MBA

As of yesterday, I am a fully paid-up student in an MBA programme which is being run at Ramat Gan college. The degree is awarded by Heriot-Watt University, or the Edinburgh School of Business.

This is a decision which has been fermenting in my mind for the past few months. Originally, I was considering studying for a degree in psychology from the Open University, but I became dissuaded after reading "Psychology for dummies" (maybe not an ideal textbook, but at least something which would give me an idea of what I want). This led me to believe that I was more interested in industrial psychology, but I was unable to find any introductory texts on the subject. Then I considered a degree in Business and Management, again through the Open University. Eventually I received the prospectus from the Israeli OU, along with the costs. I would need to take something like 20 courses, and although the cost would "only" be about 40,000 NIS (6,300 pounds sterling at current exchange rates), it would take forever (close on ten years, assuming that I only take one course per semester).

I happened to mention this to the occupational psychologist with whom I work, and she suggested that I investigate the possibility of a master's degree as opposed to a bachelor's. This led me to checking various MBA programmes in Israel and abroad. Most of these fell at the first stage whilst checking their requirements and costs. The Ramat Gan college didn't give much information either, but they invited me for a chat; once there, I was given full explanations.

As most MBA students are in full-time employment, such courses are generally run on the weekend (most Israelis don't work on Fridays) or in the evenings. Thus one can work and learn without one interrupting the other.

Assuming that I pass every course first time, the course will cost a tad over 50,000 NIS, but some of that is college fees, as opposed to tuition. The Hebrew University wanted 99,000 NIS, not including the cost of a ticket to New York and a week's board at a hotel there (part of their programme is a week's lectures in New York). Right. Other advantages of this programme are the waiving of any entry requirements (save a first degree - so no need to prepare for and sit GMAT exams) and the fact that all the teaching material is in both Hebrew and English. Whilst I have no problem sitting through lectures in Hebrew, I still find it easier to read technical material in English. Attendance at lectures are optional (although of course recommended) and there is no homework. What could be easier? Well, there are still exams to pass....

Intriguingly, the exam papers are both in English and in Hebrew; I have yet to choose in which language I will respond.

I have decided to start with courses whose material I already know; this way I can dip my toe into the sea of academia gently after a long absence, rather than plunge directly into the unknown. Thus I am starting with Accounting; judging by the syllabus, I should have no problems with this, as the subjects listed are items with which I duel daily [today I spent most of the day working on new reports for slow moving and dead inventory]. Then I'll do Organisation Behaviour in a shortened, winter semester and finish the year with Economics (I did a course in micro-economics many years ago with the OU - nothing much has changed since then).

One has to pass seven compulsory courses and two elective courses in order to obtain the degree. If I take one course a semester, then I will be finished in three years. Once I get the hang of things, I may be able timewise to take more than one a semester, but I doubt it.

As it happens, I was reading last week the blog of Joel Spolsky; although most of the time he writes about running a software company, and writing a selling product, he also devotes some time to management issues which I found illuminating. There was even a blog about economics, which was very apposite. I notice that in the past few weeks I have been looking at everything with an MBA's eye.

Opening day is Friday, 7 August. Only 11 days to go....