History of the MBA

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a college degree program that is a compulsory requirement for many business-related careers and has been proven to enhance skills and qualifications in others.

The MBA degree made its first appearance in the United States during the early 20^th century. It had its origin in the bookkeeping and accounting courses that were prevalent at the time. During this period, the country was witnessing rapid industrialization, a process that had been initiated in the late 19^th century. Automated machines were beginning to replace manual labor, which led to a dramatic change in the way companies set up their manufacturing. It also had an impact on employees as more companies began to evolve from manual labor-driven factories to automated setups.

This change in the manufacturing process resulted in demand for educated employees who had the benefit of an advanced college education. While the machines took care of the actual production, there was a need for supervisors and management personnel to oversee the machines and coordinate labor and automation. As industrialization expanded, the demand for newer and even more sophisticated methodologies to manage businesses grew. It was around this time that the MBA degree made its first appearance.

The First MBA Degree Courses

The demand for an MBA degree led many American universities to offer MBA degree courses. At the time, the United States was the only country that offered such programs. The Wharton Business School, established in 1881, was the first business school in the country. However, the Tuck School of Business, which was the first management school in the country, was the first to begin awarding master's degrees in the commercial sciences (the predecessor of the MBA that we know today). Soon, other colleges began to offer these programs. In 1940, the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business introduced the Executive MBA (EMBA) program, which is offered by most management schools today.

Currently, there are hundreds of universities the world over that offer MBA degree courses. In 1957, the Institut Europeen d'Administration des Affaires (INSEAD) became the first business school in Europe to offer MBA degree courses. Other European universities followed, including London's Webster Graduate School and the Cass Business School. However, the first MBA degree courses outside the United States were introduced even earlier by the University of Western Ontario in Canada and South Africa's University of Pretoria.

Types of MBA Degrees

Over the years, the basic MBA course has evolved into different structures. Students can now choose from two-year MBA, accelerated MBA, part time MBA, and executive MBA programs. Online MBA courses make use of Internet technology to provide students with the opportunity to obtain an MBA degree off campus. Not all online institutions offer accredited MBA online degrees. Before signing on for any online MBA courses, make sure that the institution is an accredited MBA online program.