Students find themselves in ambiguity while deciding to pursue a graduate degree from abroad. Though Both MBA and MS are graduation-level degrees, the qualifications achieved by them have a plethora of differences.
Exploring skills, High paying and rewarding career is the agenda behind the comparison of the two graduate courses as highlighted below:
Key Takeaways
- An MBA (Master of Business Administration) focuses on business management and leadership skills, while an MS (Master of Science) provides specialized knowledge in a specific scientific or technical field.
- MBA programs require work experience for admission, while MS programs are open to recent graduates or those with limited work experience.
- An MBA can lead to various management and leadership roles, while an MS prepares graduates for specialized, technical, or research-oriented positions.
MBA vs MS
MBA is a graduate degree program that prepares students for leadership roles in the business world. MS is a graduate degree program focusing on a specific field of study and emphasizes practical skills and theoretical knowledge to prepare students for advanced careers.
The MBA is a post-graduate professional course in business and management. Aspirants of MBA research on theory and implementation of business and management principles.
This degree originated in the era of Industrialization in the US. At that time, companies required a scientific vision to manage the company.
The MS is a post-graduation degree in a particular discipline of advanced science. It mainly covers writing a thesis or study of a research component on a specified matter.
Work exposure is not a prerequisite to admission to an MS course. In-depth knowledge is acquired by investing 2 years in this degree course. Entrance exams held for MS courses are GATE, NET, and alike.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | MBA | MS |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | All business topics are covered under the MBA program. | Only a single specified area of business is covered under the MS program. |
| Knowledge | Chunks of bits of knowledge for every business sector are gained. | In-depth knowledge of one Business sector is gained. |
| Duration | MBA is completed within 3 years normally. | Prospective aspirants require no professional experience. |
| Pre-Requirements | Prospective aspirants are required to have a median of 3 years of experience. | Finance, Marketing, HR, and Management are a few subjects covered in MBA studies. |
| Focused Subjects | Finance, Marketing, HR, and Management are a few subjects covered in MBA studies. | MS is focused on subjects of the science stream, mainly biology, chemistry, physics, etc. |
What is MBA?
The MBA is a professional degree that equips a candidate with business management expertise. As per the nature of the stream picked up by the candidate, one can complete his education within 2-3 years of time investment.
One can work in large-scale companies in top-level management posts obtaining this qualification. This highly popular course allows new appraisal opportunities for the existing corporate world employees.
The course curriculum contains internships, project reports, workshops, and presentations with some theoretical concepts for business administration.
Some prominent areas to accomplish MBA are Human Resources, Hotel Management, Banking, Finance, Marketing, Data Analytics, Computer Science, and many more.
MBA courses are treated like bread and butter for corporate employees since this degree develops leadership skills.
Pursual of this course from eminent universities will allow a good placement opportunity and inbuilt confidence in skills and knowledge.
Some career options after MBA are Entrepreneurship, Financial Analyst, Data Analyst, Healthcare, and Management Consultant. The course is more about practical approaches in business.
Usually, people with a more eclectic mindset opt for an MBA degree. Master in Business Administration is a universally accepted course. It allows a student career flexibility.
What is MS?
The MS is a post-graduate program for students who have recently completed their undergraduate qualification in the same subjects.
Candidates choosing MS degrees are supposed to gain intense knowledge of specified subjects for which enrollment in MS degrees was applied.
Master of Science degree is awarded by major universities worldwide. This degree is bundled with wide science and technology topics, including mathematics, behavioural science, computer science, physical science, and applied sciences.
MS degrees are also equipped with business functions, namely, communication, finance, marketing, data, etc. This post-graduation program is more about intense knowledge of a specified field.
It includes classroom teaching, lab research, thesis component, or applied research for engineering candidates.
The common curriculum of the Master of Science has the following subjects Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Statistics, social work, and many more for pre-admission requirements.
Being a research-based course, this program is not as much as popular among students with M.Tech or MBA degrees. Career options after pursuing MS are Software Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Quality and Management Consultants, etc.
Examination held in MS courses is semester-based. Candidates with this qualification are not highly demanded in corporate jobs. Rather, they are more in demand as College Professors and Government Research institutions.
Main Differences Between MBA and MS
- Median Payscale: The Median pay scale bracket is higher in the case of an MBA degree than an MS Degree.
- Scope of Degree: Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a business graduate degree, whereas a Master of Science (MS) is a science-oriented degree.
- Specialization: On completing the MBA program, one will be specialized in various areas, including leadership, management, finance, human resource, and more. Conversely, on completing MS, one will be specialized in Computer Science, Engineering, Biomedical or statistics, etc.
- Recognition and growth: Taking up MBA will give you worldwide opportunities as a professional. On the other hand, by doing MS, there will be fewer overseas opportunities and less acceptability among companies.
- Flexibility: There is more work flexibility after doing an MBA in general areas of a company, whereas on completing MS, the candidate is restricted to work for specified areas only.
References
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1300/J147v11n02_04?journalCode=wasw20
- https://www.proquest.com/openview/ba36dc6a81982ad9c46c4c7ada3785e0/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=47931
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
Sounds like a waste of time to me, a hard pass.
The post’s information is so well structured. It makes it easier to make up my mind. Would you say that an MBA is expensive?
Yes, it is, but it is worth it.
I found this information useful. There is a lot to think about before choosing the path.
This post is full of good information. Now I don’t feel so ambivalent about pursuing an MBA or an MS.
I think an MBA is the best choice for financial success. I totally recommend it.
This post clarifies all my doubts, but I need to know more about the scope of these degrees.