Strathclyde MBA - Enriching
Hi,
For those looking for a MBA, I can understand how you feel now because I went through the same search that you are undertaking now. It is a difficult decision, isn't it? So many things to consider.
I would not like to comment about other MBAs for a very simple fact that I do not have any experience with them. I think everyone has its own merits and shortcomings. It will be worthwhile going for their Info sessions.
I just finished the Strathclyde MBA and it has been a very enriching experience for me. I am at middle management position in an MNC and I lead a business unit of close to 100 pax. What I am going to tell you is my very own experience. I find it very compelling to share with you because I had benefited from the program and I hope you will too:
Curriculum
I must said that I am most satisfied with the academic content. I emerged from the MBA with a very good bundle of
PRACTICAL knowledge - they really helped me to become a better manager. Take for example, Scenario Planning. We did a scenario planning for the country of Panama (mind you is Country not Company!). This skill becomes very useful especially when we move into senior management. At C-level especially in a MNC, we have to think further and consider broader implications then when we are at middle management, dun you agree? The assignment forces you to think, assess, plan amidst all the uncertainties. We even went to interview His Excellency, the Ambassador of Panama at Hong Leong Building. For my team, the events that we wrote in our report 2 years ago has started to unfold right in our eyes, 70%-80% accurate. Not bad for a first timer and considering none of us know where is Panama exactly when we first started! This goes to show how robust the process is. Another good skill that I picked up - Making Strategy. This module enables you to know how to design, focus and implement your strategy. Many of us will have read many books on strategy - but do we really know how to execute it? This module provides a proven and tested step-by-step guide (comes with software) on how to drive your strategy to realisation, with focus on developing distinctive competences. There is also this Business Simulation that I enjoyed "playing". We took on C-level roles like CEO, CFO etc and make decisions that will affect the share price of the company. Imagine becos of a bad decision or poor planning, your share price drop from $1 to $0.10 (the whole Mgt will be booted out in real life!!)? You got to salvage the situation under compressed timeline. It really forces you to think, assess and plan. There are many more that I learnt. They had already found relevance in my work. It is true that Strathclyde MBA is very strategy focus. I believe this focus will be highly beneficial in any industry. Want to know more - go down for the Info session.
Teaching staff
During the intensive seminars, the Professors/Drs from Strathclyde will come down to teach. You may not heard of them but many of them are world class and very well known in UK. In any case, how many of us know Paul Krugman before he got the Nobel Prize? How about Nassim Nicolas Taleb, author of the Black Swan? What matters to me is that we are have a good pedagogy. We are very privileged to receive their sharing. Dun believe me - I suggest you go to Strathclyde's website and look at the list of papers they had published and awards. Strathclyde Business School is ranked 1st in Scotland just in case you are unaware.
Assignments/Exams
I must tell you there are people who failed exams/assignments. So if you are looking for a "Pay and Guarantee Pass" MBA, please do not come here. They really enforce the standards. Saying this, there is nothing to worry if you put in effort to do your work. It is not difficult to pass if you put in a decent work. Also most of the assignments are group based so you can share the work load around. But then it makes finding the right partners very important (Tip:dun join those that requires to do a lot of travelling for work). You have sufficient time to finished your assignment - the good thing is that they are schedule such that one normally comes after the other has been submitted. Second year is more compress if you take all the 5 modules together (for those who want to finish fast). Else it shouldn't be a problem if you have proper time mgt.
One good thing - Exams are only in the first year. There is None from second year onwards. For me, this arrangement really helps a lot. Studying for exams is pretty stressful and time consuming.
Support
There is really nothing to complain about the support. We are there to study, submit assignments, get our textbooks and go off. So it really puzzles me when some forummers said that "for a MBA-admin support is very important". Perhaps I am more independent. In any case, the YMCA staff are very helpful and they always help us whenever they can. You also have a good number of classrooms you can used for discussion c/w audio visual equipment etc - available 24/7 (becos YMCA also runs a hotel onsite so you can always pick up or drop stuff with the hotel reception whenever needed). Tired? Go book a room and sleep.
The School also provides you with very comprehensive database to access online - you really dun need a Library in this digital age. You will find them very useful (join and you will know why...) Unless you have full library facilities like NUS/NTU/SMU, there is no point harping on the need for a library. If you like, you can always go to Lee Kong Chian Reference Library at Bugis to read up.
And Dohby Ghaut MRT is just a stone throw away. Where to find such an excellent location? For parking, you can choose to parked at Fort canning nearby - FREE after 5pm and on Sundays. Great isn't it?
Overall, I give the Strathclyde MBA a "A" grade for the skills that they had given me. Well, the experience may differs. At the end of the day, it really depends on yourself - do you just want to cruise by and get a MBA and do you want to really learn and enhance your skills?
I shall end here becos I got a video conference coming on soon.
I strongly encourage you to join the Info session and find out more. Hear for yourself, hear from ex students etc...
Good luck.
Disclaimer - The views are my own and do not represent the School. I am not offered any tangible or intangible incentives to write this.
