For students looking for a way to advance their education and career, there may be few more differentiating factors than the difference between an MBA and an MSc. Since the program length is usually much shorter for MBA or MSc, it may be expected that there are similarities between the two fields. In general, both pursue a similar course of study, but the programs are slightly dissimilar in nature. Both focus on teaching students the same general skills and knowledge sets.

For the most part, there is very little difference between the two in terms of the general courses of study that they offer. There are, however, some significant differences that could impact a student’s decision between the two programs.

The two programs share a focus on teaching students’ management skills that could prove valuable to their future careers. Both MBA and MSc offer a wide variety of general business courses that can prove beneficial to almost anyone’s future career. Courses such as human resources, marketing, entrepreneurship and finance are offered as part of the curriculum for both programs. Of course, these core business skills are necessary to have a successful career in any organization, and the MBA proves especially valuable to those with less-than-stellar educational histories or a history of failure.

When comparing the MBA and the MSc, perhaps one of the biggest differentiators between the two is the number of years required to complete the programs. An MBA typically takes about two years to complete. On the other hand, a full MSc program takes about three years. In addition, the length of time involved in completing either program is not solely based on the number of credits completed; there is also an assumption that those who complete an MBA are able to achieve at least a certain level in their careers. For those who want to get ahead quickly, or who are interested in expanding their current career or even changing careers altogether, having a longer time frame to pursue graduate work is certainly recommended.

An MBA program is also often considered to be a more comprehensive and rigorous form of learning than a traditional MBA. Since the program is centered around a specific field of study, students in an MBA program are given the opportunity to learn and apply theories from that specific field of study more completely and with a greater depth of detail than is possible for those in an MSc program. While most traditional MBA programs teach similar concepts, an MBA program offers the opportunity for students to learn different concepts and apply them to real world business scenarios. Students in the MBA program will also typically have access to experts who they can ask questions to shed more light on a particular subject. It is believed that MBA programs are also more challenging for students because they are given a more structured curriculum and much more time to research and further their education.

If you are one of the many students wondering what is the difference between an MBA and an MSc, there really isn’t much difference at all in the actual degree itself. Both the MBA and the MSc have become popular programs due to their ability to give students a solid education in a particular field of study and a strong foundation of skills that will enable them to take on any number of jobs in their field of choice once they have earned their degree. What’s more, both MBAs and MScs are great graduate schools when you are interested in breaking into the corporate world. This is because it is quite common for employers to look for candidates with degrees such as an MBA. Whether you are merely interested in breaking into the business world or you wish to move forward in the same field but with a higher level of education, both types of graduate schools are ideal for your career goals.