Teaching Differences Between Masters In Management And Mba Courses

By Author: John Beth
Total Articles: 17
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Teaching methods and class content are all-important when deciding upon a degree. In terms of study matter the two programmes overlap – both offer a general management masters degree, integrated team work and case studies. However, the MIM is a great deal more theoretical than the MBA. Traditional lectures and tutorial classes are quite common. In an MIM programme, for example, you may find subjects which particularly require mathematical or analytical skills and your final dissertation may be research-oriented.

A MIM thus provides you with the theoretical fundamentals of Management Research and may even qualify you for a PhD in Management later on. An MBA programme, on the other hand, is more of a ‘hands-on’ experience. It is dominated by case studies or real-world examples of business issues or problems which students are expected to explore and discuss in small groups. Thus, in an MBA programme, you may never have to ask about the origins of an accounting technique, but rather focus on its application and instead of a dissertation you may present a consultancy project based on real-world business. A key ...
... differentiator is what a student's post-degree goal is - an MSc in Management is usually followed up with a doctorate or for those who enter the industry it is usually within a research capacity.

An MSc will give a candidate a very specialised set of research skills and little training in management and these are the candidates that will usually find a home in large consumer organizations doing consumer research. Meanwhile, students in finance or economics often go into consulting companies or organizations, including the Bank of Canada, where they carry out research. There is a difference in course fees, as an MBA will generally cost twice that of a MiM. The MiM is officially a Master of Science, and idea is to provide in-depth theoretical knowledge. But many schools also say their programs are practically oriented. So there is a tension between the normal understanding of a Master of Science, and between the approach of an MiM program that seeks to provide a practical and more general orientation.

At the moment the MiM is almost purely a European phenomenon, with around 86-87 percent of these programs offered in Europe. This definitely has to do with the Bologna reforms in Europe since 1999 by which most European countries agreed on unitizing the European university system by following the Anglo-Saxon undergraduate-graduate-study system, and splitting up formerly established 5-year diploma studies.

Jonathan Beth specialises in MBA and Masters in management consultancy and advises top business schools globally.