GLOBAL: Masters in management an MBA alternative?

An international survey of masters in management programmes has shown that three in four do not require a first degree in business or economics, or the work experience demanded of many MBAs, thus enabling any graduate to enrol for a postgraduate qualification in management.

An information platform, Masters in Management Compass, allows would-be students to search for these programmes globally.

The information platform surveyed 463 masters in management (MIM) programmes. In contrast to MBAs, which usually require three years' work experience, three-quarters of MIM programmes allow graduates to start immediately after obtaining a bachelor degree.

Increasing numbers of such general management programmes have become available in the past few years.

According to a press release, the information platform offers a database of 463 MIM programmes worldwide, and in particular a search and filter function for sorting programmes that require a business or economics degree from those that do not.

Only 124 of the MIM programmes require a business or economics first degree. The remaining 339 either address an extended but restricted target group (for example, graduates of social studies) or are open to graduates of all disciplines.

Thirty per cent of full-time MIM programmes require a bachelor degree in business or economics; while 70% of full-time and 84% of part-time programmes are open to all disciplines.

"This holds also when analysing only MIM programmes from the current Financial Times Master in Management Ranking: only 22 out of 65 programmes require a business or economics degree," said the press release.