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MBA specializations

Many who receive their undergraduate degree are thinking, “Now what?” Even if you’ve got a few years of professional experience under your belt, it can be challenging to figure out where to go next. 

If you’re still trying to decide your next step, consider earning your Master of Business Administration degree from Messiah College — a nationally ranked Christian college. Not only does an MBA open more doors for you, but MBA graduates also earn quite a bit more than their undergraduate counterparts. In 2017, the average salary for MBA graduates was $105,146 a year. 

Messiah College offers several different MBA degree specializations in both traditional and emerging fields that will prepare you to have a transformative impact to the businesses, organizations and communities you serve. Which concentration might be right for you?

You want to leave the world a better place

Many people associate an MBA with the corporate world, what they don’t realize is that this degree can also be a good fit for individuals who want to work outside the boardroom. There are a couple of MBA specializations for that kind of person — social entrepreneurship and dietetics. 

Social entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurs used to work exclusively for nonprofit companies, but as more businesses start to become socially aware, even the corporate and government fields are now employing social entrepreneurs. These individuals apply innovative practices and disciplines to create change within existing businesses to tackle society’s challenges. 

Individuals with this degree can look forward to jobs in recruiting, fundraising, management analysis and research and development. The average salary for this specialization will vary depending on whether the graduate chooses to work in the nonprofit, corporate or government sectors, but will generally average around $85,000. 

Dietetics

Dietetics specializations focus on food and nutrition and the role they play in society. A graduate with this specialization can enter a career as a registered dietitian nutritionist, nutrition therapist or nutrition consultant. To be admitted to this program, one must have completed a dietetic internship at Messiah College or other ACEND-approved, credit-bearing (minimum of nine graduate-level credits) dietetic internship. The average salary that accompanies this degree specialization ranges from $57,500 to 60,500 a year.

You want to be the next executive 

There are more than a few MBA specialties you should be looking at if your goal is upward mobility and moving up the corporate ladder. Two options are strategic leadership and management. 

Strategic leadership

A strategic leadership specialization helps prepare individuals to make an impact on an organization by becoming an effective leader. The training and coursework produce graduates who know how to empower their teams, lead change and develop future leaders to shape the future of companies. A strategic leadership graduate can pursue careers in business information, analytics and strategy. 

The average salary can vary dramatically depending on the specifics of a position, from $52,000 to $114,000 a year. 

Management

An MBA with a focus on management is one of the most versatile MBA degrees and opens doors toward careers in risk management, consulting, project management and cost analysis. The goal is to graduate with the skills to fill upper-level leadership positions and structure an organization. The average salary for an MBA management job is around $96,900 a year, but it can vary depending on the hiring company and the graduate’s job title. 

You want to be a leader in marketing and communications

Marketing has become more and more digital in the last 10 years, so businesses are seeking digital marketing and communications specialists. Degrees in strategic leadership — with a special focus on digital and social media marketing — as well as organization and strategic communications are highly coveted. 

Digital marketing

Specializing in digital marketing will set you up for a variety of different MBA digital marketing jobs, like digital marketing director, a social media manager or digital innovation lead. These careers will make you responsible for developing the online marketing and social media strategies that are necessary to help your company succeed. Marketing is one of the highest-paying MBA specializations because it is in high demand, so a graduate can expect to make between $92,000 and $101,000 a year. 

Organizational and strategic communications

Organizational and strategic communication is another in-demand specialization. These graduates are responsible for shaping human interactions within a company — both internally and externally — and they can look forward to careers in public relations, strategic planning or communications. 

The salary for this specialization averages $60,000 and can fluctuate depending on the company and job title. 

Choosing the best option for you

Only you can answer the question of which of these options is the best MBA specialization for you. What do you want to do with your life? What kind of change do you want to make in the world? 

Messiah College has MBA specializations for everyone, whether you want to work with nutrition, digital marketing or nonprofit organizations.