THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND A MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Although the abbreviation of these two programs is almost identical, the distinction is actually huge. You shouldn’t think you’ve earned the title MBA when you finish a Master degree in Business Administration. Why? In this blog we’ll explain the difference between a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Business Administration.

SIMILAR ABBREVIATION

First of all, obviously the two have a quite similar abbreviation. However, there is a distinct difference between them. When we refer to an MBA, this refers to a Master of Business Administration. This is a master program with a hands-on approach, developed especially for working professionals with either a relevant bachelor or master’s degree. On the other hand, some people use the term MBA, thinking this applies to their title Master of Science (MSc) in Business Administration. This actually is not an MBA, but the title someone receives after successfully completing a master program in business administration.

WHAT IS AN MBA?

Like we said before, comparing an MBA and an MSc in BA is mainly comparing work experience versus theory. But what is an MBA? A MBA program is meant for people who have successfully completed a master or bachelor program and already have several years of work experience. As these people already finished years of studying theory, a MBA course is more about putting theory into practice. Usually MBA programs demand three or four years of relevant work experience on top of a certain GMAT score and bachelor or master’s degree when admitting for an MBA. When selecting an MBA program, you’ll also have to choose a major, such as accounting, marketing or management to name a few.

WHAT IS AN MSC IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION?

Now we know what an MBA is, but what is an MSc in Business Administration? This actually is a ‘regular’ master’s degree. After getting your Bachelor in Business Administration, you can enroll into this course (which sometimes requires a successfully completed premaster course). To get into a MSc in Business Administration program, no relevant work experience is necessary to be admitted. However, some institutions might ask for a certain GMAT score.