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Do you have to major in business/ economics to go to business school and get an MBA?

Will I have trouble in business graduate school if I don't major in business #college #business #school #grad

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Ly’s Answer

Hi Mitra. I have an MBA and my undergraduate degree is in Accounting. However, plenty of my friends have undergraduate degrees in Journalism, History, etc. and still got into prestigious MBA program. So I believe the answer is no, you don't have to.
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Kabir’s Answer

Most leading business schools actually prefer people from non traditional backgrounds (i.e. non business majors) as it adds diversity to the class mix, which is important due to how much learning happens from across the class cohort. This diversity in background extends from academic diversity through to work experience and personal diversity
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Amy’s Answer

Absolutely not! My undergraduate degree is in Zoology - an area I loved to study and research while I was in school. If anything, my Zoology coursework in scientific theory and statistics was helpful while I was pursing my MBA. My well-rounded and atypical background was viewed as an asset to potential corporate employers. I now work at a company that values my external perspective and recognizes the value of well-rounded individuals. My advice: pursue your interests while keeping an eye on your career goals. There's room for both.
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Brandon’s Answer

Hi Mitra, I don't think that you will be at a significant disadvantage. Most business schools have a core curriculum covering the basics of finance, accounting, etc. The goal of the core curriculum is to provide that foundation of knowledge for more advanced classes. I did not have an undergraduate business/finance degree and I was able to keep up just fine with my classmates who did. It really comes down to your academic aptitude and willingness to devote yourself to the new curriculum.
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Lisha’s Answer

No! Many business schools like to look for candidates with diverse backgrounds. Plenty of my classmates studied history, journalism and various other majors that were not business / engineering. In many cases getting an MBA is not as valuable for students who studied business in undergrad because a lot of the material they learn in grad school may be repeated.
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Alyssa’s Answer

It will likely depend on your chosen school. I majored in business in my undergrad, but many in my MBA cohort had never done any business classes. Best thing to do in my opinion would be to call the specific school you are hoping to get into when you complete your undergrad, but it is likely not an issue.
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Ken’s Answer

Hi Mitra!


Alghough I do not have direct experience, here is a good answer for this question.


http://www.mba.com/us/the-gmat-blog-hub/ask-the-expert/2012/dec/can-i-succeed-in-an-mba-program-without-an-undergraduate-degree-in-business.aspx
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Ritesh’s Answer

I studied overseas before I moved to the States, Recently I looked into getting my MBA too. My research with the various Universities was a mixed one. Some preferred you to have a business major (especially those that you attend full time). Since I have a full time job also, I looked at getting my MBA online and I noticed that many of them did not require a business major, there are 2 options: 1. take the pre-req. online classes prior to the start of the MBA or 2. provide enough documentation that you have X yrs of hands on business experience (the X varies by university)

Ritesh recommends the following next steps:

My suggestion is to determine if you want to continue education straight through or to start working and then look at an MBA. Depending on your choice, you have different avenues you can pursue. Also look at the schools that interest you most, and after narrowing them down, look at their requirements. Since they do vary I don't think there is a single right answer.
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Ananya’s Answer

You definitely don't need major in business or economics to get an MBA in the future!
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