Is Online MBA Courses For Real?
Starting today, the new platform to be called will be called Harvard Business School Online. For an Ivy League business school so wary of venturing into the online education space, this rebranding is major. Nitin Nohria, associate dean of Harvard Business School Online, once famously said that the business school wouldn’t enter into the online learning arena until it had overcome its reputation. But, faced with stiff opposition from alumni and current students, he softened his stance and said that if they were already enrolled in the school then they would vote to enroll regardless.
These days, it seems that most of the corporate movers and shakers are taking the plunge into offering online courses, while at the same time holding firm to their belief that brick and mortar institutions are the best options for anyone seeking a degree. But, does this mean that online education offers lesser benefits? That’s a question that several respondents put across. While some said that it’s true that online courses are less comprehensive than their offline counterparts, others went ahead to say that they have enjoyed the same benefits when enrolling in an MBA program online. They cited various benefits such as better exposure to different career options, convenient scheduling, flexibility, and convenience of attending classes at times that suit them.
It is also worth noting that not all business schools have achieved their accreditation. While accreditation isn’t a strict requirement for graduation, it certainly provides a basis for the quality of education being offered. Most of the accredited business schools have earned their accreditation from an accrediting agency of the American Society of Business Administration (ASBA). This group has come out with a list of accredited business schools including Harvard, Mills College, and the University of Michigan.
With respect to the type of business school on which you choose to get your graduate degree, there is no uniform regulation of the different accreditation agencies. While the most popular ones are the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the North American Inter-board Degrees (NAIBD) accreditation agencies, there exist smaller accreditation agencies as well. For instance, Business Management Associates, Inc. is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSACS) while Grand Canyon University is accredited by the Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WACSS). However, not all online MBA programs are affiliated with any of these accreditation bodies.
As far as a career goal is concerned, both online MBA programs and regular business schools have made it easier for working professionals to gain relevant work experience. An online MBA student can opt to go on and get full-time jobs while still undergoing his post-graduate studies at the business schools of his choice. He can do so even if he is not eligible for admission into the MBA program because a part-time MBA student is only expected to attend the class for six months per semester. On the other hand, MBA students who want to continue their education have an excellent opportunity to get a job and gain work experience which will help them make better decisions in the future. In fact, many working professionals who have completed their master’s degrees with an MBA program continue to work in their respective companies even after getting an MBA degree.
If you have chosen to get an online map, you should know that there are many differences between online MBA and regular MBA programs. For starters, there is no standard time frame that is associated with graduation from an online program. You can complete the entire MBA program in two years or more, depending on your choice of school, subject area, and course outline. Furthermore, you will also find that an online MBA degree is not as comprehensive and challenging as the one you would get from a business school campus.
With online programs, you will receive guidance from a faculty member or instructor who is usually an MBA degree holder himself. There are also many self-directed learning packages that you can choose from, like modules that you can buy on your own and modules that require you to take a course set by the institute. Some of these self-directed online programs have personalized lectures and seminars that you can watch over the internet. The cost of these programs depends on the kind of module you opt to learn and whether you take it on your own or through a school institution. However, there are also inexpensive online MBA programs, which do not involve any face-to-face interaction between students and professors.
Once you have earned your MBA, you can decide to continue your studies by taking further courses or on an internship. An MBA course allows you to enhance your skills and knowledge in management and administration, in addition to improving your negotiation, interpersonal, and team skills. These are some of the reasons why people who enroll themselves in business school online programs are more likely to succeed and achieve their goals than those who opt for traditional MBA programs. It also enables you to work while you study, saving both time and money. You can still work, earn a good salary and enjoy your life at the same time.
