If you are looking for more academic experience to further your business career, you may be asking yourself whether or not it is a good idea to pursue a post-graduate degree in management. Knowing the exact degree, however, can be a tricky process. For example, when looking at this path, you may be looking at whether to choose a Master’s in Business Administration or a Master’s in Management. While both are management degrees, what they offer and how they offer it does differ quite significantly. In this article we will explain the core differences between the two degrees to help you decide which one might be the right decision for you. Read on to learn more. 

Tuition Fees 

The tuition fees for the two degrees are rather different. While a two years Master’s in Business Administration averages around $60,000, a Master’s in Management tends to be far cheaper. For example, you can study for a Merrimack College MS in Management for less than $20,000 a year. This can make the latter a far more attractive option for those looking to gain experience in a short amount of time without making a large investment themselves. 

Curriculum 

The curriculum you can expect in both degrees is quite different despite both of them appearing on first glance to be rather similar. While in a Master’s in Business Administration you would expect hands-on experiences, specific studies of different businesses and be made to work together in a team, a Master’s in Management — which is technically a Master’s in Science — looks more at the theoretical side of management, using statistics, models and methods to try and understand it. This is usually why there is difference in: 

Experience Needed 

Generally speaking, people studying a Master’s in Management are far younger than their Master’s in Business Administration counterparts, the former averaging around 23 and the latter in their late 20s. Usually if you want to study a Master’s of Business Administration, you will have to have a few years of practical experience in the industry already, making it a degree for those who want to enhance their already existing skills. This makes a Master’s in Management a more attractive option for those looking to break into the industry as opposed to those who are already established and simply looking for higher qualifications. Additionally, it’s worth considering the: 

Ultimately, however, it’s all about: 

Finding the Fit that’s Right for You 

Choosing between the two different degrees is up to your own personal preferences. If you are more interested in the theoretical underpinnings of management and business, then you should probably go for a Master’s in Management. On the other hand, if you want to study more real business cases in detail, such as the rise of Apple, then a Master’s in Business Administration is likely to be the more attractive option. 

It’s recommended to do your research in detail before committing to the type of management degree that works best for you.