If you want to become a project manager, you clearly don't need an MBA (although there are many PMs with MBAs myself included).
However, if you want to eventually move into more of the business side and senior management (especially if you're in charge of direct reports etc) an MBA tends to be required the higher you go.
There's a bit of overlap depending on what coursework you pursue in an MBA (some PM classes might be part of an MBA depending on program and interest).
This also varies by industry as some would prefer more tech degrees (such as comp science) at the grad level instead of business.
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1 reply by Paris kermanshahi
Jun 24, 2020 6:36 PM
Paris kermanshahi
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Thanks Susan for your response.
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Paris kermanshahiMBA Student| Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, Ca, United States
Jun 24, 2020 6:31 PM
Replying to Susan Marangos
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Like everything else: It depends.
If you want to become a project manager, you clearly don't need an MBA (although there are many PMs with MBAs myself included).
However, if you want to eventually move into more of the business side and senior management (especially if you're in charge of direct reports etc) an MBA tends to be required the higher you go.
There's a bit of overlap depending on what coursework you pursue in an MBA (some PM classes might be part of an MBA depending on program and interest).
This also varies by industry as some would prefer more tech degrees (such as comp science) at the grad level instead of business.
Thanks Susan for your response. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
In my case I studied an MBA not because project management. It was because business analisys.
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1 reply by Paris kermanshahi
Jun 24, 2020 9:51 PM
Paris kermanshahi
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Thanks Sergio, can you please advise how it helped you in your career?
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Paris kermanshahiMBA Student| Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, Ca, United States
Jun 24, 2020 9:50 PM
Replying to Sergio Luis Conte
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In my case I studied an MBA not because project management. It was because business analisys.
Thanks Sergio, can you please advise how it helped you in your career?
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1 reply by Sergio Luis Conte
Jun 24, 2020 10:01 PM
Sergio Luis Conte
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Amazing!. I just put my comment and here is your answer. Hours difference are incredible mainly in this times where in my case my routine for going to bed have been impacted (is 11 pm in Argentina). But returning to the point, business analyst is a role that helps organizations to undertand business problems, create solutions and monitoring if those solutions are achieving the expected benefits. I was part of the group that created the role and standards and it was because the company where I worked assigned the responsibility to me. At this time I had earned a Ph.D in software engineering plus a master degree in knowledge engineering (AI), a master in software enginering and a bachelor on systems (not software systems) and when I saw the role I understood that it was the role of the future and I understood that to perform the role as I expected something that give me a clear understanding of complex business topics was needed. So, I studied the MBA and it helps to me not only in my work, it helps to me in my other passion which is academic research including presenting papers and performing conferences. At the end, while some people do not like what I will write, project management is tactical while business analyst is strategical then in my case a MBA help me to understand strategical topics.
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Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Jun 24, 2020 9:51 PM
Replying to Paris kermanshahi
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Thanks Sergio, can you please advise how it helped you in your career?
Amazing!. I just put my comment and here is your answer. Hours difference are incredible mainly in this times where in my case my routine for going to bed have been impacted (is 11 pm in Argentina). But returning to the point, business analyst is a role that helps organizations to undertand business problems, create solutions and monitoring if those solutions are achieving the expected benefits. I was part of the group that created the role and standards and it was because the company where I worked assigned the responsibility to me. At this time I had earned a Ph.D in software engineering plus a master degree in knowledge engineering (AI), a master in software enginering and a bachelor on systems (not software systems) and when I saw the role I understood that it was the role of the future and I understood that to perform the role as I expected something that give me a clear understanding of complex business topics was needed. So, I studied the MBA and it helps to me not only in my work, it helps to me in my other passion which is academic research including presenting papers and performing conferences. At the end, while some people do not like what I will write, project management is tactical while business analyst is strategical then in my case a MBA help me to understand strategical topics.
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1 reply by Paris kermanshahi
Jun 25, 2020 12:23 AM
Paris kermanshahi
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Thanks Sergio, at least it is great we all can connect to each other through technology these days regardless of where we are at :)
Thanks for your response, great points from BA perspective.
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Paris kermanshahiMBA Student| Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, Ca, United States
Jun 24, 2020 10:01 PM
Replying to Sergio Luis Conte
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Amazing!. I just put my comment and here is your answer. Hours difference are incredible mainly in this times where in my case my routine for going to bed have been impacted (is 11 pm in Argentina). But returning to the point, business analyst is a role that helps organizations to undertand business problems, create solutions and monitoring if those solutions are achieving the expected benefits. I was part of the group that created the role and standards and it was because the company where I worked assigned the responsibility to me. At this time I had earned a Ph.D in software engineering plus a master degree in knowledge engineering (AI), a master in software enginering and a bachelor on systems (not software systems) and when I saw the role I understood that it was the role of the future and I understood that to perform the role as I expected something that give me a clear understanding of complex business topics was needed. So, I studied the MBA and it helps to me not only in my work, it helps to me in my other passion which is academic research including presenting papers and performing conferences. At the end, while some people do not like what I will write, project management is tactical while business analyst is strategical then in my case a MBA help me to understand strategical topics.
Thanks Sergio, at least it is great we all can connect to each other through technology these days regardless of where we are at :)
Thanks for your response, great points from BA perspective. Saving Changes...
If you have had no business training, an MBA after having had a technical degree can be one way to learn the theories behind management which could make you a more effective PM. However, the same could be gained by reading, watching lots of TED Talks, finding a mentor and so on.
Pursuing a higher degree needs to be about more than just your job as few employers will pay more just because you have a Masters' degree.
I attained it as a (at the time) cheap means of gaining business knowledge but the only explicit benefit I've received (29 years later) was one extra week of vacation at the public sector company which I worked at a few years back.
Kiron Saving Changes...
Tejas SuraManaging Director| Cubic Turnkey Private LimitedMumbai, Maharashtra, India
Project Management helps get the projects done. Master in Business Administration strategizes and defines what projects are required for the success of the organization and what resources will be provided. Saving Changes...
