Employed as Business Analyst in the largest management consulting firm of my country, I recently had strong evidences from my manager about a possible fast growth career for the next years, due to my good performances and availability to move abroad in our subsidiaries to support local business.

My goal is to grow into my actual consulting company or move into top worldwide management consulting firms in the next years.

I’m completing my online bachelor degree in business management (AACSB accredited) while working and I’m looking for a good MSc (part-time) that could be (with my professional experience) a strong asset to candidate at LBS MBA (including high GMAT score). Due to my previous studies in management, I was looking for:

1. Cass Business School - Global MSc Finance
2. IE Business School - Global MiF

What is important for me is the knowledge acquired during the course and the brand portability for a future LBS application. My manager confirmed that with previous academic education in management, a MiF can give me that missing financial knowledge to be a complete management consultant.

So, what do you think about my two choices?
Thank you all and best regards.

Any feedback about it?

Thanks and best regards.

I dont think this will necessarily help you to get into LBS. The LBS MBA will cover everything you would do in a MiF so it might make you a less useful applicant. If your undergraduate degree isn't great, the London.ac.uk graduate diploma would give you a fresh start and a way to another transcript. But since your BSc is also in management, the last thing you need is an MSc in a redundant area.

I would look to other areas. What is your leadership experience? How are you giving back to society? Can you be an active alumnus for your BSc school? LBS isn't just about academics, it's about changing the way business is done.

Thank you Duncan for your feedback. Put differently, a Graduate Diploma makes my profile more demanding, with a great academic brand exposition (LSE Academic direction) at a cheap relative price (£2300), moving on background my previous degree.

However, removing Economics, Finance and Management, the only Graduate Diploma from UoL that doesn’t replicate my previous studies is Business Analytics. I would like to make more a focus on Strategy, by the way.

I tried to create two different scenarios:

1. Graduate Diploma + Specialised MSc (energy) + MBA
2. Postgraduate Diploma (PigDip) + Specialised MSc (energy) + MBA

Do you think making a Postgraduate Diploma can be worth it instead of a Graduate Diploma if my focus is a Specialised MSc before an MBA?

Being a business analyst in the energy industry, I found very complete the Executive MSc in Energy Management from ESCP Europe, being just a 12 months part-time program and very suitable to my specialisation and previous knowledge.

Thank you.

I think that ESCP programme is very well designed and makes a lot more sense than a master's in finance.

At this point in your career, LBS will be much more concerned with your work experience - both in terms of number of years and actual growth - than whether or not you have a master's degree.

@Duncan: Do you think wouldn’t be necessary to make a part-time MSc before the Executive Master from ESCP? On their course description is evidenced the requirement of a “Master degree with 5 years of professional work experience” for the access to the master.

My idea was, while covering the minimum of 5 years working experience, to make a Graduate Certificate in Corporate Sustainability or a CORe from Harvard Extension School.

@mba hipster: If I will have the possibility to access to the ESCP Executive Master before my application to LBS MBA would be great. Experience, international growth and good GMAT will be my strong assets.

The masters requirement is waived if you are the sort of candidate they would actively seek out.

CoRE is a non-credit qualification from HBS Online, not from HES. A for-credit qualification with a graded transcript will be better.

Small updates: ESCP Admission team clarified how their MSc Energy Management fits more with my early career than the executive master, but unfortunately I can’t stop my career progression for a full time MSc.

Otherwise, I had a coffee chat with LBS MBA admission team in my city, and they indicated me to just conclude my online business management BA and then concentrate on GMAT (typical candidates scores 700+) and solid working experience (ideal candidates has minimum 4 years working experience, so I’m exactly In the half), together with strong business references.

However, while maturing my working experience, If I find a strong part-time course that will not impact my career, would be ok. HES online certification in sustainability could be one of them.

That sounds very encouraging.