The MBA (Master of Business Administration) degree is internationally recognised and is seen as a passport to a successful management career. The UK, with over 10 000 graduates annually, produces the highest number of MBAs outside North America.

The first MBA programme was established in the USA in the early 1900s and was introduced into Europe in the 1960s with the founding of IESE in Spain. London Business School and Manchester Business School followed shortly after.

In the USA, full-time programmes are generally two years in length, while in Europe, full-time study can take anything from 10 months to two years to complete. The majority of European MBAs take twelve months to complete.

Why study for an MBA in the United Kingdom?

• More MBA students are educated by British institutions than in the rest of Europe put together
• You can take the classic general MBA or a specialist qualification in your own field, and you can
• study full-time, part-time, in modules or by distance learning
• The UK’s reputation in the world of business has led to its exceptional strength in the teaching of MBAs
• Students who register for most British MBAs find themselves among very high-calibre managers, and staff usually have strong and relevant links to business
• The opportunity to improve your fluency in English will be especially useful if you intend to work in commerce or business

Entrance

Competition for places on well-regarded programmes is fierce. The least you could be asked for is:

• An Honours degree or its professional equivalent.(see Choosing your first degree at http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-education-information-sheets.htm ) The absence of an honours degree equivalent in the Romanian higher education can be compensated for through high academic performance.
• At least three years’ managerial work experience
• A GMAT score of at least 500 for full-time courses (some schools use the GMAT test, while others have devised their own tests)
• A good understanding of both written and spoken English language (IELTS level 6 or a TOEFL score of at least 580 but some schools ask for higher standards)

Institutions will want to know that you have not only fulfilled all these conditions, but have excelled in them. Your personal characteristics are also important, and an academic reference and several essays may also be asked for. You will almost certainly be interviewed, which can sometimes be done in your own country.

What is the GMAT test?

• It is the Graduate Management Admissions Test, based in the United States and sponsored by the Graduate Management Admissions Council
• It measures the candidate’s academic potential for advanced management studies and is a standard and uniform predictor of graduate level performance
• It is an entry requirement for most US business schools, and is used worldwide
• Even schools that have their own admissions test will exempt applicants from it if they have taken the GMAT and achieved a good score
• Information on how you can take the test in Romania can be obtained from the Fulbright Commission.

How can I compare courses?

According to the AMBA (the Association of MBAs), reputation is the most important single factor in your choice of a school, because employers will ask not only whether you have an MBA, but where you studied, and some programmes have a better reputation than others.

There are external ratings and the best known are produced by:

• Business Week
• The Financial Times
• Forbes
• The Wall Street Journal

However, the Association of MBAs has major concerns about business school and MBA programme rankings ocasionally produced by the media. The methodology and criteria used vary widely across surveys and with the huge variety in delivery of programmes (full-time, part-time, distance learning, modular) it is not possible to compare like with like. Look for MBA programme accreditation as an indicator of quality and talk directly to the school and its MBA alumni about their experiences and achievements.

Next steps

• Search for courses on  www.educationuk.org (for all UK courses) and www.mbaworld.com
• Always ask the institution how their MBA is priced
• Apply early – overseas candidates should make sure that their application is with the institution well before the closing date (often in May) in case an offer is made conditional on attending a presessional English programme.
• You should first ask a school whether or not they require GMAT. If they do, try to take the test by March of the proposed year of entry, and register as early as possible

More in Master of Business Administration at :www.britishcouncil.org/learning-education-information-sheets.htm