Which Master of Business Administration (MBA)? Factors influencing prospective students' choice of MBA programme – an empirical study

Factors which influence students' selection of a Master of Business Administration programme are identified and the variation in their relative importance across the student population investigated. This research also identifies the features of a university which attracts students, as well as examining the students' perceptions of the management school as compared to the university as a whole. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 76 current Master of Business Administration students. The data were analysed using a grounded theory approach and five key themes emerged from the data: repute, syllabus, quality, facilities and career. While these five themes reappeared throughout interviews, their definitions and relative importance varied widely. The conclusions drawn from this research are that numerous factors influence a postgraduate student's choice of Master of Business Administration programme and that prospective students are well informed when making their decision. The reputation of the university appears to be a key factor.