10 Online MBA Concentrations
By Aimee Hosler | Mar 19, 2012
If you're considering an online MBA degree, you may be on to something. According to a major 2010 employer survey conducted by Quacquarelli Symonds, demand for MBAs is booming the world over, and there is no end in sight. But while virtually anyone can benefit from earning an MBA, it is not a one-size-fits-all degree. MBA concentrations allow you to tailor your training to your talents and interests. Sure, you could earn a general MBA, but choosing a concentration can make you a more specialized (read: hireable) job candidate. Here are 10 online MBA concentrations worth considering.
10 worth-it MBA concentrations
1. Business management
You probably have heard that CEOs are among the best paid professionals in the country, so competition for key management positions is intense. If you want to climb to the highest echelons of the business world, an MBA in business management can give you a boost.
2. E-commerce
Move over Mark Zuckerberg. Entrepreneurial sorts find new ways to monetize the Internet every day, and according to Internet Retailer, e-commerce sales grew by an impressive 9.8 percent in 2010. Earning an MBA in e-commerce can help you make the most of these trends.
3. Marketing
Only a great marketing team could transform a backwards bath robe into the pop culture phenom known as the Snuggie. Good marketing can make or break a business, so companies are willing to pay a lot for skilled marketing managers. With an MBA in marketing, that could be you.
4. Human resources
Everyone wants to graduate college with solid job prospects, and an MBA in human resources might do just that. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for human resources managers is projected to grow by a whopping 22 percent in the decade preceding 2018. (In other words, a whole heck of a lot.)
5. Technology
BLS data proves information technology degrees consistently rank among some of the most lucrative and in-demand credentials in the country. An MBA in technology management can help you ride the wave while putting your business savvy to good use.
6. Entrepreneurship
Want to be the next Steve Jobs? All it takes is a great idea and the right entrepreneurial know-how. The first part is on you, but an MBA in entrepreneurship can provide you with the rest.
7. Finance
Robert Sarnoff once said that "finance is the art of passing money from hand to hand until it finally disappears." Earn your MBA in finance and some company might be willing to pay you big bucks to prove Sarnoff wrong.
8. International business
Technology has made communicating and collaborating on a truly global scale easier than ever, bringing new meaning to the phrase "It's a small world." This has generated new opportunities for business pros willing to think not just outside the box, but outside the country. An MBA in international relations or global management can show you how.
9. Health management
Gadgets and gizmos may come and go, but people will always need their health. That is a big part of why health care managers -- the CEOs of the health care world -- are in high demand (and well paid for their efforts). Join them with a health management MBA.
10. Risk management
Just as with a good game of poker, success in business depends on limiting risk, not just turning a profit. That is precisely why the world needs MBAs with risk management training.
Rechart your future with an online MBA
One of the snazziest things about MBA programs is that they usually don't require your undergraduate degree be in business. (And your dad thought that philosophy degree would never pay off!) If you have fallen out of love with your current field and are thinking about investing in a business career, online MBA programs can provide you with the training you need while allowing you to keep your full-time gig. Research online colleges offering MBAs to make a start.
