Short-Term Master’s Programs: An M.B.A. Alternative?

Business schools, as we report in Thursday’s Journal, are fielding huge demand from Chinese students for their specialized master’s programs in subjects such as finance and accounting.

Their appeal is obvious: The quick–these programs usually last about a year–U.S. credential gives China natives a competitive edge in the hot finance market back home. And schools like the healthy revenue stream these programs bring in.
But is a specialized master’s degree a good career move for everyone? Here’s what you need to know:

They’re cheaper than an M.B.A., but not cheap.

The sticker price for MIT Sloan School of Management’s Master of Finance program runs $108,854 including books, room and board and other expected expenses this year. MIT’s M.B.A., on the other hand, is listed at $88,949 for the current year — and double that for the full two-year course. (Many schools offer merit-based aid to students, so out-of-pocket costs are often less than a program’s list price.)

And at University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, the 11-month Master of Science in Business is expected to run $67,650 all-in for its inaugural class starting this summer. Hardly peanuts, but that’s still about half the total cost of Mendoza’s two-year M.B.A., priced at $64,908 for just one year.

To read the entire article visit: Short-Term Master’s Programs: An M.B.A. Alternative?

/news_and_events/news_articles/article/12800/short-term-masters-programs-an-mba-alternative