To learn what to expect in an MBA program, we spoke to a current MBA student at the Georgetown McDonough School of Business. In the US, the typical two-year MBA program consists of one year of core curriculum classes, a summer internship, and a second year of specialized elective courses.
When thinking about what to expect in an MBA program the core curriculum plays a significant role. Most programs in the United States are usually two years. During the first year, programs teach a core MBA curriculum focused on essential business fundamentals. This includes topics such as accounting, finance, and marketing.
Not all MBA students will have prior exposure to these subjects. Many students will be confronted with a lot of new and unfamiliar topics in their first year. Although this presents a challenge, it also presents an opportunity for growth and development.
Lamia Kalam is a current MBA student at Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business. For Lamia, her MBA is, first and foremost, an opportunity to improve her communication skills.
“We had a leadership communication course at Georgetown,” she explains. “It really helped improve my presentation skills. How prepared I am, how well versed I am when I get up on stage and talk to people in the audience. So that has been really helpful for me personally.” (05:45)
Another key part of the MBA curriculum is the finance-related modules. It’s an area that many MBA students struggle with, but it’s important to master these topics. Lamia says these modules not only strengthened her overall business knowledge but also prepared her for the first-year internship.
“There have been a couple of finance courses as well, which helped me understand a little bit more in-depth about certain concepts that I didn’t have much knowledge on. The financial analysis and modeling course has really helped me understand a lot about what I’m doing right now in my internship as well.” (06:20)
Upon commencing your MBA journey, one of the primary tasks is to secure an internship. Internships provide invaluable industry-specific experiences. They not only allow you to gain practical knowledge but also help you facilitate connections with potential employers. Lamia shares her experience of finding an internship at PwC, the second-largest professional services network in the world.
“Like most companies do, [PwC] visits the campus and gives a company presentation,” she explains. “I networked with a bunch of people who worked at PwC who were Georgetown alumni. Then I put in my application, and that’s how the whole process started.” (03:49)
Lamia is currently working within the financial services department at PwC. There’s a strong focus on banking, an industry Lamia worked in before starting her MBA. Banking is also the sector she’s thinking of returning to after graduating.
Lamia’s success in securing an internship can be attributed to the MBA program’s strong focus on employability. This brings us to another crucial aspect of the MBA experience, an emphasis on recruitment.
Employment workshops are something to expect from an good MBA program. During Lamia’s first year in the Georgetown MBA, she refined her CV, practiced interview skills, and secured a summer internship.
By focusing on employability from the start of the program, the Georgetown MBA achieves some impressive recruitment figures. According to the 2022 Georgetown MBA employment report, 96% of Georgetown MBAs receive a job offer within three months of graduating. They also command some of the highest average salaries of any business school in the US.
By January, Lamia had already obtained her summer internship. Then, instead of searching for work she could focus on her studies and the active student community at Georgetown.
Looking forward, Lamia’s expecting her second year to have a different emphasis than the first. “The first year just flew by because a lot of it was a heavy focus on recruitment, so there was not a lot of time to get to know everyone,” she says. “I think second year is mostly where I can just fall back [and] relax a little bit because most of it’s going to be electives.” (07:28)
Following the internship experience, the second year of the MBA program provides an opportunity to specialize in niche subjects or areas of interest.
During the second year of Lamia’s MBA program, she’ll choose a set of elective courses based on her interests and career goals. In the Georgetown MBA, the electives on offer cover six main areas:
Within these areas, there are more than 70 electives on offer. It’s certainly worth thinking carefully about what you want to specialize in during your second year. Not only will it define your year, but it will also prepare you for your post-MBA career.
Although you begin electives in your second year, the preparation for choosing electives should start long before that. Before applying to an MBA program, it is essential to research the elective offerings at each school and assess their compatibility with your career aspirations. Lamia emphasizes that finding a school that aligns with your goals is a vital aspect of the MBA search process.
“As much as you want to get into a particular school, you also need to understand if the school is a fit for you,” she says. “So I think it’s a really a two-way process that sometimes you don’t really understand when you start out.” (11:46)
So, what can you expect from an MBA program? In the initial year, you’ll dive into the core curriculum and enrich your employability skills. After that, you’ll embark on a summer internship, paving the way for a specialized second year where you delve into niche subjects.
Your MBA journey will encompass various aspects. You will acquire new skills, undergo transformative experiences, and forge lifelong friendships. While we have provided a glimpse into what to expect from an MBA, remember that everyone’s journey is unique.
If you want to learn more about studying for an MBA, feel free to reach out to one of our Georgetown McDonough MBA ambassadors.
