A good business program offers skills not ordinarily mastered on the job, such as financial, statistical, and managerial economics. It will show how different functions operate and are related, how companies in different industries compete, and how they manage in different environments.
A good program does all this by being, in part, a boot camp for managers. Most programs require that students have had several years' work experience before beginning the course, and subsequently draw upon it in their studies. Students are drilled in the basics, are forced to crunch through massive amounts of material, must cooperate and compete with a broad spectrum of colleagues, and live life at a fast pace.
Of course, the graduate gains more than just a set of skills and attitudes. The reputation and connections of the school, along with a hard-working career services department, will help him or her gain an appropriate job. The school's alumni network and any professional contacts will be long-term assets, as will the degree itself on a resume.
A good program does all this by being, in part, a boot camp for managers. Most programs require that students have had several years' work experience before beginning the course, and subsequently draw upon it in their studies. Students are drilled in the basics, are forced to crunch through massive amounts of material, must cooperate and compete with a broad spectrum of colleagues, and live life at a fast pace.
Of course, the graduate gains more than just a set of skills and attitudes. The reputation and connections of the school, along with a hard-working career services department, will help him or her gain an appropriate job. The school's alumni network and any professional contacts will be long-term assets, as will the degree itself on a resume.