Considering MiM, MiF, or MsBA degrees?
Learn the differences between MBA and MiM, MiF and MSBA degrees. What are the top schools, costs, career opportunities and international student loan options.
Choosing between a MiF, MsBA, MiM or MBA degree is a debate many people have. Take a look at how these degrees stack against each other, and find the one that’s best for you.
What is an MiM degree?
MiM, or Masters in Management, is a special post-graduate programme that offers in-depth knowledge of management to graduates with or without very little work experience. This one- to two-year programme is quickly gaining importance and is being recognised as an excellent degree by many business schools
What is an MiF degree?
MiF, or Masters in Finance, is a masters degree that is usually considered to be quant-heavy, and it is usually undertaken by students who wish to pursue a career in corporate finance. However, the degree is not limited to that one field and opens up a lot of avenues for potential candidates.
Read about the GMAT score requirements for the top MIM and MIF degrees.
What is an MsBA degree?
MsBA, or a Masters of Science in Business Administration, degree is a specialised one -ear programme. In this degree, aspirants tend to focus on a specific area to become an expert in that particular field.
It’s easy to fall into the habit of equating business master’s degrees with MBAs.
The Master of Business Administration is, after all, the most recognisable graduate business school offering. And, you’ll find top programmes on every continent. Plus, the intensity of MBA applications makes it difficult to ignore this degree.
MBA programmes deserve all the credit they receive. But, that doesn’t make an MBA right for everyone. Nor does it need to be, there are a lot of master’s degrees that offer incredible career progression.
MiF, MsBA, and MiM vs MBA: How do they stack against each other?
European universities have long been a proponent of accelerated business programmes. That’s evident in their 1-year MBA programmes.
But, shorter doesn’t necessarily mean less intense. That’s the driving force behind specialised business masters such as the Masters in Management (MiM), Masters in Finance (MiF), and the Masters of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA).
What’s the difference between MBA, MsBA, MiF, and MiM degrees? One of the most obvious is the age of the applicants.
MBAs are encouraged to wait until they have 5 to 7 years of experience under their belt before submitting their applications.
Applicants to MiF, MiM, and MSBA programmes are usually younger. Programmes, such as the MIT Sloan Master of Business Analytics, are designed with newly minted grads in mind.
That doesn’t mean they turn away applicants with some experience, the equivalent degree at McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin offers the following advice to prospective students:
“No work experience required, though students with work, leadership, and/or professional development experience are encouraged to apply.”
Another big difference is the price of these degrees.
Most MiF, MiM and MSBA degrees are about half the price of MBAs at the same university. At HEC Paris, an MSc in International Finance has a base tuition fee of €33,625. Compare that with their MBA’s price tag of €72,500.
In both cases, you’re sitting with a master’s degree from one of the most recognised and respected European universities – and you’ve spent the same amount of time studying.
So, when you look at MiF, MsBA, and MiM vs MBA programmes, the key differences are cost and work experience.
It should get you thinking about the possibilities.
We’ve taken a look at MiF, MsBA, and MiM vs MBA programmes, but it’s important to see how these three compare against each other as well. When it comes to MiM vs MiF, the cost will depend on the university. A Master in Management vs a Master in Finance degree differs a lot in curriculum, career options, and more.
And, as we said, there are plenty. Just look at these MiF programmes and their tuition costs.
Top Master’s in Finance programmes
These are the Financial Time’s top ranked Masters in Finance programmes. Have a look at some of the most prestigious universities in the world, offering you the MiF programme. Numerous business schools offer this programme, and we have a comprehensive list for you right here! Ranging from the IE Business School Master in Finance degree to Skema Business School’s programme, we’ve got you covered.
This list isn’t the same as you may be used to seeing for top MBA programmes.
Sure, there are familiar names such as HEC Paris and ESADE, but some of the top schools for MiF programmes aren’t the same as top schools for MBAs.
More than that, almost every degree listed in the top 10 is based in Europe. The exception is the MIT Sloan Master of Finance degree – and, sitting in seventh place, carries much higher tuition than European programmes.
But, the specialisation in these degrees should also be fairly obvious. It’s not just a straight up Masters in Finance. There’s an MSc in International Finance, an Advanced Master in Financial Techniques, and even a slightly unusual HSG MA in Banking and Finance. (It’s unusual as it is a Master of Arts, rather than a Master of Science.)
HEC Paris
MBA tuition € 72,500
MSc in International Finance tuition € 33,625
ESCP Europe
Executive MBA tuition € 62,000
Advanced Master in Finance tuition € 25,000
EDHEC Business School
Global MBA tuition € 44,000
MSc in Financial Markets tuition € 24,900
Skema Business School
Global Executive MBA tuition € 32,000
MSc in Financial Markets and Investments tuition € 21,500
ESSEC Business School
Global MBA tuition € 45,000
Master in Finance tuition € 23,000
University of St Gallen
Full-Time MBA tuition CHF 58,500
HSG MA in Banking and Finance tuition CHF 9978
MIT Sloan School of Management
Full-Time MBA tuition $ 154,336
Master of Finance tuition $ 85,807
SDA Bocconi
Full-Time MBA tuition € 59,000
MSc in Finance tuition € 28,000
Imperial College Business School
Full-Time MBA tuition £ 52,000
MSc in Finance tuition £ 35,900
Top Masters in Management programmes
Looking at MBA vs MiM degrees and universities, you’ll see similar variations in the top MiM programmes (at schools with MBA programmes) as ranked by the Financial Times.
You should see a lot of similarities when comparing these schools to the previous list. You’ll see plenty of university overlap as each of these is also a European institution.
You can see the difference in the price structure. It’s not universally half, but the average works out about the same as MiF programmes. Choosing between MiM vs MBA is a long-drawn debate. Take a look at some of the best MiM programmes and decide for yourself what suits you best.
University of St Gallen
Full-Time MBA tuition CHF 58,500
MA in Strategy and International Management tuition CHF 9978
London Business School
MBA tuition £ 82,00
Masters in Management tuition £ 32,500
ESSEC Business School
Global MBA tuition € 45,000
MSc in Management tuition € 41,900
ESCP Europe
Executive MBA tuition € 62,000
Master in Management tuition € 21,500
Rotterdam School of Management
Full-Time MBA tuition € 52,000
MSc International Management tuition € 27,300
University College Dublin Smurfit
The Smurfit MBA tuition € 34,500
MSc International Management tuition € 19,900
SDA Bocconi
Full-Time MBA tuition € 59,000
MSc in International Management tuition € 28,000
ESADE Business School
The ESADE MBA tuition € 72,000
MSc in International Management tuition € 29,100
Top Master of Science in Business Analytics programmes
Many of the top MsBA programmes in the world are offered in Europe and USA.
As already noted, the Master of Science in Business Analytics expects applicants at the start of their careers rather than several years into it. And, like the MiF and MiM programmes, it’s typically a consolidated 1-year programme.
When it comes to Masters in Business Analytics, Europe and USA are leading world rankings, and offer excellent programmes.
When looking at MsBA vs MBA, you need to consider various components such as cost, value, relevance, etc. An MBA is a more general course, whereas an MsBA degree offers specialised knowledge in a particular field.
See why Vinaught chose to pursue an MSBA:
Their novelty can be seen in the lack of rankings by traditional business school programme reviewers. You won’t find a Financial Times top Master of Science in Business Analytics table, nor is there a U.S. News & World Report ranking. TFE Times has a solid ranking, and it tells us that there are some similarities between the MsBA and its European specialised business masters cousins.
Numerous universities offer business analytics masters in Europe, USA, and the rest of the world. Here is a list of some of the best MsBA programmes to consider:
New York University Stern
Full-Time MBA tuition $ 148,368
MS in Business Analytics tuition $ 76,750
University of Southern California Marshall
Full-Time MBA tuition $ 124,740
MS in Business Analytics tuition $ 63,096
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Lally
MBA tuition $ 108,000
MS in Business Analytics tuition $ 54,000
University of Texas at Austin McCombs
Texas McCombs MBA tuition $ 109,848
MS in Business Analytics tuition $ 48,000
University of Rochester Simon
Full-Time MBA tuition $ 94,000
MS in Business Analytics tuition $ 65,000
Arizona State University Carey
Full-Time MBA tuition $ 103,671
MS in Business Analytics tuition $ 55,488
Villanova University
Executive MBA tuition $ 98,000
MS in Analytics tuition $ 49,500
University of Utah Eccles
Full-Time MBA tuition $ 64,872
MS in Business Analytics tuition $ 59,200
University of Minnesota Carlson
Full-Time MBA tuition $ 102,912
MS in Business Analytics tuition $ 63,450
Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens MBA tuition $ 73,360
MS in Business Intelligence & Analytics tuition $ 55,020
For a start, the names look different to those you would find on top MBA rankings. Sure, you’ll see plenty of these institutions on the list, just generally not so high in them.
Looking at MiF and MiM vs MBA, it’s interesting to note that some of the top MBA schools also find their way on the list of schools offering the best MiM and MiF programmes. IE Business School offers a Master in Business Analytics and Big Data and ESADE has recently launched its MSc in Business Analytics.And then, there are the price tags. They’re tough not to notice.
Learn more about Niharika’s MSBA journey and how she’s financing it:
MiF, MsBA, or MiM vs MBA: Which degree is the best for you?
An MBA isn’t right for everyone. Not everyone needs it. Not everyone wants to wait until they’re 8 years into their career. Some may want to study in the United States, but can’t afford 2 years without an income to do it. And, yes, some may be swayed by the cost of an MiF, MsBA, or MiM if they can use those degrees earlier in their career.
That’s especially true given that universities like to demonstrate the overlap between the specialised business masters and the MBA. It’s believed that as much as 30% of MiM and MBA content overlaps.
Though MiM curriculum leans towards theoretical work and MBAs tend to focus on practical experience, it’s not surprising that institutions leverage existing material in new ways. So, another difference between MiM vs MBA is the curriculum - although some of the same material is taught in both programmes.
Each one of these master’s degrees shares another quality with the MBA; universities are looking for the best talent. You’ll still need an awesome essay and hours of study towards a terrific GMAT score. And, you’ll spend just as much time considering the universities and programmes that will be the best fit for you.
Prodigy Finance Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom.
