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I am considering studying and taking the GMAT and applying for graduate studies in Business Administration because it provides me with much better options for a career but I don’t know if having an extensive knowledge of business administration is a necessity or not. Do people sometimes get their bachelors in various subjects and then apply for masters in something else?
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Generally, you have to have certain pre-requisites to get into a Masters program, so you do have some freedom to go into a different field, but it will usually have to be something related.
The MBA (Masters of Business Administration) is an exception. It is intended for people who have already been working in their field for several years, and who need management education to get their next promotion. People working in any field/from any academic background can get an MBA.
It’s also important to emphasize that it’s intended for people *who have already been working in their field for several years*. In fact, a lot of MBA programs will list 2-3 years of work experience as an admission requirement. Getting an MBA immediately after your Bachelors is a mistake, because you’ll end up in a catch-22; not enough work experience to get hired in management positions for which you are trained, but too much management education to be suitable for entry-level work. This is, of course, from the employer’s perspective not from yours.
I’m sure that you have found studying for the GMAT to be difficult, and is not at all meant for history majors. The M. B. A. is for business majors that have studied quantitative analysis in forms that history majors never touched. My best advice would be to look in to possible schools you would want to attend and check their admission policies. The state schools in CA require above an 840. Good luck!
You have to try because a BA in history is no help at all for getting a career.
And you can indeed get your masters in a different field. My daughter, the BA in economics, got her MSc in Technology Management and is getting her PhD in civil engineering.