How to choose your MBA

Research

Did you know that there are over 160+ MBA courses available in the UAE alone? How do you know which one is right for you?

The MBA UAE Course Guide is a great starting point as it introduces you to some of the choices available, makes clear what sort of costs/fees, institutions, accreditations are available, and may enable you to select 3 or 4 for deeper investigation. At that point, you can select to 'visit website' and do your own reading or 'get more info' and get a representative from the university to call you directly and answer your questions. Let them do the hard work! Be specific about your questions and prioritize the features that are most important to you.

Location

There are 160+ MBA Programs in the UAE, the majority of which are delivered in Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Sharjah. Other emirates also have a limited number of programs offered. Many residents of the UAE opt to also go for an Online MBA.

Careers and salaries

Search MBA jobs here to get a feel of the types of UAE job openings that require MBA qualifications. How much an MBA earns in Dubai? that depends on the industry you are working in, your position, the number of years experience you have and your performance to date. However, without a doubt, an MBA will give you a significant career boost (upwards of 50% salary increase) and prepare you well for senior positions. 

Accreditation

You should seek an MBA that is accredited and recognized internationally. You can filter for accreditation here to get a full view of whose accredited and whose is not. Some MBAs carry a UAE accreditation and some carry international accreditation, some even have both! All of these accreditations are valid, but some government entities in the UAE, especially in Abu Dhabi may not recognize your MBA if you have studied for it here in the UAE and it is not UAE accredited, which could make getting a job with the Abu Dhabi government a little tricky. As well as the individual Universities own accreditation, there are 3 other major international accrediting bodies you should look out for, which would indicate the MBA has sound value all over the world.

• AMBA (Association of MBAs)
• EQUIS(European Quality Improvement System)
• AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business)

Cost

The cost of an MBA in the UAE can vary considerably. The costs vary from AED 40,000 to AED 610,000 and in general the higher the proven quality (promotion, salary increase), reputation and international recognition of an MBA the more it will cost. Check the MBA fees page on Laimoon to compare fees of the different programs. 

Duration

If an MBA takes less than 1 year, you should be concerned. A qualification of this rigor should take a minimum of 1 year on a full-time basis. Many take 2 complete years to complete and can be extended up to 5 years on a part-time basis.

Study method and examination

In general, you will complete a module and be examined on each module, either by coursework or a more traditional examination under test conditions. Usually, there is a mixture of examination methods to test different skills and some coursework projects may be essays, reports, case studies or presentations.

It is a good idea to establish how you will be examined, as you may feel more comfortable in a traditional examination. This is a personal preference, but something worth considering to ensure you succeed.

Specialization and modules

MBA's have moved from the standard MBA into specializations such as HR, Finance, Marketing etc. If you are working in one of these fields and believe you will always stay in this field then it would be very wise to choose a specialized MBA. You will focus very deeply on this one area and touch more lightly on other business elements. However, if you would like to gain skills, knowledge, and experience across all elements of the business, or if your intention is to start your own business, then a more general MBA would be better for you. However, you will have to be prepared to embark on subject areas that may be very alien or unsettling for you - such as accounting and finance, which is a common hurdle for many taking a general MBA. 

Rankings and League Tables

Having worked in several Universities for many years, I'm going to let you into a little secret. League Tables are an absolute minefield and should be approached with caution and this is why:

Every league table uses different criteria; some focus on academia, others on student feedback, and others how environmentally friendly the university is. The list is endless - what is really important to you? Look at the detail.

The league tables are based on information provided a year in advance, a lot can change in that time and may not reflect the University now

Very few UAE based institutions choose to feature in the better-known and more reliable international league tables and those more local versions have very questionable sources and should not be valued

It has recently come to our attention, that there is a possibility of some league tables accepting bribes from Universities to move them up the rankings. As such please be very cautious when using league tables, especially the lesser known, regional ones.

The Laimoon.com advice would be to not let these complicate your decision. If you are happy with your choice based on the other comparable criteria, league tables will only serve to confuse you and give you doubts. There is no substitute for good research and gut-feelings.

Word of Mouth

One of the best ways to get a really good idea about how good an MBA is or how well it will suit you is to question people who've already done one and ask them to share their experiences based on what is important to you.