# MBA in Dubai



## Yoga girl (Oct 19, 2008)

Just wondering if anyone has taken a part time MBA course here in Dubai and what their experiences were like. Trying to do some research into this at the moment and I know there are a lot of cowboys out there just wanting to get your money.


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## Canuck_Sens (Nov 16, 2010)

Yoga girl said:


> Just wondering if anyone has taken a part time MBA course here in Dubai and what their experiences were like. Trying to do some research into this at the moment and I know there are a lot of cowboys out there just wanting to get your money.


Yup, I started mine. But it really depends on your needs and context. I can share with you my criteria and then my choices:

My needs:

a) accreditation at least triple
b) International reputation
c) Tier 1 at least in one of the known rankings like FT and on going performance
d) Flexible (part time) that would not require many days off from work.


Based on this I had opted for the Manchester business school. Although I had given serious thought to attend London BS, but the requirements of giving a week per month was not something that my boss was very willing to accept.

I had considered CASS EMBA they do not offer MBAs but CASS is not known outside UK and that was a major deterrent for me.

Manchester has 6 centers offering part time mba (Brazil, UAE, USA, Honk Kong, Singapore and UK). The program allows you to attend workshops in two different countries. And the program is the same in all the centers.

So if you move or go on a trip you can write your exams or even transfer your MBA in any of these venues.

I am ntr trying to run an add for MBS, I am just trying to explain why I chose it based on my needs. Send me a PM if you need more info.

Hasta


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## Yoga girl (Oct 19, 2008)

Hi CanukSens

thanks for the info. I am more interested in the International recognition part and the quality of the content of the course. Plus it would have to be something that I could do without taking any time off work (or at least as much as possible).
Your tips are a helpful starting point.


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## Canuck_Sens (Nov 16, 2010)

Yoga girl said:


> Hi CanukSens
> 
> thanks for the info. I am more interested in the International recognition part and the quality of the content of the course. Plus it would have to be something that I could do without taking any time off work (or at least as much as possible).
> Your tips are a helpful starting point.


You could spare time reading about the accreditation process for MBA schools because that addresses the quality issue that you are concerned about.

Start with MBA.com they explain the accreditation process and why it is so important. MBAs always use the accreditation in their selling idea. I do believe they have a tool if there is a specific specialty that you are seeking.

The tier 1 MBAs address all your concerns about quality except for reputation.

Good luck


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## rejin (Dec 26, 2011)

Canuck_Sens said:


> Yup, I started mine. But it really depends on your needs and context. I can share with you my criteria and then my choices:
> 
> My needs:
> 
> ...


Hi

Have you finished your MBA with MBS? Could you give some info about how the entire course was like?


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## Rainmaker (Oct 11, 2008)

rejin said:


> Hi
> 
> Have you finished your MBA with MBS? Could you give some info about how the entire course was like?


Yeah, would be great to get some feedback on this.


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## Canuck_Sens (Nov 16, 2010)

Doni said:


> Yeah, would be great to get some feedback on this.


hmmmm there are reviews in specialized websites like FT.com

My opinion is a bit suspicious, it is not my first Masters.....

If it helps, it is a blended delivery (online, workshops and final exam)

So far it has been good. Regardless where you do, be organized or you will struggle.

Drop me an email (Doni and Rejin) if you want to more about something (in here at expat as I don't check my email for expat purposes that often for old posts)


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## Canuck_Sens (Nov 16, 2010)

Man,

You left a message on my visitors page, I had meant email.

I read your concern about employment, about whether the MBA school may help you to land a job (replacement).

MBS has career centers in the locations they offer the part MBA program. I think you could inquire MBS about it.

My personal take is that MBS cannot guarantee a replacement. Companies usually visit the main campus in the UK for recruitment. You can lodge an application through the career service. The center in Dubai will liaise with the center in UK to help you.

If you ask me which MBAs will land you a job like in a blink that in my view would be the top 10 MBAs in the US. I don't know how LBS and INSEAD fare honestly.

But again that's my view.


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## beeniesmiles (Aug 8, 2011)

Yoga girl said:


> Just wondering if anyone has taken a part time MBA course here in Dubai and what their experiences were like. Trying to do some research into this at the moment and I know there are a lot of cowboys out there just wanting to get your money.


Hey Yoga Girl!

congrats on your decision to start researching/planning your MBA (this is the first step, and definitely time consuming)! i know for me, i had spent a good number of years fighting it, and then finally a couple months back, i suddenly woke up and decided that i was ready to go back to school!

canuck's criteria for the MBA were pretty much my criteria as well. i definitely wanted a program that was triple accredited, had an amazing reputation, highly ranked, but also delivered quality programs in the format i wanted.

I applied to 3 schools:

Cass Business School
Manchester Business School
University of Strathclyde

all 3 school are ranked very high on FT and triple accredited (Strathclyde ranked much lower than Cass and MBS, but still made FT rankings). I got into all 3 programs, but my decision came down to MBS and Cass. I chose Cass (and Cass was my first choice), and i'll tell you why

Cass is based in DIFC, with strong ties to the financial center as well as to several prominent organizations/companies/councils regionally and globally. MBS and CASS are ranked neck and neck on FT, although MBS has an MBA and Cass has an EMBA (which is ranked in top 5 globally i believe)

MBS is a great program, and a great school, and its almost 80,000AED less in tuition than Cass (supppppper expensive) however, i didn't want to do a blended learning program (MBS has a mix of online learning plus i believe 6 days that you attend in workshops each semester-- it just wasnt enough for me) but there are several people who would find this valuable and to their preferences. MBS is a great program.

i chose Cass because it was full classroom learning-- once a month theres a 4 day weekend where we sit in workshops with the students (the problem is that once a month you have to take 2 days off, a thurs and a sunday). the course is the same course offered in London, and you have the opportunity to do your electives in London, as well as participated in electives in south africa, brazil, china, etc etc)

i haven't started my MBA (EMBA to be more exact) but i will be starting in september and am very excited! the program is one of the strongest (if not the strongest) in Dubai, and has a very strong cohort each intake (they are very selective)

anyway, that's my feedback for now-- we'll see how excited i am when i'm drowning in work!!! 

good luck!

beenie


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## Rainmaker (Oct 11, 2008)

Canuck_Sens said:


> Man,
> 
> You left a message on my visitors page, I had meant email.
> 
> ...


Thanks. Didn't see your email address. I already received the textbooks so I'd better be making quick decision now.


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## Kathy Price (Mar 6, 2013)

*MBA / EMBA in Dubai*



Yoga girl said:


> Just wondering if anyone has taken a part time MBA course here in Dubai and what their experiences were like. Trying to do some research into this at the moment and I know there are a lot of cowboys out there just wanting to get your money.


Hey Yoga girl,

You might have to spend a bit for your MBA but consider it to be a worthy investment. There are some good international schools in Dubai offering accredited foreign MBA/EMBA programmes. 

You're right about the cowboys out there for your money. The best way to avoid them is to do a search on the top-ranked business schools in Dubai. You would be surprised. A lot of them claiming to be the best are not even ranked in the top 50. 

You need to be sure of where you want your study to take you. You need to analyse the current scenario and keep an eye out on the future trends. Islamic banking, energy and government SME, for instance, are some of the sectors that are witnessing tremendous growth of late. 

These days Islamic banking is growing 50% faster than the mainstream banking sector. I would definitely recommend it for a career investment. My preferred choice would be CASS because it is offering specialised electives in Islamic financing.


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