In Pursuit of an Mba

Running head: IN PURSUIT OF AN MBA

In Pursuit of an MBA

Christine Roesler

University of Phoenix

In Pursuit of an MBA

After receiving my bachelor’s degree in accounting, I questioned whether or not further education would be beneficial to me. Although I could sit for the CPA exam with my current level of education, I would still need 30 credit hours to obtain certification. Two choices were available and appealing to me, a master’s of science degree in accountancy, or a master’s degree in business administration, (MBA). Both paths posed significant costs and potential benefits. Despite the fact that I am not currently in a managerial position and do not plan to seek such a position in the near future, I chose to pursue an MBA as I believe that by learning new skills and improving my understanding of how businesses succeed, I will be able to maximize my personal worth both in my current career and for future opportunities.

Costs involved in the pursuit of higher education are both financial and non-financial (Carmichael & Sutherland, 2005). The financial costs for this pursuit include tuition and fees, and course materials. At the University of Phoenix, these costs are $760 per credit (University of Phoenix, 2009). Although education is important to my employer, they do not offer reimbursement for education beyond undergraduate level, so I am responsible for all financial costs required to complete an additional degree. The non-financial costs, including increased stress and reduced time for family (Carmichael & Sutherland, 2005), are equally as significant to me. I have a wonderful and supportive family, but foregoing time spent with them is difficult to replace. However, I strongly believe that the financial and non-financial benefits obtained from further education outweigh any costs.

Why would I choose to pursue an MBA when I am not currently a manager and have no immediate plans to become one? After all, in his interview with...