MBA Specialisations 2

The MBA (Master of Business Administration) is the most widely-recognised postgraduate business qualification in existence. In Ireland, a number of colleges offer the traditional Executive programme – but what opportunities are there for those who wish to use their MBA as a means of specialising in a specific area?

In fact, there are quite a few options available, throughout the country, for those who wish to pursue an MBA more closely tied-in with a specific field. For instance, the UCD (University College Dublin) Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School offers a number of MBA specialisations. These are the Executive MBA in Financial Services, the Executive MBA in Regulation and Compliance, and the Executive MBA in Health Care Management.

But what do each of these courses have to offer potential participants? Geraldine McCarthy, the MBA admissions manager at the school, explains with regard to the Financial Services programme.

‘This (course) is designed specifically to develop the knowledge, skills and perspective required for leaders and senior professionals in financial services,’ she says. ‘It aims to provide candidates with an understanding of strategy and leadership in complex, changing organisations. It also provides specialist knowledge in financial services and the development of interpersonal skills.’

And with regard to the Regulation and Compliance programme, she says: ‘It aims to provide candidates with an insight into management concepts and techniques, and allows them to enhance analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills applicable in general management, compliance and regulation.’

McCarthy continues, with regard to the Health Care Management MBA, saying it is for ‘professionals who have, or will have, administrative and management responsibilities in the healthcare sector’.

‘Candidates are provided with a solid business grounding and learn how to provide effective leadership within the unique context of the healthcare sector,’ she adds.

All three of these three UCD courses are offered on a part-time basis, over the course of two years.

Elsewhere, UL (University of Limerick) offers a Corporate MBA course, which also includes a strong element of specialisation. The qualification is pursued over the course of two years and, as programme director Dr Thomas Garavan explains, provides participants with an opportunity to focus on specific, chosen areas.

He says: ‘A unique feature (of the course) is that we run summer schools, where (participants) do some electives – they can specialise in a couple of areas. They would do those summer schools over the two summers of the academic calendar, over the two years.’

Participants choose one elective module per summer school, from a range of possibilities that includes the following: International Finance, Taxation, Strategic Sales Management, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Enterprise, Human Resource Development, Corporate and Commercial Law, and Technology Management.

There are a couple of other distinctive aspects to UL’s Corporate MBA programme, as Dr Garavan explains.

‘In terms of delivery, there are a number of unique features,’ he says. ‘We offer it on a block-release basis. We also offer it on an off-site basis. Block release means they attend three days per month, approximately, and they attend four blocks of three days per session.’

He continues: ‘Number two, we have an international summer school. They travel for one week, and they go abroad either to South Africa, Singapore or Shanghai in China. We pick a venue to go off to learn something about international culture.’

for taking the course. He outlines these, saying: ‘Typically the students who come to us are currently in middle management, or in very high level technical specialist roles in organisations. They come on the MBA for two or three reasons. One – in the case of the technical people – to advance their capability to take on general management roles at middle or senior level in organisations. Two, in the case of those already running an organisation or a department, to prepare themselves for senior level, top management positions within the company. And three, some of them will come on the programme to enhance their mobility, to take on international roles, or more global roles, within organisations.’

Elsewhere, Griffith College Dublin offers an MBA in International Business Management. The acquisition of this qualification requires participants to, firstly, attain the MSc (Master Of Science) in International Business Management available at the college. The MSc can be completed either in one year on a full-time basis, or over two years on a part-time basis. To upgrade their qualification to an MBA, participants must complete two workplace-based reports. To do so, they must gain up to 24 months of appropriate management experience – which may be partly acquired before the course starts, during the MSc or after its completion.

Participants must then complete a Management Competency Report and an Analysis of the External Business Environment, to attain their MBA qualification.

DIT (Dublin Institute of Technology) also offers a number of MBA specialisations, which are pursued on a part-time basis over the course of two years. The courses are designed for people who have attained substantial management experience. Participants must have an undergraduate degree at honours level, or an equivalent professional qualification – plus at least five years of relevant post-qualification experience. In exceptional cases, candidates who do not hold an honours degree or its equivalent may be considered.

Students take 13 common, core modules as part of this programme. They also take four modules from one of five elective streams, which are as follows: Accounting and Finance, International Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Facilities Management and Construction Project Management. Participants must also complete a company-based project.

So, those who wish to pursue an MBA qualification are by no means limited to Executive programmes; on the contrary, there is a very diverse range of options available to them, throughout the country.