More business students considering specialized Master’s degrees

A new report from the US-based Graduate Management Admission Council found more business students are considering specialty graduate programs today than five years ago. The number of students focused solely on specialty programs increased from 13% to 20%, while those students considering only MBA programs declined from 55% to 53%. While MBAs remain the most popular program type for prospective students, students in Asia-Pacific and Europe in particular are increasingly exploring non-MBA options for their graduate education. The report also indicates that women are nearly twice as likely as men to consider specialty programs. The data may indicate a generational shift: candidates 24 years of age and under are more likely than older candidates to consider both types of programs, with the difference between genders in that age bracket shrinking to just 2%. The report surveyed over 12,000 graduate-level business students in 15 countries. GMAC News Release | GMAC Report