After completing masters level study you could be contemplating what career direction you want to pursue or continue on you’re present path of additional study or work in a present job.
One option to consider is becoming a professor, lecturer or teacher at university, community college or high school level, although limited options are available for MBA graduates, and other hiring requirements apply.
You can teach with an MBA masters degree
I have personal experience teaching at community college level. Yes, you can teach with an MBA masters degree at a USA university as lecturer/professor or adjunct position part time.
A full time job for teachers with an MBA is possible at a few American universities, namely ones less well known or conduct classes online only.
Some universities in the UK offer MBA masters holders who are currently studying for a Doctor of Business Administration or other PHD a university lecturer job part time.
Looking to become a lecturer? It’s possible to get into teaching after an MBA, although limited opportunities are available, as an MBA that’s general is not a required specialist subject area qualification.
Masters degree & teacher training requirements
Community college and especially American college/universities require a master’s degree to have been studied predominantly or entirely in one subject area for teaching on one specialist course.
Additionally, depending on college/university or community college a US state teaching license could be required for official accreditation purposes for people that participate in teaching students in class lecturers and lessons.
2 year USA college/university courses
Graduates with a focused MBA specialization subject, such as marketing have the opportunity to teach on 2 year college/university degrees, especially also utilizing you’re work experience prior in industry.
General management MBA graduates can get a faculty or adjunct position and teach undergraduate degree business related courses online or in class face to face, although possibly temporary or part time.
To increase the chance of being given an academic teaching position at university level make sure you have relevant work history, as many colleges in US expect lecturers to have industry experience, as well as qualifications.
4 year college/university
You’ll also be able to apply to teach part time as a professor or adjunct faculty job at some USA universities with students on 4 year degrees, although only at first and second year.
Tenure track positions both UK and USA University or state colleges require an academic faculty member to hold a PHD or other doctorate to teach student classes, and supervise student’s research thesis.
Additionally, US 4 year course professors also require a history of conduction research and a publication record, unlikely if you just have an MBA.
Universities and colleges hiring lecturers
Identify you’re specialist subject as the university hires and allocates subject courses according to faculty lecturers specialist field knowledge link to a qualification, work experience, and past experience teaching at that level.
See Can you be a professor with an MBA
Teaching in the UK
An MBA graduate can teach in the UK at college of further education, university or secondary school level, although under certain conditions.
Additionally, in England it’s presently possible to become an unqualified secondary school teacher of business studies with just an MBA as you have an appropriate subject qualification & knowledge.
A school in England where there’s the highest demand for teachers would hire you on a temporary part or full time basis that can last months or 2-3 years.
Requirement to become a UK university lecturer with an MBA
- PHD or doctorate qualification in the teaching subject or related, or masters & currently completing PHD study in the proposed subject you’ll teach.
- Track record of publications & research for experienced lecturers or evidence of research in a specialist academic field for new lecturers.
- Hold or studying towards a formal teaching/lecturer qualification, such as Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education or similar for university lectures in UK.
- 2 or more years of experience lecturing at higher education level in the subject area.
What is a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE)
It is designed to support staff with teaching responsibilities to be effective teachers. The course provides a practical and theoretical grounding in learning and teaching in higher education and emphasises the links between conceptual frameworks and teaching practice. The PGCHE aims to encourage you to develop a scholarly, reflective inquiry base to inform your teaching and its development”
University of Nottingham
UK college lecturer teacher requirements
- Bachelor or preferably a masters degree & above qualification in the subject area of teaching.
- Experience of teaching & lecturing in one or more subjects you propose to teach.
- Two or more years teaching experience at further education college age level.
- Postgraduate certificate in Education (PGCE Post Compulsory) or similar teaching & learning formal qualification is highly preferable for lecturer positions in England & Wales.
Unqualified secondary school business teacher England requirements
- Relevant level 3 & above qualification in business studies or similar subject, MBA is a suitable qualification.
- Experience teaching in a secondary school environment, although new teachers are also welcome.
- Desirable that a school candidate has experience teaching & assessment in business studies at key stage 4 or 5.
Each country and learning establishments has its own regulations & person specification requirements to become teacher or lecturer, although there are similarities for each role or stage of education.
Subject classes can you teach with an MBA
You can teach specific business & other specialist subjects with an MBA masters degree
depending on factors such as if you studied for a general management or specialized MBA, type of learning institution, and university or college requirements.
General management masters of business administration graduates
MBA general course graduates will be allowed to teach business or management subjects at university first or second year degree level or lower courses at community college.
What will happen you’ll receive part of a subject to teach that makes up a portion of a course a student studies, according to you’re specialist focus knowledge & ability in that specific field of study.
MBA specialist graduates
Specialist MBA graduates at some American and United Kingdome universities could be given a teaching timetable that covers only one specialist field of study directly related to you’re MBA specialization.
Also, you’re likely be able to teach undergraduate & professional courses from first to senior final years students as the university will see you as a specialist in the field, and you have sufficient subject knowledge depth.
University subjects could include
| Strategic Management | Operations Management | Project Management | IT |
| Financial Management | Business Analytics | Computer Science | Accounting |
| Human Resources | Supply Chain Management | Risk Management | Marketing |
| International Business | Health Care Management | Cybersecurity | Entrepreneurship |
Community college
There are a many courses you could be ask to teach a section of a course according to broad subject knowledge, as its perfectly normal for a college lecturer to have less focus of the subject filed they’re allocated classes. Course at community college include:
- Information technology.
- Accounting.
- Marketing.
- Human resources.
- Consumer contract law.
- Economics.
- Business numeracy.
- Starting a business.
My experience as a lecturer at community college level was that I was allocated a full time timetable of business studies courses spanning 7 different subject areas.
Unfortunate fact is general business administration MBA covers a number of subjects, and its not specific, thus not enough depth for one specialized field of teaching, although good enough for lower academic courses.