Value of Dual Degree Programs Goes Beyond Salary
According to a Nov. 28 article for Bloomberg Businessweek, dual-degree MBA programs are on the rise, yet enrollment for these programs remains low. For students, making a choice between a dual track program, a master's program, or a traditional MBA can be tough, and not many choose the dual degree option. However, business schools claim that traditional supply and demand laws do not apply as strongly to these programs.
"For us, it's not a strategy for growing but a strategy for increasing quality," Jeffrey Ringuest, associate dean for graduate programs at Boston College, said in the article.
Dual degree MBA programs cross a wide range of industries and interests, from MIT's MBA with a master's in engineering, New York University's MBA combined with an MFA in film production, and Boston College's MBA combined with a master's degree in pastoral ministry. While combining degrees may be an ideal way to merge seemingly divergent interests, the economic payoff may not be great enough to entice large numbers of students. For the handful of students enrolled in these programs, however, monetary gain usually isn't the driving factor.
"I concluded that getting two degrees… might not have a measurable impact on my earnings, but it would have a measurable impact on my ability to make a contribution," said dual-degree holder Andrew Allison in the article. Allison earned a JD-MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2010.
