MBA vs. MSOL
What master's degree in business is right for my career?
You want to refine your business acumen, build your professional skills and move into a leadership position. You’ve pored over the best master’s level business degree options and found a world of possibilities: a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, a Master of Science in Project Leadership and Management, and the list goes on. So, which degree is right for you and your career path?
We’re no stranger to that kind of decision-making. We offer several business degrees that prepare our graduates to take that next step into leadership, including our Master of Business Administration (MBA) and our Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL). Both degrees help our graduates to accelerate their careers and are grounded in our Jesuit values of social responsibility, but they differ in content and focus.
What’s in a Degree: A Comparison of the MBA versus the M.S. in Organizational Leadership
A Master of Business Administration (MBA) offers students the opportunity to develop a sophisticated understanding of the business enterprise. The MBA program, coupled with experiential learning opportunities, helps future business leaders develop an understanding of each functional element of business: leadership, management, marketing, operations, finance and accounting.
Our MBA program also offers several specializations to help you improve your work performance or develop in-demand skills. If you want to gather a holistic understanding of the business world — from accounting practices to how to build a marketing plan — and if you want a degree that will push you to consider the impact of your business decisions on community and society, look no further than the MBA.
Are you fascinated with how organizations operate? Do you find yourself looking for solutions that address inefficiencies in your workplace? Our Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) degree will help you to explore effective leadership, recognize opportunity and solve problems creatively.
An MSOL degree focuses specifically, and in depth, on leadership functions within organizations —exposing graduates to organizational development, strategic planning and process improvement practices. If you aim to be a team builder, colleague motivator, critical thinker and strategic business leader, a master’s degree in organizational leadership will help you to focus your skillset.
Compare our graduate business programs here.
Which business degree is right for my career path?
Bottom line, if you seek a broader examination of business functions, you may prefer an MBA. If you want to focus your degree and career on leadership theory and skills development, you may prefer the MSOL. Regardless of which degree you choose, our Jesuit-values-infused business education will teach you the power of stewardship and socially responsible leadership.
Still not sure which degree is best for you? Start a conversation with an admissions counselor today to find the right program for your professional goals.
