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gmattester123
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What to specialize in? 19 May 2010, 01:12
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Hi all. Thanks to this forum, I obtained my target GMAT score, did well at my interview, and have been accepted into my primary MBA program of choice!

Now, according to my program, there are various specializations that students must choose from. There are about 10+ different specializations, but only two have caught my attention. The two specializations are "Strategic Management," and "Information Technology." About 50% of the MBA students in my program graduate with a specialization in Strategic Management, but only 1% of MBA students graduate with a specialization in Information Technology. FYI, my background is Infromation Technology and my long term career goal is to become a CTO/CIO one day.

The summary of the specialization in Strategic Management is as follows: "This specialization equips students with the concepts required to implement strategies that lead to superior performance of a business."

The summary of the specialization in Information Technology is as follows: "This specialization prepares students for positions as IT/management consultants, technology managers, and mangers of IT departments in many industries."

While 50% of graduates in my program choose to specialize in Strategic Management, I am leaning towards the specialization in Information Technology (even though only 1% of graduates pursue this specialization). The specialization in Information Technology simply has more "practical" courses for me that I can benefit from.

Which brings to my main question - how many companies out there ask for what you specialized in for your MBA? My understanding is that most companies mostly consider your MBA degree and the school you got it from, but don't ask about your MBA specialization.

Any other feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!
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cano
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What to specialize in? 19 May 2010, 04:32
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gmattester123
FYI, my background is Infromation Technology and my long term career goal is to become a CTO/CIO one day.
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First, congratulations for your achievements so far (GMAT score, admission). I'm still not there, but my 2 cents are that if you are certain about your long term goals then you might enjoy more the subjects offered in the Information Technology specialization. You may choose the other as well, but you may find yourself in a couple of subjects where you are bored or wondering why they teach that, or how will you use that in the future.
Other than that, I don't see much of a difference to make a big deal about it.
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What to specialize in? 19 May 2010, 05:22
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It's my understanding that companies won't make a huge effort to glean your MBA "concentration." My MBA offers optional concentrations (Marketing, Finance, International Business/Leadership) and I'm choosing not to specialize since I'd be better off taking a mix of courses so as to better suit my goals going forward.

However, if you do take the IT stream AND it proves to give you a set of tools that truly do differentiate you I'd suggest you work that specialization into your resume or cover letter or something so you can more easily bring it up (or even be asked about it) in an interview scenario. Companies probably care less about what a school says you focussed than what skills and tools you actually picked up. If it turns out that specializing in IT gives you like 1 or 2 unique courses and doesn't really do much extra for you you might downplay the concentration.
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What to specialize in? 19 May 2010, 05:52
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We will be collecting all our profile evaluations and application review responses posted at GMATClub and other forums under the MyMBAAdmit thread to provide a single resource for our readers.

Does an MBA concentration matter?

gmattester123
Hi all. Thanks to this forum, I obtained my target GMAT score, did well at my interview, and have been accepted into my primary MBA program of choice!

Now, according to my program, there are various specializations that students must choose from. There are about 10+ different specializations, but only two have caught my attention. The two specializations are "Strategic Management," and "Information Technology." About 50% of the MBA students in my program graduate with a specialization in Strategic Management, but only 1% of MBA students graduate with a specialization in Information Technology. FYI, my background is Infromation Technology and my long term career goal is to become a CTO/CIO one day.

The summary of the specialization in Strategic Management is as follows: "This specialization equips students with the concepts required to implement strategies that lead to superior performance of a business."

The summary of the specialization in Information Technology is as follows: "This specialization prepares students for positions as IT/management consultants, technology managers, and mangers of IT departments in many industries."

While 50% of graduates in my program choose to specialize in Strategic Management, I am leaning towards the specialization in Information Technology (even though only 1% of graduates pursue this specialization). The specialization in Information Technology simply has more "practical" courses for me that I can benefit from.

Which brings to my main question - how many companies out there ask for what you specialized in for your MBA? My understanding is that most companies mostly consider your MBA degree and the school you got it from, but don't ask about your MBA specialization.

Any other feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!
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Pleased to hear about your success! Glad we could help :)

With regard to your question above, there are two questions in your post: a) Which specialization, and b) Do specializations matter?

a) If you have a set career goal in mind, and the Information Technology specialization offers you a relevant and practical curriculum in that field, then it sounds like a good fit for your needs. I would advise you to pursue that.

b) When you are looking for a job in a particular field, companies look at both professional experience and academic background. If someone were trying for a career switch, the concentration assumes greater experience since it is one of the limited ways of demonstrating the new career interest. In your case, since you already have a background in Information Technology, and it is the field you want to continue pursuing, an MBA with a concentration in that field further enhances your qualifications.

At My MBA Admit, we offer Career Counseling as one of our services. In our experience, concentrations do matter as a way of showing your commitment to a particular field. You might be able to get by without it in the controlled environment of on-campus recruiting, but when you are applying as an MBA graduate, companies see concentrations as an indicator of relevant knowledge in the field. And if it is the field you want to stay in anyway, why not pick up more experience and coursework in it? It can only help in furthering your goals.

Feel free to drop us a line at mbaconsult@mymbaadmit.com. Check out our Application Packages and Volume Discounts tailored to help with your admission needs.