MSc Programs in Europe

[eosly]

Hi everyone,

I want to shift the conversation to MSc programs rather than MBAs. I will be soon applying to several European MSc and wanted to get some feedback/tips.

So here are the programs I'm interested in:

European Master in Management at EMLyon
MIM at HEC, ESADE, RSM, Bocconi, LSE, LBS, Edhec, St. Gallen

Any thoughts?

[essaysnark]

Hi eosly - what exactly do you want to know? These are all very different programs that can offer different things.

Just like with an MBA, the choice of which business-focused Master's program you go for largely depends on your career goals (and the rest of your profile too of course). What are you looking to do with the education? What is important to you in terms of your criteria?

Let us know what you're looking for and we can do a better job of providing input.

EssaySnark

[vaibhavgupta]

Hi eosly - what exactly do you want to know? These are all very different programs that can offer different things.

Just like with an MBA, the choice of which business-focused Master's program you go for largely depends on your career goals (and the rest of your profile too of course). What are you looking to do with the education? What is important to you in terms of your criteria?

Let us know what you're looking for and we can do a better job of providing input.

EssaySnark

In what sense would an Msc Student's career goals be different than an MBA student?

[essaysnark]

Hi vaibhavgupta--

In exactly the same way as any MBA candidate's career goals would vary. The "what are your career goals?" question is pretty much the first thing we ask anybody. (People reading our posts here on BTG are probably sick of hearing us say it!)

It's important to define the career goals so that you can express to the adcom what you need in an education. Sure, there could be commonalities between someone applying to an MBA program or applying to a Master's -- but there are a gazillion different types of Master's degrees out there, each with their own slant. There is most definitely not a one-size-fits-all career goal for either an MSc nor for any MBA either. Every single person going for an MBA needs to craft their own set of career goals in order to show the school why they need to go there.

EssaySnark

[vaibhavgupta]

Hi vaibhavgupta--

In exactly the same way as any MBA candidate's career goals would vary. The "what are your career goals?" question is pretty much the first thing we ask anybody. (People reading our posts here on BTG are probably sick of hearing us say it!)

It's important to define the career goals so that you can express to the adcom what you need in an education. Sure, there could be commonalities between someone applying to an MBA program or applying to a Master's -- but there are a gazillion different types of Master's degrees out there, each with their own slant. There is most definitely not a one-size-fits-all career goal for either an MSc nor for any MBA either. Every single person going for an MBA needs to craft their own set of career goals in order to show the school why they need to go there.

EssaySnark

I ask this because i feel that my career goal is more about centered to me and not to my course.
for example. the understanding of management in order to become a leader someday.

[Jon@Admissionado]

Yeah but you cant write vaguely "I want to become a leader someday" in an essay. It just won't fly. That's why you need to come up with something specific and unique, and relevant to who you are.

[vaibhavgupta]

Yeah but you cant write vaguely "I want to become a leader someday" in an essay. It just won't fly. That's why you need to come up with something specific and unique, and relevant to who you are.

I actually left it vague intentionally. Cos i thought that while the way might vary, there would be a primary objective. So while an MBA from a top b school can fulfill it, an MSc Degree can also.

so what would then be done?

[FutureWorks]

Hi eosly,


These are good schools but make a decision based on which school will help you in realizing your goals better. For example: The MBA is a general broad degree covering a wide variety of business issues and training students for careers in managing any area of business.
The MS is a degree that concentrates study in a specific field, such as finance, accounting, taxation etc and trains students for careers in high level staff positions often involving research.

[eosly]

Well, in terms of my career goal, it's quite broad. I want to work in the management consultancy field. I decided on a MSc rather than MBA because I personally think MBAs are of great value once you have a solid experience (over 6-7 years). But by the time I get that and complete said MBA, I'll be 30+ and would like to rather focus on family. So the MBA, if I ever enroll for one, will happen in say 15 years time. Meanwhile, I want a decent job and I've only got a bachelor degree so far. Hence the need for a MSc.

Here's my profile:

23/f/Bulgarian (EU)
BA Hons Marketing & Advertising, Lancaster University Management School, UK, GPA about 3.5
Business consultant (entry level) at GfK Bulgaria (over 1 year full time, will be 2 years by the time I enroll on a course)
extensive knowledge on FMCG market in Europe, research, analysis etc
languages: English, Bulgarian, French (intermediate), German (intermediate)
decent extracurricular and volunteering as well as some memberships/certificates

will take the GMAT in November

so what do you think? are any of those schools somewhat more suitable?

Thanks a lot!

[prodizy]

Hi eosly,

I am not an expert, but can't help myself from giving you unsolicited advice; hope you don't mind

When it comes to experience, quality matters - not quantity. Experts say experience of 3 to 5 years is the sweet spot to apply to a MBA program. Having said that there are schools that specifically target young people(Harvard, for example). I have 8 years of experience, and sometimes I feel I might have delayed applying to BSchool(but I have my reasons for doing so). You are at the other end of the spectrum and thinking that it's too early for you to apply to a MBA program. I THINK MSc programs are for those who want to specialize, whereas MBA is for those who want to learn all the aspects of business. So what we get out of these two programs is probably going to be very different(and changes from person to person too).

Applying to a MSc program rather than a MBA program because you are too young is not very strong reasoning, I must say. No offense intended.

All the best.

[vaibhavgupta]

Hi eosly,

I am not an expert, but can't help myself from giving you unsolicited advice; hope you don't mind

When it comes to experience, quality matters - not quantity. Experts say experience of 3 to 5 years is the sweet spot to apply to a MBA program. Having said that there are schools that specifically target young people(Harvard, for example). I have 8 years of experience, and sometimes I feel I might have delayed applying to BSchool(but I have my reasons for doing so). You are at the other end of the spectrum and thinking that it's too early for you to apply to a MBA program. I THINK MSc programs are for those who want to specialize, whereas MBA is for those who want to learn all the aspects of business. So what we get out of these two programs is probably going to be very different(and changes from person to person too).

Applying to a MSc program rather than a MBA program because you are too young is not very strong reasoning, I must say. No offense intended.

All the best.

I second prodizy...

But i believe that Msc in International Management has a very similar course to some MBA (especially 1 year ones).

[essaysnark]

Hi eosly--

*Now* we have something to work with! You've given some great info here and there's lots we want to respond to.

Well, in terms of my career goal, it's quite broad. I want to work in the management consultancy field.

Funny you should say that... While yes, management consulting is a broad field in that you can go to work for a variety of companies in a variety of industries... MANAGEMENT CONSULTING actually is pretty specific in terms of defining your career goals. You'll want to do more than this in your application essays, but this is certainly enough for us to continue the conversation in much greater detail.

I decided on a MSc rather than MBA because I personally think MBAs are of great value once you have a solid experience (over 6-7 years).

Many bschools would agree with you though in general, after 4-5 years is a good time to go for the MBA. You can be "too old" for it, too.

But by the time I get that and complete said MBA, I'll be 30+ and would like to rather focus on family.

This is one reason why many bschools have just 35% women! Many bschools are aware of this too though and many are open to accepting a strong female candidate who's younger if she can prove that she's ready for the MBA.

So the MBA, if I ever enroll for one, will happen in say 15 years time. Meanwhile, I want a decent job and I've only got a bachelor degree so far. Hence the need for a MSc.

OK, your logic is sound -- but you actually still might want to consider an MBA instead of some other flavor of Master's.

The main reason is job opportunity.

If you're trying to advance your current management consulting career, then either you can specialize in a certain area through a Master's of (fill in the blank) -- or you can go for an MBA (which will also let you specialize, based on the school you go to and what you focus on there) and likely have a MUCH easier time of getting a great job at a good consulting firm coming out, simply due to the fact that the MBA is such a well-established track for people to go into consulting, and all the firms use the bschools to recruit from. There's a channel for this; many schools expect to get X number of new hires from schools A, B, and C every year, which means it's way easier to get hired into those firms when you go through this process.

Certainly, many of these firms would also be recruiting out of the Master's in (fill in the blank) programs, but for management consulting, the standard path is the MBA.

Given your profile, and the list of schools you're citing, you could definitely be a good fit - you have a lot of interesting elements. And, while many European schools look for older students for their MBA programs, many are also starting other programs and options for younger ones like you. So this does sound like a good strategy.

We still think the MBA might work better for you. How about ESSEC? Or, IE has a Master's in Management that has an upper limit of two years of work experience (not sure if it's two years at time of application or two years at matriculation, you'd need to check). Any of the other schools you've listed could also be good targets. Probably the way you'll want to make your selection would be whether the types of companies you want to work for recruit out of those programs. That seems like the best way to approach this.

The GMAT obviously will be important too, but less so for some of these schools.

Hope all this helps!! Let us know what direction you go in.

EssaySnark

[throughmba]

The first barrier is to think beyond MBA's for two reasons :

1. You want to join a great college now, with less or no experience.

2. You want to have job offers in structural finance at entry levels

3. You want to spend less : Costliest of all LBS cost 60000 euros

4. You learn the theoretical side of the management field than the MBA. You may find subjects that require strongly your mathematical or analytical skills and your final dissertation may be research-oriented.

Simple difference by design:: its for younger people. It has different formats with different names.