Often abbreviated to MBA, the Master of Business Administration degree is a master's degree awarded by universities across the globe. It is recognized by business professionals everywhere as an advanced business degree. Students who wish to get that extra edge in the world of business normally will seek a MBA.

When following the curriculum for a MBA, the student is going through a program that is created to develop their skills in many various areas of business. Most who earn this degree have an extremely broad knowledge of the world of business. Courses from finance to leadership, marketing to economics, and government to management are offered through MBA programs. Electives of the student's choosing when going through the program will help to develop skills in a specific area.

Admission into a MBA program varies by university, but many universities require good performance on the Graduate Management Admission Test, or GMAT. Other factors that may determine admissions are GPA, previous work experience in business administration, and extra-curricular activities in both the university and community.

To complete a Master of Business Administration degree, a student will normally follow a two- to three-year curriculum in the U.S. after earning a bachelor's degree. The time to complete this degree in most European countries is slightly less. Sometimes universities offer the MBA along with other majors, while many times the curriculum focuses on the MBA alone.