Niche Interests: EU Business School’s MBA Specializations Offer Path into Difficult-to-Access Careers

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Today’s business world is almost unrecognisable from that in which the MBA course was created. Throughout the 20th century, major corporations dominated the attentions of business school students, with the MBA functioning as a training course for a career in the C-suite. Students learned the skills needed for executive-level management, then pushed for as rapid a rise through the ranks as possible. Now, however, with the disruptive nature of modern, tech-led markets, MBA programs are changing. No longer can all MBA candidates be assumed to want a boardroom career; entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainability are equally vital areas of focus.

As much as this applies to those looking to start their own businesses rather than seek employment, it also relates to the wider range of niche, specialist careers now available. Often difficult to break into as well as being highly competitive, careers in, for example, the creative, sports and travel industries are nonetheless increasingly sought after by a new generation of MBA candidates.

In spite of this, many providers have yet to catch up, offering a limited range of options usually extending to a traditional MBA and an executive MBA. Some, however, are bucking the trend to offer students who know their own mind the flexibility and focus required to gain a foothold in a difficult-to-access career. EU Business School, for example, offers MBA programs in 11 different specializations, including: Communications & Public Relations, Leisure & Tourism Management, Sports Management and Design Management.

Specialist focus

The advantages of specialization at MBA level are innumerable. In a competitive industry such as sports management, for example, with significant money and prestige drawing the best of the best to compete for jobs, specialist knowledge can give you the edge you need to rise to the top. This might not have been the case 20 years ago, but things are different now given today’s wealth of talent and ease of global movement. “In the past, you had people entering the world of sports without any specific knowledge of the industry; they just picked it up along the way”, said Omar Berrada, an EU Business School alumnus and COO of Manchester City FC. “If you’re able to do a course that specializes in sports management, then definitely do it. It’ll put you at an advantage when applying for jobs.”

By offering a range of MBA specialisms, EU Business School is putting students first. There is no minimal intake; a major will run if a student selects it, as evidenced by current MBA candidate Margaryta Pugach, who majors in design management: “The courses here are courses that you cannot find anywhere else. I’m the only [design management] student because it's something people don’t know about yet.” This approach allows EU Business School graduates to genuinely differentiate themselves in an increasingly homogenous marketplace, leaving with unique qualifications that bridge the all-important experience gap that so often locks people out of their dream careers.

Broad spectrum

Of course, no matter how important it is to specialize, the need for broad skills will never be replaced. If anything, the modern business world demands a wider range of core strengths than ever before, with candidates expected to demonstrate leadership skills, entrepreneurial flair and an appreciation of sustainability no matter what role they take on. MBA majors at EU Business School take this into account, mixing specialist courses with core modules that cover business fundamentals.

Students on the MBA in Leisure & Tourism Management program, for example, will study such courses as strategic tourism marketing and e-business in tourism in their third term, while those on the MBA in Communications & PR program will study public relations and organizational communication. Both, however, will focus on the same modules in the first two terms, covering basics such as marketing, managerial accounting and global economics. This approach produces specialists with well-rounded skillsets who know where they want to go, but are flexible enough to take advantage of unexpected opportunities when they arise – just the type of leaders the business world needs in order to meet the demands of the future.