Value of an MBA: Advantages of an MBA
Career Advancement, higher income potential, increased mobility
in the workplace, self-fulfillment, - all valid reasons for pursuing
one of the more recognizable advanced degrees in the country.
Whether combining a technical or specialized undergraduate degree
with an MBA, or returning to college to update previous education in
business administration, the pursuit of an MBA represents an
important and necessary investment in one’s future.
“My veterinary training prepared me for caring for animals but
did nothing to prepare me for running a business. The University of
Montana MBA Program helped me develop my business skills which made
me a much better practitioner of the ‘business’ side of my
practice.” Jean Allbright, DVM, Heath Veterinary Hospital, Billings
(1993 Graduate)
Success in business in the emerging, global environment of the
21st century will require the mastery of skills typically not
acquired at the baccalaureate level of University education. While
classroom instruction is not a substitute for work experience, the
growth of knowledge acquired through the pursuit of graduate
education can stimulate one’s creativity and improve one’s worth
many times over.
“I do not agree with those who say that an MBA is worth the time and
energy because you will get more money when you have one. It’s not
about money. Obtaining your MBA is about maximizing your personal
worth … about learning and developing new skills ... about deepening
your knowledge of how businesses succeed.” Neil A. Rixe, Assistant
Vice President, US Bank, Minneapolis, Minnesota (1995 Graduate)
“The Off-Campus MBA Program in Kalispell provided the skills I
needed to successfully compete for a position on one of the more
visible and forward deployed programs in the Defense Department
representing U.S. foreign policy goals in the newly emerging free
market economies of Eastern Europe.” Lieutenant Colonel David
Conklin, Deputy Chief / Military Liaison Team, Sofia, Bulgaria (1998
Graduate)
THE VALUE OF WORK EXPERIENCE
Off-Campus MBA students typically have worked for several years
prior to enrolling in The University of Montana program. They are
older, more mature, and have “experience” to share with their
classmates. Academic backgrounds run across all disciplines: from
business to the humanities, from engineering to the sciences. In
addition, the range of professional backgrounds extends from
self-employed entrepreneurs to early and mid career professionals
employed with some of Montana’s leading companies.
MBA STUDENT STATISTICS
AVERAGE AGE 36
MEN 46%
WOMEN 54%
FULL-TIME WORK EXPERIENCE 11 YRS
AVERAGE GMAT SCORE 540
MEDIAN UNDERGRADUATE GPA 3.2
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
as a percent of total
BUSINESS/COMMERCE 58%
ECONOMICS 4%
SOCIAL SCIENCE 6%
ENGINEERING 12%
MATH/COMPUTER SCIENCE 5%
PHYSICAL SCIENCES 5%
LIFE SCIENCES 9%
HUMANITIES 1%
GRADUATE OR MULTIPLE DEGREE HOLDERS 13%
"The greatest value of taking courses through the night MBA
program is the wealth of experience students bring to the classroom.
It’s exciting when I have heated debates across the TV sites with
different organizational philosophies and policies being discussed.
With students from both large and very small business, and from
government and non-profit organizations, there is more richness of
experience than I can remember from when I taught day classes in
prior years.” Lynda Brown, Adjunct Professor of Human Resource
Management, HR Consultant, Missoula.
Students themselves recognize the value that work experience brings
to the classroom. They oftentimes can apply what they are learning
to their positions of employment, and when assigned to work in
groups, they often benefit from the diverse perspectives of their
classmates.
“Each course I have taken has had immediate application to the
company for which I work. From an inventory control program to a
pilot employee training program, I have seen significant benefits to
my company and to my career.” Sheila Rice, Vice President and
Marketing Manager, ENERGY WEST, Inc., (1998 Graduate)
“One of the more valuable aspects of the off-campus MBA program had
to be learning from the experience of my classmates, many of whom
had years of work experience prior to enrolling in the program. In
addition, my exposure to some professors with “real-world”
experience contributed to my overall education at The University of
Montana.” Diana Tickner, Senior Vice President, Midwest/Southwest
Sales, Peabody COALSALES Company, St. Louis, Missouri (1992
Graduate)
RECENT GRADUATES
Successful completion of the Off-Campus MBA can do more than simply
bestow a “credential” that dresses up a resume. It can fulfill some
of the aforementioned reasons for pursuing an MBA. Featured below
are some of the “success stories” of our recent graduates.
“Completing my MBA allowed me to fulfill my one of my career
aspirations. Recently, I was interviewed for a Regional Manager
position with my company, the first such position to come open in
seven years. Out of 10 that applied, I was one of only four persons
interviewed - and I got the position.” Scott Macumber, Field
Services Regional Manager, CCI/Triad, Denver, Colorado (1998
Graduate)
“One of the reasons I was hired as a senior manager in an industry
in which I had no prior experience was my completion of an MBA from
UM. Employers today are recognizing the importance of comprehensive
education in business. This allows the individual with an MBA
greater flexibility in choosing (or changing) an industry or career
field in which to work.” Heidi Wright, Publisher, The Montana
Standard, Butte, Montana (1998 Graduate)
“The blending of an undergraduate engineering degree with an MBA is
an unbeatable combination for working in a technology driven company
such as ours. The knowledge I have gained through the Off-Campus MBA
Program is right on point.” David Gates, Executive Director,
Division Operations, Montana Power Company, Butte (1997 Graduate) |
