What are the benefits of gaining MBA and PMP? Which is more valuable?

MBA is a degree (or a diploma) course that covers various aspects involved in the starting and running of any business. PMP is a specialized certification program for those professionals interested in Project Management.

There are few key differences :

First: Entry Criteria  Admissions for an MBA program is usually based on GMAT or any similar exam such as IIM CAT (GMAT or CAT score is always a necessary, but not sufficient criterion), followed by interviews and/or Group discussions. Since PMP is a professional certification exam, pre-requisites are professional in nature (Refer PMP requirements).

Second: Curriculum :MBA degree, as the name indicates, intends to enable a person with the necessary knowledge and skills to manage any business. The common courses can be broadly classified as :

1.  Marketing

2.  Finance

3.  Accounting

4.  Organizational Behavior (HR)

5.  Entrepreneurship

6.  Strategy

7.  Economics

8.  Operations

9.  Statistics.

10.              Ethics.

The typical MBA course can be classified into the mandatory core courses (listed above) that teach the MBA candidate the basic concepts required, and elective courses which are usually a combination or specialization of the above topics. Project Management is one such popular elective topic. However, the topics covered in the Project Management elective course in an MBA program are usually different from the ones covered in PMP, as the focus of both programs is different.PMP is a certification program instituted by the Project Management Institute, and is a specialized course intended to cover the specific asks of a Project Management job.  The Project Management Institute has listed down best practices to tackle most commonly occurring project management challenges in the form of :

1.  Scope (What is to be done)

2.  Time (Schedule)

3.  Cost (Budget)

4.  Quality

5.  Human Resources (Building and Managing an effective team)

6.  Stakeholders (Understanding/evaluating all the stakeholders, and their expectations)

7.  Communications (amongst all stakeholders)

8.  Risks

9.  Procurement (acquire the necessary products/services for the smooth running of project)

10.              Integration (Tying all the above up, for achieving the project goal smoothly)

Third: Validity The active status of the PMP certification needs to be maintained through various PMI mandated activities. The status of any PMP certified professional can be verified through online PMI Registry.An MBA degree (or a diploma) is awarded by a college or a university, just like any other degree. Once you are an MBA, you are always an MBA.

On sum, While an MBA course will help you in gaining the understanding of how an organization works, or how to start one, the PMP certification is more focused on the execution and implementation angle.  An MBA followed by a PMP is definitely a very desirable combination in the market. Usually, PMP certification in the resume of the candidate indicates that he/she is a seasoned project management professional, and this can easily translate into a higher salary  when compared to a non PMP certified professional. This means that the PMP certification offers immediate RoI. So, the answer is pretty clear. 

In my opinion, it is good to have both. MBA helps one in understanding the overall strategy of the organization and the purpose and functioning of various departments. PMP aids a lot in organizing the execution and implementation of the project at hand, in a more structured way.

I agree with Ms. Ghada Eweda 's answer. 

Thanks for invitation

I am agreeing with my colleague’s answer Ms. Ghada Eweda  

PMP is a Certification program to specialize in Project Management (Engineering).

MBA is a Degree course focusing on Various types of Business Administration.

PMP perfect for engineering 

MBA for business and administration

Thank you for the invitation .............. waiting for an answer Experts