Solving problems without a ready-made answer
Managers also operate in environments where familiar frameworks may not provide an obvious solution.
That means knowing what to do when there isn't a playbook to follow. Banasiewicz argues that professionals need the presence of mind to respond to problems as they emerge. That requires applying knowledge and tools to the situation rather than simply reproducing established approaches.
Should you get an online master’s in management for career advancement?
If your next career step increasingly requires management capabilities, a MiM may provide a strategic way to develop them.
Career advancement does not always mean becoming more specialized. Sometimes, it means taking on a very different kind of responsibility. Someone who starts out as an engineer, analyst or scientist, for example, may eventually need to lead projects, collaborate across functions or manage people with different areas of expertise.
As Banasiewicz puts it, “You don’t need to be an engineer to manage engineers. It’s a different job.”
Employer attitudes toward online graduate education are also an important consideration when evaluating a program. GMAC reported in 2025 that employers remain interested in graduates from online business master’s programs. Technology employers were particularly likely to view the skills of online and in-person graduates as comparable.
Ultimately, the career value of an online MiM depends on what you want to do next and whether the program helps you develop capabilities that complement your existing experience.
Master’s in management vs. MBA: Which is right for you?
Both a MiM and a master of business administration (MBA) provide graduate business education, but the right choice depends on your starting point.
A MiM can suit early-career professionals seeking business knowledge alongside expertise developed in another undergraduate field. A MBA is often pursued by professionals with more established work experience.
Neither degree is inherently better. The more useful question is which degree aligns with your experience and the skills you want to develop.
For example, a MiM may make sense if you are early in your career and want to add formal business and management training to an existing area of expertise. An MBA may be a better match for someone with more substantial professional experience who is seeking broader advanced business education.
How is AI changing the value of management skills?
AI can perform increasingly sophisticated work, particularly when a task and its parameters are clearly defined.
Management can be different.
Managers encounter competing priorities, human dynamics and ambiguous definitions of value. They must decide how different contributors can work together toward a larger organizational goal.
For Banasiewicz, that distinction points toward a changing role for managers.
“You need to have a conductor that has very well-honed management skills to manage that very heterogeneous mix of contributors," Banasiewicz said.
Those contributors may increasingly include both people and technological systems.
As AI takes on more specialized tasks, managers may need to spend more time determining how different forms of expertise — including technology — work together effectively. Management readiness, then, requires more than understanding established business concepts. Managers must evaluate technology thoughtfully and determine where human judgment creates value.
Is an online master’s in management respected?
The value of an online master’s degree depends more on program quality than delivery format alone.
If you're comparing programs, look at the things that will shape your experience and what you take away from the degree: academic rigor, faculty expertise, curriculum and opportunities to collaborate. You should also consider how closely the learning connects with real organizational challenges.
For working professionals, online study can also offer greater control over when learning happens. Banasiewicz sees value in allowing students to engage deeply with coursework around existing professional responsibilities.
Build on your expertise with Brown’s online master’s in management
Brown University’s online master’s in management is designed for early-career professionals who want to add business and management capabilities to their existing expertise.
Within the 16-month online program, students can follow the traditional MiM curriculum or choose one of two specialized tracks:
- Analytics: Develop deeper skills in working with data, including how to analyze, visualize and turn complex information into useful business insights.
- Project Management: Build skills for planning and delivering complex initiatives, leading teams, and managing projects through changing priorities and organizational needs.
Both tracks build on the program’s broader management foundation, giving students a way to align their studies more closely with the type of work they want to pursue.
Current Brown undergraduates also have another option. The fifth-year master’s in management pathway allows eligible juniors to begin MiM coursework during their senior year and complete both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in five years.
For professionals considering whether an online MiM is worth the investment, the key is finding a program that builds on what you already know while preparing you for what you want to do next.
Whichever path you choose, the goal is not simply to learn how established businesses operate. It is to develop the judgment, business fluency and practical management skills needed to contribute as organizations continue to change.
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