WHAT ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT CLASSES IN AN MBA PROGRAM?

Updated December 1, 2022 · 2 Min Read

An MBA, or Master's in Business Administration, is a highly accredited degree program that's popular in America today. It provides the necessary academic background to facilitate a wide range of careers in the development, establishment and maintenance of business organizations of all sizes. Because it is widely recognized internationally, it is growing in popularity among ...

BestValueSchools.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Are you ready to discover your college program?

An MBA, or Master's in Business Administration, is a highly accredited degree program that's popular in America today. It provides the necessary academic background to facilitate a wide range of careers in the development, establishment and maintenance of business organizations of all sizes. Because it is widely recognized internationally, it is growing in popularity among large multi-national corporations, where executive opportunities are increasing. As such, it can be an extremely demanding program, with a variety of difficult courses designed to help filter out those who lack the ambition, discipline and stamina to succeed.

Here, in broad strokes, are some of the most difficult classes involved in an MBA program:

Accounting & Economics

Despite the strong analytical focus of a Master's degree in business administration, many people enter into this program without understanding the extent to which numbers, mathematics and statistics will be heavily involved. Advanced concepts in accounting are a critical area of focus for an administrative position within a business of any size, and anyone wishing to embrace the full potential of their career advancement opportunities needs to be able to apply forward-thinking economic concepts to the microcosm of their organization. The number of advanced courses to be undertaken in these areas, such as regression analysis and managerial economics, is relatively small, but these will be extremely demanding courses; they have been known to cause some students, who didn't expect to be taking them, to switch majors partway through their program.

Management Communications

Many students go into their MBA program underestimating the importance of communications, but sound written and verbal communications skills are required for success in today's business world. Underlying the practice of communications theory is a sound knowledge of sales and marketing strategies, as well as basic psychology. There are a lot of disciplines which overlap in their brush with communications; a great communicator is remembered much more than a great financier, or a great administrator. Communicators can find a functional role in virtually every level of a business organization, and in every aspect of how a business is run. Some communications courses set extremely high standards, particularly those which appear in the final two semesters of most MBA programs. Students should be prepared to have their knowledge of every subject pertinent to their degree program put to the test, with the primary thrust of this being their skills at presentation.

Capstone Courses & Practical Projects

Not every MBA program features a capstone course, and they aren't always a requirement when they do occur. Since the purpose of a capstone course is to help a future professional's career advancement, however, they're always a good idea to take into consideration. The capstone is usually the final course in a program, and always occurs during the final semester of study. It involves a demonstration of the student's ability to apply theoretical knowledge to practical problem-solving, usually through the completion of a project designed and structured by the student themselves. Typically, the capstone involves the dedicated assistance of a mentor or faculty member, but by successfully completing the course the student demonstrates an excellent practical grasp of common business practices and management theory.

What an MBA brings to the table isn't a small variety of study subjects with a few difficult courses at the end. Instead, a wide range of topics are presented, with difficult courses bringing certain areas of study to a close at various points in time, so that new subjects may be addressed. These will then present with advanced courses at their conclusion, and so on. Communications, marketing, economics, and statistical analysis are some of these disparate concepts with which a student will have to cope. MBA students are advised to look at the areas where these subjects overlap, and to focus most of their energy in developing the skills which will allow them to tackle these areas of overlap most efficiently. Efficiency, more than any other virtue, will help the dedicated student to successfully complete their MBA.

Related resource:

Top 20 Cheap Online MBA Degree Programs

Get prepared for your next steps

Use articles and resources to uncover answers to common questions, get guidance on your goals, and learn about applying to schools.

Discover a program that is right for you.

Explore different options for you based on your degree interests.