Brought to you by UCD Smurfit School

Ever considered pursuing an MBA to further your education and career?

It's something to think about. An MBA at UCD Smurfit School is an incredible opportunity to excel in your career and to learn invaluable skills in business, finance and leadership. Also, the fact that MBA students see a notable salary increase compared to non-MBA students is remarkable. UCD Smurfit School is now offering an all new, super flexible part-time Modular Executive MBA for those of you who are short of time, extremely busy, or entrepreneurs out there. There are just two days of required attendance each month supplemented by week-long modules. (All in-person attendance decisions will be guided by Irish government health guidelines.) Students will also undertake a term foundation at the start of each term to introduce modules as well as complete four hours per module online. The new MBA allows more candidates to keep their personal and professional commitments while bringing immense opportunity to further your career. Oh, and you can be in with a chance to have 100% of fees covered with the MBA scholarship worth up to €31,900 for the NEW modular, two-year, part-time Executive MBA right here on Her! Kathy O'Reilly, a lecturer in Management Consultancy on the Smurfit School’s MBA programme, said, "There are many aspects to an MBA that combine to make it a valuable learning experience". "In addition to world-class faculty and teaching facilities, peer-to-peer learning is a vital ingredient. Being in a classroom with talented, ambitious, and curious people adds another dimension to your learning. Sharing ideas, engaging in classroom discussions and debates, collaborating on group projects - they're just as crucial to the MBA learning experience as what's on the curriculum." It's this wonderfully diverse group of people who enable MBA students to see through a different lens, experience different opinions, and discover new working opportunities. In addition, the school has its MBA alumni return to speak to current classes about their own professional experiences. [caption id="attachment_515198" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] Kathy started her career in GE Capital where her role led her to focus on training and education. As a Lecturer in UCD’s College of  Business, she specialises in teaching Management Consultancy to undergraduate and postgraduate students. [/caption] Kathy, who is currently completing a Doctorate in Higher Education, understands how crucial the learning experience is and is a strong proponent of academic learning combined with practical application. So instead of only working from textbooks “students also work with real companies on actual business projects. It's all hands-on. For example, MBA students work with both an Irish company and an international one to complete consulting projects, applying all that they have learned on the MBA programme in a very practical way.” Covering a wide range of topics such as Doing Business in International Markets, Financial Reporting and Digital Transformation, those who want to take their career to the next level or even jump career paths will gain practical skills in key business topics. In terms of how accessible the MBA is for women, Kathy explained that the UCD Smurfit School MBA scholarship is “designed to provide women with an opportunity to elevate their career and accelerate their personal development.” "According to Forté Foundation - a non-profit focused on providing career development opportunities for women - 85%of MBA graduates attribute their MBA in advancing their careers; plus women (and men) with MBAs earn higher salaries than their non-MBA peers,” noted Kathy. "UCD Smurfit School graduates see an average salary increase of 68% within three years of graduating, so the scholarship will provide an opportunity for women to invest in their career and future." With that, the issue of cost comes to mind. The new Executive MBA from UCD Smurfit School is worth over €31,000. Kathy, understanding its intrinsic value and taking into consideration the average salary increase MBAs can expect, commented, “It might be useful to ask, ‘What is the cost of not doing an MBA?’” Touché Kathy, touché. "One of my favourite sayings is, 'Do something today that your future self will thank you for.' You won't be the same person when you finish your MBA. You will have learned a great deal - not just about business but about yourself, too. You will find a whole new world of opportunities open to you. Don't get me wrong, it won't be easy, but it will definitely be worth it," concluded Kathy. If you’d like to find out more about Smurfit's MBA programmes, don't miss the Virtual MBA Open Event on Saturday, January 30 from 9.30am – see full details here. Brought to you by UCD Smurfit School