Should I go for an MBA or PhD?
My career path is as follows
- I have done my BS in Computer Software Engineering – 4 years degree from a reputed top Pakistani University. – GIKI. I am working for 1/2 an year as Software Engineer & Team Lead now at a Software house in Islamabad.
Team lead involves management as well, so i am thinking of pursuing MBA (probably MBA- IT) now along with job from NUST (as it’s close to my work place). I can do MS (CSE) as well from the same institution and pursue PHD. Later on and adopt teaching field as a career.
I am confused between the two. An year back I was never ever considering MBA as an option but now in the industry i feel that MBA can give me a jump in the corporate ladder.
One reason of MBA is also that i don’t like my field very (truly speaking) and i am always thinking of plans of smooth shift to some other field without any harm to my career. Other one is that i don’t see large multinational companies in software field here in Pakistan. All we have at many places is some people having 5-6 computers in a room and start a company which get’s closed down in less than 2 years (that is the upper limit as well 
)
What do you think that i should go for? and where i will end up in these fields. Will appreciate your sincere comments… thanks.
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Think of it this way. We have to spend at least one third of our lifetime in our jobs. If it is something that we truly do not enjoy, then it is really a waste. If you truly do not like the field that you are working in right now, that yes MBA is a really good option.
I agree with your 5-6 computer room argument and do believe that even in immediate future, it seems that there is going to be more demand of MBAs, rather than computer scientists.
So yes MBA is a safe bet. In fact I may go further to say that it is a powerful combination. Furthermore, if you do MBA from a well reputed university (hint: LUMS
, then it means that you have a really good chance to get job in middle east as well. Even if you do not want to go there, it might be better to have the opportunity to go there whenever you want to!. Because we all know that there is no way that we can predict the future of our unstable country.
PhD has its own advantages. Doing PhD from a good university abroad usually promises a very good salary in a well reputed university in Pakistan. Teaching as you know is a very laid back job in Pakistan. No 9 to 5 work slaving required.
But doing PhD from NUST, I am not too sure. PhD is something that should preferably be done abroad from a good university or even a mediocre one, provided that the professor that you are working with is well-known in his/her field.
So considering your inclination, I will recommend an MBA. And if possible, then from LUMS or IBA.
~Aman
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Thanks Aman, tough the reply not being specificallly being useful to me (m not a resident of Pakistan) was a gr8 help. I have ben havin a similar round of questions in my head, MBA vs MTech, and blah blah.
since you dont like what you are doing right now, MBA is a good option to shift your career.
PhD is great, but doing it from pakistan that too in technology:) wouldnt be a smart decision.
in your case i think MBA is the way to go.
I would suggest you not to go for MBA neither PhD. If you want to enjoy and can accept challenges then the right path for you will be CFA or Risk Management.
Both CFA or FRM can outclass local MBA. However, if you are looking for an MBA from US then i would say chao m8… and after that try to get a suitable position in J.P.Morgan, Morgan Stanley, or Murelin Munch!
Wish u best of luck!
Thank you everyone for the reply. I respect your time and effort in helping me.
Thanks a lot.
Cheers!
Well i agree with all of you that doing an Mba might be a good oppurtunity for the shift of career and i will strongly favour lums lahore for doing an Mba as me myself have an experienced good repute for Lums lahore even in Europe. People in companies like mckinsey europe know lums lahore and some top banks like Deutsche bank (Top national german bank) and Mearsk group (Top Danish Investor) group employs lums guys. But there should you should be clear about your future career and personal preference. If you want to do something practical i, e doing some business or financials or management then Mba is preferable but in case you want to live a Calm life with a pretty good salary and most of all a good salary in your home country with your parents and family then PHD in CS might be pretty worth while because PHD are respected and welcomed every where around the world and are given a good status.
So again choice is yours if you are enthusiastic for the top management and you can sacrifice being away from your parents for a good job in world no matter where it is then go for an Mba from lums, IBA, London business school , Stanford … or if you prefer living with you family with a good package then do PHD in CS or even management. Wish you all the best.
Salams all,
Its another engineer
Could any one please guide me as per the comparison of MBA and phD management, if both are to be pursued at Lums? I am mothering a toddler so I am more concerned about the personal input i’ll have to give in either. My toddler is the precise reason Im not considering a foreign degree because that could become even more tough for both of us. I realise the differnce of fields that evetually follows after the completion of mba/phd; but since Im not interested in joining a corporate job, that is ok with me because that way (after mba) I could initiate my own enterprise. What I do want to know is: Is LUMS phd worthwhile? What is the ratio of toughness in phd Vs mba?
and yes, do one REALLY need an mba for initiating an enterprise?
I shall be profoundly grateful for any kind help.
Many thanks.
hai!currently i m doing mba(3years)programme from muhammad ali jinnah university,islamabad campus & i m in semester 4 right now & want to get transfer the credit hours to a uk or us based university.so kindly assist me in this regard.
thanks
[...] Should I go for an MBA or PhD? [...]
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