======= Date Modified 10 Feb 2011 19:46:25 =======
Hi everybody,

My name is Edi. I have a couple of questions regarding PhD studies.
Currently, I'm an MBA student, Marketing Management major, with a GPA over 3.7. I have passed all the exams and I'm nearly finished with my thesis. After a couple of discussion with colleagues and friends I found out that one cannot apply for PhD with an MBA degree. Is this true? Because I had a friend who also done an MBA but anyway she got accepted into a PhD program. Therefore I'm little confused...Can somebody please explain me how these things work, because I would like to apply for a PhD and I already have a research proposal in mind, so your assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Regards,
Edi

Whoever told you is either a) having a joke with you, b) incredibly naive or c) incredibly stupid.

I've met a few people with both MBA and PhD, they are very different degrees and it's quite possible to do both.

======= Date Modified 11 Feb 2011 15:52:00 =======
Thank you for your help.

Hi ACM,

With your MBA you can of course apply for a PhD!! With most UK universities, your first year PhD year is classed as an MPhil, irrespective of whether or not you have a prior Masters. When you register for a PhD, you would technically be applying for an Mphil when you show an interest in pursuing a PhD program, the only exception to this (I stand to be corrected) is when you already have the Mphil, that's when you can apply straight for the PhD itself. Perhaps this was what your friend meant?

DG

I've got an MBA and am doing a PhD - straight without going through the MPhil. Your thesis will be seen by some universities as equivilent to an honours thesis (although I think you have to do more than an honours thesis, at least at my uni you did!).

If you can get RA work it will boost your chances too as what they tend to want to see is research experience more than anything. I had a good years worth of RA work and it seemed to do the trick for me. Also if you can take on tutoring etc during that time too - it gives the impression of a clear career path.

good luck:-)

======= Date Modified 23 Feb 2011 10:39:53 =======
Well, I have an MBA (and an MA) and I got accepted in a PhD (PT).
I didn't have to face any problems, not even with the fact that my MBA result was crap, as I had quite a few problems with my tutor (he thought the non-British should not study in British universities, and especially non-British women)....