Allison Said:

Do you know of any MBA Project Management degrees offered in the Bay Area, CA?

We Answered:

You should be lookiing for a Master's in Industrial Technology/Management with an emphasis in Project Management. Cal Poly (Pomona) and Fresno State have such programs.

Cynthia Said:

Which is better a MBA in Project Management or go for a (MPM) Masters in Project Management degree?

We Answered:

Look at http://officialmbaguide.org. There is no such MBA. Universities don't grant MBA in information systems, or MBA in finance, or MBA in marketing. MBA means Master in Business Administration. The MBA is a general degree preparing students for management positions in any level of a business, up to CEO. MBA students study accounting, finance, marketing, management, statistics, economics, strategy, policy, and other courses. Many MBA programs offer concentrations in these and many other fields, but that amounts to only 2-3 courses in your chosen field in the second year of study. Many students avoid a concentration and take a variety of elective subjects to gain a broader background. By the time you finish the first year you'll be able to decide which concentration interests you. You don't become a specialist in a field with 2-3 courses. It generally takes a year of concentrated study. That does not mean you could not earn the PMP designation after an MBA with a project management concentration. It is a tough 4-hour test but it can be done.

The MBA is not like an MS degree that concentrates study in a single field and prepares students for high level staff or research positions. The MS typically requires an undergraduate education in the field in which you want the MS, or a closely related field. A finance major does not get an MS in chemistry, and a biology major does not get an MS in accounting. If you want to specialize in a particular field other than business administration, such as finance, marketing, operations management, human resource management, or a non-business field such as public health, or public administration, you should get an MS degree in that specialization.

MBA programs accept students in any undergraduate field. They prefer students who do not have a business background because they give you the business training but they cannot provide the broad background that managers should have. I have taught MBA students with degrees in Music, Medicine, Dentistry, Law, Psychology, Political Science, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, and many other fields. Most MBA programs prefer students with 2-3 years work experience after the first degree, but many accept students right out of college if they have good grades and a high GMAT score. Some MBA programs are designed specifically for new college graduates without work experience. MBAs with good grades are in high demand and they command good starting salaries.

The Official MBA Guide provides a lot of information about the MBA degree and MBA schools and programs. It's a comprehensive free public service with more than 2,000 MBA programs listed worldwide. It allows you to search for programs by location (US, Europe, Far East, etc.), by concentration (finance, marketing, aviation management, health management, accounting, etc.), by type of program (full-time, distance learning, part-time, executive, and accelerated), and by listing your own criteria and preferences to get a list of universities that satisfy your needs. Schools report their accreditation status, tuition cost, number of students, class sizes, program length, and a lot of other data. Schools provide data on entrance requirements, program costs, program characteristics, joint degrees, and much more. You can use the Guide to contact schools of your choice, examine their data, visit their web site, and send them pre applications. You can see lists of top 40 schools ranked by starting salaries of graduates, GMAT scores, and other criteria. It's the best service available at http://officialmbaguide.org.

June Said:

What advantages would I have with a certificate in project management and a degree in Computer Engineering?

We Answered:

I work for a large bank in the Information Systems department, and we hire computer programmers, business analysts, system administrators, and project managers, all of which could be viable possibilities for you depending on your abilities and interests. Any certification that you obtain will be an advantage, although it will not guarantee you a job. These positions fall into pay grades that are assigned by our Human Resources department. As you succeed you should advance to new positions and new pay grades. Advancement will take time and a consistent and proven record of good performance. The typical pay grades for these positions are below:

52K - 78K (starting)
58K - 88K (senior)
63K - 102K (lead)
70K - 128K (manager)

Hope this helps. Good luck, finish your education, and work hard!

Helen Said:

Can I find a good job with a project management degree even if I dont want to be a project manager?!?

We Answered:

You need to ask yourself what you want to do. A business degree is a very broad, vague degree.

There are many rewarding positions available in T&D and HR.

Norma Said:

where should I go for a master degree on project management if I want to go to grad school?

We Answered:

So what is your GPA. You need a 3.0 or better to go to most grad schools.

Brad Said:

what topic should i write on in my master of arts in project planning and management degree?

We Answered:

astro physics....near future technologies for circumventing the limitations of light speed