In a finding that will resonate with MBA students, mental health has been reported to be a major issue for people studying for specialist business master’s degrees.
An international study shows that 46% of these students want mental health support during their courses and 35% want it in the year afterwards. This may be in the form of 24/7 helplines, free workshops on managing stress, access to counsellors, online support or the availability of physical fitness facilities.
The report, Tomorrow’s Masters, was compiled by UK market research company Carringtoncrisp on behalf of the European Foundation for Management Development, which runs the international Equis accreditation initiative for business schools.
The intensive study that MBA programmes entail has long been associated with personal stress. The degree was once known as the “marriage breaker”. Modern study options, particularly online, have eased the stress, but studies show that mental health issues are still a challenge in the MBA experience.
An international study shows that 46% of these students want mental health support during their courses
Specialist master’s degrees were traditionally seen as less stressful, but Tomorrow’s Masters suggests that this may no longer be the case.
The report says students considering degrees “do not just want support during their studies but also when applying [for jobs] and transitioning to the world of work”. It says nearly 20% of study participants indicated that the provision of services to support student mental health was key in their choice of where they would study.
Specialist degrees have become more popular among students who don’t want a generalist MBA but rather “want to add key skills to help them in their work”, says the report. It adds: “The specialist business master’s may be more about acquiring advanced skills in a particular field. An MBA may be off-putting for some who perceive that it has a strong quantitative component that they would find challenging, and instead prefer a subject about which they already have some knowledge.”
Traditional subjects such as finance and marketing remain popular among specialist students. Other fields in high demand include technology, health care, renewable energy and psychology.
Accounting, however, is sinking in perceived importance. Three years ago, 21% of study participants said they were interested in a master’s in accounting. Now it’s 11%.
Research for the Tomorrow’s Masters study was undertaken in March and April this year. A total of 2,654 people from 34 countries, including South Africa, responded.
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