To get an MBA do you have to get an undergraduate degree in business? Or can I get it in anything like Music or a language?

Your undergraduate degree can be in anything. However, there may be some prerequisite undergrad courses that you need to get into the program (math courses, economics, etc). The college department offering the MBA should be able to tell you what you need.

Learning a useful international language or two would be a great idea, either way. Also, a lot of MBA programs expect you to have some work experience before they accept you. Straight out of college to MBA is kind of rare.

xyzzy is correct. You will probably need at least a year of econ, accounting, and calculus. Some statistics too. Without knowing the school it is hard to give a definite answer.

Many top MBA programs take people with 0 business coursework if they have track record of success in their field and high GMATs My classmates ranged from comedians to chefs to dancers as well as i-bankers, entrepreneurs, and consultants Some needed to do a few classes summer prior to starting.

I have an MBA but I got my BS in Neurological Psychology. It really just matters how you do on your GMAT, prove that you can do well in some pre-req courses like those listed above, and how well you can argue your case…also your work history will help, although a lot of our full-time program students came straight from being business major undergrads

My first ex-husband got a BA in Social Anthropology at a competitive college and went directly to the Business School connected to his college. He was in the minority; most of the (then men) had worked or been in the military.

Here are the requirements; the same as they were in 1957:

http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/admissioncriteria.html

”
H*****d B School is a demanding, fast-paced, and highly-verbal environment. We look for individuals who will thrive on sophisticated ideas and lively discussion. Our case-based method of learning depends upon the active participation of prepared students who can assess, analyze, and act upon complex information within often-ambiguous contexts. The MBA Admissions Board will review your prior academic performance, the results of the GMAT, and, if applicable, TOEFL and/or IELTS, and the nature of your work experience. There is no particular previous course of study required to apply; you must, however, demonstrate the ability to master analytical and quantitative concepts.

I highly recommend majoring in music! I did – even though my field is public health and law. As long as you do well on the entrance exams, what you studied in college doesn’t matter. But what DOES matter is that you study what you enjoy. Also, having an “interesting” (i.e., not as popular or related to your field) major makes you stand out to future employers. I think every interview I’ve had we talked about why I majored in music – it gives you an easy way to show employers that you have varied interests, and therefore, varied talents.

My son is working on his now. He was a business major in college and graduated this time last year. Many of the people he is going to school with have degrees in other subjects. The main difference is that he is on an accelerated course and he was given full credit for many of his (upper division) undergraduate courses. He did have trouble getting in immediately after college with limited work experience (in computers) and was the youngest accepted this last term. His ace is in the hole was what Shilolo mentioned, fluency in a foreign language.

He is planning to an internship before he graduates, as well as the required thesis/case project for a local company.

Going directly from undergrad work used to be more common. As the MBA programs developed, more and more programs were set up to accommodate those who needed night programs. The lure of the paycheck right out of college was just too strong and more and more people realized the advantages of an MBA for advancement, etc. A lot of the post WWII programs were set up for returning vets who already had jobs and families.

If you have a 2nd language and would like to know a school that requires it, send me a private message.