Do you sometimes struggle with how to write an academic or professional title correctly? Are you unsure how to address someone to avoid an awkward situation due to a lack of knowledge about degrees? You are not alone. With the growing popularity of various foreign degrees, mistakes are very common, and you may often encounter multiple ways of writing the same title. MBA is no exception. Today, we will look at what these three letters mean and how to address someone who holds this degree.
The MBA title (Master of Business Administration)
The MBA (Master of Business Administration) is a professional, non-academic degree in the Czech Republic, written after the name. It is a professional degree awarded for completing managerial studies. It is not a substitute for a university degree, but a way to further develop personal and managerial skills, complementing and expanding university education.
As mentioned, the MBA degree is written after the name. However, in written correspondence, you may often see variations such as:
- Mgr. Pavel Novotný, MBA
- Mgr. Pavel Novotný, M.B.A.
- or even the grammatically incorrect form Mgr. MBA Pavel Novotný
Unfortunately, all these forms can appear publicly. So which one is correct?
According to generally accepted rules, the MBA title should be written after the name, without periods, separated by a comma. It should never be placed before the name, even if the person has no other degree. The correct way to write a name with an MBA is:
Mgr. Pavel Novotný, MBA
If the person holds multiple, all titles should be separated by commas, whether academic or professional.
Adressing someone with an MBA
When addressing someone, the highest academic degree takes priority. If the MBA holder has no other title, it is recommended to address them by surname or professional role, e.g., “Mr. Director.” Using “Mr. Magister” could be misleading, as an MBA is not a traditional master’s degree obtained at a university.
It is always a good idea to check how the person prefers to be addressed and which degree they consider most important. On the other hand, in informal situations where first names are used, titles are generally omitted.
Writing titles according to Czech spelling rules can be confusing, but proper usage is important. There is nothing worse than earning a prestigious degree through effort and dedication, and not knowing how to write it correctly. Learn the rules of title usage and start, for example, with writing the DiS. title.
