Do mba employers care where you did your undergrad or what you did your undergrad in? I finished my 2nd year studying biology and now I want nothing to do with biology and i just want to do business. is it worth it to transfer and maybe repeat a year to get go into undergrad commerce or is it just better off to work towards my MBA?

What about a minor in commerce, have you looked into this?
Also doing a Science degree and then working in a business field isn't uncommon, it just gives you a different perspective!

They dont caree what you have your bachelors in..... you just need good grades, a good gmat score, and a lot of money. i recommend going for your mba. its usually only 2 years and an mba is worth more than a bachelors in commerce.

i hear that there is a structure towards recruiting in finance + accounting +consulting that ppl with a mba demand a higher salary so why would a company hire a mba over someone with an undergrad? Am i better off going to get my MMPA and then get my mba later or a Msc in Management at Ivey

Yes...it would matter to me if I was an employer.

For example, if I was looking to hire someone with purely a business background...then theoretically, someone who has a bachelors degree in business and an MBA would rank higher.

However, in another example, if a company that is looking to hire an MBA-graduate, and that company is somehow involved with biology/science...then the candidate who also has a biology background would have stronger qualifications (i.e. more diverse knowledge).

So the short answer is, it depends on where you plan on working and/or the work that is available. Obviously, education is only one factor that is considered in the hiring process...and employers consider many more criteria.

Allan but would you want to hire an MBA grad over a bcom student to do the same job since the MBA grad typically would demand a hire salary?

The job market has changed, MBA grads are a dime a dozen. The designation just isn't as significant as it used to be. You then need to distinguish between the MBA programs. We have Ryerson, Mac and Laurier which offer MBA's without any work experience. These are simply accelerated B Comms and will have to compete with undergrads. The other MBA's require work experience(Ivey, Rotman etc), these typically are the MBA's that demand higher compensation but no guarantees.

Originally Posted by frost

Allan but would you want to hire an MBA grad over a bcom student to do the same job since the MBA grad typically would demand a hire salary?

No, I wouldn't hire them to do the "same job". It obviously depends on the position, and the job functions they are required to perform.

For example, someone with an MBA is better for marketability for the company. If I am trying to promote my company's capabilities and talents, then having someone with an MBA title would look alot better than just Bcomm. Also, because of their title...it would look better to use them in cases where they need to represent the company. In short, if that person can bring in more business because of their title...I really don't mind paying them more. Obviously, someone with an MBA doesn't necessarily make them a better performer. Like I said before, employers look at many criteria beyond education.

At the end of the day, its all about smoke and mirrors. Someone with a master's degree in anything, will always demand more salary than someone with just a bachelors. That's the way the world works...otherwise no one would invest in higher education.

I agree with "allan". an undergrad in a different field could complement your mba, but it depends on what the company's looking for. someone with a ba in biology who got A's throughout their mba is a lot more appealing than someone with a ba in commerce who got C's while doing their mba. Commerce degrees are usually for the lower end of the business pyramid. The accounting is useful, but if you graduate in commerce at mac, you spent 4 years doing group projects and making pointless presentations that have little real world relevance.

Originally Posted by Commie85071

The job market has changed, MBA grads are a dime a dozen. The designation just isn't as significant as it used to be. You then need to distinguish between the MBA programs. We have Ryerson, Mac and Laurier which offer MBA's without any work experience. These are simply accelerated B Comms and will have to compete with undergrads. The other MBA's require work experience(Ivey, Rotman etc), these typically are the MBA's that demand higher compensation but no guarantees.

I've also heard mba's are a dime a dozen.... NOT TRUE! Most MBA programs are demanding.... A grad who had good undergrad grades, and good mba grades, shows work ethic and commitment that companies are looking for. These people are highly valuable to companies and get job offers. Someone with an undergrad in commerce with good grades, has only shown a fraction of what companies are looking for, hence they start at the bottom of the corporate ladder.

Originally Posted by eddiemurphy

I've also heard mba's are a dime a dozen.... NOT TRUE! Most MBA programs are demanding.... A grad who had good undergrad grades, and good mba grades, shows work ethic and commitment that companies are looking for. These people are highly valuable to companies and get job offers. Someone with an undergrad in commerce with good grades, has only shown a fraction of what companies are looking for, hence they start at the bottom of the corporate ladder.

Unfortunately, this just isn't true. Getting an MBA does not automatically mean you will be placed above undergraduate students. Personally i know 25 MBA graduates. All have graduated from the co-op positions and some had B.Coms and some had B.Sc. Those who decided to pursue accounting specifically the CA designation ended up completing their 51 units and starting as an entry level associate. This position can also be obtained after completing a B.Com. The same applies for the finance industry. Like i said previously, there are two types of MBA's. If you want to have the right to demand a higher salary you need to attend the tier 1 MBA programs. Ivey, Rotman, Queens have significantly higher average salaries.

Come on commie, who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself? Personally I know 26 MBA graduates. Every individual situation is different. There are hugely successful people who never went to those 3 schools. Your trying to argue that an Undergrad in commerce is equal to an MBA. You lose the argument. You and a recent MBA are applying for the same position. Everything else being equal, the person with the mba gets hired.

Originally Posted by eddiemurphy

Come on commie, who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself? Personally I know 26 MBA graduates. Every individual situation is different. There are hugely successful people who never went to those 3 schools. Your trying to argue that an Undergrad in commerce is equal to an MBA. You lose the argument. You and a recent MBA are applying for the same position. Everything else being equal, the person with the mba gets hired.

You don't get it. Formal education doesn't get you the job. It's who you are. The reason why i have a bias against macs MBA is because I have competed against them for internships and their education is very similar to the education i have obtained thus far. Anywho, you are entitled to your opinion and I'm entitled to mine.

also I recommend reading this
http://www.aomonline.org/Publication...s/BSchools.asp

You also have to keep in mind that students that attend Ivey, Rotman, etc. generally have ~4 years of experience or more before they do their mba. Of course, since you do have more work experience, you are going to demand a higher salary upon graduation. Iveys starting average salary is ~100 k, whereas DeGroote has ~66 k. I think both have their purposes though. What's nice about the DeGroote program is it can be done right away and you get coops that help with networking, job searching, and paying for your MBA, not to mention having an opportunity to try out several different fields before committing to a career. Ivey has the advantage of obviously a higher starting salary and a larger network. But generally it's designed for people who have been working in their field for a while and want to move up in management.

To go back to the original question, a lot of employers actually prefer if you have an undergrad in something other than business. Fields like finance require high intellect, and employers love students that come from engineering or science backgrounds as they tend to develop strong problem solving skills. If I were you, I would finish the undergrad and do a MBA rather than stepping back and finishing a BCOMM since it will take almost the same amount of time and you'll be better off with the masters.