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For students who have completed a degree in engineering and are contemplating what to study after it, they have a wide range of courses to choose from. Students can opt for either of the two fields- MS or MBA in the US, UK, Canada, etc., or other countries after completing their engineering course. An MS degree is an ideal option if you want to progress in engineering or an engineering-related industry. As MS in abroad after engineering is one of the most popular options among international students it becomes essential to research for top-ranking universities offering a course of your choice.
An MBA at a prestigious foreign university is another option if you want to improve your management and leadership skills rather than continuing with a technical degree. However, a common question arises among Indian students is that "MS or MBA which is better after engineering?" the answer remains to be subjective and depends solely upon the interests and decision of the applicant himself.
Traditionally, engineering students have been known to opt for MS related courses for further knowledge and insights into the subject. However, in the last couple of years, a large number of students are increasingly opting for management-related courses owing to the assimilation of management strategies in all areas of work.
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Here we bring you some points that highlight the essential differences in the courses in terms of requirements and monetary aspects to help you decide on whether to do MBA or MS after engineering. Read further to know whether you should pursue a MBA of MS after engineering in abroad.
An MS or Master of Science is an academic degree that is based on the scientific learning of a subject. An MS course enhances your understanding of a field through a micro level subject analysis. So, if you opt for an MS in abroad after engineering in Civil course might include subjects like Construction, Geomatics, Geotechnical, Infrastructure Materials, Structural and Transportation, among others.
However, being technical in nature, more often than not an MS course is applicable only for those who have prior study or work experience in the field. One should also be aware of the various exams after engineering to study abroad they have to attempt in order to get an admission into foreign university.
So, to pursue an MS abroad after B.Tech the student should ideally have an undergraduate degree in the same. While many universities do not have any strict requirements of a bachelor’s degree in the same course, the course specifics do demand prior knowledge of the same.
Unlike for MS after engineering in abroad, students are not essentially required to have prior technical knowledge to pursue an MBA. In fact, business schools have one of the most diverse class profiles among all subjects.
If the candidate is interested in pursuing MS in abroad after engineering then they must attempt the GRE exam. In most of the universities and colleges, the course of instruction will be held in English language.
So, along with the GRE exam, the candidates have to attempt any one English proficiency tests like TOEFL, PTE, IELTS, DET, etc. whichever is acceptable by the institution.
Students who want to pursue an MBA for higher studies after engineering in abroad, need to qualify few exams for MBA abroad. For MBA, most of the colleges or schools ask for the GMAT exam. Now-a-days, the business schools accepting GRE scores for admission are also widely increasing.
Depending on the university requirement the candidates can choose either GRE or GMAT exams to study abroad after engineering. Apart from these exams for MBA abroad, the candidate must attempt the English language proficiency tests such as IELTS and TOEFL for admission and visa purposes.
When it comes to work experience, it is not necessary to have work experience if you are planning to do MS after engineering. However one of the most important factors to consider while aiming for an MBA degree abroad is work experience. Most of the top business schools across the world require work experience for entry into their MBA classes.
While some schools do not demand it, the selection procedure reflects that the majority of the students have work experience. 3 to 5 years of work experience is one of the admissions criteria in some business schools.
Top 5 business schools with work experience requirement:
University | Country | Work experience |
US | 3-5 years | |
UK | 1-6 years | |
US | 5-6 years | |
Stanford Graduate School of Business | US | 4 years |
Insead | France / Singapore | 1-6 years |
While work experience is a requirement in the majority of MBA programmes, it is not imperative in MS courses. MS courses do not demand or require prior experience as the focus is more on the academic qualification and research work of the applicant.
So, if you have an undergraduate degree in engineering and want to go for Masters directly after that, an MS course would be more advantageous and easier to get into than an MBA programme abroad.
One important factor to consider when deciding to pursue MS or MBA abroad after engineering is the cost of the course. More often than not, pursuing an MBA is also seen as an investment. Hence, the return on investment is a big factor while considering whether you want to pursue MS or MBA abroad.
If we consider the cost of pursuing MBA and MS programmes in the USA, we find that while the cost of studying MS can be in the range USD 40,000 - USD 120,000, the cost of an MBA in the US will be about USD 60,000 per year.
MS in Abroad after Engineering cost
Name of University | Average tuition fees per year in USD |
54,000 | |
Stanford University | 35,000 |
Harvard University | 44,000 |
52, 500 | |
41,000 | |
University of Pennsylvania | 40,000 |
Northeastern University | 24,000 |
Cost of MBA courses in the US
Name of University | Average Tuition Fees in USD |
Stanford Graduate School of Business | 81,400 |
Harvard Business School | 77,400 |
Columbia Business school | 64,700 |
Booth School of Business | 72,000 |
72,400 | |
Columbia Business School | 65,988 |
Wharton School | 73,000 |
73,400 | |
Kellogg School of Management | 75,000 |
MIT Sloan School of Management | 77,200 |
Before deciding whether to pursue an MS or MBA abroad, the most important thing to consider is your passion. If you have a more technical bent of mind and want to do further research in your subject then an MS course is the best option for you.
However, if you were always inclined toward the managerial aspects of work like planning for a project or managing a team for its implementation, then an MBA degree would be best for you.
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You can rest assured that doing an MBA or MS degree will fetch you a good job with an attractive salary after finishing your course. The salary will depend on factors such as job title, your specialization, job title, and years of experience. However, those with an MBA degree will earn higher salaries than those with an MS degree, particularly at the entry level.
According to the annual survey by Bloomberg, the average salary of those who complete their MBA increased by over 85% compared to the salaries they were earning before their MBA degree. However this should not be the sole determining factor in choosing MBA after your engineering degree, you should choose based on your interest.
The issue of choosing between an MS and an MBA course becomes a dilemma when you can pursue both an MBA and an MS after studying engineering. If you wish to develop business or management skills, join a professional network, want a good pay package, or one day run a company, an MBA degree is definitely for you.
But if you wish to become an expert in a particular field, then an MS degree would be more suitable. A master's degree is ideal for those who want to become an expert in a particular field.
Combining an engineering degree with a management degree gives you the advantage of a dual specialisation and career advancement opportunities. Your technical and business skills make you a valuable asset to the company. If you want to specialise in a particular field, then it is better to apply for a master's degree.
Most students find employment immediately after completing an MBA degree because an MBA is a professional degree and one can find work opportunities in different industries. Students pursuing a master's degree have a choice between getting a job or continuing their studies.
Yes, it is possible to do your MBA after completing your MS degree but it will be a lengthy process and increase the time between finishing your studies and getting a job. Another alternative is to do an MBA after completing your MS and you are working in a job.
Yes, a candidate can pursue MS after MBA. It is not generally done by many people but as long as the candidate meets the admissions requirements, they can apply for a MS after an MBA.
This totally depends on the candidate's interest. If the candidate wants to specialize in the subject of their bachelor's, they can proceed for a master's degree. If the candidate wants to look forward to a career in management-related jobs then they can choose MBA.
For study purposes, the candidates can pursue either an MS or MBA abroad after engineering. For that, the candidate needs to attempt the qualifying exams of the university and grab an admission. If the candidate wants to go abroad for job purposes, they must have a good academic background and directly apply for abroad jobs online.
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