How demanding is studying MBA program? Can it be managed alongside a demanding job or business?And is it possible to combine it with family life and free time?
These and many similar questions are asked by almost everyone who has ever considered this prestigious managerial program. Finding answers before enrolling, however, is often not easy. That is why we gathered information directly from graduates who have already successfully completed this type of study.
To start with, we may have bad news for some of you – an MBA degree truly cannot be obtained without hard work and effort. At least not at CEMI Institute, whose graduates participated in a unique survey conducted by the STEM/MARK agency in April 2019. On the other hand, the level of difficulty of the MBA program at CEMI met the expectations of three quarters of respondents. This corresponds with the fact that CEMI’s website provides prospective students with comprehensive information about course content and study principles, and all details are also thoroughly explained to them personally or by phone before enrollment.
Minimal Impact on Work Responsibilities
Online MBA study, in which CEMI Institute is a pioneer, placed limitations more on personal than professional life. In fact, 81% of graduates reported no limitations at all in their work activities, while an additional 18% experienced only partial limitations. By contrast, only 35% of graduates reported no restrictions in their personal lives, 55% managed their studies with partial limitations to personal activities, and only one in ten had to significantly reduce personal activities due to their studies.
Seminar Papers as a Key Part of MBA Study
A considerable amount of time is devoted to preparing seminar papers. Most graduates spent more than 10 hours on average per subject. Online consultations with lecturers typically required 3–4 hours per subject, while 16% of graduates spent more than 5 hours consulting with lecturers for a single course.
Seminar papers are a crucial part of MBA program, as individual courses allow students to continuously consult real-life problems, cases, and situations from their professional practice with MBA tutors – experts in their respective fields. Under their guidance, students develop solutions in the form of practically oriented seminar papers or case studies. The outcome of each completed course is therefore a document that can be immediately applied in the student’s company or job, offering high added value thanks to private consultations with experts.
Email Communication Plays a Primary Role
According to the survey, consultations with lecturers most often take place via email. Other options, such as phone calls, Skype, or in-person meetings, were used by only 14% of respondents during their studies. Because consultations are conducted individually between the student and the lecturer, not in groups, students can discuss sensitive company matters, including specific data, without concerns about sharing information with other students. Typically, each lecturer conducted 3–5 consultations with a student during the preparation of a seminar paper.
The Thesis Is the Most Demanding Part
Students can further develop their seminar papers into a diploma thesis, which represents a comprehensive strategic document that may significantly impact their future professional career or business. Only one quarter of respondents managed to complete their thesis within 20 days – this time frame was more common among graduates under 45 years of age. The remaining respondents required more time, with those over 45 often needing more than 30 days.
Preparing the thesis assignment itself was less demanding: more than half of respondents completed it within fewer than 7 days, particularly those under 45 and those with a university degree.
Is MBA Study Worth It?
This is another common question prospective students ask – and in this case, the answer is clearly yes. According to another STEM/MARK survey conducted a year earlier, 91% of graduates are convinced that investing in MBA study is worthwhile. For example, managers who earned an MBA degree from CEMI Institute increased their annual salary by an average of CZK 66,588.
The majority of respondents (84%) also stated that they gained many practical skills and competencies applicable to their field. Additionally, three quarters of graduates feel that holding an MBA degree gives them a competitive advantage in the job market compared to those with only an academic university degree. For 58% of respondents, completing the MBA program resulted in advancement within the professional hierarchy.
Note:
The unique Czech survey on the time demands of MBA study conducted by STEM/MARK took place in April 2019 on a sample of 184 MBA graduates from CEMI Institute, graduating between 2012 and 2019. The survey on the benefits of MBA study referenced in this article was conducted by STEM/MARK between March and April 2018 on a sample of 200 MBA graduates from graduating years 2012–2018.
