Absolutely not. If I, as an employer, had someone apply for a job with a masters in e-commerce, I would laugh them out of the building. This is an insult to higher education. This could easily be a certification program, but not a university masters degree.
Some schools are doing an MS in e-commerce and some offer e-commerce as a specialization in their MBA program.
I guess it depends on what your goals are, but I’m not sure I see the entire value of getting an MS in e-commerce degree. I think most MS in e-commerce programs focus only on e-commerce, so they are usually short programs, but lack education in any other areas.
On the other hand, I think an MBA with a specialization in e-commerce, which are usually standard MBA programs that have e-commerce or e-business as part of their specialization options, would certainly be a valuable asset for anyone or any company to have just as any other MBA has value.
I don’t know where you are from but in the US that isn’t true. Like Dan said, if someone handed me a resume with an MBA in ecommerce I’d laugh so hard I’d hurt myself. I just couldn’t take it seriously. Great for a certification, worthless as a degree.
An MBA with a concentration on eBusiness is one thing, but I’ve never seen an accredited (maybe accredited isn’t the word - reputable) university offering a degree (even bachelors) in “E-commerce”
I’ve seen some MBA programs let you concentrate on one area of study or another, while still completing all the core for the MBA. That would be a valuable asset.
There is a lot to know about business, but really “e-commerce” isn’t that much different from offline business. Everyone during the “bubble” thought it was, but most of them are in the dot-com graveyard now. The comanies with solid products, good business plans, and good cash flow are the ones that survived.
So is an Master’s in E-Commerce worth it? Well that depends on who you ask. If the person you’re applying with thinks it sounds good (or the client) then sure. However, I don’t think it would do anything for me if I heard it.
Put up against someone with an MBA, I think the MBA would win out anytime. Business is business, but the specifics to the “e-commerce” industry change rapidly (like the technology). That can be learned and re-learned but the fundamental business strategy and knowledge that comes with an MBA will serve you for the rest of your career.
You can get the educational equivalent of a Masters in e-Commerce hanging on these boards, or at Digital Point. Do you want to learn the business or have a piece of paper that says “eCommerce” on it? I’m a big fan of practical experience. You’re in the right place.
Quite obviously you didn’t read a single damn word of my post.
I was talking about an MBA program that has a specialization option in e-business (or e-commerce). I had thought that “specialization option” didn’t need defined, as I’d think that most people here would at least have an undergraduate degree, and even most undergrad programs give you a specialization option in your field of major study. But in case you’re not in the know, some common MBA specialization options are: general program only (i.e. no specialization), finance, international business, marketing, human resource management, nonprofit management, risk management, technology management, health services, supply chain, operations, etc. The school I went to for undergrad had the normal MBA specialization options plus option in music business, because the school is well known for its music business undergrad program, and so introduced a grad program as well. Some universities are now offering or talking about offer a specialization option in e-business or e-commerce. I think a typical general MBA program has about 35-40 hours of core MBA curriculum with 10-12 hours of a chosen or custom specialization. Hardly something to laugh at someone for, unless you’re the world’s biggest *****.
AFAIK, there’s no such thing as an “Masters of E-commerce” program, though there could be, but it’d probably as worthless as an MS In e-commerce, IMO.
Clemson is reputable, and they have a “Masters of E-commerce” program. However the program is being reviewed. Clemson is listed among the top 100 universities. see http://www.clemson.edu/usnewsrankings/
Clemson is a very reputable university (I actually almost went there - very hard to get into!).
I have never seen the program Clemson has (they sure didn’t have it when I was going to college) but I’ll look into it and see what kind of curriculum they teach and what the requirements are.
Still, it doesn’t mean it will be worthwhile. It’s probably just a business degree with a little technology sprinkled in.
I’m in a “Information Science & Technology” degree right now. Covers Business, Telecom, Networking, Programming, and other IT stuffs. One of the specialties you can choose is Ecommerce.
I wouldn’t recommend ecommerce on its own as a Master’s degree. But a bachelor’s in IST with a ecommerce specialty isn’t bad if you want to be a WebDeveloper.
