For many students, earning a Bachelor’s degree in business technology is just the beginning of their post-high school education, as many continue their studies by earning their Master’s degree at the graduate level. Before choosing to further your education with a business technology masters, it is important to know what to expect during graduate school.
Basic Graduate Program Foundation
At the undergraduate level, professors provide students with the basic information necessary to their field of study, and business technology is no exception. A masters in business technology, however, adds to that knowledge, even specializing in a particular field of the business technology industry. The studies are more directed at specifics, and students often work without direct supervision from the professor, as the instructors serve more as a guide than an actual teacher.
Required Grade Point Averages
Another factor that differs from undergraduate business technology degrees is a required minimum grade point average. Many, but not all, colleges require students to have a minimum 3.0 GPA for masters students, while some require students in a Doctorate program to maintain a 3.2 GPA. For colleges with that requirement, students who fall below the minimum may be placed on probationary status and could be removed from the program if they fail to bring their grades to the minimum standard.
Common Curriculum for Business Technology
The curriculum for a student seeking a business technology masters differs with each college, but most require common business core classes, including financial decision making, project management, human resources and organizational structure and design. In addition, students must complete courses specific to business technology that focus on specific areas of the industry. These classes could include:
– Analysis and Development of Business Information Systems
– Database Systems
– Managing Technology
– Integrating Information Systems and Technology
– Information Management Issues
For most graduate degree programs in business technology, students must take the core classes during their first year of study, although this is not true of all graduate programs. For students who are permitted to take industry specific classes during the first year of graduate school, it is advised that selection be made wisely in order to insure that there are no conflicts during the second year of study.
Additional Career Skills for Business Technology Students
In order to succeed in a masters program for business technology, a student should have some proficiency in mathematics. Most programs require statistics as a prerequisite, while others may expect more advanced levels of mathematics, including calculus or trigonometry, although not all business technology graduate degrees expect advanced math classes. Many schools also require students to own their own laptop, as business technology is a highly computerized field. Students must have at least basic understanding of various computer programs, including word processing, spreadsheets and databases.
Many programs require students to work in teams on a regular basis, so students should be able to work well with others to solve problems, develop solutions and express those solutions in written or oral form. Most MBA programs expect students to have a basic knowledge of business, including accounting, statistics and economics, as well as skills related to technology before they will accept them into the program. While some MBA programs offer these classes as part of the curriculum, some will consider them prerequisites before accepting a student into the program.
Before embarking on a business technology masters it is critical to understand requirements you must have before entering the program, the skills necessary for successful completion and the necessity to maintain an adequate grade point average while in the program.
