Hello Everyone!

I need an advice from this group since i found it very useful by going through various discussions. I am Syed Uzair Haider from Pakistan and have done Bachelors in Business Administration 4 years majors marketing.

I want to pursue MBA from UK. I have two years part time work experience in a warehousing and logistic company (this is during my studies and am currently working there). I got admission in Cardiff University MBA and University of East London for September intake 2011, but many friends of mine are telling me that its not worth spending 19,000 Great Britain Pound on MBA from Cardiff University. I need your opinion since i want to get admission by January 2012.

Masters in Business Administration is a vision, goal or even a corridor for future career opportunity, the key reason behind choosing it as a postgraduate degree. Hopeful for a favorable and quick response from group of experienced and talented intellectuals.

Best Regards,
Syed Uzair Haider

I think your friends are wise. I am sure that the Cardiff MBA doesn't make you *less* likely to get a job, but it's true that any MBA that recruits students without work experience will not be able to place its students into MBA-type jobs.You'll be spending a lot of money, but competing with MA and MSc graduates whose courses have given them very similar experiences. Either take an accredited, respected MSc in management (http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/masters-in-management) or wait until you have more work experience and can get into an accredited, respected MBA.

Thanks. But doing an MSc from wellknown ranked university from Uk would increased my chances of getting a job there within 3 months..? Because of the new study visa rules...The main reason i want to pursue MBA is that UK is going through a recession period and one can find a good job with an MBA degree in Middle East side. Whereas, MSc in my opinion is more a degree that will lead to teaching field rather than the real corporate world..
Sorry i maybe wrong...But this is my way of looking...I want to enrolled in 2012 January not later than that. Because i got an scholarship of GBP 16000 from Government...And that will expire by January.. :-(

Either an MSc or and MBA would increase your chances. You are confusing the US MS degree (which is the first stage of a PhD: in Europe that's called an MPhil or MRes) with a European MSc, which is a specialised masters aimed at students who, mainly, do not intend to take a PhD.

If you look at the salaries obtained by graduates from the top MSc programmes in management (see the link in my earlier post) you will see these graduates get *much* higher salaries than graduates of the "freshers MBA" programmes, which are offered by schools without international accreditation. Cardiff is a much better university than UEL, but you'll see there are some critical comments about its MBA elsewhere on this board (http://www.find-mba.com/board/15357). I notice that applicants over 25 don't even need a degree.

At this late stage, a few top schools still have vacancies: I think Warwick does. However you are very late in the year and it may be that it's too late for you to find a better option.

Thank You again for the prompt response. Before your post i didn't know the difference between US and European MS program.
Yes due to Cardiff University students opinion on this block i decided not to opt for Cardiff University MBA.
I am planning to do a job after my MSc or MBA in Middle East therefore, little confused as to whether the recruiter there knows the importance of degree from uk universities or they just go with the name of London. My cousin working in Shell Saudi Arabia as a Senior HR Manager told me that either go for MS since u don't possess a work experience or go for MBA but from London University since people here doesn't know much about other UK universities.
Yes i will be calling Warwick business school tomorrow and try my luck. Otherwise, tell me what should i do because i don't want to loose the scholarship opportunity.

Looking at MBAs in the UAE, for example, the schools with the most alumni include a range of Indian, Pakistani and other universities:
# University of Mumbai
# American University of Beirut
# University of Pune
# University of Strathclyde
# Institute of Business Administration
# University of Madras
# University of Leicester
# Bangalore University
# London Business School
# Mahatma Gandhi University
# Karachi University

Looking at people with MSc degrees in the UAE, the top schools are:
# Heriot-Watt University
# London School of Economics and Political Science
# Imperial College London
# American University of Beirut
# University of Leicester
# The Robert Gordon University
# University of Liverpool
# University College London
# American University of Sharjah
# Cranfield University
# The University of Manchester

I don't know what your situation is for getting a student visa at this late stage. I would ask the people who are giving you your scholarship if it can be deferred for a year. If your scholarship only for the UK? Then I would send a note explaining your situation to the schools mentioned above to see if they have spaces. If your only two options are Cardiff and UEL, then choose Cardiff.

Its not possible to deffer my scholarship for a year. Yes, i am planning to call some of the universities mentioned by you.
What are the prospects if i apply for Canada MS..But Canada is not on the top of list i guess.

I'm not sure that a Canadian university would have the network in the Gulf that the schools named above would have. The only option that comes close (http://haskayne.ucalgary.ca/grad/) is strong in oil and gas but will require more work experience.

By the way, I still think the Cardiff MBA programme might be better than nothing. When it comes to business research, it's a good school and a good university. It is on a much higher level than UEL. That 16,000 scholarship is hard to turn down. So, if you cannot find a better MSc, then I would go to Cardiff but start to work from the very start to work with other students to expand the Cardiff and CBS alumni networks on LinkedIn -- especially in the Gulf.

Duncan have got admission in MSc Management University of Leicester...your comments on that?
now my choices are
University of East London - MBA
University of West London - MBA
University of Leicester - MSc Management
Cardiff University - MBA
Coventry University - MBA

Which one should i go for...keeping in mind future job prospects...

It's hard choice between Leicester and Cardiff. Leicester appears on both the lists above showing schools with strong MBA and MSc networks in the UAE.

Generally, they are schools and universities of very similar standing. On one ranking I trust (http://www.eduniversal-ranking.com/business-school-university-ranking-in-united-kingdom.html) puts Cardiff at the top of the third tier, and does not rank Leicester (which is strong for distance learning) at all. At the undergraduate level, in one ranking Cardiff comes 32nd (http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/table/2011/may/17/university-guide-business-management-studies) and Leicester is 29th; in another the positions are reversed (http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings?s=Business+Studies). Students seem positive about Leicester (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A533nUEhAI). Cardiff students seem to de well in terms of employability (http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings?o=Prospects).

I would make the choice between Leicester and Cardiff this way. If you think you may be able to come back to study and take an MBA after you have some serious work experience, then the Leicester MSc is the obvious choice. It has a great alumni network for you, and the campus is certainly nicer. However if you think it's unlikely that you might be able to take a second masters degree, the broader curriculum and project focus on an MBA will be better -- if an MBA in the future is out of the question.

I dont think it would be possible to do an MBA if i pursue an MSc now. Due to personal problem i wont be able to quit my job. I am really confused as to what should be selected. :S

It is tempting to take the Cardiff option. But the logical choice is to get more work experience so you can get into an accredited MBA. However I cannot blame you if you take the scholarship.

Would an MSc Management and HR lead me to good corporate world jobs if i get good grades or MBA a must.

It's about both the quality of the school and the degree. An MSc from the LSE is better than an MBA from Cardiff, for example.

Hello All

I have completed my article ship but stuck in Module E for the last 14 months, can anyone suggest if this program is worthwhile, it says, I am eligible to complete an HEC recognized MBA, which will be 18 years of education. My current employer has already suggested if I have an MBA I will be eligible for a promotion and increase in salary.

http://ucp.edu.pk/management-studies/degrees-programs/accel_mba.aspx


Please go through the site and tell me if an investment of 18 months will help me? The last date for admission is 17th or 27th of September. I am not in a position to afford a trip to England or USA

Please help
thanks

I know the University of Central Punjab has a good business school. If none of the top schools are an option for you (http://www.eduniversal-ranking.com/business-school-university-ranking-in-pakistan.html) then it looks like a good programme.

Duncan ur precious comments about kings college london and about its MSc Management and Human Resource program...Which to choose Leicester MSc or Kings College London MSc

Leicester does not have a MSc in Management and Human Resource Management, does it? I'd choose Leicester's MSc in Management before KCL's course, which is very focussed on qualifying on the CIPD. Leicester also has a much stronger network in the Gulf.

I doubt they are offering MSc Management...We can choose later on from two electives listed below...Link to the website is http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/management/postgraduate/taught/mscmgmt/mscmgmtmodules

Two electives from:
Alternative Economies
A Critical Inquiry into Consultancy
Managing Diversity
Critical Approches to HRM
Knowledge Management
Managing Information
Developments in Business Finance

I doubt taking Critical approaches to HRM and another course would made me an MSc in Management and Human Reource Management

Uzair,which program did u select between MBA and Msc...and in which college or university u took admission?