Career crossroads - MBA? Which one? Need input

Hello,

I live in Italy.

I have 5 years of working experience in marketing:

- 4 as an owner of a small marketing consulting practice

- 1 as a marketing manager for a small business

My background is rather unusual. I had working experience first, then graduated this year in Economics and Business Administration - while working.

At the moment I’m head of marketing in a small business. My goal is to work as a marketing manager, eventually, for a well-known and respected company/division, possibly in the gaming/entertainment industry. Working abroad is a possibility I welcome.

I don’t care if I have to do it all over again, I’m okay starting with an internship, as long as I can get myself in and work my way towards it. But I can’t just show up with a bachelor degree. Nobody is going to even consider me for an internship.

So I figured I’d get an MBA to increase my knowledge in this area where I focus on, plus alongside strengthen further my profile. But where to get an MBA?

Criteria for evaluation:

- Doesn’t require GMAT score

- It’s under £30,000

- It’s 100% online

- provides placements, career support

So my priority is placement, after graduation. I’m not looking to advance in my role, but a brand new, more rewarding and more profitable opportunity. While I understand that the student’s abilities, attitude and initiative is key to career success, I want to make sure that the university does support me in my future placement. I don’t want to be in a position where I’ve spent £30,000, just to work in the same place, but with a fancy degree.

I'm considering:

- University of Birmingham

- Durham University

- Bradford

- Politecnico di Milano

I would have considered Warwick, but I can't afford to spend two weeks on campus. I'm considering only UK universities because England is nearer and it has well-known and respected institutions (as far as I know). That being said, I'm judging from a narrow point of view. So, I'm open to courses from other universities in different countries, as long as they can be completed online.

At this point, I don't even know if pursuing an MBA is a good choice in the first place. Should I wait, perhaps?

What are your thoughts?

[Edited by Davide on Jul 07, 2020]

A couple of thoughts: the work experience requirements for these programs are based on post-graduation work experience, and not pre-degree experience or experience you attained while studying.

If you don't have at least 4-6 years of work experience accrued after your degree, I don't think you would meet the requirements for this kind of program.

Secondly, the career support for Online MBA programs - even the best of them - will be minimal. This is because these programs are geared towards mid-level professionals who are more likely to either leverage the degree in their own company or through their own network, and thus are unlikely to need much support in terms of careers. You would get access to some kind of network, but I don't think you can depend on much more than that.

Really, what you are looking for is a full-time, in-class program. These are specifically designed for people who need robust career support and who want to make big leaps in their careers. Whether this is an MBA or a Master in Management depends on the amount of post-degree experience you have.

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