MINI-MBA - a marketing ploy or a full-fledged business education? What is the difference between a mini MBA and a classic one? How much does the MINI-MBA program cost?

Mini-MBA is a Russian marketing invention for the name of independent management training programs. After completing the mini-MBA course, students receive either a certificate of advanced training or a diploma of professional retraining.

What does mini-MBA mean?

Courses positioned as mini-MBAs are not a shortened cycle of training for masters of business administration, but a separate type of training that can only be called the “namesake” of real MBA programs.

There are no general standards for the mini-MBA format, so each educational institution under this brand can offer anything: short-term courses, week-long seminars, two-day trainings, 200-hour advanced training and six-month professional retraining. Accordingly, mini-MBA graduates become owners of any documents, but not an MBA diploma and do not receive a Master of Business Administration degree.

Russian mini-MBAs are not recognized abroad and are not considered MBA-related training.

Did you know that the Mini-MBA program with a volume of 512 academic hours can be completed remotely not in half a year, but in just 2.5 months external student?

For example, by choosing to study at an IPO in an MBA program with an internship in Prague, you get 3 days, full of interesting lectures and meetings, and competent assessment of your dissertation leading professors of Bohemia. At the same time you receive Russian diploma MBA+ 2 European diplomas MBA.

In Western business schools, specialized short-term courses are called seminars or managerial development programs, but not mini-MBAs.

Features of training and cost

Most experts believe that mini-MBAs in the Russian Federation are not much superior to ordinary retraining programs and advanced training courses in the field of production management, personnel, and finance. Nevertheless, representatives of Russian business schools emphasize that the mini-MBA programs use advanced foreign practices and teaching methods, which explains the high cost of the courses.

The presence of a manager’s certificate of completion of a mini-MBA in Russia is, first of all, an indicator of prestige, but not a guarantee of the quality of training. The price of feigned significance ranges from 50 to 160 thousand rubles.

Mini-MBA programs, unlike classic ones, do not contain such disciplines as business etiquette, information Technology in entrepreneurship, foreign language, statistics, etc. Representatives of individual business schools claim that their mini-MBA is a kind of symbiosis of standard master's programs and trainings, in which all the main elements of a regular MBA are retained in an abbreviated format, but more interactive classes are added, and the time allocated for the presentation of theoretical knowledge is reduced to the minimum possible.

Of course, the knowledge gained within the mini-MBA cannot be called absolutely useless. Often business schools offer corporate training for personnel of a specific enterprise. The content of the program can be adjusted in accordance with the needs of the customer organization. During the classes, employees will diagnose and analyze the state of the company. Often, students’ graduation projects become full-fledged consulting products, the use of which in practice significantly improves the functioning of the company.

Business schools with mini-MBA

Programs that can be classified as mini-MBA are offered by many business schools in the Russian Federation, including reputable participants in top international rankings and leaders of Russian rankings. But most of them honestly warn that they issue diplomas of professional retraining in which the word MBA does not appear anywhere (for example, Plekhanov Russian Economic University, although the term mini-MBA is used in the name of the programs) or IBDA RANEPA:

IBDA RANEPA (“Growth Point.” Mini-MBA professional retraining program).
REU im. G. V. Plekhanova (“Internet marketing and e-commerce”, Entrepreneurship for business owners”, “Analytical marketing”).
Higher School of Management NRU HSE (“Company Sales and Marketing Management (Mini-MBA)”).
Moscow Business School (MINI-MBA Professional, 7 modules - management: sales, logistics, projects, marketing, finance, personnel; General Management).
MIRBIS (13 specializations from IT management to crisis management).
RSHU (“Business Development in 6 Months”).
MAB (“Effective Management” and 4 programs in personnel management, marketing, operations, finance).
MBA School, Moscow (MBA School). The mini-MBA section offers fifteen 80-hour continuing education courses.

Studied:

leadership and effective work of a manager;
operational, strategic management;
marketing and sales administration;
project and personnel management;
financial management.

Graduates become owners not only of Russian documents on professional retraining, but also EDLEA diplomas with an appendix. An international diploma from the European Association for the accreditation of distance learning courses looks very respectable, but there is no hint of connection with MBA programs:

CBS's own diploma mentions the MBA standard, but the mini prefix negates the claim that it belongs to the Masters of Business Administration brand family:

The course organizers claim that their mini-MBA program is recognized not only in the Russian Federation, but also in the EU. But so far there has not been a single case recorded where a graduate of a Russian MBA of a shortened format without receiving a quality education in the United Kingdom, Europe or the USA would be hired by a large foreign company.

Good afternoon friends. All my life I have been constantly learning something new, attending various courses and trainings on my topics - sales, marketing, advertising. In July 2015, I became an individual entrepreneur and started thinking about getting a business education.

Many may not agree with me, but I believe that short-term training courses are often more beneficial than higher education. Of course, I don't mean, for example, doctors. They need to know a lot, that’s why they study for a long time. I'm talking about courses for accountants, managers, and salespeople.

(European Distance Learning and Education Association) with the European application:

How do you like the prospects? I think it's tempting. To this we must add that you can study completely remotely, without interrupting your main job, at any time convenient for you, from anywhere in the world where there is access to the Internet.

The most important question remains to be answered:

How much does the MINI-MBA program cost?

Today you can study under the MINI-MBA Professional program at City Business School. This is a unique opportunity that is worth taking advantage of, especially if you have long dreamed of getting a business education through the MINI-MBA program.

Details at official website of City Business School. Fill out the form and freeze your tuition discount. After the end of the promotion, the cost of training will increase again. Hurry up to apply for training!

Have you already taken advanced training courses under the MINI-MBA program? Please share your experience and impressions with the readers of the School of Effective Sales blog in the comments.

A special educational product called mini-MBA. The first such programs appeared before the crisis of the late 2000s, but it was during the recession that they flourished. Mini-MBAs attracted attention because, as business schools promise, « in such programs you can get an MBA degree for much less money and spending much less time.”

Features of mini-MBA programs

Having analyzed the Russian mini-MBA market, we can say with confidence that the MBA in these programs is only in name. No matter how high-quality the training is here, mastering the curriculum of this MBA program in three months or six months (which is how long mini-MBA courses usually last) is impossible. Therefore, Russian mini-MBA programs are advanced training or professional retraining programs intended for managers and usually have a specific industry or functional focus (specialization).

Business schools, in principle, do not hide this fact, directly indicating what diplomas and certificates participants in these programs will receive upon completion (shorter programs are about professional retraining, longer ones are about advanced training).

Many schools offer classes on an individual schedule, and some even offer distance programs, such as Moscow Business School, Synergy and the Moscow School of New Economics). True, the magic word MBA still does its job, and the cost of such programs is still higher than the cost of traditional professional retraining or advanced training.

In Moscow, such programs are offered by a number of universities, including a mini-MBA from Moscow State University. RUDN mini-MBA programs have been very popular for a long time, but now RUDN University does not offer a mini-MBA.

MSU mini-MBAs are offered in a dual degree format in conjunction with American Business Studies.

Cost of mini-MBA programs

The cost of mini-MBA programs varies quite widely. Mini-MBA in Moscow costs from 40 thousand to 200 thousand rubles. The most inexpensive programs are offered by the Moscow School of New Economics - mini-MBA Professional - here you can study for 35 thousand rubles. At Moscow Business School, programs cost 50 thousand rubles. These are all distance programs. The cost of a full-time mini-MBA is significantly higher. In Synergy, for three months of training (72 hours) you will have to pay from 105 thousand to 180 thousand rubles, in MIRBIS the cost of a 7-8 month program is 116 thousand rubles. In the same price category of the REU program. G.V. Plekhanov.

Find out more about which programs mini-MBAs offered by Russian business schools how much they cost and how to adjust training to fit your schedule, you can always

How is it different from an MBA?
Who is it suitable for?
Where to go to study

Today, business schools, along with classic MBA programs, offer a program with the MINI prefix. Let's figure out what kind of program this is, what its features are compared to an MBA, and whether there will be any results from such training.

How is it different from an MBA?

MINI-MBA is a professional retraining program that is specifically designed to quickly train future leaders and includes the most important knowledge and practices from the MBA program.

There are three main features that distinguish MINI-MBA from an MBA program:

Short training period. To complete the MINI-MBA program, you will need 6 months, while for a full-fledged MBA program you will have to allocate at least 1.5 years.
Low cost. The MINI-MBA program is on average 3-4 times cheaper than an MBA.
You will receive a diploma, but not a degree. After completing the MINI-MBA, you will receive a diploma or even 2 diplomas, like in CityBusinessSchool, but you will only receive a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree after completing a traditional MBA program.

In fact, MINI-MBA is a squeeze out of the classic MBA program, the first step, which gives you the opportunity to try your hand and then decide whether to continue your business education. At the same time, MINI-MBA is designed in such a way as to give students more practical tools.

Who is it suitable for?

The MINI-MBA program is primarily designed for specialists who are just planning to become managers, as well as young entrepreneurs who do not yet have time to immerse themselves in business processes.

MINI-MBA is suitable for anyone who has not yet decided whether to get a business education. Six months is enough time to:

gain knowledge and skills to become an effective leader;
decide whether to continue studying to get an MBA degree.

What results do graduates achieve?

Despite the fact that the MINI-MBA is the first step towards an MBA, you should not perceive such training as something incomplete. MINI-MBA is a full-fledged program that gives graduates tangible results.

Knowledge and skills. To cope with a leadership position or successfully develop a business, you need to be able to organize the work of subordinates, motivate them to achieve results, effectively manage time, achieve goals with minimal costs, and much more. You can learn this in the MINI-MBA program, which develops leadership, personal effectiveness and communication skills.

Career growth and income increase. Unfortunately, no separate studies have been conducted on the MINI-MBA, but according to CityBusinessSchool specialists, they regularly monitor the success of graduates. According to business school statistics, 40% of them manage to increase their income within three months after receiving their diploma. At the same time, 89% claim that business education significantly helps them in their career.

There are also those who need the MINI-MBA program to gain the courage to open their own business.

Mikhail Krakhalev, graduate of City Business School and CEO of Cellend LLC:

“Today my dream came true. Having completed only half of the training, greedily absorbing the material I had learned, I opened my own business. School taught me to use time more competently and efficiently, and for any entrepreneur and people like me, this a priori means an increase in net profit.”

Where to go to study

First, you need to decide on the format of training: whether you want to study full-time, in modules or remotely. The latter format is now the most popular, as it has 2 important advantages: a flexible schedule and low cost of training. At the same time, graduates of distance programs receive exactly the same diploma as full-time students.

If you decide to take the MINI-MBA distance program, pay attention to the business school CityBusinessSchool, which is the leader of distance education in Russia and the CIS. Studying at CBS gives students several advantages:

Flexible training schedule. Training takes place remotely through the DLS (distance learning system), which means you determine your own schedule and can study when and where it is convenient. Agree, it’s much more pleasant to solve a case over a cup of your favorite coffee than in a stuffy classroom.
Quality education. Modern educational technologies, which CityBusinessSchool uses to develop its own LMS, make online learning no less effective than face-to-face learning. Game mechanics help you quickly get involved in the learning process, and tests and simulators help you learn a large amount of information in less time.
Access to experts from all over the world. The distance learning format gives the business school more opportunities to find experts. CityBusinessSchool teachers are entrepreneurs, top managers of international companies, authors of popular books and business consultants from all over the world.
Assistance in employment. If you can't get a promotion in your current job, the CBS Career Center can help you find a new one so you can make the most of the competencies you've acquired.
Low cost of training. Thanks to a different cost structure, online programs are 3-5 times cheaper than their in-person counterparts. At CBS, prices are even lower because there are more students. Over 5 years, the business school graduated 80 thousand people.

So, we found out that MINI-MBA is a full-fledged business education program. In 6 months of training, you will gain knowledge and skills that will help you better cope with your responsibilities and very soon get a promotion, open your own business or increase your business income. The best part is that thanks to the remote format, you will get all this without sacrificing work, your favorite hobby and communication with your family.

In addition to traditional MBA programs, mini-MBAs exist on the market and are actively developing. Let's say right away that mini-MBA is Not a stripped-down MBA, but an independent training program, which is based on the approaches, materials, cases and practical tasks from the MBA.

Mini-MBA training is a short-term program based on classical MBA training and its advantages, approaches and formats. In a sense, a mini-MBA can be called a short MBA course.

What does the mini-MBA program include?

Courses are often divided into basic (mini-MBA General) and industry-specific (mini-MBA Professional). At the “market average”, the mini-MBA program includes several main modules:

Management and strategy.
Marketing.
Finance.
HR (personnel management).
Management and leadership.
And some other modules (their availability depends on the business school).

Industry mini-MBA Professional programs, as a rule, complement basic program some block dedicated to the selected area. This could be retail, construction, project management, manufacturing (sometimes there are deeper specializations such as the oil and gas sector), insurance and much more.

Advantages and disadvantages of mini-MBA

First, about the pros:

Mini-MBA is short-term training, which lasts from 3 to 12 months. Most often, six months. This allows you to improve your qualifications and gain the necessary skills in a short time.
Mini-MBA training significantly cheaper its namesake MBA. For comparison: a full-time MBA program can cost 300-600 thousand rubles, and a good mini-MBA training can cost about 40 thousand rubles.
Mini-MBA courses are based on practical approach to learning(the so-called Harvard case method) and the MBA curriculum. The skills and knowledge that students receive after training can be easily used in business.
Simple admission conditions. As a rule, secondary or higher education and knowledge of the Russian language (or another national language - Ukrainian, Kazakh, etc.) are required.
Often mini-MBA training is distance learning, which is very convenient in some cases. Can study from anywhere in the world, and also adjust your studies to your work and vacation schedule.
After completing your studies, you may still have access to all lessons in the business school's internal online system. You can always go back and review the desired block.

There are also disadvantages:

Alas, the mini-MBA there is no single standard on the market. Each training center under this name means something different. For example, you can find study programs of 40 and 500 academic hours.
If the mini-MBA courses are distance learning, there will be little communication and exchange of experience with colleagues and teachers during the process (study takes place almost individually).
Mini-MBA not listed abroad(they only recently began to have such programs) and issues diplomas of advanced training or retraining. If you are planning to go abroad to work, you are better off choosing an MBA program from an AMBA-accredited business school. It will be really expensive, but it will open up great career opportunities in Europe, the USA or other parts of the world.