undergrad art degree ---> MBA? is this possible?

College Majors Business Major
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<p>I have no idea how the process of getting a masters works.. but anyways, if i focus all my attention on a bachelors of art degree (majoring in most likely graphic design) at a specialized art school, is it still possible to get a masters in business? how much am i disabling myself if i concentrate solely on art for undergrad education?</p>

<p>and for that matter, how useful is an undergrad business degree compared to a masters? how useful is an MFA? er, actually, maybe i should post that one in the art forum - </p>

<p>i have a similar thread just a few topics down, but basically im trying to decide between:</p>

<p>BFA + MBA
(BFA & b.business) + MFA
BFA + MFA</p>

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<p>How is this different than your other thread?</p>

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<p>... its not different? the other thread was about getting a double degree in undergrad and how that effects long term life. in this one, i have a solely education specific question - masters, and how much undergrad affects that in relation. maybe thats still basically the same thing - maybe i should have posted a message in the other thread instead of making a new thread, eh..</p>

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<p>Many MBA programs require a core of business classes that have to be completed if not taken as an undergraduate - two semesters of accounting, two semesters of economics, finance, marketing, management, statistics, etc. Some schools have an "accelerator" program that provides that foundation in a summer program for those students who didn't get them as undergraduates.</p>

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<p>I'm going to pretty much just disagree with 2VU0609. I don't know of any good MBA programs that require you to have a core set of business classes prior to an MBA. They may require you to have a certain amount of math (really not much though), possibly have taken a statistics course (doubtful, but possible) and that's about it. Often times they will give admitted students access to material, online courses, and perhaps recommend they take a course to strengthen an area before school starts. However, most MBA students come from a non-business background.</p>

<p>Because of your unusual background you could actually have an advantage over other applicants. However, you still need to do something with your art degree (the cooler it sounds, the more they will like you) and you must have a vision for how you will leverage an MBA to be successful in the art field.</p>

<p>As for the BBA question (believe I answered that in the other thread), I believe a BBA would be next to worthless for you unless you plan to start your own business right out of undergrad.</p>

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<p>hmm... yea im still going to need some more time to think about this. im hearing very polar opposite opinions on this one, and as such, am still pretty confused (asking advisors, teachers, posting in these forums, etc.) im going to be visiting art schools this summer, and going through the whole college app process all over again (sigh...), even though i still have these doubts - though, thanks for the help</p>

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<p>whats the polar opposite of the opinions in this thread that youve been hearing</p>

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<p>As an example, I just searched google with the term "art mba" and the first link that came up was Wisconsin's MBA program. Wisconsin is a borderline top 30 MBA program which is especially good for students that definitely know what they want to do (ie definitely want to be in art).</p>

<p>Wisconsin has an MBA in Arts Administration:</p>

<p>MBA</a> in Arts Administration</p>

<p>In regards to the pre-req courses Wisconsin requires:</p>

<p>Wisconsin</a> MBA Requirements</p>

<p>
[quote]
There are no School of Business prerequisite courses for students in the MBA program. However, individual career specializations may have courses they will recommend you complete prior to beginning the program. They will communicate with you to let you know what classes you should take once you have been admitted to the program.</p>

<p>If you would like to take a course prior to starting your MBA program, we suggest that you consider taking a statistics and/or an economics course. Both courses have proven to be beneficial to incoming students in helping them gain the necessary knowledge to begin the program.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I'm sure there are other Art related MBA programs from reputable schools but you could look at that website to see if that is right for you and to see what they generally look for in applicants.</p>

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<p>I would highly recommend keeping your quantitative up. Go around to a bunch of different MBA sites and check the admission requirements. (stanford, berkely, gatech, mit, HPY, etc) You'll notice that sometimes they recommend Ugrad classes in business but don't require them. Also they recommend calculus, but only some require it. Some schools also allow you to take a "prep" semester if you haven't had any of these classes that will include something like, survey of econ, survey of accounting, calculus for business, and some others that I can't think of off the top of my head. </p>

<p>Regardless, my opinion is that you're always more competitive if you've had your calculus sequence and even more so if you've had some general business courses. Plus calculus is a pre-req that opens a LOT of doors to other majors that would potentially be off limits, that is, if you ever think you might want to change.</p>

<p>Here's some snippets:
Stanford:
As a college student, is there a preferred undergraduate major that I should choose to prepare for my MBA education?</p>

<p>There is no "ideal" undergraduate major for business school; therefore, choose a major that you find interesting and engaging. MBA students have majored in everything from economics to religious studies. Since business school curricula will assume a solid foundation in quantitative skills, you may want to take at least a couple of classes in economics, math, statistics, and/or science (i.e., courses that will sharpen your analytical reasoning skills). If your schedule precludes you from taking these courses, you might consider taking evening or distance-learning quantitative courses from a local university or college.</p>

<p>Gatech:
• I don’t have any undergraduate courses in business/management. Will that affect my chances of admission? Will I be at a disadvantage in my MBA classes if I haven’t taken any business courses previously?
Generally sixty to seventy percent of our MBA students hold non-business undergraduate degrees. The admissions committee strives to admit students from a wide range of undergraduate backgrounds. While the MBA core courses move at a fast pace, they do not assume previous business course work.</p>

<p>• Are there any prerequisites to the MBA Program?
The only prerequisite to the MBA Program is calculus with a grade of "C" or better. While a calculus is not required for us to review your application, it must be completed prior to beginning the MBA program in the fall.</p>