For Universities For Employers About

Business Administration

Resource Guide for Prospective MBA Students

Researching MBA programs is a big job. Noodle.com has the resources you need to narrow your search and make the right decision. Image from Pexels

Tom Meltzer February 12, 2022

If you're considering an MBA, you know what a bewildering set of choices you face. This guide links to articles that can answer your questions and help you choose the best program for you.

In this course, participants learn core principles, concepts, and methods of continuous improvement and explore the history of continuous improvement efforts. In a series of lectures, Master Black Belt in Six Sigma Shane Wentz, Ph.D., enables learners to enhance, optimize, and stabilize business processes and to augment quality control through varied methodologies. Participants gain the skills and knowledge to reimagine internal processes, engage in advanced problem-solving, and empower employees. The course covers high-level foundational principles of Lean, Six Sigma, and DMAIC processes before diving deep into Lean Six Sigma methods. Learners will analyze the tools of process mapping, Kaizen (a continuous improvement method/tool deemed a prerequisite for Lean transformation success), Lean (a continuous improvement philosophy that emphasizes streamlined workflows and reducing waste), and the process improvement methodology driving DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.

Entrepreneurs fostering new ventures outside of well-developed entrepreneurial ecosystems like Silicon Valley face significant challenges. These markets are unlike Silicon Valley, and they will likely remain so. That doesn't mean they can't nurture and sustain new businesses. In transitioning markets that lack abundant private sector financing, creative approaches from government officials, donors, and business leaders can fill the void to support entrepreneurial activity. Northeast Ohio (where Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University are located) has become a laboratory for such innovative solutions. During our time together in this course, we will explore some of these creative approaches to promoting regional entrepreneurship. Northeast Ohio has seen a massive infusion of government and donor resources for over ten years. In that time, Northeast Ohio has promoted regional development (including job creation and follow-on funding) through alternative methods of financing startups. It has not been easy. The region has made progress, but it remains to be seen whether it has struck upon an enduring formula. A dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem takes many years, even decades, to develop. Government policymakers and donors typically seek quicker returns on their support programs, which makes long-term support for entrepreneurship challenging. This course includes case studies and first-person testimonials from entrepreneurs who have launched products and services ranging from medical devices to LED lights to whiskey. You will learn how these entrepreneurs discovered and procured resources from various programs and intermediary organizations. You will hear from business people still in the process of developing their companies as well as those whose ventures have flourished. Our focus will extend beyond Cleveland to selected markets around the world, including Greece, Vietnam, Tunisia, Argentina, Rwanda and China. You will learn about international incentives and other supports available to developing startups and small businesses across the globe. This course examines how different communities around the world approach implementing strategies and methods to support businesses. I will ask you to reflect on how to apply the principles we learn to growing entrepreneurship where you live. The social interactive features of the online platform will enable students from around the world to share ideas and learn from one another. Most MOOCs rebroadcast professors’ lectures; this course is different. Don’t expect to see me standing in front of the camera, talking and lecturing every module. Instead, the lectures will be relatively short in length. They have more of the feel of an engaging documentary than a static classroom setting. ## __What type of person takes the *Beyond Silicon Valley* course?__ - Active and aspiring businesspeople in communities looking to initiate new startup ecosystems or bolster existing ones - Current and prospective entrepreneurs who want to learn about funding sources, risk management, and the lifecycle of startups - Professionals who work in government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, philanthropic institutions, and various private funds that fund startups - Anyone curious about how to create and grow startup ecosystems outside the major tech hubs - The principles Beyond Silicon Valley teaches have been drawn from and applied to startups worldwide, from small villages to megalopolises. You'll study success stories spanning the globe from Vietnam to Kosovo to Botswana. ## __What will you learn in *Beyond Silicon Valley*?__ - How and where startups can find funding to get their businesses off the ground - What role government can play in encouraging startups and a healthy startup ecosystem - How anchor institutions such as universities and healthcare systems participate in startup ecosystems - How nongovernmental organizations support startups - How to raise funds from venture capitalists, angel investors, and accelerators - How to navigate challenging periods in the startup lifecycle - The importance of mentoring in successful startups

Article continues here

You're mulling a career in business and asking yourself the big question: do I need a Master of Business Administration (MBA)? Whether you're looking to climb the corporate ladder or start your own business, there are compelling reasons to consider graduate-level business study.

An MBA covers all the critical fundamentals—management, finance, operations, marketing, supply chain, communications, human resources, analytics—so students graduate with a solid understanding of business problems and solutions. MBA programs train managers and high-level decision makers to develop a business' vision and forge strategies to realize it.

If you want to get really good at one specific function—whether that be marketing, finance, or analytics—you might want to consider a master's degree in those fields. You'll develop the expertise to oversee critical projects and make fine-bore decisions within your discipline. However, if you want to manage teams, supervise budgets, and contribute to long-term planning of the business as a whole, an MBA may be the better choice.

So, where do you start? We've compiled a resource guide linking to many helpful MBA articles on the Noodle.com site. They represent just the tip of the iceberg in terms of our graduate business content, but they provide a good starting point for anyone considering an MBA program. This resource guide for prospective MBA students points to articles that address:

Should you get an MBA?
Choosing an MBA program
Applying to an MBA program
Paying for your MBA
Online MBAs
Executive MBA programs

Should you get an MBA?

An MBA requires a significant investment of time, money, and effort. It's not an undertaking to pursue cavalierly. You need to know what you're getting into and whether it's the right choice for you.

These articles help you identify your career goals and determine whether an MBA is the right degree to help you achieve them. Some careers are better suited to academic (as opposed to professional) graduate degrees. Others may benefit from a more narrowly focused professional degree or a certificate program. And some business careers require no graduate degree at all.

Still, there's a reason the MBA is the most popular graduate degree in the United States, one pursued annually by nearly 200,000 students. These articles explain why.

Choosing an MBA program

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredits nearly 500 US business master's programs. The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) approves of a similar number. When it comes time to look at MBA programs, you'll have a lot to choose from.

Which program is right for you? That depends on where you live, whether you want to attend in-person or online, what goals you've set for your career, and of course your qualifications for admission. The articles listed below help you inventory your priorities and your assets so you can apply to the right schools, where you're most likely to get in and benefit the most from the program.

Applying to an MBA program

Admissions committees are mysterious entities. What are they looking for when they review applications? Is there a magic formula that guarantees admission? Spoiler alert: if there is one, we don't have it (sorry!). What we do have is plenty of insights into how to build the strongest case for yourself in your application. The articles below can help guide you through the process.

Paying for your MBA

The most expensive MBA programs in the United States cost over $200,000. The least expensive programs cost less than one-tenth as much. Across that continuum, students have access to various forms of financial assistance, including employee benefits. The articles listed below explain how to get the most bang for your MBA buck.

Online MBAs

Online education was on the ascent throughout the 2010s. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic to push things into an entirely other dimension. Today, everyone who is or recently was a student has experienced online education.

Online MBAs can fit anyone's lifestyle. They're an especially good option for professionals who want to continue working full-time while they earn their degree. The convenience of remote study, coupled with flexible scheduling, means an online program can accommodate needs that a traditional on-campus program simply cannot.

Many excellent schools offer online MBA degrees, including Butler University, Case Western Reserve University, Howard University, University of Tulsa, Southern Methodist University, and Stevens Institute of Technology. These articles describe the online learning process and let you know what to look for in a worthwhile online degree program,

Executive MBA programs

Traditional MBA programs typically seek students with two to five years of post-undergraduate professional experience. Some accept students with no professional experience. Executive MBA programs, in contrast, are designed solely for seasoned professionals, usually with at least ten years under their belts.

Executive MBA (EMBA) programs serve managers and low-level executives looking to ascend to the upper corporate levels; we're talking about aspiring vice presidents and c-suite execs. Executive MBA programs are typically scheduled to suit their students' busy work schedules, with classes held on evenings and/or weekends. More and more are taking their programs online for the same reason.

These articles explain what distinguishes an EMBA program from other MBAs, discusses the benefits and drawbacks of online programs, and helps you figure out how to meet admissions requirements.

Choosing an MBA Specialization

You can complete an MBA in general management. In fact, some programs only offer a generalist MBA. Others, however, offer areas of specialization, pursued through elective coursework that you take after you complete required core courses.

Noodle.com has articles on all the most popular specializations and some that aren't quite as popular but should, or soon will, be. Below is a sampling.

If you're interested in a specialized business master's—a Master of Science in Business Analytics or a Master of Health Administration, for example—Noodle.com has plenty of resources on those as well. The search bar at the top of the page will help you find what you're looking for.

Questions or feedback? Email editor@noodle.com