degree and who has a year or more of business experience can apply to a traditional MBA program. This is because traditional programs welcome all who are qualified, making the student base very diverse in terms of age and experience. Now, there are programs that have unique admissions requirements surrounding the applicant's career stage.
A professional student typically starts the business studies after they have years of experience, but they do not have to be executives to enroll. The average Professional MBA student will have about five years of business experience and will hold a mid-level career title, according to the Global Post. This is compared to the later career stage of students in an Executive MBA program, which caters to students who hold management and executive-level positions and who have an average of 13 years of experience.
What Are the Typical Admissions Requirements?
Every business school that has a professional program will have their own admissions requirements. It is very common for schools where the highest amount of students apply to have the most strict requirements. Other programs that do not have much competition might be more lenient with experience requirements. In most cases, you must be able to demonstrate academic merit and the potential to succeed. You can do this by showing off your performance as an undergrad. You will also need to show you are competent by achieving an acceptable GMAT admissions test score, according to the GMAT website.
Scheduling Options for Professional Programs
One of the most important things to consider is scheduling. When you are taking a program that caters to business professionals, that program needs to offer flexibility. That is just what the Professional MBA does. While the actual classroom schedule varies, most programs will hold class on evenings during the week. Executive MBA programs have weekend classes because executives hold more responsibility at work. If you study online, you may be able to complete the program more quickly than a student in class because you are free to cover lectures and discussions during free time.
Further Reading:
Top 10 Most Affordable AACSB Online MBA Programs
If you want to be the best leader that you can be and you want to increase your earning potential, consider all of your options. You can review the curriculum and admissions requirements of traditional, Professional MBA, and Executive MBA programs to see the big picture. If you feel like the schedule of the part-time program is best for you and you meet the experience requirements, this flexible option might be best. Network with like-minded professionals in the same stage of their career and earn your Professional MBA to go places in your career faster than you could without it.