Most universities, in the US, have simply not embraced the idea of a fast-paced quickie MBA. About 50% of the world’s most popular business schools are American. A one-year MBA lies in the domain of the UK, Europe (INSEAD, IMD) and some Asian institutes, like the ISB and IIM. While there are a few universities that are dabbling in the one-year program, their count doesn’t leave far beyond the single digit.
Offered by some of the world’s most renowned business schools, both the one-year and the two-year MBAs are equally well respected in the employment sector.
Why are there two kinds of MBA, or rather, what are the differences between them? And what makes one better than the other? Or is it simply a matter of choice?
Differences between a one-year MBA and a two-year MBA – Which one is better?
Apart from the namesake difference – the duration of each – there are certain significant characteristics that distinguish each kind. One-year MBA programs are known to be fairly intense, with the training densely packed in a 12-month package, while a two-year program lets the students explore MBA as well as an existence beyond it.
If you are absolutely unwilling to let your life come to a halt, in pursuit of an MBA, the one-year deal is not for you. And if you are undecided, your takeaway from either will depend on your personal, and professional situations. Here are some of the other marked differences, some a little more nuanced than the others. So, keep in mind that these aren’t cast in stone.
Every candidate comes with their own demands of the degree. What suits one may simply not work out for the other, though the end goal may still be the same – career growth and salary spurt! There are, however, a few factors that largely determine the nature of candidates who can apply to a one-year MBA.
Academic Background Requirement: The One-year MBA program is structured to be intense, there is very little time to bring students, without a strong quantitative background, up to speed with the rest of their peers. It is imperative for applicants to be able to handle the intense coursework. A strong mathematical, or economics background is essential.
Work Experience: For an accelerated MBA, there is a rather large emphasis on being a pre-MBA professional. The nature of the coursework is such that there is very little time to select electives and compensate for the lack of, or little of, work experience. Freshers are almost never welcome in the one-year MBA.
Career Goals: One-year applicants are pretty single-minded about their end goal. Most one-year candidates are already decided on their specialization, joining the program to improve their career profile, not so much to change its track.
In all, one- year executive MBA is a better option for people who have work experience but for people with less than 2 or no work experience the traditional two- year MBA is far better.
Some of the top U.S. universities offering a one year MBA.
With a 1 year MBA, those keen on working in the USA, have a good chance to tap the employment opportunities available locally.
Liked this? Having any query? As we always recommend, talk to current students who are attending the program or have gone through the drill, to get a better picture of what to expect if you decide to apply to a 1 year MBA in the USA. If you need support with the applications, you can visit our website.
By Sweena Karnani, Senior Editor
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