Top 10 MBAs in Singapore that give you a competitive edge

Everybody around you is getting an MBA (Masters of Business Administration). Whether it’s a business graduate or an engineering graduate, everyone seems to want an MBA nowadays, and for a good reason. However, it is good to reflect why you want to get an MBA. Your motivations for getting an MBA may stem from a desire to get promoted, earn a pay increase, or turn yourself into a more valuable employer or employee. No matter what your ambitions are, MBAs will, without doubt, offer you:

1. Real-World Management Skills

a. It’s not just about crunching numbers in the financial world. Being good with numbers and analysis is one thing. True business leadership lies in understanding organizational behaviour and learning useful interpersonal skills that will turn your team into a productive machine to be reckoned with.

2. Proof of Ability

a. Let’s face it. The certificate you get at the end of your course isn’t just a piece of paper. It is a symbol of your worth, a credential that shows that you aren’t just another ordinary suit. Furthermore, a specialized MBA may appeal to some employers more than others, depending on your field of specialization.

3. A Larger Social Network

a. Going to university is not simply about the knowledge you inherit. For business students, it is the contacts that you gain that will ultimately be your most valuable asset. Large MBA organisations can give you access to a pool of like-minded peers and even an alumni network that will be useful in the future.

The Best MBAs in Singapore

Disclaimer: It is difficult to rank the various MBAs in Singapore because they vary in teaching style, curriculum and specialization. To make an informed choice, you would have to read their website and even enquire more to make a good decision. Nevertheless, here is a guide on what are the top 10 MBAs in Singapore to look out for. The QS WU Ranking system used here is the most comprehensive ranking system because it consists of the most universities and it uses graduate and employer surveys to determine 1) Academic Reputation 2) Employee Reputation 3) Faculty Student Ratio 4) International Indicators 5) Citations per Faculty 6) Web Impact 7) Staff with PhD to give you a good overview of the university strength.

1. INSEAD (QS WU 2nd Globally)

This French Business School is ranked 3rd by QS World Universities ranking for Business Management. It is one of the leading and largest graduate business schools. Currently, there are two comprehensive and fully connected campuses in Asia (Singapore) and Europe (France), 143 renowned faculty members from 31 countries and more than 880 MBA participants, 55 executive MBAs, over 7000 executives and 64 PhD candidates. What’s more? They collaborate with Wharton and have a joint EMBA program formed in conjunction with Tsinghua University. Of course, they have an international reputation backed with accreditation from AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA. The INSEAD Asia campus is located near one-north MRT station.

Duration: 10 months

Cost: $184,000 SGD

2. National University of Singapore (QS WU 42nd Globally)

NUS MBA’s programme is great. Of course, it’s NUS, arguably the best university in Singapore. There are no worries about recognition considering its backed by both EQUIS and AACSB. NUS has a great global reach and is partners with the Columbia Business School, Duke Fuqua and Copenhagen Business School which students can spend a semester abroad to gain an international experience.

Duration: 2 Semesters (1 Year) – Full-Time, 4 Semesters (2 Years) – Part-Time

Cost: SGD 62,000

3. Nanyang Business School – NTU (QS WU 31st Globally)

A school that gains strength from its strong roots in research and prides itself in its deep Asian roots, NTU’s Nanyang Business School isn’t to be taken lightly. If you want to gain a global perspective on management issues, applied in the Asian context, NTU is for you. With live business consulting projects and international study trips, your time at NBS will be an enriching one. If you are into some new MBA programmes, NBA also offers Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA Full Time, Nanyang-ESSEC Double Masters and Nanyang-St Gallen Double Masters which are for different durations and costs. They are accredited by AACSB and EQUIS in addition to being a GMAC school.

Duration: 12 months (Full-Time), 29 Months (Part-Time)

Cost: S$ 62,000 (excludes GST)

4. Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB), Singapore Management University

LKCSB is a young superstar, founded only in 2000. However, it has been on a rapid ascension to gain a solid reputation in the Asia-Pacific region. We all know SMU loves to show off its solid graduate employment survey for undergraduates and we all know businesses love SMU student’s outspoken attitude. If you want to be great at your presentation and interpersonal skills, LKCSB should most definitely be a university to look at. It also showcases dual accreditation from AACSB and EQUIS. LKCSB aims to prepare emerging business leaders for current and future challenges. Its faculty has an international feel, many of its staff holding credentials from Harvard, Oxford, Stanford, INSEAD, and Yale.

Duration: 12 Months (Full-Time), 18 Months (Part-Time)

Cost: S$64,724.00 (Full-Time), S$68,480.00 (Part-Time)

5. Manchester Business School (QS WU 55nd Globally)

Offered by the University of Manchester, this program is a part-time only course. This international programme includes a live project to give you the practical experience necessary to set you apart from your competitors in the industry. The Manchester Business School is well-known for its Business Programme so I highly doubt accreditation will be an issue. An interesting feature of this MBA is the availability of a Global Careers Service that lets you accelerate your current career path with MBS’s help or find career opportunities worldwide. The 5 specialisations they offer are 1. General 2.Finance 3. Finance Accelerated 4. Engineering 5. Project Management. They are triple accredited by AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA as well.

Duration: Two years plus a six-month live company project

Cost: S$63,708.50

6. ESSEC Global MBA (QS WU 27th Globally)

Well-known in Europe as a leading business school, ESSEC offers a comprehensive MBA with a huge variety of specializations. This niche French institution offers specialized MBAs for Finance, Health Management, Hospitality, and Luxury Management amongst others. The school “focuses on developing students in the areas of Digital Business, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, SmartLife & Smart Economy, and Leadership.” The ESSEC Global MBA is available in Paris and in Singapore and is a 1-year full-time programme.  Most certainly recognized being ranked 3rd in Masters of Management by the Financial Times. It is also accredited by AACSB and EQUIS.

Duration: 1 year

Cost: For programs on the ESSEC Asia-Pacific Campus, tuition is fixed at SGD73,700 (GST included), for 2017-2018

7. SP JAIN Global School Of Management Singapore – Global MBA

Having campuses in Dubai, Sydney and of course Singapore, SP Jain Global School Of Management is a school worth taking a look. It focuses on the development of attributes like global intelligence, creativity and innovation, teamwork, decision-making and communication skills. It is accredited by TEQSA and ABEST21. It was ranked #10 by Forbes in the “The Best International Business School” for its Global MBA programme, which is pretty decent by all measures.

Duration: 1 year Full-Time

Cost: 52,368 USD = 71985.05 SGD

8. The Strathclyde MBA

Strathclyde Business School is one of the few schools in the world with triple accreditation from 3 international bodies of AMBA, AACSB, and EQUIS. This school is most famous for its research strength having won the 2014 Research Excellence Framework and is one of the top 10 schools in the UK for its research. They have achieved the highest possible rating for their research environment. They are ranked the 80th in the world by the Financial Times for the Global MBA programme and 37th for their executive MBA programme. Strathclyde’s MBA is known as the best Scottish MBA in Europe. The course is offered at YMCA Education Center in Singapore.

Cost: $40,461.00 with GST

Duration: Minimum 2 years, Maximum 6 Years (Part-Time)

9. Lancaster Global MBA (LUMS)

Lancaster University of Management is ranked the 10th in the UK by The Financial Times 2018 rankings (as well as 1st in the world for corporate strategy) and is well-known in the UK for its 1-year MBA programme. The University is also strong in research being recognized as the 1st for ‘research power’, 1st for the number of faculties submitted during the 2014 Research Excellence Framework assessment. It is also recognised by AACSB and EQUIS so there should not be any worries about global recognition of its MBA certificate. LUMS has also strong network ties with many businesses in the UK public and private sector including AstraZeneca, BAE Systems, Bass, British Airways, as well as the NHS and The UK Cabinet Office just to mention a few.

10. University of Wollongong (QS WU 151-200 Globally)

The University of Wollongong is the top 17th university under 50 years old (QS Top 50 under 50 2018) and is a research-intensive university. The top university in New South Wales, their MBA programme (offered by PSB Academy) has also been placed in Tier One in CEO Magazine’s 2017 Global MBA Rankings. The MBA is also in the top 21-60 across the Asia, Australia and New Zealand category in the QS Rankings.

Cost: S$ 25,872.60 with GST

Duration: 24 months (Part-Time)

Conclusion

Making the decision to get an MBA isn’t a difficult one, MBAs are great. However, making the decision on which MBA to get, can get tough. I highly encourage prospective students to do their due diligence and research as much as they can to understand about the MBA they are choosing. If you wish to work in Singapore, then obviously NUS, NTU and SMU are great choices, but if you are looking at working overseas, then considering some of the private universities can be a good alternative as well. Of course, do look at their accreditation and costs which are a huge factor when it comes to education too. No matter where you choose to study, one thing should remain constant, that is to work hard for whatever it is that you want and to do whatever it takes, to get where you want to go. All the best, until next time.

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