FRM vs MBA

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21 Aug, 2024

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Table Of Contents

Difference Between FRM and MBA

FRM is the short form for Finance Risk Management, and it is taken up by individuals who want to specialize in skills and knowledge about Risk Management. In contrast, MBA stands for Masters in Business Administration, and it is chosen by individuals who are willing to expertise themselves in management-related skills.

Finance is a very lucrative career yet very boring for those not interested. So if you are confused about whether to take the FRM examination or complete your MBA or both, do have a look at this quick guide to help you phase out the dilemma.

Difference Between FRM and MBA

What is FRM?

Financial risk management is a global certified program based in the US and is offered by the Global Association of Risk Professionals. The course consists of two parts and prepares you for risk management, measurements of quantitative analysis techniques and financial markets, and products and evaluation models.

The FRM course requires the candidate to have two years of full-time working experience in the finance arena, which can be in the form of risk management, trading, academia, equity research, portfolio management, auditing, economics, or risk consulting.

What is an MBA?

A master's degree in business administration prepares you for the business realm and is typically for people who want to make a career in marketing and general management. This two-year course offered in business schools prepares you for management analysis and strategy while providing a thorough knowledge of accounting, finance, marketing, and human resources.

The MBA course is available in full-time, part-time, and distance learning processes, each significant in the industry.

Infographics

Now that we understand the basics of both the concepts, let us understand their differences through the infographics below. The pictorial representation makes it easier for us to understand the differences between the two concepts.

Comparative Table

Let us put both these concepts head-to-head in a comparative table and understand their key differences. This shall reiterate the information we have gained so far about both these concepts individually.

Section	FRM	MBA
Organizing body	The exams are managed and controlled by the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP), USA.	The exams are managed and controlled by individual institutions and universities.
Pattern	The FRM course study is divided into 2 parts. Part I Part II	The degree course is divided into semesters or trimesters, depending on the institution.
Duration of the course	Aspirants must clear the Part II exam within four years of passing the Part I exam.	The course duration can be 1 year, 1.5 years, or 2 years, depending on the institution and the program type.
Syllabus	The syllabus primarily includes Quantitative Analysis Valuation Financial Markets & Products Risk Models Credit Risk, Market Risk & Operational Risk Treasury & Liquidity Risk Management Investment Management	The syllabus primarily includes Accounting Business Statistics Business Ethics Managerial Economics Operations Research Financial & Marketing Management Human Resource Management
Exam fees	The course’s overall cost lies in the range of $1,175 to $1,775, which includes an enrollment fee of $400 and exam fees of the two parts that vary depending on the time of registration.	The overall cost of the course depends on the institutes and the type of program. However, the cost usually varies from $40,000 to $60,000.
Jobs	Some of the common profiles include Risk Manager Financial Risk Consultant Risk Management Analyst Investment Banker	Some of the common profiles include Operations Manager Human Resource Manager Marketing Manager Financial Advisor Financial Analyst
Difficulty	It is one of the most difficult credentials to earn as only 1/3rd of the candidates can clear both parts. During 2019, the pass rates for Part I and Part II were ~46% and ~59%, respectively.	The level of rigor varies across institutions, but the difficulty level of the exams is fairly reasonable. As a result, almost all the students who enroll in an MBA program pass the exams.
Exam date	The schedule for the upcoming exams during the year 2022 Part I: May 07-20 and Nov 05-18 Part II: May 21-27 and Nov 19-25	The schedule of the exams varies across institutions. In the case of the semester system, the exams are conducted at an interval of every 6 months, while for the trimester system, the exams are conducted at an interval of every 4 months.

Requirements

The cost of pursuing these courses often plays a huge deciding factor for many and is one of the biggest disadvantages of an MBA program. While an MBA is a two-year rigorous study filled with internships and exams, passing the FRM certified course is more difficult as it requires dedication and hard work from the entrant. During 2019, the pass rates for Part I and Part II were ~46% and ~59%, respectively, which gives a fair indication of the exams' difficulty level. In 2022, FRM will move to computer-based testing for Parts I and Part II exams.

The MBA program can be either in a semester or trimester mode, and the course duration can vary in the range of 1 to 2 years, depending on the institution and the type of program. The success rate in this program depends on their GPA, test score, strong work ethics, internships, great recommendations by professors and industry professionals with whom he has rubbed his shoulders, leadership qualities, and abilities to come out with an edge amongst their peers. Thus, career prospects vary and depend on an individual's talent and hard work.

Why Pursue FRM?

FRM today is considered an alternative option to CFA. While CFA and MBA remain the traditional choices to boost career prospects, FRM, as observed by industry experts, is poised for growth, considering that the market is less saturated with FRMs than CFAs at the moment. Though FRM can boost your earning power, to believe that it would happen overnight and create you a millionaire is a wrong perception. The banks are still to be made aware of FRM as a certification, which is on par with a CFA (though less holistic and more narrow), and therefore it is not a must-have while a candidate is being recruited.

FRM certified course is best suited for those individuals in the finance industries who play a senior role in management firms, government agencies, Investment banking firms, hedge funds, asset firms, commercial banks, central banks, credit agencies, corporations, technology, and asset vendors, consulting firm and so on and want to jump up in their positions or are looking for a change in career domain.

#Tip: Dedication and Patience are necessary for candidates to clear FRM exams.

Additional certification after a traditional degree is a prerequisite considering the booming number of talented professionals in the industry. Thus, FRM is for professionals looking to excel and make progress in their portfolio or desire a shift in their career with a more diversified, analytical, and challenging role in their careers. In addition, the syllabus of these certified courses has a much broader global perspective and has relevance in today's financial market scenario.

Why Pursue an MBA?

MBA provides good business skills and is appropriate for climbing the corporate ladder. With a degree in IT, Finance, or Marketing, studying MBA is worth the pain as it will prepare you to excel in managerial roles. However, an MBA is a rigorous study course. It is vast in its syllabus, touching upon the various topics, perhaps not in great detail but preparing you in general for diversification.

# Tip: It is, however, our observation that an MBA is a must as it prepares you for business entirely while a certification course is supplementary to an MBA enhancing your abilities, analytical skills, and ethical grounding.

Monetary issues guide our choices, and often lack of interest and talent is overridden in making a career choice. However, the most repentant is the one who makes a career choice to go with the flow without adequately researching the various industries and the courses. Choose FRM if you are interested and passionate about finance and risk management. Choose an MBA if you are interested in a company's management and business aspects.