MBA After BA: Is this the Right Choice?

MBA is one of the most versatile postgraduate programs in India. It is the only postgraduate degree that accepts students from varied backgrounds. Statistically speaking, over 60% of MBA holders are from a non-business background in India. However, an MBA after BA is a unique and doable option.

Most BA graduates have one common question: "Can I do an MBA after BA?" Of course, an MBA after BA is possible in India. To enrol for an MBA after BA, one must have a bachelor's degree in any specialization. Adding an MBA to any undergraduate major provides many career options and practical business and management expertise.

Eligibility Criteria For MBA After BA

BA graduates often wonder, "How can I do MBA after BA?". The answer to this question is YES. MBA is a popular master's degree that anyone with a bachelor's degree can pursue.  The qualifications needed for MBA after BA English or any BA specialization are very generic and sometimes vary from one university to another. However, the standard criteria for MBA after BA as per UGC are listed below:

• One of the primary eligibility criteria for an MBA is to complete an undergraduate degree with a minimum of 50% aggregate.
• Students should've cleared any of the MBA entrance examinations with a minimum aggregate score. Some of the standard entrance exams for an MBA are CAT, GMAT, XAT, MAT, etc., which can fetch admissions to a reputed university. 
• Apart from standard entrance exams, some universities also conduct university-level entrance exams for admissions to MBA after BA. Graduates are also required to clear that entrance exam for admissions.
• Meritorious students will be called for a personal interview before confirmation of admission. Some colleges also conduct this round as group discussions to filter out more students. 
• Students are required to clear the interview / GD round to get a seat in any reputed university.
• Graduates who have plans to pursue an MBA after BA from abroad will have some additional eligibility criteria.
• For MBA abroad, graduates should've cleared the GMAT along with language proficiency tests. English proficiency can be produced using IELTS/TOEFL scores. It varies when graduates decide to pursue the coursework in a different language.

Also Read on MBA Admission

Top Entrance Exams for MBA after BA

MBA after BA allows students with a technical background to work in sectors like production management, business administration, and more. For admission to some of the top business schools in the nation, the MBA provides a variety of entrance tests. To enrol in a business school, a student must score well on the MBA entrance exams below.

• CAT
• MAT
• XAT
• NMAT
• CMAT
• GMAT
• TANCET
• MAH CET

Read More on Top Entrance MBA Exams

MBA Courses after BA

When students inquire, "Can I do MBA after BA English, BA Economics, or any other BA specialization?" they must be aware that the BA stream has no impact on completing an MBA degree. MBA, on its own, has a variety of specializations to choose from. Students have enough freedom to select their MBA specialization that suits their requirements and goals. Some of the common MBA courses after BA include:

• MBA in Finance
• MBA in Marketing
• MBA in HR
• MBA in Logistics Management
• MBA in Event Management
• MBA in Sales and Marketing
• MBA in Hotel Management
• MBA in Interior Design
• MBA in International Business
• MBA in Project Management
• MBA in Retail Management
• MBA in Banking
• MBA in Business Economics
• MBA in Data Analytics
• MBA in Data Science
• MBA Systems Management
• MBA in Materials Management
• MBA in Pharmaceutical Management

Read More about other important MBA Courses after BA.

Benefits of MBA After BA

An MBA degree after any undergraduate degree does wonders in terms of career scopes and opportunities. For students with a technical background, MBA allows them to expand their job scopes to production management, technical business administration, and much more. MBA after BA does the same magic for arts and science undergrads.

Some of the significant benefits of MBA after BA are:

• MBA after BA degree offers aspirants knowledge of business management at the corporate level. It also enhances aspirants' management skills to handle any organization. 
• MBA after BA upskills graduates in areas such as financial resource management, business development, and employee management.
• MBA after BA can be beneficial for graduates who aspire to start their organizations. Some of the typical startup ideas for art students include content marketing, language centres, graphic design, event management, and much more.

Scope of MBA after BA

Upon completing an MBA after BA, graduates have a wide range of job scopes both in India and abroad. BA, along with an MBA, promises graduates a rewarding career. Graduates who are enthusiastic about careers in marketing, sales, human resources, and business administration should go for an MBA after BA.

• BA graduates are entitled to a plethora of job scopes due to their diverse specialization streams, which will multiply with an MBA degree. MBA after BA graduates are more likely to venture into numerous streams and are involved in significant roles concerning business development. 
• An MBA after BA degree provides adequate freedom for graduates to venture into startups with sufficient knowledge. The coursework offers experience in basic business administration and specialization subjects. It will help the graduates understand any organization's functioning and provide suitable solutions to management-level problems.
• Besides entrepreneurship, graduates also take up roles such as Marketing Manager, Logistics Manager, Human Resource Manager, and other management-oriented parts. Some common recruitment areas for MBA after BA graduates include digital marketing, BPO, law, logistics, international relations, hotel management, and economics management.

Read More on MBA Scope

Salary of MBA After BA

A bachelor's degree can fetch a competitive salary for graduates, but doing an MBA after BA the pay scale multi-folds. Graduates with prior work experience are entitled to a higher pay grade than the rest. In general, the average pay depends on factors such as job designation, job sector, candidates' skills, and much more. Some of the common job roles and average salaries for MBA graduates are listed below:

Read More about MBA Salary

Why MBA After BA?

"Why MBA after BA?"  is one of the most popular questions asked by BA graduates post the completion of their degree. MBA after BA may seem unique as both streams don't have any subjects in common. The switch is monumental but not as complicated as it looks. 

• MBA after BA may be an unexplored and new option, but it certainly opens up new opportunities and scopes in the job market. And most times, it ends up being a better-paying option than other scopes. 
• After a BA degree, graduates interested in entrepreneurship can pursue an MBA degree. MBA allows artistic professionals to acquire fundamental business administration skills and explore new horizons. 
• There is a huge array of MBA programs to choose from in India and abroad. Students can easily pursue MBA after BA in any of their preferred subject areas and locations.

Top Colleges To Pursue MBA After BA

The number of colleges and universities in India that offer MBA after BA is staggering. Here are a few of the top ones:

• IIM Ahmedabad
• IIM Calcutta
• IIM Bangalore
• IIM Indore
• XLRI Jamshedpur
• FMS Delhi
• IIM Kozhikode
• Symbiosis Institute of Business Management Pune
• IIT Delhi
• National Institute of Industrial Engineering Mumbai

MBA After BA: Is This The Right Choice?

Can BA Student Do MBA and get better job options? The answer to this question lies in graduates' hands. The course may seem unconventional, but it is ideal for graduates with an aptitude for business management. MBA after BA is the ideal choice for graduates with a knack for business management and entrepreneurship. 

Similar Scope of Study: MBA and MA are at times interdependent when it comes to reputed organizations. Some high-end companies expect graduates to hold an MBA degree along with an MA. Payscale for those graduates will be higher than any other MBA specializations. 

Increased Paygrade: MBA has a high reputation in the job market. MBA after BA enhances career opportunities and pay scale of arts graduates compared to a traditional MA or other degrees. MBA offers sufficient knowledge of management and administration that can help graduates venture into entrepreneurship. Students can also pursue MBA after having working experience in the arts and science domain. It is an added advantage when it comes to recruitment post-MBA degrees, as it increases their pay scale based on their experience and knowledge. 

It is essential to remember for entrepreneurs that without proper management skills, business expansion is nearly impossible. MBA after BA is the right course to provide the skills that are required. In all aspects, an MBA after BA is a worthy choice, but ultimately it is the graduates' willingness.