HISTORY OF THE MBA

The MBA was introduced in the US at the beginning of the 20th century as a two-year postgraduate course. Its purpose was not only to provide individuals with the qualifications to advance their respective careers, but also to help business meet their need for specialized individuals well-versed in the abilities to manage in the modern business world. Most students enrolled straight after a first degree without business experience. The first year was devoted to teaching a core of business "fundamentals" with the second year focussing on education in either general management or in an area of concentration as chosen by the student.

At the time, the United States was the only country that offered such programs; the Wharton Business School, established in 1881, was the first business school in the country. However, the Tuck School of Business, established in 1942, was the first management school in the US to award a graduate degree in business. It began by offering master's degrees in the commercial sciences (the predecessor of the MBA that we know today), and in 1952 changed its degree to the Master of Business Administration. Soon, other colleges in the US began offering these programs.

In Canada, the first MBA program was established in 1948, at the University of Western Ontario (UWO), and the first MBA degree was awarded two years later. In fact, UWO's MBA program was the first MBA degree course to be offered outside the United States. Following the success of the MBA program, Canada's fist doctorate program in business administration began in 1961, also at UWO. Based on the UWO model, MBA programs began to be established in post-secondary institutions across Canada; by the late 1970s, every major provincial urban centre in Canada had at least one institution offering an MBA degree.

By the late 1970s to early 1980s, there was increasing dissatisfaction--especially on the part of the business community--with two aspects of the MBA programs being offered. Firstly, teaching was viewed as being too theoretical while ignoring practical applications. Secondly, business education was criticized for being taught by individuals with little or no direct experience and/or formal education in business.

Beginning in the late 1970s, graduate business education increasingly blended theoretical with practical knowledge. Co-operative learning and exchange programs were also introduced. Moreover, the standards of business education were improved by requiring future instructors to have at least an extensive, formal business education, with preference awarded to those with direct business experience.

Today, while the traditional 2-year MBA program still exists, a significant number of business schools offer intensive 12-month or accelerated programs. As well, since the mid-1990s industry- and sector-specific MBA degrees have been offered, and programs have moved beyond simply teaching business fundamentals and disciplines into developing students' "soft" skills such as analytical, communication, leadership (broadly defined), interpersonal, networking, and teamwork abilities.

The biggest growth in recent years has been in part-time and distance MBAs that allow students to continue working at the same time. As well, there has been a growing interest in executive MBA programs that often take place in the evenings and on weekends.