MBA online: How and Should I get?
MBA online: How and Should I get?
Contents

The world is now more accessible than ever thanks to advances in digital technology. Universities and institutions have begun launching online programs in response to this, assisting students to get quality education wherever in the world.

What is MBA, how to study it, and should you get the course, we will answer your questions in the article below.

What does MBA stand for: MBA Definition

Photo: Netviet
MBA Definition

MBA stands for Master of Business Administration.

First introduced by Harvard University Graduate School of Administration in 1908 (now Harvard Business School), the MBA is the original graduate degree offered by business schools globally.

Employers will take notice of you more if they see "MBA" on your CV, but the degree's genuine value extends beyond its three letters on a page. An MBA will improve your career and compensation possibilities while also enhancing your professional network and business expertise.

Who is an MBA degree for?

Photo:  IIMT Group Of Colleges Greater Noida
Photo: IIMT Group Of Colleges Greater Noida

A normal MBA student doesn't exist. The typical MBA class today is made up of students from a wide range of professional backgrounds, whereas historically MBA students pursued careers in finance or consulting.

The 2022 Harvard MBA class is comprised of students from 69 different countries. Students who identify as US minorities or women make up 44% of the student body. In addition to banking and consulting, students also come from the manufacturing, healthcare, nonprofit, media, and technology industries.

Students in the MBA program at INSEAD represent 88 different nationalities and have educational backgrounds spanning from business and engineering to the arts and political sciences.

According the Graduate Management Admission Council™ (GMAC™), the top career motivations for prospective MBA students include: salary increase, promotion to senior positions, managing people, and working internationally—and these benefits are just some of the many reasons to get an MBA.

Regardless of your background, if you want to develop your management skills and enhance your career, the MBA is for you. You can use it to launch your own business, rise within your existing organization, change functions, industries, or locations, or all three at once.

"An MBA is not just designed to prepare students for their next job after graduation; it is a life-changing experience that enables students to make career changes five, ten, and fifteen years after their MBA, thanks to the skills they learn and the network that lasts long after graduation," says Virginie Fougea, global director of admissions and financial aid at INSEAD.

Types of MBA Programs

Photo:  ISB
Photo: ISB

While the traditional full-time MBA degree is a popular option, the MBA today comes in all shapes and sizes. Business schools offer various types of MBA programs suited to different profiles of students.

Full-time MBA

For students who are just starting their careers or who are in the middle of one and are considering a total career shift, the full-time MBA program provides the first immersive on-campus experience. The most well-known two-year full-time MBA program is provided by the exclusive M7 Management Schools and is most popular in the United States.

Although full-time MBAs come in a variety of formats, the one-year MBA is particularly well-liked in Europe and Asia since it offers an expedited experience and less time away from the workplace. While London Business School offers flexible exit points after 15, 18, or 21 months of study, INSEAD's MBA can be finished in just 10 months.

Part-time MBA

You can work and study while pursuing a part-time MBA, saving you the potential cost of attending a full-time school as well as your salary. Part-time MBA courses frequently combine online and in-person instruction, taking place in the evenings, on weekends, or in flexible modular formats.

Executive MBA

The Executive MBA is a part-time MBA program designed for seasoned executives with more than 10 years of professional experience. Senior leaders are brought together by EMBA programs to upgrade their skills, network, and share knowledge while bringing their work-related projects into the classroom.

Online MBA

The Online MBA is a super-flexible, part-time MBA experience, allowing you to continue working while studying from the comfort of your home. Online MBA programs typically require a residential component (1-2 weeks), although there are an increasing number of 100 percent-online MBA programs. Many online MBAs also allow you to pay per module and plan your own study time. This means durations for online MBA programs can vary, although most take around two years to complete.

MBA specializations

While being a generalist degree, the MBA allows you to specialize in topics that interest you. MBAs with a variety of specialties are available from business schools, including those in entrepreneurship, business analytics, healthcare management, finance, marketing, and human resources. They often combine management-related core MBA courses with a specialty track of classes geared toward your area of interest.

International graduates from STEM MBA schools are eligible to stay and work in the US for up to three years without the need for an H-1B visa. STEM MBA programs in the US provide concentrations that include STEM themes.

You can also pursue dual degrees at most business schools, combining your MBA with a specialized business master’s, or cross-university programs like the JD MBA, offered jointly by law and business schools.

What Is an Online MBA?

Photo: Mint
Photo: Mint

Online MBA programs put a strong emphasis on gaining the information and abilities required for jobs in business, and they are respected and well-known worldwide. Strategic decision-making, fundamentals of corporate management, and big-picture thinking are among topics covered by MBA students.

Accounting, finance, marketing, management, economics, and business law are among the required subjects for an MBA. Business analytics, international trade, entrepreneurship, management information systems, and real estate are a few possible specializations. Before enrolling in an MBA school, students typically get 2 to 5 years of work experience. Graduates typically find employment in consulting, operations, marketing, and finance.

The demanding curriculum of an online MBA is identical to that of its on-campus equivalent; professors merely adapt the course material for online delivery. Technology makes it possible to study anywhere, providing prospective students with a wide range of alluring educational possibilities. A distance-based MBA gives you the chance to attend out-of-state institutions without the cost and trouble of moving, and it gives you greater control over your study schedule.

Even when tuition costs are equal, online MBA programs frequently offer a more affordable option than on-campus programs when taking into account possible savings on expenses like moving, childcare, and transportation. Several universities also provide a hybrid MBA option, which combines online study time with in-person requirements for brief intensives or seminars.

Duke University offers a popular example. Its global executive MBA program combines immersive 1-2-week residencies in selected cities with distance learning.

How Much Do Online MBA Programs Cost?

While tuition costs for MBA programs offered online and on-campus at a particular university are frequently comparable, online programs can provide additional cost-saving advantages such as lower fees, less transportation costs, and the ability to pay in-state tuition regardless of location. Public schools that get state funding are typically less expensive than private ones, however private schools can have more financial aid options. Students should look into all of their internet possibilities to find the most suitable, cheap schools.

The prestige of a school can also affect the cost of your degree. MBAs from Ivy League schools generally come with hefty price tags. The table below shows the wide range of tuition costs for schools in our online MBA database.

What to expect in an online MBA program

What should students expect in a business school?

Prospective students can anticipate participating in weekly discussions on online forums moderated by academics, taking periodic quizzes, writing essays, and working on case studies, presentations, and group projects. Students must invest a lot of time in reading. Textbooks, case studies, internet articles, and research papers are all examples of reading assignments.

With discussion boards, video conferences, and live lectures with chat and question-and-answer opportunities, students can interact with their teachers and fellow students.

Successful learners use their problem-solving, organization, and time management skills while harnessing the rigors of graduate school. An online MBA can be obtained through either an asynchronous or synchronous program.

Asynchronous programs often offer a flexible timetable and the flexibility of submitting assignments at any time before the deadline to full-time working professionals and students with families.

Students who participate in synchronized programs must attend live, in-person classes. Students in some programs might need to meet up on campus for orientation, exams, or graduation.

5 Reasons to Get Your MBA Online

1. Flexibility

You likely balance work and family obligations while thinking about your future if you're thinking about getting an online MBA. Online MBA schedules typically lend themselves well to complex schedules because the majority of these programs combine synchronous (during a set class or project time) and asynchronous learning (work that you can complete whenever it's best for you).

Online MBA students at Northeastern University's D'Amore-McKim School of Management have the choice of doing all of their classes "exclusively online" or finishing a campus-based residency (an intensive one-week course) or an overseas field study residency.

If you need to work full-time, care for a family, or transition from the military into the workforce, the flexibility of online learning may help you juggle adding a degree program to your balls in the air.

2. Affordability

MBAs can provide excellent value in terms of base cost and timetable flexibility for the many aspirational students concerned about tuition expenditures. In general, you may find authorized online MBA programs for as little as $5,000 to $10,000 a year, or you can pay as much as $50,000 a year.

Depending on how much you can afford to spend over time, many programs also allow you to change how many credits you take each semester or how long it takes you to finish the degree. Of course, there are financial benefits to working while you are in school.

3. Access to Innovative Technologies

Online MBA programs are at the forefront of business technology because they deliver a high-quality curriculum directly to their students' computers. For MBA students, online learning has two major benefits:

By tailoring your training experience to your needs and schedule, you'll develop your command of business technology. Online learning is becoming more vibrant and involved than ever because to platforms like ANGEL and Adobe, and most online MBA schools provide thorough tech support to address any issues that may arise.

The Graziadio School of Business at Pepperdine University has its own eLearing Portal called GLEAN (Graziadio Learning Environment and Network) where students can access all the interactive tools at their disposal:

-Google Docs/Drive to share and simultaneously edit files

-Join.Me and Voicethread for realtime online meetings, presentations and feedback sessions

-Yammer to make connections with other students, faculty, staff, and alumni

-Sakai to get course materials, turn in assignments, and see grades and feedback from professors.

Technological fluency is essential to business success today, and an online MBA will immerse you in its language.

4. Diversity

Online MBA programs, by their very design, are adaptable to a wide range of backgrounds and needs, so if it's important to you to learn from a variety of other viewpoints, going online may be a great choice.

At the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University managers at Fortune 500 companies (such as Apple, Boeing, and Cisco) join Air Force pilots and Law School dual degree students in the online classroom. Business is a broad umbrella, and connecting with students of all different ages and stages, career paths, and national origins will make you consider new ideas and reconsider old ones.

5. Global Opportunities

Since online MBA programs have grown in popularity and stature, several of these institutions have prioritized recruiting students from outside, providing opportunities for international business immersion, and even building satellite universities abroad. The chance to interact with other students, instructors, and professionals in immersion international settings can have a significant educational impact even if the trip only lasts a few days, especially when online MBA students rarely encounter their classmates.

MBA@UNC offer four global immersions a year which give online students in the Kegan-Flagler Business School the opportunity to travel to major business centers around the world. In the last year, students have traveled to Mumbai, Johannesburg, and Istanbul. If you want to expand your professional contacts abroad, it may be smart to go online.

Who should opt for an online MBA?

The online MBA option is ideal for working individuals who do not wish to pause their careers in order to pursue further education. The eligibility criteria for enrolling into an online MBA program is:

-Bachelor’s degree awarded by a recognized university, with a CGPA of 3.00 (on a 4.33 scale) or better, and

-Acceptable GMAT or GRE score that has been appeared for in the last five years, or

-Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (BBA) or Commerce (B.Com) or equivalent, or

-At least two years of documented professional or management experience with evidence of career progression and relevant education and/or training.

Best Online MBA Programs - Online Education

Photo:  William Woods University
Photo: William Woods University

1. Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)

The Tepper School of Business is the business school of Carnegie Mellon University. It is located in the university's 140-acre (0.57 km2) campus in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US.

In addition to executive education programs, the school grants undergraduate through doctoral degrees. William Larimer Mellon founded the Graduate School of Industrial Administration (GSIA), which later became known as the Tepper School of Business, in 1949. Following a record-breaking $55 million contribution from alumni David Tepper in March 2004, the school was renamed the "David A. Tepper School of Management at Carnegie Mellon." Herbert A. Simon, Franco Modigliani, Merton Miller, Robert Lucas, Edward Prescott, Finn Kydland, Oliver Williamson, Dale Mortensen, and Lars Peter Hansen are just a few of the economists who have been associated with the school and have won the Nobel Prize in economics.

The private university Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper) has a 12-day application deadline for its online MBA programs. When they first enroll, 96% of students are already employed. The majority of the online courses for these programs have been recorded and stored. Students should also be aware that the Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper) online MBA programs have earned accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the industry's premier accrediting body for business schools.

2. University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler)

Public university University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler) has a rolling deadline for applications to its online MBA programs. When they first enroll, 100% of students are already working. All of the online classes for these programs have been recorded and stored. Students should also be aware that the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's (Kenan-Flagler) online MBA programs have earned the highest level of business school accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

With a flexible, virtual environment, MBA@UNC offers a rigorous MBA experience that is comparable to that given on campus. Students can participate remotely in weekly live classes thanks to cutting-edge technology. The program's variable length (18-36 months) enables students to finish it on their own timetable. In addition, students enrolled in the full-time MBA and EMBA programs at Kenan-Flagler have the option of taking some courses in person. Individual career management plans can also be tailored particularly to meet professional objectives.

3. University of Southern California (Marshall)

The University of Southern California's business school is called the USC Marshall School of Business. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business has accredited it. Following a $35 million gift from alumni Gordon S. Marshall, the institution was renamed in 1997.

The Top Online MBA Programs list places University of Southern California (Marshall) at No. 4 overall out of 293 programs. Schools are rated based on how well they perform against a set of generally recognized measures of quality.

The private university Universidad of Southern California (Marshall) has a continuous deadline for applications to its online MBA programs. 99 percent of pupils are already working before they start school. All of the online classes for these programs have been recorded and stored. Students should also be aware that the University of Southern California's (Marshall) online MBA programs have earned accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the industry's premier accrediting body for business schools.

4. University of Florida (Warrington)

Students can complete the UF MBA Online program from any location without giving up excellent learning opportunities or access to renowned professors. Additionally, the online learning environment is enhanced by co-curricular activities, global immersion opportunities, and experiential learning, which helps students build strong and diverse networks. For assistance with professional preparedness and planning for the next career opportunity, students have access to dedicated career coaches.

In the list of the Top 293 Online MBA Programs, University of Florida (Warrington) is rated No. 5. Schools are rated based on how well they perform against a set of generally recognized measures of quality.

5. Arizona State University (Carey)

The W. P. Carey School of Business is the business school of Arizona State University and is one of the largest business schools in the United States, with over 300 faculty, and more than 1,582 graduate and 15,077 undergraduate students. The school was named for William Polk Carey following his $50 million gift in 2003. In 2020, the W. P. Carey School was ranked 21st in the world for economics and business by Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Academic Ranking of World Universities.

Students take two core courses at once, spending seven and a half weeks fully engaged in each subject before finishing with final exams or projects. The MBA core curriculum is supplemented and enhanced by a variety of elective courses or optional concurrent degree programs. For working professionals, the two start dates (both January and August) offer more flexibility.

The Best Online MBA Programs list places Arizona State University (Carey) at No. 6 out of 293 institutions. Schools are rated based on how well they perform against a set of generally recognized measures of quality.

6. Pennsylvania State University--World Campus

The AACSB-accredited online MBA program at Penn State is intended for working individuals looking to improve in their careers or make a change. The application was created with flexibility and personalization in mind. Students can select the tempo that works best for them and from a wide range of more than 20 concentration alternatives. We are able to mix asynchronous and synchronous learning options for a comprehensive educational experience thanks to our emphasis on integration, collaboration, and participation.

The residence experience at the beginning of the program, our optional Global Immersion experience, and the chance to simultaneously pursue certain professional graduate certificates and concurrent degree choices are all distinguishing features of our curriculum. The Penn State Online MBA is directed by The Smeal College of Management and draws on the knowledge of academics who are recognized authorities in their fields from all throughout the Commonwealth. The program gives students access to a wealth of resources throughout one of the most prestigious universities in the world and links them to the vast and international Penn State alumni network.

7. University of Texas—Dallas

In Richardson, Texas, there is a public research institution known as the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD or UT Dallas). It is also the most northern university in the University of Texas system and the largest public university in the Dallas metro area. It was initially established in 1961 as a separate Texas Instruments research division.

From its founding, the young university has been distinguished for its competitive undergraduate admissions procedures and quick development in research output. Faster than any other university in Texas, the university was designated by the Carnegie Foundation as a doctoral research university with "Highest Research Activity" less than 47 years after it was founded.

The institution includes four Nobel Prize winners on its faculty and members of the National Academies of Science and Engineering. Some of its most well-known research initiatives have been in the fields of space science, bioengineering, cybersecurity, nanotechnology, and behavioral and brain sciences. Around 50 research centers and institutes are located at UT Dallas, which has eight schools and more than 140 academic programs to choose from.

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