When it comes to improving your education and credentials as a business professional, getting an MBA degree can be the ideal choice. These days there are lots of MBA programmes now available to take online, which has made it easier than ever for people who want to take this course while working full-time and upholding other commitments in their lives. There are lots of different benefits of getting an online MBA. Aside from improving your CV and standing out in the applicant pool in the future with this prestigious and well-respected qualification, you will also be able to save money and build your professional network thanks to the growing range of online networking opportunities that are now available to students. When getting your MBA online, the concentration you want to study for is going to be one of the biggest decisions you will make. Here are some of the most popular MBA concentrations that you might want to consider.
Business Administration
The MBA or Masters of Business Administration is still the most popular of the online MBA courses offered at Aston University. This traditional MBA programme is the most popular postgraduate degree course for business professionals around the world today. It offers a huge demand for graduates globally and a massive average annual salary of $100k worldwide. Although it does not offer a specific area of concentration, it is a flexible option for students who are hoping to improve their overall business knowledge when it comes to the main pillars of business and would like to be free to choose from different elective module options and areas that they are interested in or good at while they study.
IT
Right now, the IT industry has become one of the most popular and lucrative areas to work in, so it’s no surprise that an MBA in IT is becoming a more and more popular option. Getting this degree gives you the chance to work in a career that offers a high level of demand and a lot of job stability. This is due to the fact that positions in IT are growing by the day with organisations around the world focusing more heavily on tech and becoming cloud-first companies. These days, every business industry has been impacted in some way by IT and tech, and trained professionals are only going to be needed more.
Digital Marketing
Gone are the days of putting up billboards and handing out flyers. These days, digital marketing is an extremely popular concentration to choose with almost every business around the world in need of some kind of digital marketing strategies to stay competitive and make sure that they can be discovered by their target market. Because of this, it is no surprise that the demand for digital marketing MBA graduates is on the rise. Those who choose this concentration can get into a field that is growing steadily and becoming more and more essential to the business world. This programme not only covers the basics of the MBA but also areas of digital marketing in more depth such as social media, content marketing, SEO, SEM, video marketing, influencer marketing and more.
Finance
Finance has always been a stable and safe option to get into when choosing the right business industry or area for you. Businesses are always going to need good financial professionals to help them manage costs and profits, and this is unlikely to change in the future. Those who graduate with an MBA in finance can get into an industry that has a lot of high demand and opportunities for career growth. You can find work in many different positions including financial advisor or accountant, and the degree gives people who are already working in the financial side of business the best chance to improve their knowledge and skills.
Marketing
No business in the world would be able to succeed without using some marketing strategies to get the word out about the products and/or services that they offer and to connect with their target market. If you are quite creative and enjoy the idea of working in a career where you can learn about others and what they prefer to put together new marketing campaigns that encourage more organisations or individuals to choose your brand, products or services, then marketing might be the ideal MBA concentration for you. This is an important part of every business industry and good marketers and marketing managers are in high demand. Graduates can get into a role that offers a lot of growth, thanks to growing business competition.
International Business
With more and more businesses now taking their operations global, the demand for professionals who are skilled and knowledgeable in international business is on the rise. Currently, the job growth rate in the international business sector is around 8-10%. This is despite the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic made it harder for business professionals to travel to different countries like they once used to.
Business Intelligence
Business intelligence is a growing, dynamic field that may be worth considering when you choose your MBA concentration. These days, companies are collecting more data than ever before on their markets and customers, and data has become increasingly essential to the success of any organisation. Data is collected more often than you might realise through our smartphones and other devices, and it is having a bigger impact than ever before on the world around us. An MBA in business intelligence might be the right choice for you if you like the idea of working in a career where you can use real-world data to look for the facts that can be used to make better business decisions.
Management and Leadership
No matter what industry or organisation you work within, businesses are always going to need good managers and leaders. This degree will provide you with the skills that you need to lead teams, organise, oversee, and delegate while inspiring others and ensuring that everything runs smoothly. It is often chosen by people who have previous management experience or those who want to start their own future businesses.
When it comes to getting your MBA online, there are several concentrations to consider to help you prepare for your chosen career path.
