An MBA can reflect a specialty, such as real estate, estate planning, or international development. If you don't have a focus in mind, take some time to figure out what area of business intrigues you the most before you undertake the full-time study it will take for a one-year MBA. If you have language skills, consider a bilingual MBA program.
You must take either the Graduate Record Exam, which is the general test for graduate study, or the specialized Graduate Management Admissions Test for business management before you can apply to an accredited MBA program. If you know which one-year MBA program(s) you would most like to attend, check to see whether they accept GRE scores or require the GMAT. Any school offering a one-year MBA that does not require one or the other is not likely to be an accredited institution.
A one-year MBA can be expensive, especially as you may not have time for outside work. A state university such as the University of Florida will be least costly, but even that will be in the range of $40,000. Of the various MBAs offered by the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, for example, most will bear tuition costs in the $60,000 range. Studying in Europe or Asia for an MBA can cost up to $75,000 for a one-year program. A two-year MBA generally spreads out the costs but will cost the same or more.
If you know you want a global career, consider going abroad for your MBA. Studying at Oxford or Cambridge or holding an International MBA from Spain or Singapore will guarantee you at least an entry-level position overseas when you finish your degree. Avoid being taken in by online degree programs promising you a quick and easy MBA. Many such schools are not accredited and your degree will not be worth the paper it is printed on. If you truly want to further your career, you must qualify for admission and put in a year of full-time study, on site, at an accredited school.