MBA Alternative: MIS degree (for IT folks)

For those of you in IT and who are aiming to advance your IT careers, this might be worth checking out. I know that an MBA isn't for everybody, and it's not practical to invest time, effort and money in a degree that isn't what you need. So I'll let you in on a little secret: an MIS degree costs much, much less than an MBA, can be finished in a shorter timeframe than the usual 2 years, has good career prospects even in the US and has management courses as part of the curriculum. There are even schools that offer MBA courses as MIS electives! So what do you think?

Here are some schools offering the MIS degree:

1. Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College - MISM degree
Carnegie Mellon is one of the leading US schools in the field of IT (usually ranked after MIT). There's a one-year track for applicants with at least three years of work experience, a 16-month track for those with less than three years of work experience, and a 21-month global track that includes a period of study in Carnegie's Australia campus. If you think the US is too far for you, you can check out the IT graduate courses available in the Australia campus. I know someone who got a 50%-tuition MISM fellowship to the US campus so getting grants isn't impossible. There are a lot of Asians (read: Indians and Chinese) taking this course so being Filipino would set you apart. Plus, the job placement and salary stats are impressive.

2. Indiana University (Bloomington)'s Kelley School of Business - MSIS degree
Again, a top-ranked, reputable school with impressive job placement and salary stats. International students can finish the course in three semesters. Among the schools, this has the earliest application deadline for international applicants: around November before the year you plan to start. If you plan to enter on Fall 2013, you have to apply by the November deadline this 2012. I think this course leans more toward business than IT.

3. University of Arizona's Eller College of Management - MIS degree
Eller has a strong reputation in the field of IT. Their MIS degree is also less expensive than those offered by Heinz and Kelley, and can be finished in 16 months. The placement stats are pretty good, but I don't think the salary stats are as high as the above two schools. There are a lot of Asians taking this course as well. If you want to check this out, you should keep in mind that the climate in Arizona can be hotter and drier than the tropical climes we are accustomed to in the Philippines.

4. University of Washington's Foster School of Business - MSIS degree
This is a relatively young course compared to the others. The MSIS degree can be finished in a year, and the courses take place during evenings and weekends. This means this course is ideal for those with full-time work; or, if you're an international student, this course will enable you to take a part-time campus job during the day. This is the least inexpensive of those listed here; no placement and salary stats released as of this time.

I chose to list these four because they require taking the GMAT exam. There are a lot of other schools offering the MIS degree (such as NYU Stern) but require taking the GRE. Be sure to check the admission requirements and program courses when choosing schools.

I checked the application fees for these MIS degrees, and they were way, way lower than MBA app fees! (MIS: app $75, MBA: app $200) So that alone shows you how much of a financial investment you need with an MBA. Anyway, hope this post helps you in some way -- good luck with your decision!