Can Non-Business Majors Get an MBA?

Walsh University’s online Master of Business Administration (MBA) program has been carefully designed to prepare the next generation of business leaders, but can prospective MBA students look forward to such a future if they don’t have an undergraduate business degree? The answer is that success can be achieved in Walsh University’s online MBA program regardless of your undergraduate major, and the online MBA degree is truly for all prospective students who want to thrive in the business world.

Perhaps the clearest indication that non-business majors can pursue an MBA degree is that the majority of MBA students come from undergraduate backgrounds other than business. A report published by U.S. News and World Report revealed that only 35.5% of the incoming 2016 class of MBA students held an undergraduate degree in business. That same data set illustrated that more than 25% of the incoming class consisted of students who had majored in engineering (15.7%) and the humanities (10%). This suggests that incoming MBA students are coming from a wide array of undergraduate majors.

Another reassuring consideration is the fact that, given the general education requirements of an undergraduate degree program, there is the likelihood that a portion of your undergraduate coursework overlapped with some of the courses a business major might take. While you might need to catch up with some additional accounting or economics coursework to be prepared to dive into an MBA program, generally speaking, the academic grounding and the stress on critical thinking encouraged in your undergraduate program can fuel success in an MBA degree program later on.

Non-business majors also bring unique perspectives and diverse thinking practices to the MBA classroom. While having an undergrad business degree can provide optimal preparation for an MBA, not having been steeped in the theoretical principles of an undergraduate business degree can also be beneficial. Non-business majors sometimes bring creative thinking and exceptional communication skills to a graduate business degree program. These are talents that not only enrich the overall academic experience but also tend to make MBA graduates more competitive on the job market, as an increasing number of companies strive to find employees with well-developed critical and creative thinking skills.

Those coming to the MBA application process after having worked in the professional world can enjoy an even greater advantage as they bring the benefit of on-the-job experience. The previously mentioned U.S. News and World Report article indicated that 89% of full-time and part-time MBA students in 2016 had professional work experience (between four and six years). One of the most essential skills taught in an undergraduate business program is the ability to apply business practices and methods to real-world scenarios. This can be difficult to relay fully through case studies or brief practicums, but applicants who come to an MBA degree program with professional experience on their resume — regardless of undergraduate major — demonstrate not only their commitment to the business field but also their personal experience in actual business situations.

An MBA program at Walsh University can be in your future regardless of the field in which you received your undergraduate degree, and it can prove to be the next big stepping stone toward career success. Walsh University aims to foster diverse thinking and novel approaches to business practices in its online classroom, a premise that is furthered by curriculum that has been designed with the business professional in mind. Working full-time or catching up on prerequisite classes can be a breeze with Walsh University’s asynchronous, online courses, and by the time graduation comes around, you might be left wondering why you doubted your undergraduate preparation in the first place. Contact us to find out more about joining Walsh University on your MBA journey and unlock your potential for the next big phase of your career.