MBA or CFA, which is the better option ?

[zulfiqar_halari]

Salaam.

Please guide which is a better option and why.

[derivativetrader]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial" id="quote">quote<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by zulfiqar_halari</i>
<br />Salaam.

Please guide which is a better option and why.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I think it depends on your background and what do you intend to achieve from each of these qualifications. If you have some relevant experience then CFA may be a good option as it may open international opportunities in more developed financical markets. ON the side, doing the CFA would at least take you 4 years and in the meantime you wouldn't have any 'professional qualification' under your belt.

Whereas, an MBA from LUMS would be a better option if you don't have experience as firstly its a short-term business degree plus the brand should get you descent exposure to leading domestic players. The value of LUMS degree may not be comparable with CFA in the international environment.

Let us know what do you think.

DT

[zulfiqar_halari]

Tell me how it would not be comparable if MBA from LUMS or Karachi University Business School competes with CFA in international markets. Who would get more milegae within Pakistan and outside Pakistan. Do you think that MBA LUMS would be a suffice degree and CFA will not be needed. tell me which is an end rather than mean, MBA LUMS or CFA. Will a person need to do something after CFA. or will be person need to do something after LUMS MBA.

[sherry]

these r totally different qualifications.if u want to make a career in mnagement/marketig then mba from lums or iba is best option .remember that the iba and lums can compete with the best schools in the world in terms of best students and their achievements
regards

[derivativetrader]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial" id="quote">quote<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by sherry</i>
<br />these r totally different qualifications.if u want to make a career in mnagement/marketig then mba from lums or iba is best option .remember that the iba and lums can compete with the best schools in the world in terms of best students and their achievements
regards

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

There is no doubt about the credentials of alumni from both schools that you mentioned. I have personally worked with a fewalumni of LUMS and found them very professional and knowledgable.

I think the correct comparison would be between MBA(finance) and CFA and my comments earlier were made on this assumption. Of course, marketing is a different field altogether.

DT

[derivativetrader]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Tahoma, Arial" id="quote">quote<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by zulfiqar_halari</i>
<br />Tell me how it would not be comparable if MBA from LUMS or Karachi University Business School competes with CFA in international markets. Who would get more milegae within Pakistan and outside Pakistan. Do you think that MBA LUMS would be a suffice degree and CFA will not be needed. tell me which is an end rather than mean, MBA LUMS or CFA. Will a person need to do something after CFA. or will be person need to do something after LUMS MBA.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

It depends what u mean by international market. If you mean by leading investment banks and investment houses in NYC and London, then a fresh grad (with no exp) of LUMS or IBA wouldn't perhaps land a chance. CFA on its own wouldn't either. If they have good releevnt exp plus these qualifications then the transiition maybe somewhat smoother. Of course, there are always exceptions.

DT

[Hamim]

I think you may want to check out the universities which are CFA program partners , By doin this you can kill two birds with a single stone or was it stick P


Check it out !
http//www.cfainstitute.org/cfaprog/university/partners.html

[Muhammad Amir]

there are two aspects of this query

1)I don't know why people are very keen to compare apple with oranges CFA is totally different than MBA...
My dear what is MBA it is just nothing more than 2.4 of ACCA just their presentation and inter-personal skills develepment courses give them edge in todays business environment...

2)How can one person compare CFA's Prestige with MBA(LUMS)...MBA is nothing copare to CFA not only CFA is very different field but also prestige of CFA is millions of times greater than that of MBA(Woh bhi LUMS)...

I have seen lot of people think every thing in pakistani context this is not a fruitfull task because pakistani economy can't affoard such highly paid CFAs and you can obtain proof of my statement by seeing ICAP results...total number of CAs(FCAs or ACAs)from inception of institute till now...

[Muhammad Amir]

Further more yes you can use your MBA as beginig of CFA

[Muhammad Amir]

Dear "MFHR" First i need to say that if a member is asking something in parlance of "CFA Vs MBA" then he/she must be asking for MBA Fianance not MBA(HRM/MIS/BANKING/Marketing)...thats why i posted my post in Finance boundry not in others...

The leadership which you are talking about is not subject to or confine to MBA it can be developed without studying MBA and It even can't be developed after 6 years specialisation in "LEADERSHIP" this orthodox statement that ACCAs and CAs have no leadership or mangerial skills is now a days totally outdated...i don't know about CA but in ACCA we are having more indepth courses to cover these lackings...

[derivativetrader]

What's the differnce between MBA Finance and MBA Banking?

[Muhammad Amir]

Dear "MFAHR"......

If you can read my previous two posts in this thread you will come to know that i have not disgrace your MBA......instead i said that MBA is zeroth level compare to CFA...and you can not rebutt this by having some other presumptions...because CFA is CFA and MBA is nothing infront of CFA................

The sort of leadership you are talking about i have already cleared this in my previous post to this thread that this leadership is not confined to MBA it can be developed without any "MBA"...and yes it can't be developed by having SIX Year Specialisation....

Dear MFAHR you also try to disgrace ACCA and you now want to start "ACCA Vs MBA(LUMS)"...dear brother I have already said that there is no comparosion between Apples and Oranges...and further i don't know why people are very keen in having these unfit comparisions....but if you want to have this you can start another thread for this.....ACCA is millions of times better than MBA(Finance) and MBA(HRM) both......

You also said that i was involved in ACCA Vs CA(ICAP)...yes i was and i stand by what ever i said and if you could read all my posts you can see there that what ever i said was fully supported by evidence... and so nothing was beseless

Anyways...this is something CFA and MBA.....and one can start CFA on the basis of MBA and by this statement i will say that you can analyse the position of MBA compare to CFA...

You also try to propagete your insider knowledge regarding ICAP by having reduction in ACCA's Exemptions....so dear who cares?????

I don't know what those fools are who strart their ACCA as route to CA(ICAP)....this is due to lack of knowledge in ACCAs..because in Pakistan we Pakistanies never think about something beyond...

ACCAs are having very bright future in CFA,CIA,CMA and others...

One fact here is too absurd...here in pakistan lot of ICAPians are also members of ICAWE...and they thought ICAWE as their premier Qualifications those who are running their own practices you can ask this from them....
now ICAEW is giving full Exemption to ACCA subject to persuance of 5 years experiance....this is too absurd that subordinates(ICAP) of ICAWE are giving less exemptions to ACCAs....

Think this in broder canvas i don't want to start here another debate...yes MBA is much much better qualification compare to others(like BA, BSc, BCS) but comparing MBA with prestigious qualifications like ACCA is not fruitfull

Regards,
Muhammad Amir

[Muhammad Amir]

Dear "MFAHR";

I am also of the view that MBA and CFA has no comparision at all..however i strongly disagree with you about your sayings regarding "LEADERSHIP SKILLS" which can be developed without any MBA......although MBA has more specialized curriculum nonetheless you can't compare MBA with ACCA...

MBA has lot of varied fields of which you can only choose one where as ACCA is junction of these varied Fields(Finance/HRM/IS)....Infact more lucid junction....

I also disagree with your exaggerated statement that MBA(LUMS)is better than ACCA....this my be a reaction of my exxaggeration when I was comparing MBA with BA,BSc,BCS etc...

[Wandering Star]

Honestly speaking, a qualification is the platform to entering professional life on a good starting basis...

I honestly dont see any comparison between CFA and MBA. MBA may be a mile wide but only a foot deep. CFA may be a foot wide but really, when it comes to investment valuation you really cant go any deeper than that.

CFA is more of a specialization and an addition to you CV rather than simply a standalone career choice.

Lastly, MFAHR, if you are an HR consultant, you need to study on some factual issues before going around making wide assumptions. ACCA really doesnt need ICAP's approval for its 'success'. It needs a hardworking and intelligent member base in Pakistan which should be more aware of the profession, but unfortunately, it does not have any as such.

Market being saturated by ACCA's? As of time of writing, there are only about 500-800 fully qualified ACCA members in Pakistan. About 130-150 affiliates pass out every bi-annual attempt, but only 5-10% are admitted to membership, because only a few satisfy the criteria, and even fewer know about ACCA's membership requirements. I have heard that ACCA's new scheme has more subject integration and a curriculum based around discussion and debate rather than just technical issues and 'MATHUDZZ'. This will automatically make passing even harder, given the poor ability of most Pakistani students at discursive questions going for substance than just regurgitation. (Most people simply dont have any idea what is the difference between a qualified ACCA and someone who is just an ACCA Affiliate)

Compare that to about 100-150 ICAP passouts on every attempt, 95%+ of whom are instantly admitted to membership since they usually have their training far behind them by the time they manage to pass their exams. This creates a sizable community of nearly 4000 members who are old and mature enough to be aware of their professional needs and dictate the profession in the country, which simply does not give a fledgling institute like ACCA (with its poor efforts to create awareness among its stakeholders/students) any chance at all.

If you are simply trying to 'degrade' ACCA by attempting to quote rumors about ICAP withdrawing exemptions, there are better ways to do so. An institute is represented by its members and their professional standing, so heres a hint to go about. (ACCA is only about a decade old in Pakistan, so I suggest you cut it some slack)

I personally feel that ICAP should withdraw even PPT exemption to ACCA students. This will make ACCA students struggle harder in professional life and also destroy the business plan of these lame coaching institutions which have made ACCA simply part of their student brainwashing schemes into collecting the maximum degrees in the minimum time possible.

PS Please dont use this topic to discuss ACCA vs CA any more. There are enough topics to go about.

[Muhammad Amir]

Welcome "Wandering Star" we need people like you why you post very few times in forums....

Actually dear in forums their is a monopoly of ICAPians and these people often ignore my statements on the grounds that i am inexperianced and unaware part 2 student nevertheless i always try to defend ACCA against these people...

However i hope you will post more in future...

anyways lets come to point actually whether these are ICAPians or LUMS GURUS or IBAs these people are trying to ruin ACCAs increasing awareness in Potiential Employers and in Prospective Students but there are people like you who really can defend them...

MFAHR was trying to compare ACCA against MBA i don't know why???but i know one thing that is whenever ACCA was criticised this was only due to some ACCA affiliates who are just themselves degrading their Institutes by their deeds...

But dear I hope that one day when they all(ICAPians) wake up they will come to know that their monopoly has gone and was captured by ACCAs i know still long long way to go and yet ICAP has still a market monopoly however this monopoly will no longer exist in near future....

Their are some fools who have started their ACCA as route to ICAP i decleare them as fools because ACCAs are having very bright future in other fields i had decleared them fools because tell me if a person who already know about addition and still he joine another class to learn addition....same is a case in ACCA these people already learned Stretegic Financial Managemant, Advanced Auditing, Business Planning and Development, Corporate Reporting, Advanced Taxation(Remembere UK taxation is one of the most structured taxation in world)but still they once again very keen in learning same topics in CA same Advanced Accounting 1.2 level Management Accounting(F18)...Business Management, 2.5 level Advanced Accounting , Business Finance Decisions even after "Strategic Business Palnning and Development"...I am of the view that if "AUDIT PRACTICE LICENCE" is your sole Objective of life then you have to spend your time in CA otherwise you are destroying your future....

ICAPs Integrity and ICAP's status is although very good but why these policy makers always try to degrade ACCA...

ICAP is Subordinate of ICAWE and you can confirm my statement by asking people who are running their own practices they will tell you that ICAWE is their PREMIER QUALIFICATION not CA(ICAP)....and it is too ludicrous that ICAWEW is giving full exemptions to ACCAs subject to persuance of 5 yers practical experiance and subordinates of ICAWE are giving less exemptions to ACCA....isn't it absurd...

I have due respect of ALL CAs because they are my seniors and they know much much better than me but i also say that professional tolerance must always prevail....

My Request to all CAs is that this is not criticism for the sake of criticism but it has some lesson for all of us...
I Hope that All people will get it positively

Regards,
Muhammad Amir