You can now count INSEAD among a growing host of top international business schools looking to attract young talent with its recent launch of the INSEAD Master in Management (MIM) program. In fact, the business school plans to have its first MIM entry in September 2020 (please note, INSEAD also states that the first intake will take place in August 2020, however, the discrepancy is minor and will most likely be rectified shortly).
What’s the purpose behind this 10-month MIM? According to Programme Director Thibault Seguret, “It aims to empower the next generation of well-rounded, agile-thinking and innovative individuals who are ready to make a positive impact in today’s society.” However, the more reasonable answer most likely lies in INSEAD’s wish to create a better pipeline of candidates for its MBA and to develop a competing product against its European MBA rivals that already have an MIM (we’re looking specifically at you, LBS and HEC).
Breaking down the Program
Deadlines
Round 1: 09 October 2019
Round 2: 11 December 2019
Round 3: 12 February 2020
Round 4: 15 April 2020
Round 5: 03 June 2020
What will this program look like? Well, as a 10-month program, it ranks as one of the shortest MIMs, packing its coursework in a dense series of 5 semesters, which INSEAD refers to as periods. Three of those periods take place at the Fontainebleau campus in France, while the remaining two transpire at the Singapore campus. For those who are more internationally minded, INSEAD is also planning to offer field trips to Abu Dhabi, China and the US. Within that time-frame, required classes will cover everything from data analysis and marketing to macroeconomics and social psychology; workshops will also be rather varied, including one on coding: and Practical classes will apply a more experimental teaching approach to a variety of subjects, including big data and business model innovation. Moreover, during the final period, students will be able to choose 6 electives, such as Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Digital and Data, Sustainability, and Finance. However, one important point that such a program simply does not allow for, very much like INSEAD’s MBA, is an internship.
So, how much will this MIM set you back? Tuition fees at INSEAD are €47,500 for the first intake. For a non-US master in management program, that’s a rather hefty fee; for comparison, the cost of the HEC Master in Management is €36,500 over 2 years for European Union students. This leads to the more difficult question of whether this program is worth the elevated relative cost. With a name and standing like INSEAD’s, it’s safe to assume that they should be able to run this program in an attractive manner for those considering to apply. Moreover, with the INSEAD 10-month MBA program as a clear model for the MIM, the teaching and job placement resources that INSEAD is capable of pulling from the MBA could lead to some powerful results for its future MIM cohorts. While we’ll have a much clearer idea of the value of the program once the first 80 or so INSEAD MIM enters the job market, INSEAD is certainly entering the MIM arena as a major contender.
Choices, Choices, Choices: MIM, Deferred Enrollment or What?
Young business people have an ever-growing range of options in terms of studies. Aside from the master in management, for students in the final years of their undergraduate or graduate programs, many top universities, including Harvard and Columbia, are offering exceptional candidates the opportunity to secure admission to business school one to five years before matriculation, a process called deferred enrollment. Obviously, bearing the Harvard Business School stamp of approval on one’s CV is a huge benefit before and after completing the MBA. However, deferred programs are largely unavailable for those who have full-time work experience post-university. Luckily, MIMs are often willing to take candidates who have already started their professional careers. For instance, the INSEAD MIM expects to have candidates with up to 2 years of work experience. Aside from these two options, more specialized master’s programs are available, including those in the fields of finance, marketing, and business analytics. In fact, some specialized master’s programs have compensation outcomes that rival those of top MBAs. Ultimately, the decision of which business master to pursue should take into consideration a large variety of factors, such as candidate profile (age, internships/professional experience, university education, extracurricular activities, etc.), and post-degree professional and personal objectives. The most important first step to take is to start reflecting on yourself, your future and your educational options.
If you’d like to maximize your chances of entry into a top master’s program or discover which programs best match your goals, connect with one of our admissions experts by reaching out to us today.
