Picking the right Online MBA should be the easiest part of your leadership process.
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There are well over 600 Online MBA programs in the U.S. and picking the right one can be overwhelming.
We know. We’ve been there.
You are looking for the right format, curriculum, MBA brand, and price. Let us help.
As your coach, we won’t strive to give you the right answers.
Only you have those.
We want to help you ask the right questions.
What is an online MBA?
An Online MBA is an advanced business program offered via the internet. The curriculum covers the important topics that today’s business leaders need to know.
Core courses include accounting, business analytics, ethics, finance, marketing, leadership, organizational management, business analytics, and more. Online MBA degrees may have as few as 30-credit hours or stretch up to 60 credit hours. Some programs allow students to customize their degree with a specialization, concentration, or certificate. Many online MBA degrees require a capstone project during the final semester prior to graduating.
The MBA is the most identifiable business education a leader can receive. It allows graduates to take the accelerated route to business management. The Online MBA allows students to take this path in the most flexible way possible.
What type of business education could help you get to where you need to go?
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
John F. Kennedy
How is an Online MBA different from a traditional MBA?
The biggest difference between a traditional program and an online program is the format. The advantageous aspect of an online format is flexibility for working professionals. Online MBA students are able to access coursework around their schedule and not have to reconstruct their schedule and responsibilities based on class and travel time.
Beyond the flexible format, online MBA students receive more advantages: a wide choice of programs, access to innovative technologies, and diversity.
Prospective Online MBA students are not restricted to applying to schools only in their near vicinity. They are able to search all over the country to find the program that fits their current and future needs the most.
Online MBA students’ coursework, teamwork, and projects all revolve around the online format. This means that online MBA students not only get to coincide their learning with their experience, but they also get the added benefit of getting hands-on experience with working virtually. Virtual teamwork is different from working face-to-face, and online MBA students get to develop their virtual teamwork and leadership skills on a daily basis.
Scientists have found that diverse business teams work smarter. Online MBA programs allow for classrooms of students hailing from all over the state, country, and world. The classroom will be a collection of driven business professionals from a myriad of sectors, businesses, backgrounds, and ideologies. This adds richness to the classroom discussion that is hard to find elsewhere.
What are your pros and cons of an Online MBA?
Are online MBA programs respected?
The pandemic has shifted our paradigm of online work and study by making it normative. Long gone are the days when online education was frowned upon. Not only do employers and recruiters recognize there are many reasons why a student would pursue an online MBA, they generally see online programs as equal to or better than their on-campus counterparts.
Let’s be honest. The MBA is not a silver bullet in and of itself. Professionals need to couple this powerhouse degree with their experience, network, and interpersonal skills. By pursuing an MBA online, students get to build their education, experience, and network all at the same time. And employers will not even know you earned your MBA online unless you tell them. Diplomas and transcripts look the exact same as your peers who earned their degrees on campus. So, if you point it out, be sure to understand all the advantages that the degree holds.
Between education, experience, and network, where do you have the biggest gap?
Are online MBA programs cheaper?
The affordability of online programs is not a topic to bypass. At first glance, prospective students will quickly realize that you can find online MBA degrees that have tuition rates under $20,000 and over $100,000. But as you dig into researching tuition, there are some universities that will offer lower tuition rates for online MBA students, whether it is waiving out-of-state tuition or lowering or eliminating fees. Additionally, while some MBA programs offered in an online format can have lower tuition rates and fees, students also benefit from little to no traveling costs to get to class. These savings multiply.
How could an online program increase your ROI from an MBA?
Are online MBA programs faster?
Online MBA programs vary in length, so finding a program that matches your timeline is important. Prospective students will find the same varying timeline in on-campus programs and online programs. The difference will be that if students do not live close to a program with their desired timeline, they would have to potentially relocate to attend classes. With online MBA programs, you get to choose from accelerated and flexible longer timelines from schools around the country. More choices give students an advantage. There is no need to settle.
What does it mean to you, knowing that you don’t have to settle for a nearby program?
What are the best online MBA programs?
This may not actually be the most helpful question because it is very subjective. Finding the top Online MBA programs is a fairly nuanced pursuit, because it is full of preferences and priorities. Some Online MBA students are looking for an affordable price, a particular curriculum, or a specific timeline.
So, let’s reframe the question. What is important to you in an Online MBA program? This makes all the difference. There are more Online MBA programs now than ever before. And there are top-notch business schools offering online programs at varying prices, foci, and timelines. So, try and write down your priorities and use rankings and research to help you narrow down your choices.
