Hi guys,

I'm from India and since graduation I have been working in the Fashion, Entertainment & Events industry for the past 3.5 years (Full time+ Freelance)
I want to be in the Luxury or the Entertainment industry in a marketing & communications role. Therefore, according to me a Masters/MBA in Luxury Management could be a good bet.
Although, I have already got through a Communications & Management related Masters at University of Southern California.
1) Can someone help me out with the job prospects after graduation from an American university like USC vs a European university like ESSEC/ SDA Bocconi/ MIP - Politecnico di Milano and any other reputed colleges in Luxury?
2) US is the hub of such industries and there is more scope for employment, while Europe is the home for Luxury specifically, but offers no employment. Will a specialized Masters/MBA offer me more scope or a Masters in a function?
3) Also, any clue which industry is more profitable to work for? Although, I'm aware Luxury is a niche sector but does it pay decently well?

Would be really grateful if someone can help me out with some known facts about these universities.

Thanks in advance.

[Edited by Tia on May 20, 2015]

I think it's worth asking yourself why a marketing & communications role in the Luxury or the Entertainment industry would require a Masters/MBA in Luxury Management. Few people in such roles will have such degrees. Surely a masters in marketing & communications would be more useful.

1. I think you will know the USC Annenberg's career's services better than me. There is an over-supply of people from journalism schools. Similarly, there is an oversupply of people wanting to work in luxury, and few high-quality programmes with high-quality participants. ESSEC is clearly a much better route into employment for French speakers than SDA Bocconi is for Italian speakers. MIP is less good.
2. I don't think you really mean what you write, since it is clearly untrue. Specialised masters obviously have a narrower scope, not more scope. Perhaps rewrite the questions?
3. Placement reports are widely available. Luxury does not pay well. Read the posts on this board. There is an oversupply of people, and employers have the pick of the best.

If you want to move in this direction, ESSEC's partner university in Cergy has a full-time, one-year intensive French diploma. Take that, then the ESSEC MBA.

I was in a fix because from what I have heard and read an MBA degree makes your profile higher than a Masters. Since I'm selective with the industries I want to be in, hence, I decided for a concentration in Luxury Management. May be I was wrong!!

Do you mean I should be well versed with French before I go ahead with the ESSEC MBA? I thought the program is taught in English, so that should be good enough.

Since you are not clear with what I said in point (2), in other words:
From what I have heard from people and read:
US is the hub for Entertainment and Luxury and there is more scope for employment since students are given OTP. While Europe is the home for Luxury specifically, but offers no employment and no visa extensions.

Thank you for clarifying my other doubts.
Appreciate it

[Edited by Tia on May 20, 2015]

Indeed, the ESSEC MBA is taught in English but the jobs available for people without French are limited, as they will be for Bocconi graduates without Italian. See: Do you need to speak the local language? www.find-mba.com/board/34713

I don't understand why you say that Europe offers no employment. Obviously there are jobs in Europe and, indeed, 4/5ths of the schools with the best employment prospects for international students are in Europe: Best schools for international students' placement http://www.find-mba.com/board/41143 International students from ESSEC face no serious obstacles findings visas if they are able to do the job. But, indeed, looking for work with only English in France feels a little like finding work in India with only French.

Hello, I have friends who attended the luxury master at MIP POLITECNICO and are very happy about their experience/ placement opportunity as they had networking opportunities with GUCCI, LVMH, Valentino, Montblanc, Ferrari, Armani, Luxottica and Hermès. Having said that, given your experience maybe an MBA would be more suitable?

Hi Sofia,

MIP seems good but I guess the language could be a barrier since I know only English and it will take a long time to get fluent with Italian. I'm looking to work abroad for sometime.

Hey Duncan,
Yes, I understand the language could be a problem unless I learn fluent French.
Do you have inputs on the UK schools for Msc Marketing like Imperial, Edinburgh, Warwick and any other reputed universities?

Do you guys think I should give up the USC option and opt for a UK based degree considering the employment is improving there.
I believe a 1 year UK Masters degree from a reputed college should be better than 2 years US Masters degree.
Please do share your thoughts.

Thank you.

I'd say that Cranfield, Imperial, Lancaster and Warwick are the top marketing MSc degrees. I think there are better programmes in the US. Manchester University, of course, has a great course in fashion marketing.

Actually there are great US MS programmes: Georgia and Columbia come to mind.

Hi Tia,

I agree with Duncan, they are all very good schools. Regarding the local language, I think that every important business school, as MIP too, offers language courses, and to learn a new language is always a plus on your CV!

Every school organises language classes of a few hours a week. However, these low-intensity courses will not get beginners to work standard by the end of their degrees.