Over the past decade an MBA has come to represent one of the most effective ways to advance your career, and nowhere is this truer than in the UAE and the Middle East. The region has seen a boom in GMAT exam takers since 2007, many of whom indicate an MBA as their graduate degree of choice.
So why are so many students in the Middle East choosing an MBA?
A graduate business degree can boost your career
When past GMAT test takers were surveyed, 4 in 5 (84 percent) said their MBA education offered opportunities for quicker career advancement. Five years after graduation, the majority of business school alumni are in senior-level positions or higher in their organization.
A graduate business education is valuable
9 out of 10 MBA alumni say their MBA education increased their earning power with 95 percent rating the value of their MBA as outstanding, excellent, or good, and the vast majority recommending an MBA to their colleagues.
A graduate business degree opens the door to jobs
Eighty-five percent of alumni were employed as of October 2014, including 3 percent who identified themselves as entrepreneurs/self-employed. MBA alumni found jobs across a wide range of industries including products and services (20 percent), consulting (17 percent), finance and accounting (16 percent), as well as technology (16 percent), health care (10 percent), and manufacturing (8 percent).
A graduate business degree brings multiple rewards
A majority of MBA holders agree that their graduate management education was rewarding professionally (92 percent), personally (88 percent), and financially (66 percent).
Demand for business school talent is strong
Eighty-four percent of employers surveyed in 2015 said they planned to hire MBA graduates this year, up from 74 percent of employers in 2014.
When choosing a business school for your MBA, make sure it is a reputable business school with accreditation from The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). An AACSB accredited MBA will open doors to greater career opportunities in regional and international companies and organizations.
Want to learn more about taking an MBA? Be sure to check our infographic below and reach us via Twitter @AUSharjah with any questions.
Sources: GMAC 2014 and 2015 Alumni Poll Data and GMAC 2015 Corporate Recruiters Survey
For more information about American University of Sharjah, please visit www.aus.edu
