I first recommend that students learn the skills necessary to research. This often includes some basic computer programming and knowing how to use Microsoft Excel. A good understanding of statistics is also very important as I still see a lot of “research projects” where the person is assuming that their results are statistically significant and that correlation implies causation.
I was not able to conduct any formal research during my time at UA and would’ve liked to do so. However, I’m lucky to have developed excellent analysis skills which I can use in a variety of business situations where I often have little to no time to develop and present my findings. In a way, each new business case is a research project in itself. This is a big reason why I’m looking into getting a D.B.A., D.M., or D.Eng instead of a PhD.