Five Useful MBA Program Specialties
- Healthcare Management
- Agri-Business Management
- Supply Chain Management
- Media Management
- Environmental Management
Earning an MBA not only strengthens a professional’s skills in traditional business areas, but there are also numerous MBA concentrations that apply these concepts to other industries. They reinforce theories and practices related to management, human resources, accounting, and marketing and teach students how to apply this information and strategy to particular areas like science, engineering, and helping professions. Some popular specializations include the following.
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1. Healthcare Management
Some professionals enter this MBA concentration from a business background, while others have previous experience in the medical field. Graduates work as clinic or hospital administrators as well as in the nursing home and home healthcare sectors and balance the financial interests of the organization with the needs of their patients. Specialized classes focus on topics like working with insurance companies, integrating medical technological innovations and electronic medical records systems, and healthcare-specific regulations like HIPAA.
2. Agri-Business Management
This is a great business specialty for professionals interested in farming, food production, and conservation. These programs focus heavily on the economic and financial aspects of the field teaching high-level statistics and mathematics skills. There is also a focus on seed, soil, and crop science. With this background, graduates have the ability to make accurate predictions about production and profits. Professionals specializing in agri-business have many options when entering the workforce and can find positions with large seed and farm supply corporations, directly on farms, in research facilities, and even in related fields like banks that do business with the agricultural industry.
3. Supply Chain Management
This field requires high-level analytical skills and a focus on practical concerns. Professionals in supply chain management are responsible for the movement of materials or information into, through, and out of a company. This is a complicated process as it involves bringing raw materials and then distributing products on time. As Forbes reports, when things run smoothly, this is a department that sometimes gets overlooked, but it is one of the most important. The field is getting more attention, though, with the increased focus on sustainability in production.
4. Media Management
As one of the newest MBA specializations, this program focuses on leveraging digital media to increase company profits. Professionals use marketing, design, and communication skills to craft online branding campaigns. One big focus of this concentration is the integration of new forms of technical communication and data science into business. Students learn how to evaluate platforms and conduct market research to target specific populations. This MBA program is definitely useful for individuals who plan to enter the video production or advertising fields but is also relevant in many other industries.
5. Environmental Management
There is a growing focus on conserving natural resources and protecting the environment by holding businesses accountable for their impact on clean air and water. Environmental management MBA programs produce graduates who have a background in ecology, renewable energy, and the scientific process as well as traditional business fundamentals like maximizing profits and managing investments. These professionals determine a company’s cost on the environment and work to minimize the effects while still keeping profits as high as possible.
Regardless of their particular interests or passions, business professionals can use an MBA in nearly any field because these skills are necessary to keep organizations operational. Choosing one of the many available MBA concentrations can help professionals enter their desired industry right out of graduate school.
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