The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business launched a new Flex MBA program through the school’s Baltimore, Rockville, and Washington, D.C. locations. Students can complete the curriculum, either online or in-person, in 24 months.
The new Maryland Smith Flex MBA program is designed for students with five to eight years of professional experience. The same faculty as the full-time MBA program will also be delivering the curriculum.
Paulo Prochno, Maryland Smith’s assistant dean for part-time MBA and online programs, spoke more about the program. “Students can select the pace and location that best suits their career goals,” he says. “The looming return to full, in-person classes intensifies the significance for MBA programs to accommodate, at a high level of quality, wide-ranging needs and preferences in terms of learning style and job requirements affecting availability.”
In addition to the core and elective courses, Maryland Smith Flex MBA students will participate in Business Decoded Saturday Seminars led by Maryland Smith professors. “The seminars will showcase the latest research to reveal what’s just on the horizon of business,” Prochno says. “Plus, these sessions also are open to alumni, providing the students with increased networking opportunities.”
Each location offers a different industry focus. In Baltimore, students can choose among General Management, Finance (Investment), and Innovation and Project Management. General Management is the focus for Rockville. And, Washington, D.C.’s primary focus areas are General Management, Finance (Corporate), and Digital Marketing.
The Rady School of Management is best known for its innovative, quantitative, and data-driven curriculum, so much so that the school recently received its STEM designation without having to adjust their curriculum to receive approval. The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics certifications will provide immediate benefits to prospective applicants, most notably international students who can now work and stay in the United States for three years on an H1B visa.
The STEM designation now applies to all the MBA programs in the Rady School of Management, including their Full-Time, FlexEvening, and FlexWeekend MBA. This adds to the existing STEM-designated programs including the MS in Accountancy, MS in Business Analytics, and MS in Finance programs. In addition, Rady is now the first school in San Diego to be STEM-designated according to the executive director for MBA programs, Silvia McCallister-Castillo.
“Most programs only have specific concentrations within their MBA program STEM-designated, however all of Rady’s MBA programs are STEM-designated. Our program was already analytical and data-driven, so we did not need to change our curriculum like most schools. Hiring managers have known students in our programs excel in an analytical and data-driven curriculum and the STEM designation confirms our excellence,” says McCallister-Castillo.
International applicants will receive the biggest benefits of the STEM designation for the Rady School of Management. McCallister-Castillo adds, “Before the STEM designation, international students who were on an F1 visa were eligible for Optional Practical Training, which allows students to stay and work in the United States for 12 months. With the STEM designation, students can now obtain an extension to work and stay in the United States for an additional 24 months. Rady MBA students now can take advantage of the 24-month extension, opening more career options.”
The STEM designation also strengthens Rady’s appeal for domestic applicants, such as programmers or scientists who want to gain business or management experience to complement their technical skills. In addition, students with more general undergraduate backgrounds like English or humanities can develop their quantitative or analytical background while gaining the skills to communicate or apply logic to become a more well-rounded employee. “We work closely with our Employer Advisory Board, and the biggest feedback hiring managers are looking for are employees who can do many things, learn new things and are keen to keep learning. We do this very well at Rady, training our students on developing these skills through our curriculum and our faculty working closely with them” says McCallister-Castillo.
The Princeton Review— the education services company known for its test prep, tutoring, and college and grad school rankings—recently released its ranking lists of Best Business Schools for 2021. The Princeton Review also ranked the top 50 Online MBA programs for 2021. Applicants are encouraged to use these rankings as a resource as you navigate the admissions process.
How were the Princeton Review 2021 Online MBA Rankings determined?
According to their press release, The Princeton Review tallied their list of the top 50 online MBA schools for 2021 based on its 2019-20 survey of administrators at more than 125 business schools (at which a majority of their program was online) offering online MBAs. The company also factored in data from its survey in 2019–2020 of more than 6,000 students enrolled in the online MBA programs. More than 60 data points were weighted to determine the list and rankings. The criteria focused on five core areas: academics, selectivity, faculty, technical platforms, and career outcomes.
The Princeton Review’s list of Top 50 Online MBA Programs incorporates student opinions that were collected through their online MBA student survey and institutional data reported to them by administrators at the business schools.
How were The Princeton Review’s Surveys Developed and Conducted?
The Princeton Review developed the surveys with the assistance of an advisory board formed for the rankings project in 2014. Advisory board members included faculty and administrators at top institutions offering online MBA programs. The survey for school administrators, which evaluated more than 30 fields, covers admissions selectivity, graduation and retention rates, faculty training and credentials, technological infrastructure, student indebtedness, and career outcomes among other items.
The survey for students, which also evaluates more than 30 unique fields, allows students to rate their faculty, their fellow students, career preparation, academics, the technology platform, and overall satisfaction with their programs.
The online MBA rankings were developed through a survey online using their online survey tool. They promoted students’ participation in their student surveys in various ways over a school year. They also work with administrators at the schools requested that they send an e-mail encouraging their MBA students to participate in our survey.
Kelley Direct is Top-Ranked Program
The Kelley School of Business Online MBA – Kelley Direct, was ranked the top program for the 2021 online Princeton Review online MBA rankings. Kelley continues to be the top-ranked program throughout many major publications over the past few years.
“We are thrilled by our recent No. 1 rankings from both The Princeton Review and Poet & Quants,” said Will Geoghegan, interim chair of Kelley Direct and clinical assistant professor of management and entrepreneurship. “As a leader in online education, we aren’t surprised that our faculty and high-quality teaching experience are being recognized yet again as the best in the field.
“Our recent curriculum revamp was built upon a foundation of innovation in the online space, providing our students with a stellar MBA experience that happens to be delivered online,” Geoghegan added. “Our signature integrated core coursework has opened up additional teaching avenues and synergies among our faculty, leading to more opportunities for engagement and networking for students and allows them to be more specialized within seven major options.
“The learning that takes place in Kelley Direct courses engages, challenges and elevates in a way that few other programs can replicate. Our students are high performers — professionals who bring a wealth of experience to our virtual community,” he added. “They appreciate that they are within a school committed to their advancement, which provides includes life-long access to career services with one-on-one career coaches who help guide their professional development. We also imbue in our students a commitment to enrich their organizations and communities as well as do good through ethical and sustainable business practices.
“When you put that all together, we believe we have found the recipe for success that enables us to hold onto our No. 1 rankings.”
Other Notable Highlights in the Princeton Review 2021 Online MBA Rankings
Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business, located in the Bay Area of California, earned the 14th spot on the annual rankings from The Princeton Review. Compared to last year’s No. 25 ranking, SCU jumps 11 spots to land within the top 15 programs on the education services company’s Top 50 Online MBA Programs for 2021 list. “Rankings are a great guide for schools to apply to, but visiting them (online and in-person) to get a sense of the community and curriculum is also important, said Toby McChesney, Sr. Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs at the Leavey School of Business. “We are pleased with our recent jump in rankings and this illustrates our strong admissions numbers, student satisfaction, and career numbers in terms of promotions and pivoting their jobs”, he added.
For the fifth consecutive year, the Jack Welch Management Institute (JWMI) has been recognized by The Princeton Review’s list of top 50 online MBA programs, advancing to #15 for 2021. This marks JWMI’s highest ranking yet, with the Institute moving up in rank each year.
The Princeton Review placed the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business at West Texas A&M University at No. 22 of its top 50 online MBA programs in the world for 2021. This is the third consecutive year the MBA program has earned a Top 25 ranking by The Princeton Review; last year, WT ranked No. 23.
Cox School of Business Online MBA Program Structure
The MBA Direct program at the SMU Cox School of Business is a 33-month (53 credit) program designed for working professionals who have three or fewer years of work experience – including graduating seniors who have accepted a full-time job offer. Classes for this program are held in the evenings to accommodate the busy schedules of working professionals.
Curriculum
The SMU Cox MBA Direct program is an eight-semester program. Students complete the first five semesters in a lock-step, cohort model, taking live courses twice per week (90 minutes each) to allow for meaningful interactions with faculty and classmates. In the final three semesters, students select electives with the option to take courses online or on campus. Experiential learning is integrated into each course allowing students to put their learning into practice.
Through eight 14-week semesters, students will cover critical business topics that prepare them to lead in a constantly changing world. The electives in the final three semesters give students the ability to customize their degree to fit their own area of interest.
As part of the MBA Direct program, students will participate in one in-person immersion during their seventh semester of the program. The immersion includes four days of engagement with corporate executives, faculty, and student peers. Students will explore and apply leadership skills and analytical knowledge as they lead real-world consulting projects managed in the local market.
Class Profile
There are currently 37 students enrolled in the Cox MBA Direct program, with 57% female students, while 49% are minority students. The average age of enrolled students is 23 years old, and students average 14 months of work experience before joining the program. Students also average a 3.2 undergraduate GPA.
Tuition, Scholarships, and Financial Aid for the Cox MBA Direct
Tuition for the Cox MBA Direct program is$1,762 per credit hour. Over the course of 53 credits, that total comes to $93,386.
The Cox School accepts all forms of financial aid: scholarships, private loans, grants, and veterans benefit programs. Cox participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which provides funding for veterans. The Admissions and Financial Aid representatives at the school are available to help students to move through the process of securing all necessary funding to attend the Cox MBA Direct program.
Admissions
In order to apply to the Cox MBA Direct program, applicants must submit the application forms found in the online application, provide a copy of their professional résumé, complete three short essays (topics available online), submit GMAT or GRE scores (optional for 2021 applicants), provide copies of degreed undergraduate transcripts and provide two professional references (names and contact information only). The MBA Direct program was designed for early-career professionals with less than three years of work experience, therefore no work experience is required.
2020-2021 Cox MBA Direct Deadlines for Fall 2021 Entry
Working professionals are facing a challenging time with the impact of COVID-19 on today’s employment landscape. In our latest installment of the MetroMBA “5 Questions” series, we speak with Jillian Melton, the Director of Admissions for the Working Professional MBA at the Cox School of Business to learn more about their program offerings for working professionals.
How does the SMU Cox School of Business programs differentiate from other offerings in the Graduate Management Education space?
“SMU Cox is a top-ranked business school in Dallas, TX with multiple degree paths for working professionals, whether early in their careers or in senior leadership roles, to earn an MBA without leaving the workforce. SMU Cox recently launched the NextGen Cox Curriculum anchored in three pillars essential to ensuring students are well-prepared for their future careers: Leadership, Analytics, and Experiential Learning. Students not only gain technical business skills through the rigorous core curriculum, but they also develop highly sought-after leadership and analytical skills through experiential learning projects in which students consult for organizations around the world.
Outside of the classroom, students have full access to the Career Management Center for career coaching and job placement opportunities with hundreds of top hiring companies, in addition to mentorship programs and, for more experienced students, executive coaching. To further deepen business knowledge and leadership skills, students participate in seminars through the Cox School’s Business Leadership Center or one of our 25 student-run clubs and organizations.
The Cox School offers four MBA programs for working professionals: 1. The Professional MBA program offers flexible options for working professionals to earn their MBA with a concentration in one of 11 areas. With over 170 electives in areas such as finance, real estate, marketing, business analytics, and operations, students are able to determine which courses to focus on to best accelerate their career.
2. The Online MBA program offers the same rigor as our on-campus MBA programs, with the flexibility for students to attend classes from wherever they are. Live class sessions are held weekly, and average class size is between 15-20 students to ensure robust discussions and teamwork. Students also participate in two global 4-day immersions to gain hands-on experience during a real-time consulting engagement.
3. The MBA Direct program is designed for early career professionals with less than three years of work experience. This part-time program begins online and offers students the option of taking electives on-campus or online later in the program.
4. The Executive MBA is designed for experienced professionals to build on previous management experience through collaboration with peers in order to hone management expertise across industries and disciplines. Classes are held every other weekend, and the program includes a 10-day global consulting trip.
What is the typical profile of a student who would benefit most from the Cox School of Business MBA programs and what characteristics are your admissions team looking for?
SMU Cox is looking for students who are passionate about growing their knowledge, skills, and careers through an MBA. We are also looking for students who will contribute to the overall SMU Cox community as both students and future alumni. The curriculum is anchored in three pillars: leadership, analytics, and experiential learning. Successful candidates will have demonstrated leadership experience and abilities, are intellectually curious, and are eager to learn through hands-on work solving big, complex, and ambiguous problems. Throughout the admissions process, the SMU Cox Admissions Team wants to get to know applicants to better understand past experiences, but also how an MBA fits into an applicant’s career goals. We take a very personalized approach and fully consider the entire application prior to making an admissions decision.
What types of financial aid are available to students?
SMU Cox automatically reviews all applicants for merit-based scholarship – there are no additional steps applicants need to take in order to be considered. Merit-based scholarship awards range from $1,000 up to $15,000. Additionally, we encourage all applicants to discuss with their employers what tuition assistance programs may exist, whether formal or informal. Finally, all students should apply for financial aid to help cover the cost of tuition. The process is simple and all students, regardless of need, are eligible to apply.
How does the Cox School of Business assist in finding job opportunities and how does your program enhance a student’s profile as a job applicant?
When students join SMU Cox as an MBA student, they immediately have support from the Career Management Center not only as a student but for the rest of their career as an alumnus of the program. Each student has a dedicated Career Coach who works with them during the program on their custom job search and career development plan. Students in the Professional MBA, Online MBA, and MBA Direct programs take the Managing Your Career course which covers topics such as search strategy, resume and cover letter writing, networking, elevator pitch, interview techniques, and salary negotiation. This course is designed for students to be ready to participate in all on-campus recruiting activities. Executive MBA students work with assigned career coaches for executive coaching and a plan tailored to students’ unique career goals and needs. Additional programming through the Career Management Center includes skills workshops needed for landing a job in specific industries such as consulting, CPG, or investment banking; industry roundtable nights for learning about and networking in different industries; the Associate Board Mentorship program; and career treks to visit top companies in different cities.
Each year, hundreds of companies recruit for MBA hires on campus at SMU Cox, and all students are encouraged to fully utilize these opportunities and resources. Some of the top hiring companies include JP Morgan Chase, PepsiCo, Amazon, American Airlines, PWC, AT&T, CBRE, and EY. At SMU Cox, the majority of our Working Professional MBA students are looking to make a career change whether that be industry, function, or company. One hundred percent of our students want to grow and accelerate their careers with their MBA, and the Career Management Center is poised to help all of them achieve their goals.
What is one insider tip you can provide prospective applicants about applying to the Cox School of Business?
Get to know the admissions staff! Throughout the process, we want to get to know applicants and also share why SMU Cox is such a fantastic school to study business. Attending events, emailing or calling us, or setting up a 1:1 office hour appointment is a great way to learn more about the Working Professional MBA programs and also showcase interest in the program.
Bonus Questions
Although many schools are providing remote or hybrid learning, we asked Jill about the best locations for students once classes are fully back to campus:
What is one restaurant every student must visit and why?
Bubba’s is an SMU institution serving southern comfort food breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a diner atmosphere. The fried chicken is some of the best in Dallas, but I love the biscuits most!
Where is the best cup of coffee on campus?
Herb’s House Coffee is just off campus and is a must-stop for Working Professional MBA students looking for a great cup of coffee and a good meeting space for small group projects. They even have conference rooms for rent if you need a more structured work space. I recommend the Lavender Latte.
What is the best ‘hidden secret’ on campus?
The Native Texas Park behind the George W. Bush Presidential Center, located on SMU’s campus and within easy walking distance of the Cox School, is a best-kept “hidden secret.” SMU is fortunate to be home to the Bush Presidential Center, including the Presidential Library and Museum. One of the most overlooked parts is the 15-acre urban oasis outside the Center where visitors can walk through native Texas environments, including the much-loved Bluebonnets each spring.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge for which Imperial College Business School was ready. The infrastructure necessary to deliver a meaningful MBA program remotely already existed at the school in The Hub, Imperial’s portal for online learning. Implementing their multi-mode delivery system has enabled the school to give students and professors a flexible, effective learning experience, whether in a socially distanced classroom or off-campus.
Imperial College is ranked among the world’s top universities by Times Higher Education and QS, which also ranks the Imperial College Business School’s Global Online MBA second in the world. The Financial Times ranks the Full-Time MBA program 9th in the world for entrepreneurship, which is unsurprising considering the innovative development of The Hub.
The Hub is a proprietary learning platform designed to deliver content to students in online programs. It was developed by Imperial College Business School’s Edtech Lab, a digital learning and education group established in 2005 to research, develop, and deliver education technology and innovate pedagogy to make the most effective use of technology in the classroom. It is being marketed to other institutions worldwide through Insendi, its commercial spin-off launched in 2017.
Of Imperial’s 17 programs, 14 are conventional, and three are online. The Full-Time MBA program hosts 56 students this semester. The Global Online MBA Program (GMBA) enrolls about 200 students. Imperial also offers a Weekend MBA program that typically enrolls 100 students and an Executive MBA “boutique” program with a smaller cohort size.
How the Hub Works
Markus Perkmann, the Academic Director of the Imperial MBA and the Imperial Enterprise Lab, noted that this year the school’s Global Online MBA enrolled a record number of students. “We have a very successful online MBA which has experienced an extreme upturn in terms of interest and applications. In the market for MBAs, what we have seen is a lot of students switching to the pure online mode and do the Global Online MBA…and then you have a segment of students who don’t want to do an online degree,” Perkmann said. “They do an MBA because they want to want to be in class. They wouldn’t be attracted to doing an online degree, and it’s for those people that we are doing the multi-mode teaching.”
As the pandemic shut down Britain and much of the world in the spring of 2020, Imperial moved all classes online. As more information about COVID-19 came in and experts tried to determine what course the virus would take, the decision was made between May and June for the business school to implement their multi-mode model for the coming semester. The school wanted a solution that would ensure both remote and physically present students could participate equally in class discussions and interact with professors.
The Hub’s primary purpose is as the infrastructure for the online programs, Global Online MBA, MSc Business Analytics (online, part-time) and MSc Strategic Marketing (online, part-time), but it has now been re-deployed to allow the school to adapt its conventional programs to pandemic conditions. The Executive MBA program is a blend of online tools and on-campus learning and so classes convening in August were ideal for early tests of the model’s effectiveness. On-campus sessions take place every four weeks on Fridays and Saturdays, and are designed to seamlessly combine campus-based modules with The Hub platform, enabling students in this program to continue working full-time while earning their degree.
The classrooms were augmented with multiple screens, cameras, and microphones. Zoom is imbedded in The Hub platform for students to connect to the lecture. The school created a new position key to the multi-mode delivery system’s effectiveness: the co-pilot. The co-pilot is an assistant to the professor in the lecture theater, monitoring the online student activity and collecting questions fielded in the chat, occasionally interrupting the lesson so the lecturer can address student questions and comments.
Because in-class lectures are still taking place on campus, the school had to implement policies to reduce capacity and control traffic flow for the benefit of social distancing. Larger classes are divided into sections that are about a third of the regular class size to rotate classroom time. Students, staff, and faculty must wear masks, and plastic shields separate the lecturer from the students. Lectures have been shortened by a half-hour to make time for cleaning.
Student and faculty feedback has honed the multi-mode experience. Screens have been moved closer to the lecturer so they can see the students in the class who are present via Zoom. More microphones and more camera angles present a more interactive environment and realistic feel for remote learners. “Its new, it’s obviously something that hasn’t been done at scale before and so in response to students comments as well as professor’s feedback, we are constantly improving the experience,” Perkmann said. “One of the things that you need to make sure is that people can see the whiteboard; that’s a big one. And we are looking into a solution where the content of what’s written on the whiteboard is electronically captured by a device and can be projected onto a separate screen rather than being captured by the camera.”
Perkmann pointed to the flexibility that The Hub builds in to the school’s programs. With the ability to run live sessions for the online programs, they could potentially be run as multi-modal, giving students more options. It could also change the way that the more than 50 electives offered to MBA students are delivered, making them available to everyone both in-person and remote.
The Student Experience
Ronnie Johnson, Full-Time MBA Class of 2021, was an infantry officer in the US Army before enrolling at Imperial College Business School. As he describes it, “I had many concerns going back to school in a pandemic, especially since it would have been very easy to stay in a secure job like the military. While I was somewhat concerned about the actual program delivery, I knew Imperial had some very smart people working on that issue, so I knew it would be fine.”
When Johnson began his studies this fall, many pubs and restaurants were open on a limited basis, and public socializing was permitted in small groups. As a result, he had an opportunity to meet with many of his classmates on an almost routine basis before a second lockdown.
Johnson has found it easy to adapt. “Overall, I haven’t had to make any changes to my study techniques or learning strategy. I find the hybrid delivery at Imperial very organized and engaging, and that’s what helps me absorb information.” He is optimistic about university, even under current circumstances. “I think there is no better place to be right now than university. I saw abundant opportunity in going back to school in these times, opportunity that far outweighed any downside, and I think Imperial is proving that correct.”
Olivia Xu was looking to pivot away from the technical roles she had in her career by pursuing an MBA she could use to further her long-term interests in sustainability and retail. The inability to interact with her classmates on a face-to-face basis was a concern for her. “For a lot of students in the program, we would be moving countries to attend Imperial, and it wouldn’t have made sense for us to move all this way to take classes from our bedrooms,” Xu said. “So far, I’m really happy I decided to attend this year instead of deferring; the school has gone to tremendous effort to make sure students are getting in-person teaching but safely.”
Imperial is one of the universities that play a large role in forming COVID policy in Britain. The laboratory facilities of the Imperial College Faculty of Medicine enabled the college to establish a rigorous testing program and track and trace system, and enact proven health and safety protocols quickly.
Like many workers and students, Xu had to adapt to working and learning at home, but was able to do so with relative ease. “In transitioning from working in an office to working from home, I’ve learned to make space and set boundaries in the home to separate schoolwork from home life,” she said. “I didn’t feel that the transition was that difficult because all of us in the cohort were in the workforce for at least the past three years, so we’re all approaching studying with fresh eyes and months of pandemic life behind us.”
Ready for What’s Ahead
In the event that lockdown policies prevent university classes from meeting in-person, Imperial is ready with a program delivery system that has been tuned to make distance-learning just as engaging and interactive as being in the classroom.
For students like Olivia Xu and Ronnie Johnson, their program is reinforcing the flexibility and innovation necessary for success in the global marketplace. MBA programs are designed to challenge, but also to build strengths and foster connections. Imperial College Business School has been able to maintain the integrity of their program through conditions that attack the very foundations it builds upon.
The process of earning an MBA is an exciting and often transformational time in someone’s life—and for some people, the faster you can get through it, the better.
The benefits of earning an MBA, such as increased post-graduate salary, career advancement potentials, and development of a strong business network, remain true regardless of how long it takes to complete your degree program. Completing your degree quickly just means reaping the benefits faster, while limiting the amount of time without an income.
MBA graduates are a diverse group—not only are they rising business leaders, but they are also parents, community organizers, and working professionals. With so many different types of MBA programs available, such as Online or Accelerated MBAs, students can choose the best program for their busy life and time constraints.
How Fast Can You Earn an MBA?
The average time it takes to complete your MBA can vary depending on the school, program, and type of degree. We’ve rounded up the most important information regarding the average program length and schedule for a variety of MBA programs throughout and beyond the United States.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Full-Time MBA?
With so many options to truncate the amount of time it takes to complete an MBA, it may seem strange that someone would still choose to pursue a full-time degree. Nevertheless, there are still numerous benefits to pursuing your MBA full time. Among these benefits is the increased opportunity for full-time students to get fully involved in the goings on of their university and business school. From student organizations to case competitions to hands-on experiences, full-time students have committed their full schedule to their business education and most certainly reap the benefits when it comes to skills and network development. Furthermore, taking time off of work to pursue your degree full-time leaves you open for more opportunities- such as traveling for study abroad, business plan competitions or corporate visits- that likely wouldn’t be possible for someone working while they’re in school.
The average full-time MBA degree today typically require around 30-60 credit hours, with variation depending on the program. With the typical course load asking students to take three courses (nine credits) per semester, the average full-time MBA can be expected to be completed in two full years. Most full-time programs begin in August or September and take four semesters for students to complete their required work, earning their degree by May or June of the second year.
Since the number of credits required by a particular program can vary, some full-time MBAs may be able to be completed faster than two years. Whereas programs like the full-time MBA at NYU’s Stern School of Business takes two years and requires 60 credits, a program like the full-time MBA at McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business can be completed in as few as 16 months.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Part-Time MBA?
A part-time MBA is the perfect option for someone who doesn’t want to put their career on hold while they earn a degree. With a flexible and often self-paced schedule, students are able to complete their degree in a time frame that works best for them, with classes typically offered at night or on the weekends.
While the benefits of a flexible schedule are enormous, one downside is that taking less courses each semester will ultimately extend the amount of time it takes to complete your degree. Typically, students pursuing their MBA part-time will earn their degree in three years, but this can vary significantly—not just depending on the program, but the person! For example, the top part-time MBA program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management can take anywhere from 1.25 to five years to complete.
It’s right there in the name—the Accelerated MBA is all about earning a quality business education quickly and jumping right back into work. Most accelerated MBA programs can be completed in just twelve months if pursued full-time, or twenty-four months on a part-time schedule.
Of course, completing a degree in this length of time takes an impressive commitment. Unlike other programs that have winter and summer breaks between the semesters, many Accelerated MBA programs have shortened vacation periods and will require students to continue working throughout the summer.
Not every school offers a One Year or Accelerated MBA options, but those that do take these programs seriously and ensure that the same quality education received in a full-time degree program can be provided to students in just one year. Programs like the One Year MBA at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School boast impressive statistics, such as a 5:1 student to faculty ratio and a 93 percent success rate for graduates receiving employment within three months of completing their degree.
Is An Online MBA a Faster Option?
The world of Online MBAs is a diverse one with a wide array of options to choose from. Really, the only commonality between all online programs is where the classes take place—online! These programs provide for maximum flexibility where students can pursue their education from the comfort of their own homes—or wherever the world may take them.
Online MBAs come in all shapes and sizes, but typically require an average of around 30 credit hours. Depending on the university schedule, this can take up to two years to complete. At Temple University’s Fox School of Business, for example, the Online MBA program can be completed in 20 months, and includes a one week long opening residency. Some schools may also offer their part-time or Accelerated MBA programs in an online format. At the Kogod School of Business at American University, their AACSB-accredited online MBA involves 48 total credits but can be completed in just one year.
What About an Executive MBA?
The Executive MBA is a program designed for professionals with several years of work experience under the belt, who are looking for an MBA education to enrich their professional experience and open new career opportunities. Since this degree is targeted towards working professionals, it is typically structured so that students can keep working full-time, taking classes in the evenings and weekends.
On average, Executive MBA programs will take up to two years to complete, though this is typically a very part-time schedule. One of the top ranked EMBA programs in the country is the Executive MBA at Fordham University Gabelli School of Business, which can be completed in 22 months by attending class for one three-day weekend per month.
From your first day of classes to graduation, a world-class business education is typically no more than two years away. However, the flexibility of many programs put the power in the student’s hands: important factors like your schedule, finances, and the impact of taking time off of work should all factor into your decision about what type of MBA to pursue.
2020 is certain to stand out as a year when issues surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion consumed the country — and the Syracuse University Campus was no exception. In a proactive effort, The Whitman School recently announced its commitment to being a leader among the top business schools to “produce ideas that help businesses unlock the power of diversity in driving innovation and produce leaders able to recognize and address inequities in organizations or markets,” according to Dean Gene Anderson.
“Our world faces extraordinary challenges, and we can’t afford to leave any talent on the sidelines,” he said in a recent announcement to the Whitman community. “The best business schools will foster inclusive learning communities that embrace all of their members and prepare students to lead in today’s increasingly diverse and interconnected economy.”
While diversity, equity, and inclusion have been a priority in the most recent strategic plan established in 2017, the Whitman School made the decision this June to fast track its Future Now initiatives in light of recent events. In October, Anderson recently outlined specific actionable items that include:
Doubling financial and scholarship support for students from underrepresented groups
Providing mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion training sessions for all matriculating students
Expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion co-curricular programming to all students through the IMPRESS program
Expanding opportunities for students and faculty to collaborate with community partners working with underserved populations in the community, particularly those offered by the South Side Innovation Center (SSIC) and the Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (WISE) Business Center
Requiring workshops and training for faculty and staff that include topics such as unconscious bias and inclusive communication
Continuing the One Whitman Talks series for faculty and staff with topics that include classroom microaggressions, and engaging in anti-racism and allyship
Implementing and monitoring the university’s new faculty hiring guidelines to increase the success rate of diverse hires
Creating virtual forums and mentor-mentee opportunities for underrepresented alumni and students
Initiating four Inclusion Student Leader Internships through Whitman’s executive director of institutional culture, Diane Crawford
Offering a second $100,000 round of diversity and inclusion research grants for topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in management, organizations, and markets; and
Launching additional fundraising initiatives in order to support and expand on the efforts set forth above.
Of the utmost priority is DiversityEdu, a series of asynchronous learning modules for faculty and staff that focuses on building inclusion skills. The Whitman School has taken the initiative to pilot this initiative now before it becomes a university-wide requirement.
According to Anderson, all of these efforts will not only help the Whitman School continue to lead but also further an atmosphere where “everyone feels valued and has the opportunity to add value.”
Recent Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Efforts Reflect School’s Commitment
Throughout the summer and fall semester, the Whitman School has not only continued to prioritize its commitment to critical issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion but has specifically upped its game through several initiatives meant to educate its students, faculty and staff, while also opening up greater opportunities to support a more diverse campus.
NBMBAA Partnership Includes Full-Tuition Scholarship
The Whitman School continues its partnership with the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA), a professional organization that works with MBA students and undergraduates. Current plans include working closely with the New York City Chapter of the organization, further recruitment efforts, additional mentoring and professional development opportunities, and the continuation of an annual full-tuition scholarship awarded to an African American student pursuing an MBA at the Whitman School.
The Whitman School is especially proud to offer the full-tuition scholarship each year, as it continues to pursue ways to make its MBA program available to a more diverse body of applicants. In 2019, Amara Moss ‘21 was the first MBA student to receive the award, and the 2020 recipient is Nneka Akukwe ‘22. Applications for the 2021 scholarship are still being accepted.
Working closely with the New York City chapter of NBMBAA is a logical choice, given that that the city is home to many Whitman and Syracuse University alumni.
“The New York City chapter is very progressive,” says Diane Crawford, executive director of institutional culture at the Whitman School. “A lot of its members work for NASDAQ and some of the top ‘Big Four’ accounting firms, so this organization provides mentorships and professional development for persons of color pursuing an MBA or any master’s degree.”
The collaboration will also include greater representation at NBMBAA career fairs in an effort to recruit more diverse applicants to the Whitman School’s program. Most recently, the Whitman School’s graduate recruiting team participated in the NBMBAA’s 2020 virtual career fair in September.
“Our involvement with NBMBAA provides recruiting opportunities and outreach to diverse populations, specifically at the graduate level,” Crawford says, adding that the relationship also provides mentorship and professional development for current African American students in both the management and MBA programs.
At the end of the spring 2020 semester, Crawford took part in an information session with members of the NBMBAA, as well as some Whitman School undergraduate and online MBA students. During this event, 16 free annual NBMBAA memberships were offered by the Whitman School to online MBA students and another four went to undergraduates, giving the recipients greater access to the NBMBAA’s many resources.
The Whitman School is also working with the NBMBAA’s Leaders of Tomorrow program, which focuses on preparing high school students for careers in business management. In the spring, the Whitman School showed its commitment by providing laptops to 10 graduating high school seniors from the New York City chapter who planned to attend college and study business and/or management. More efforts to work directly with current high school students are in the works, as well, including campus visits. This fall, 30 New York City high school students planned to come to the Whitman School but, due to the pandemic, visit had to be turned into a virtual event.
“Despite this year’s challenges, The Leaders of Tomorrow program is going to be a great pipeline for us to get students of color to the Whitman campus,” Crawford says.
To learn more about the MBA program at the Whitman School, including the annual NBMBAA scholarship, contact Chris Wszalek, executive director, graduate admissions and student recruitment, at cwszalek@syr.edu.
Faculty/Staff: One Whitman Talks
Another on-going diversity and inclusion-focused initiative is One Whitman Talks, a ten-week forum, held on consecutive Fridays for faculty and staff, that focuses on inclusive learning and leadership. Recent sessions included “The Chinese Virus: Why Anti-Asian Racism Is so Contagious,” presented by guest speaker Jonathan Wang, center director for Asian Pacific American Student Services at the University of Southern California, who addressed the need to support Asian college students, particularly during the pandemic; and “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” a session that discussed how such privilege is usually invisible to those who have it.
“It opened my eyes to the advantages a white person has just by the virtue of being white,” said participant Patricia Morgan, executive assistant in the Dean’s Office. “I believe this is a very important conversation we must all ponder, as we continue discussing cultural diversity and inclusion.”
Students, too, have had the opportunity to take a deeper dive into diversity and inclusion. This fall, the Whitman School began One Whitman Talks: Safe Spaces, a series of presentations designed to resonate specifically with students and cover key topics like white privilege and understanding and managing implicit biases. Students also had the opportunity to attend a Stop the Bias session, which helped to educate participants on what bias is, how to recognize it, and how to best be an ally to others.
In October, Dean Gene Anderson committed to continuing the One Whitman Talks series into the foreseeable future.
Addressing the Needs of the International Population
Another initiative is attempting to further diversity and inclusion efforts related to the University’s large international population. The Whitman School is working on a task team to help improve engagement with international students by looking for ways to join with corporate partners to provide these students with more opportunities for work experience in the U.S.
“Our international students are being excluded from internships and opportunities for full-time hire because of their status. That’s not likely to change, and we don’t have control over that,” says Crawford. “So, we need to be innovative in how we can develop programs and corporate partnerships that use and develop their skills in the short term.”
Crawford recently took on several student interns in the Dean’s Office, including one international student. According to Crawford, they are inclusion leaders assisting with programming, as well as educating the community through demographic and population statistics. All of the interns were selected from traditionally underrepresented groups based on their “passion for inclusion, leadership, and diversity.”
Warwick Business School Distance Learning MBA Program Structure
The Warwick Distance Learning MBA consists of eight required modules, a choice of four electives, and a dissertation. Each of the 12 modules takes approximately 100 hours, which includes a minimum of 27 hours of structured teaching. The remainder of the program is made up of guided online study and independent self-study. Students have up to four years to complete your MBA, but it is recommended to complete in two years.
The program also requires two residential weeks, which will be on campus at Warwick or at WBS London, depending on the program. You will also meet with WBS faculty who specialize in a wide range of business and management areas. In addition, you will participate in case studies, group work, assessment briefings, networking, careers, and study skills sessions. Included in your tuition fee is one optional face-to-face elective mode, with teaching typically taking place over four or five days. There are other models available at an additional cost. All students complete their program with a final dissertation.
Curriculum
The eight required modules are taught online and during your residential weeks. Your required modules will be taught through a combination
of bespoke authored text, lectures, seminars, plus group, and networking activities. For assessed group work, you will work in teams to investigate an aspect of a module in the real-world and co-create an assessed piece of work on the day. As well as undertaking eight required modules you will have the opportunity to select four electives. These may be studied online, or face-to-face at the Warwick campus or WBS London. Required modules include Accounting & Financial Management, Economics of Business of Environment, Innovation & Creativity in Organizations, Leadership, Marketing, Organizational Behavior, Operations Management, and Strategic Advantage.
There are also numerous electives available including, Corporate Finance, Economics of Wellbeing, Entrepreneurship & New Venture Creation, Management of Change, Management Accounting, Modeling & Analytics for Management, Human Resource Management, International Business, Mergers & Acquisitions, Strategic Marketing, and Strategy & Practice. As part of Warwick’s electives, they also offer modules at international locations. These change from year to year, but they are currently offered in China, India, and Mexico. In addition, topic-specific modules are located in Canada, Finland, France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.
Warwick Distance Learning MBA Rankings
The Warwick Distance Learning MBA is ranked first in the world by The Economist, 2020.
Class Profile
According to the 2020 Warwick class profile, the average age of a Warwick Distance Learning students is 37 years of age. Students also have an average of 6-15 years of work experience. There are 63 countries represented with 28% of the class being female. The top pre-employment MBA industry for Warwick Full-time MBA students is Financial Services, Technology, Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Energy.
According to the 2020 London class profile, the average age of a Warwick Distance Learning students is 36 years of age. Students also have an average of 6-15 years of work experience. There are 23 countries represented with 39% of the class being female. The top pre-employment MBA industry for Warwick Full-time MBA students is Financial Services, Technology, Consulting, Healthcare, and Energy.
Tuition, Scholarships, and Financial Aid at the Warwick Distance Learning MBA
The tuition for the Warwick Distance Learning MBA for 2021 entry is $44,550, which includes registration, tuition, examination, graduation, some study materials, flights, visas, and accommodations. To secure your placement you must submit your deposit within four weeks of receiving your offer. The tuition cost does not include residential accommodation, meals, travel – including to overseas modules and placements, graduation robes and photographs, and PIM exchange – including travel, accommodation, subsistence, and registration fee.
Please note that the Distance Learning MBA is not eligible for the Postgraduate loan through Student Finance.
Future Finance
Future Finance offers smart, flexible loans to help you reach your potential, when government student loans and scholarships are not enough. Further details of eligibility requirements, interest rates and other key terms of the loan are available by visiting the Future Finance website. Please note that other sources of funding may be available.
Admissions
The Warwick Distance Learning MBA requires you to have at least four years of managerial work experience. In addition, you must have upper second class honors at undergraduate level from a UK university or the equivalent from an overseas university. Warwick also welcomes applications from candidates who do not have the academic qualifications but are exceptional, with a proven ability to achieve. All of our programs are delivered in English, so if English is not your first language, you have not graduated from an English speaking university, or not worked in an English-speaking environment for at least two years, you must demonstrate a minimum overall standard in the following recognized tests of English.
Deadlines
January 2022 intake
Round 1: Monday 2 August 2021
Round 2: Monday 27 September 2021
Final deadline: Monday 15 November 2021
May 2022 intake
Round 1: Monday 17 January 2022
Round 2: Monday 28 February 2022
Final deadline: Tuesday 19 April 2022
Warwick Business School Full-Time MBA Program Structure
The Warwick Full-time MBA has one intake per year beginning in September with classes being held during the day. This program is ideal if you are looking to fully focus on studying or are going through a significant career transition. The program consists of eight required modules designed to provide you with a solid foundation in management, business, and leadership. In addition, you will also study a compulsory non-credit foreign language module. In addition, the Warwick Full-time MBA offers a wide range of elective modules. Students are able to customize their MBA by choosing four elective modules such as strategy, entrepreneurship, marketing, leadership or international business.
Students also are required to complete a consultancy project, which is an opportunity to consolidate everything you have learned and apply it to real business. The program is completed with a dissertation based on your consultancy project and is the culmination of everything you have learned during your studies.
Curriculum
The Columbia full-time MBA program requires a total of 60 credits that consist of an 18-credit core curriculum and a minimum of 42 elective credits. At the beginning of the program, students are divided into clusters, groups of 60 or so peers who take most of the first-year core courses together. Each cluster is then broken into five- to six-person learning teams who work together on class projects. Clusters and learning teams are designed to reflect the diversity of the class as a whole and to help students form closer relationships with each other.
The core curriculum consists of two full courses and eight half courses. These full courses are typically worth three credits each, whereas students earn 1.5 credits for half courses. Beginning in the second term, students choose from over 200 elective offerings to complete the rest of the curriculum. Students may assemble their own elective sequences, but can also refer to lists that the school provides of recommended courses for common career paths such as entrepreneurship, healthcare, marketing, media, real estate, value investing, and social enterprise.
Warwick Full-Time MBA Rankings
The Warwick Full-time MBA is ranked first in the UK and 24th in the world by The Economist.
Class Profile
According to the 2019-2020 class profile, the average age of a Warwick Full-time MBA students is 30 years of age. Students also have an average of 8 years of work experience. There are 40 countries represented with 39% of the class being female. The top pre-employment MBA industry for Warwick Full-time MBA students is financial services, Technology, Consulting, Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Energy.
Career Statistics
63 percent of Warwick Full-time MBA students changed industries post-graduation, while 50 percent of the class changed countries. 94 percent of the class changed employers, while 78 percent saw a salary increase.The average base salary was $95,275 with a $17,045 signing bonus. In addition, students also saw an average of $13,402 in additional benefits.
Tuition, Scholarships, and Financial Aid at the Warwick Full-Time MBA
The tuition for the Warwick Full-time MBA for 2021 entry is $57,335, which includes registration, tuition, examination, graduation, some study materials, flights, visas, and accommodations. To secure your placement you must submit your deposit within four weeks of receiving your offer. The tuition cost does not include residential accommodation, meals, travel – including to overseas modules and placements, graduation robes and photographs, and PIM exchange – including travel, accommodation, subsistence, and registration fee.
The Warwick Business School has a scholarship fund available for admitted students, designed to promote excellence and diversity within each class, across professional sectors, geography, gender and experience.
The Warwick Business School takes a holistic approach when evaluating a candidate’s suitability for a scholarship and applications will be assessed on the following broad criteria:
– Evidence of individual impact
– Alignment with WBS’ core values – Curiosity, Openness, Restlessness and Excellence
– A desire to make a positive difference in the world of business and beyond
– The potential to become a future Change Maker
– The ability to fulfill future ambassadorial duties for The School. Successful applicants are expected to work closely with the marketing and recruitment teams in order to attract future candidates onto the program.
Scholarships are awarded on an ongoing basis, so candidates who apply early may have a stronger chance of being successful.
Warwick offers a range of scholarships from 20% up to a maximum of 50% in truly exceptional cases.
Scholarships are allocated in the following areas:
Change Maker scholarship: For those who seek to challenge the norm through their impactful drive and vision. To be considered for this scholarship you will need to demonstrate a confident, determined, forward-facing and open-minded attitude with a commitment to making an impact in business.
WBS Inspiring Social Impact scholarship: For those currently working in the third/public sector who strive to use business as a power
for good. To be considered for this scholarship you will need to demonstrate a commitment to generating better social outcomes and create a positive impact on society.
WBS Inspiring Diversity scholarship: Warwick is looking to bring together people from different backgrounds to share new voices, new viewpoints, and new ideas to drive positive change in the world. This is why they have created this scholarship, aimed at high-performing talent from diverse and non-traditional geographies, backgrounds, and sectors.
WBS Inspiring Women scholarship: Warwick is committed to working towards a more gender-balanced future for the most senior positions in the boardroom. This scholarship is aimed at females who can demonstrate business excellence and are an inspiring role model to others.
Alumni Loyalty scholarship: This scholarship is available for Warwick alumni, who possess a thirst for new knowledge, new experiences, and strive to better themselves and the world around them.
Bursaries: A number of bursaries are also available to candidates experiencing economic hardship for reasons beyond their control e.g. severe economic downturn in an economy.
Admissions
The Warwick Business School requires you to have at least three years’ postgraduate professional business experience. In addition, you must have upper second class honors at undergraduate level from a UK university or the equivalent from an overseas university. Warwick also welcomes applications from candidates who do not have the academic qualifications but are exceptional, with a proven ability to achieve. Generally you will need a well-balanced GMAT score or a valid GRE score. The average GMAT at the Warwick Full-time MBA is 660. The Warwick Test may be available as an alternative for certain candidates, dependent upon circumstances
The Warwick Business School was established in 1967 when it became a global university. The school began with 3 courses, 5 staff, and 24 students Today the Warwick Business school has become the largest department at the University, and have a global network of over 50,000 alumni. In addition, In 2015 WBS London was officially opened at The Shard, bringing the Warwick teaching, research, and thought leadership events to the heart of London.
The Warwick Business School Rankings
The Financial Times
Ranked 43rd Full-Time MBA in the world and 4th in the UK, 2020 Gobal MBA Ranking.
Ranked 1st Distance Learning MBA in the world, 2020 Online MBA Ranking
Ranked 24th Executive MBA in the world, and 4th in the UK for stand-alone Executive MBAs, 2019 Executive MBA Ranking
Ranked 11th MSc in Finance and 3rd in the UK, 20202 Masters in Finance Pre-experience Ranking
Ranked 16th in the world and 3rd in the UK, 2020 Masters in Management Ranking
The Economist
Ranked 9th Masters in Managemen in the world and top in the UK, Economist/WhicMBA? 2019 Masters in Management ranking
Ranked 24th Full-Time MBA in the world and 1st in the UK, Economist/WhichMBA? 2019 global ranking of full-time MBAs
Ranked 6th Executive MBA in the world, 3rd in Europe and 1st in the UK, Economist/WhichMBA? 2020 Executive MBA ranking
Forbes
Ranked 8th Full-time MBA in the world and 3rd in the UK for one-year MBAs outside the USA, International MBAs: One-year programs 2019
Location(s)
Warwick Business School is part of the University of Warwick located in the centre of England, within an hour of the city of London and only twenty minutes from Birmingham Airport. North of Oxford, the Warwick Business School is close to the cosmopolitan Birmingham, Leamington Spa, and pretty Warwick with its medieval castle. In Autumn 2014, Warwick opened their London base at The Shard – the tallest building in the EU. WBS is on the 17th floor of the 87-story Shard, which is at the heart of the London Bridge Quarter neighborhood, one of London’s most vibrant districts.
Facilities
The Warwick Business School has dedicated MBA, Postgraduate, and Undergraduate study spaces. The extension was completed in 2015, allowing Warwick students to create a number of study spaces complete with big screens, individual and group work areas. The Library houses 1.2 million printed volumes and 13 kilometers of archives. Every year they add around 1.1 km of stock. Over 30,000 electronic journals are currently received and more than 56,000 electronic books. The Library houses various workspaces enabling group and private study. The Warwick Learning Grid is an exciting and innovative space that supports and facilitates independent learning. The Learning Grid allows students to work flexibly including individual study, group problem-solving activities, teamwork, and presentation work. The Warwick Business School also offers a post-graduate study hub for all students.
Warwick Business School Network
The Warwick Business School community comprises over 50,000 graduates, plus all WBS students, faculty, and support staff, as well as a network of corporate partners. This community is your connections to future careers, global networks, and friends for life.
Warwick Business School Degree Offerings
The Warwick Business school offers a Full-Time MBA, Distance Learning MBA, Distance Learning MBA, Executive MBA, MSc in Accounting and Finance, MSc in Consulting, MSc in Marketing, MSc Business with Operations Management, MSc in International Business, MSc in Business Analytics, MSc in Management, MSc in Management of Information Systems & Digital Innovation, MSc in Marketing and Strategy, MSc in Finance, MSc in Finance & Economics, MSc in Mathematical Finance, MSc in Business and Finance.
You may be reading this because you are thinking about pursuing an MBA due to the impact COVID-19 on your professional life. Don’t worry, you are not alone. Graduate business schools have seen an uptick in applications since spring 2020. Many young professionals who have been furloughed or unhappy with their career trajectory are considering an MBA. Business schools are also offering their programs online due to COVID-19. Like many of your peers, you are worried about how to finance your degree during such uncertainty. We have provided information on the online MBA cost and resources to fund your degree below.
What factors determine your Online MBA Cost?
Tuition – The Largest MBA Cost to You
The majority of your MBA cost will be your tuition. Schools charge by the cost per credit. If you pursue a dual degree or add a certificate for example, this can increase your total MBA cost. There are affordable online MBA programs that cost less than $20,000, which can be enticing. However, it is important to understand that you can get what you pay for. These programs can only provide the basic courses, can have a lower virtual classroom experience, and less resources outside of your curriculum There are also well-known business schools such as the University of North Carolina or Michigan University whose programs cost well over $100,000. The tuition reflects the prestige of faculty, number of credits, alumni network, online learning experience, and career services among other factors. All applicants should research these factors to determine the best return on investment for your MBA cost.
Technology Fee
There are fees in every aspect of our lives, and business school is no different. One of the major fees that will impact your MBA cost as a student is the technology fee. This includes items such as technology platform licensing, support, and the platform’s overall quality. We are all familiar with using Zoom nowadays, but a virtual classroom setting is very complex. As you research online MBA programs, you should research the technology each program uses. Another ancillary cost can be the laptop you decide to use for the program. Schools require minimum processors, hard drive storage, high-resolution webcams, and wireless cards. This can also add to the total cost of your MBA.
Student Fees
There are also general fees that impact the cost of an online MBA. The fees are common across on-site and online MBA programs. They are included in your tuition to support student organizations and student activities. For example, this can support the career services office that helps you secure an internship or job. They can also be to support the admissions office for marketing and recruitment expenses to build high-quality student cohorts. You are not alone if you do not like the idea of student fees. However, they are a vital part of your MBA cost and help with your overall investment. We recommend that all students research the fee structure for their program to ensure it aligns with the market.
Books and Supplies
Each school is different in how they charge for books and supplies in their online MBA cost. Some programs charge this expense as part of your overall tuition, while other schools make this an additional expense to students. It is important to ask your admissions representative to estimate the book and supply fee if it is not included in the tuition. Supplies for online MBA programs can include your laptop as mentioned above. The range of your books and supplies fee can be anywhere from $250-$1,500 depending on the program.
Room, Board and Transportation
The beauty of an online MBA is that you don’t need to attend in-person classes. Some programs do require week-long immersion and networking events as part of your curriculum, which can increase your expenses. For these occasions, you would be responsible for your hotel, meal and transportation expense. Other programs do not require any in-person events on-campus, which can eliminate this whole expense. If you are looking to save as much money as possible, you need to understand that these in-person events can be vital to your professional development. Do not overlook these fees as part of your program because they can build your network. Very rarely, students will decide to relocate near or on campus to pursue their online MBA. There are benefits like being more ingrained in campus life and more opportunities to network with students from other programs, faculty, and staff. If you decide this is the right option for you, it could impact the online MBA cost.
Online MBA Cost Summary
Choosing an online MBA is a very important decision and commitment. Researching each program’s tuition cost is the most important factor to consider since it will be the largest expense for your online MBA cost. Students should also research the technology each program uses and the fees associated to ensure their learning experience is paramount. All other fees in your total online MBA cost should be considered, but they will be a very small percentage of your overall investment.
Harvard Business School Online launched as HBX in 2014 to deepen the School’s impact and broaden its reach, all while staying true to the HBS mission: to educate leaders who make a difference in the world. The Harvard Business School Online now has the ability to reach leaders wherever you are – in the world, in your career, or in your lives. Since launching HBS Online has educated 100,000-plus learners from more than 175 countries via our innovative online platform. HBS Online offers a unique and highly engaging way to learn vital business concepts, enabling committed learners to transform their careers, their organizations, and their lives.
History
In 2014, the Harvard Business School online launched its first two programs: CORe and Disruptive Strategy as ‘HBX Core’. One year later, CORe became the program Harvard Business School offers to incoming students to prepare for the MBA classroom. In 2016, the HBS Online first-ever Connext conference took place, bringing participants to the HBS campus for a day of networking, learning, and inspiration. By 2018, Community launched to provide their online learners with the chance to connect offline in more than 30 regions around the world. Over the past two years (2019-2020), HBX rebranded to Harvard Business School online and surpassed over 100,000 learners throughout their program offerings.
Curriculum at the Harvard Business School Online
HBS Online works with universities around the world to create unique educational opportunities. Academic institutions that integrate HBS Online courses into their curriculum benefit from a dedicated support team, detailed reporting on student progress, and best-in-class online content.
The benefits of the Harvard Business School Online include:
Round out your curriculum with case-based, business courses taught by HBS faculty.
Combine the flexibility of our online programs with your on-campus experience.
Provide the fundamental business concepts students need to excel in their MBA program
Harvard Business School Online offers a unique and highly engaging way to learn vital business concepts. Our online certificate and credential programs are offered via our innovative online platform and are designed to bring the Harvard Business School classroom to you—putting you at the center of the learning experience. The HBS Online sets itself apart via their learning model, which is built around three key characteristics: active, case-based, and social. The HBS Online course engages in a new activity every three to five minutes—for example, polls, problem-solving exercises, short essays, and the famed HBS “Cold Call,” where you’re asked at random to succinctly state your position on an issue in a matter of minutes. Each element is designed to keep you interested, involved, and on the edge of your seat. Lessons are brought to life through real-world cases, putting you in the shoes of business leaders. Students are able to hear firsthand the challenges they faced, and wrestle with the same issues and imperfect information. As you discuss and debate solutions with your peers, you will learn vital business concepts you can apply in your own career. Lastly, engaging with your peers such as exchanging ideas, offer input, and seek out viewpoints from a community of learners gathered from around the globe. In the process, you learn from each other’s experiences and perspectives and leave the program with a broader outlook on the world.
Program Offerings at the Harvard Business School Online
All programs at the Harvard Business School Online are certificate programs. The Harvard Business School Online aims to achieve a highly engaging way to learn vital business concepts through a learning model that is active, social, and case-based. Meaning, you immerse yourself in real-world challenges facing seasoned business leaders and discuss and debate solutions with peers from around the world—all while learning from renowned Harvard Business School faculty. It’s an online business education like no other.
– Credentials of Readiness (CORE)
– Economics for Managers
– Business Analytics
-Leadership, Ethics and Corporate Accountability
-Organizational Leadership
– Strategy Execution
– Power and Influence for Positive Impact
-Disruptive Strategy
-Design Thinking and Innovation
-Launching Tech Ventures
-Business Strategy
– Entrepreneurship Essentials
– Financial Accounting
– Global Business
– Leadership Principles
– Leading with Finance
– Management Essentials
– Negotiation Mastery
– Sustainable Business Strategy
-Sustainable Investing
-Alternative Investments
Tuition, Scholarships and Financial Aid
The tuition for the programs at the Harvard Business School Online ranges from $1,750 to $2,500 per credit. The program fee represents the tuition for your Harvard Business School Online course. There are no additional fees charged, or included in the program fee, to take an HBS Online program. At this time, tuition assistance is available for the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program, as well as Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, and Financial Accounting certificate programs. In addition, a 20% discount is available for HBS Online participants who have enrolled in at least 1 prior qualifying HBS Online program.
Admissions
All programs at the Harvard Business School Online require the completion of a brief application. The applications vary slightly from program to program, but all ask for some personal background information. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before starting an application for the program of your choice. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program. The HBS Online will confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application.
Palumbo-Donahue Professional MBA Program Structure
The Palumbo-Donahue Professional MBA offers a flexible format, which allows you to start in the fall, spring, or summer. The program can be completed full-time or part-time in just two years. For an additional 10.5 credits, complete a STEM MBA with a stackable, hybrid Certificate in Analytics & Information Management or Supply Chain Management. The Professional MBA program is offered in a variety of formats – 100% online, on-campus, or a mix. Students can start the Professional MBA in the fall (late August), spring (mid-January), or summer (mid-May) semesters.
Students who wish to complete the majority of their classes online are encouraged to start the program in the fall or spring semester due to availability. In addition, a summer or fall start is required if you need any or all of the fundamental courses. Even in its online format, the Capstone course will have several synchronous virtual requirements during the semester.
The Professional MBA allows students to earn a joint degree. With this option, students earn two graduate degrees at once with opportunities for credit sharing between the programs.
If you pursue the program part-time, you may complete the program in as little as 6-7 semesters (2-2 ½ years) depending on the need for fundamental courses. As a full-time student, you may complete the program in 4-5 semesters (less than two years) depending on the need for fundamental courses.
Courses that are three (3) credit hours will meet for the duration of the full semester (15 weeks for spring and fall semesters or 12 weeks for the summer semester). Courses that are 1.5 credit hours will meet for the first half or second half of the semester (7 weeks for fall and spring semesters and 6 weeks for the summer semester)
Curriculum
The Professional MBA consists of 36 credits of required core courses and 6 credits of Fundamental courses, to ensure that you have the necessary skills to be competitive, for a total of 42 credits. Fundamental courses may be waived if you have taken equivalent coursework within the past 5 years in accounting, economics, finance, and statistics and have earned a B- or better. If all fundamental courses are waived, you may be able to complete your MBA in just 36 credits. Wavier decisions are made and communicated at the time of admission.
The curriculum focuses on the following core areas:
– Responsible leadership
– Entrepreneurial mindset
– Sustainability principles
– Cultural intelligence
Tuition, Scholarships, and Financial Aid
The estimated tuition for the Palumbo-Donahue Professional MBA is $48,096 for the 36 credit program and $56,112 for the 42 credit program. In addition to tuition, graduate students may also incur fees for administrative services, room and meals, if applicable.
Duquesne University is offering a 25% tuition award for select graduate programs. To be eligible for this limited-time award, students must:
– Apply and be accepted to one of the eligible academic programs and
– Enroll in at least six credits per semester. Students who enroll in fewer than six credits in any given semester will not be eligible for this award for that semester.
All candidates are eligible for merit scholarships and may be eligible for one fellowship or graduate assistantship:
Difference Makers Award – Minimum scholarship of $4,000 for an admitted MBA-SBP applicant with an undergraduate or graduate GPA of 3.0 or better in any major. Graduates from a college/university outside of the U.S. can be considered with an equivalent GPA.
Dean’s Scholars Award – Minimum scholarship of $5,000 for an admitted MBA-SBP applicant with an undergraduate or graduate GPA of 3.5 or better in any major. Graduates from a college/university outside of the U.S. can be considered with an equivalent GPA.
Duquesne University Alumni Achievement Scholarship – Minimum scholarship of $5,000 for an admitted MBA-SBP applicants who completed their undergraduate or graduate degree at Duquesne University. Criteria for consideration will include GPA and extracurricular involvement.
Donahue Graduate School of Business Excellence Award – Minimum scholarship of $6,000 for admitted MBA-SBP applicants with two years or more of significant work experience and an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better. Graduates from a college/university outside of the U.S. can be considered with an equivalent GPA.
National Black MBA Scholarship provides up to $21,000 in funding ($7,000/semester) to admitted applicants in the MBA in Sustainable Business Practices program and must meet the scholarship criteria of the National Black MBA Association Pittsburgh Chapter.
A limited number of fellowships and graduate assistantships are available to each cohort. A GMAT/GRE score is required to be eligible for a fellowship. A GMAT/GRE or a 3.5/4.0 GPA (undergraduate or graduate) is required to be eligible for a graduate assistantship.
Sustainability Fellowships (up to 10 per academic year) are awarded to work on research and publication projects with faculty.
Eugene P. Beard Sustainability Fellowships (2 per academic year for U.S. Citizens, $25,000 each) are awarded to work on groundbreaking research related to the ethical management of financial, social, environmental, and informational resources.
Small Business Development Fellowships are available to support Duquesne’s efforts to advance sustainability practices with small and start-up businesses in the region.
Coverdell Peace Corps Fellowships are offered to Returned Peace Corps Volunteers to work on a self-designed local initiative that serves the Peace Corps’ “third goal.”
Graduate Assistantships provide partial tuition remission in exchange for service to the university on specialized assignments. Graduate Assistants in the MBA-SBP receive between 4.5-9 credits of tuition assistance each semester in exchange for 10-20 hours per week of work. These positions are only awarded for the fall and spring semesters, for a maximum of 18 credits of tuition assistance. To qualify, applicants must have a competitive GMAT or GRE score, or a 3.5/4.0 GPA in a prior degree (undergraduate or graduate).
Admissions
The following requirements are needed for application to the Palumbo-Donahue Professional MBA: Official transcripts, GMAT?GRE scores (You may qualify for a GMAT/GRE waiver based upon your undergraduate GPA, work experience, or previously earned a master’s/terminal degree.), two professional letters of recommendation, one essay, and an updated resume.
Palumbo-Donahue Professional MB Essay Topics
– Please provide a summary of your academic and professional background, current career endeavors, motivation for pursuing a graduate business education, and future career goals.
– The Palumbo-Donahue School of Business is in “The Business of Difference Making.” Explain what this means to you and how you would contribute to this goal as a student and eventually as an alumnus(a).
Deadlines
Applicants to the Professional MBA are reviewed on a rolling basis. Typically, admission decisions are released within 5-7 business days of an applicant submitting all required materials.
Deadlines for Graduate Assistantships Spring Entry – Students who wish to be considered for graduate assistantships are advised to complete their applications no later than October 1. Fall Entry – Students who wish to be considered for graduate assistantships are advised to complete their applications no later than February 1.
The top Executive MBA Programs are designed for professionals with significant managerial experience who want to move into leading roles within their organization, expand their career outside of their organization, or start their own venture. The “typical” executive MBA student has an average age between 30 and 60+. In addition, most programs require over 8-10 years of work experience being a C-Suite Executive, Entrepreneur, Small Business Owner or in Upper-Level Management.
School Name
Length of Program (in months)
Program Start Date(s)
Average Total Students in Program
Current Students Top Industry Work Experience
Average Total Cost of Attendance
Anderson School of Management - UCLA Executive MBA
22 months
September
280-300 total students
High Technology, Health Care Services, Government
$167,000
Booth School of Business - University of Chicago Executive MBA
23 months
June
220-230 total students
Investment Management, Technology, Consulting
$194,000
Columbia School of Business Executive MBA
20-24 months
May/August
150-160 total students
Financial Services, Technology, Consulting
$213,000
Fuqua School of Business - Duke University Executive MBA
Ross School of Business - University of Michigan Executive MBA
21 months
September
165-175 total students
Ross Executive MBA lists 26 different industries in their 2022 class profile
$195,000
Sloan School of Management - MIT Executive MBA
20 months
September
250-260 total students
Healthcare, Technology, Financial Services
$178,000
Stern School of Business - New York University Executive MBA
22 months
August/January
240-250 total students
$204,000
Wharton School of Business - University of Pennsylvania Executive MBA
24 months
May
210-220 total students
Wharton Executive MBA lists over 3o industries represented in their 2022 class profile
$211,000
List of the Top Executive MBA Programs
MetroMBA has compiled a list of the top Executive MBA programs. In addition you can find resources for the most recent Executive MBA Rankings according to major publications such as U.S. News, Financial Times and The Economist.
Booth School of Business – University of Chicago
The Booth School of Business Executive MBA program is 21 months in length and is one of the only Executive MBA programs to offer classes in three continents. The Booth EMBA has primary campus locations in Chicago, London, and Hong Kong. Although students apply to a primary campus location, students take classes at each of the global campuses for their international experience.
In terms of program structure, it is important to note that each primary location has a slightly different offering. The Chicago class intake meets ever other Friday and Saturday over the 21-month program. In comparison, both the London and Hong Kong location is offered for 16 weeks over 21 months, and meet Monday mornings to Saturday afternoon.
Kellogg School of Management – Northwestern University
The Kellogg School of Business Executive MBA offers two primary U.S locations in Miami, Florida and Evanston, Illinois. Whether students choose the Miami or Evanston location, all students are taught by the same faculty and curriculum that is consistent with the Kellogg experience.
The program structure for students who attend the Evanston, Illinois campus includes taking classes Friday and Saturday, and on occasion, Sundays. Students attend classes two times per month with a 4-week intensive experience for student orientation and Global Network Week.
Students who attend the Miami, Florida campus meet one time per month from Thursday through Sunday on campus. Like the Evanston campus program structure, it also includes intensive weeks, however it only lasts three weeks for the student orientation and the Global Network Week.
Wharton School of Business – University of Pennsylvania
The Wharton School of Business Executive MBA has campuses in both Philadelphia and San Francisco. The program is approximately 24-months, which includes over 700 class hours.
The Wharton MBA is delivered in a modified, part-time schedule, in which classes are held every other weekend on Friday’s and Saturday’s at both the Philadelphia and San Francisco locations. The Wharton MBA also requires a one-week global experience for all students. Wharton offers three primary international programs in addition to the required global-focused core classes, international dual-degree programs, and consulting opportunities in emerging countries.
Columbia Business School
The Columbia Business School Executive MBA has a primary location in New York City, however, it also has partnerships with London Business School and the University of Hong Kong. This provides students an opportunity to pursue their degree over three continents.
The Columbia EMBA in New York city offers two options. The first is a Friday/Saturday option, in which classes are held between 8:30 a.m. – 6:45 p.m. every other weekend. This includes five terms within the curriculum. In addition, the Friday/Saturday option requires two five-day residencies held at the start of the first two semesters.
The Columbia EMBA Saturday option consists of six terms meeting every Saturday, over 24 months. Classes are held on Saturday’s between 8:30 a.m. – 6:45 p.m. It also requires two five-day residencies, held at the start of the first two semesters, like the Friday/Saturday option.
Stern School of Business – New York University
The Stern School of Business Executive MBA delivers a unique education that combines rigor in the classroom with engagement beyond the classroom, to broaden perspectives and change mindsets. Students earn 60 credits by completing the required coursework and attending scheduled classes.
The Stern Executive MBA begins with a one-week orientation residency where students begin classes and network with classmates. Students attend class on Friday and Saturday, every other week throughout the 22 month program. In addition, students participate in Global Study Tours to expand their learnings outside the classroom and build a more global perspective.
Fuqua School of Business – Duke University
The Fuqua School of Business Executive MBA program has one location in Durham, North Carolina. During each Executive MBA residency, students live, learn, and work on campus at Fuqua throughout the program.
The Fuqua EMBA begins with a 1-week immersion on Fuqua’s campus for an intensive learning experience and the opportunity to network. Students typically have one 3-day residency a month on Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Students also have hybrid distance learning periods in between. The program concludes with two one-week intensive sessions of electives and can also complete those courses remotely.
Haas School of Business – University of California, Berkeley
The Haas School of Business Executive MBA classes are held on-campus in Berkeley, California. During each block, you stay at the same hotel with your classmates, making it easy to collaborate, share strategies for work, life, and school, and build friendships.
The Haas EMBA is delivered over five terms, including one immersion experience per term. Classes hosted on-campus are Thursday-Saturday every three weeks. Twenty-five percent of your Berkeley Executive MBA curriculum is experiential, with five field immersions that explore leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, international business, and business and public policy,
Sloan School of Management – MIT
The Sloan School of Management Executive MBA delivers its curriculum on their main campus, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The Sloan Executive MBA is delivered via four weeklong modules for integrated learning, 26 weekend sessions for iterative development, and a one-week international project trip during the capstone Global Labs action learning experience.
Anderson School of Business – UCLA
Classes at the Anderson School of Business Executive MBA are held on-campus in Los Angeles, California. In addition to the on-site requirement, Anderson also offers three distinctly different countries for the Executive MBA students to choose among for their travels for their Global Immersion, with destinations in Asia, South America and Europe.
Anderson offers two flexible schedules for their students. The first is the bi-weekly schedule. Classes meet in person every other weekend starting on the 2nd weekend of the 10-week quarter. Classes begin at 10:00 a.m. only on the first Friday of each quarter. Classes then begin at 4:00 p.m. the following Fridays. After your first quarter, EMBA electives will be available on Sundays and during summer on a hybrid format.
The second option for Anderson Executive MBA students is the monthly schedule. Classes meet in person each month of the 10-week quarter: the 2nd, 6th, and 10th weekends. Additional instruction is delivered online each week. Like the bi-weekly schedule, classes begin at 10:00 a.m. only on the first Friday of each quarter. Classes then begin at 4:00 p.m. the following Fridays. After your first quarter, EMBA electives will be available on Sundays and during summer in a hybrid format.
Ross School of Business – University of Michigan
The Ross School of Business Executive MBA offers students two locations to complete their degree, including Ann Arbor and Los Angeles. At key points in the program, students from Los Angeles join fellow students in Ann Arbor to attend class, network, exchange ideas, and graduate as a group. Both offerings provide a Ross Executive MBA degree, general management curriculum, world-class faculty, once-a-month format, leadership development, and a full-service of executive accomodations.
The Ross Executive MBA requires once-a-month on-campus residencies. In addition, faculty and classmates stay connected through distance learning and online collaboration when not on-site.
The average weekly commitment for Ross Executive MBA students is 20 to 25 hours per week, although this varies by individual and course. Typically, students take three courses at a time. Exams are taken remotely, during a three-day, Friday-through-Sunday schedule.
Major Publication Executive MBA Rankings
As you research and compare Executive MBA programs throughout your journey, it is important to note major publication rankings for the top Executive MBA programs. You may be asking why it is important to consider rankings at all. We do not recommend this factor to be the only one to consider when choosing an Executive MBA. However, these programs participated in the rankings process with proven results to consider as a return on your investment. Below we have compiled the most recent rankings for U.S. News, the Financial Times, and The Economist to assist in your program search.
U.S. News Executive MBA Rankings
The U.S. News surveyed 477 MBA programs in fall 2019, which were accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. The U.S. News took the following factors into consideration for their ranking;
Quality Assessment (40% total)
Peer Assessment Score (25%)
Recruiter Assessment Score (15%)
Placement Success (35% total)
Mean starting salary and bonus
Employment rates for full-time MBA program graduates
Student Selectivity (25%)
Mean GMAT and GRE scores (16.25%)
Mean undergraduate GPA (7.5)
Acceptance rate (1.25%)
Program
Ranking
Haas School of Business - UC Berkeley Executive MBA
1
Kellogg School of Management - Northwestern University
2
IE Brown - Brown University Executive MBA
3
Kellogg School of Management - WHU Beisham Executive MBA
4
Yale School of Management Executive MBA
5
Warwick Executive MBA
6
IESE Executive MBA
7
IMD Executive MBA
8
Kellogg School of Business - Schulich
9
Anderson School of Management - UCLA Executive MBA
10
The Economist Executive MBA Rankings
The Economist has completed four biennial rankings for Executive MBA Programs. They are ranked on two broad measures:
Personal development/educational experience
Career development.
Personal development includes the following factors: the quality of students, student & faculty diversity, quality of faculty, and program quality. Each of these factors are weighted evenly at 12.5%.
Career development includes the following factors: career progression, salary and networking. Unlike personal development, the career development factors are weighted unevenly with career progression being weighted at 15%, salary at 27.5% and networking at 7.5%. All of these factors combined, contribute to the weighted rankings by The Economist.
Program
Ranking
Booth School of Business - University of Chicago Executive MBA
1
Kellogg School of Management - Northwestern University
2
Wharton School of Business - University of Pennsylvania Executive MBA
3
Columbia Business School Executive MBA
4
Stern School of Business - New York University Executive MBA
5
Fuqua School of Business - Duke University Executive MBA
6
Haas School of Business - UC Berkeley Executive MBA
7
Sloan School of Management - MIT Executive MBA
8
Anderson School of Management - UCLA Executive MBA
9
Ross School of Business - University of Michigan Executive MBA
10
The Financial Times Executive MBA Rankings
Participation in the Financial Times ranking is voluntary and at the business school’s request. The following criteria must be met for schools to be considered, including:
Must be accredited by either the US’s Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business or Europe’s Equis.
The EMBA must be cohort-based, with students enrolling and graduating together, and with at least 30 graduates each year.
The Financial Times takes many aspects into consideration with the most heavily weighted factors being students average salary three years after graduation, average salary difference between before the EMBA, and the number of articles published by a school’s current full-time faculty members in 50 academic and practitioner journals between January 2016 and July 2019. Executive MBA students can use the Financial Times to consider the ROI of their salary outcome and faculty prestige
Program
Ranking
HEC Paris Executive MBA
1
Kellogg/HKUST Business School Executive MBA
2
Trium: HEC Paris/LSE/NYU: Stern Executive MBA
3
EMBA-Global Asia: Columbia/HKU/LBS Executive MBA
4
CEIBS Executive MBA
5
EMBA-Global: Columbia/LBS
6
Olin School of Business - Washington University Executive MBA
7
London Business School Executive MBA
8
Tsinghua University/INSEAD Executive MBA
9
Said School of Business - Oxford University Executive MBA
The Stanford MSx is a 64-credit specialized master’s degree featuring 27-28 required core units and 35-36 required electives. The program is a full-time, one-year immersive master’s program for proven leaders and entrepreneurs, with a minimum of eight years of full-time work experience. Upon completion of the degree, students will earn a Master of Science in Management from Stanford University. If you’re looking to start a new venture, advance in your current industry, or change careers, then Stanford MSx may be for you.
Curriculum
The academically rigorous curriculum at the Stanford MSx is extremely flexible — more than half is comprised of electives. Students can choose the courses that will help you achieve your career goals, whatever your path may be. Students are not limited to Stanford GSB courses and are encouraged to explore interdisciplinary electives offered across Stanford, in order to create the most compelling course of study. Many alumni have pursued one of three broad curriculum paths. Each path features sample coursework, faculty, and alumni who have pursued that particular path.
The Career Advancement Path will position you to secure a more inspiring position or establish yourself as an expert in your industry. If this is your goal, you might aim to deepen your knowledge of business fundamentals, enhance your strategic management skills and/or develop your interpersonal dynamics skills At the end of your year in the program, you’ll be a more impactful leader who can make sound strategic decisions with incomplete information; develop more productive, professional relationships; and inspire and mobilize others in order to accomplish your organization’s vision.
The Entrepreneurship Path combines the Stanford GSB, Stanford University, and Silicon Valley as resources to provide exemplary conditions for idea incubation. The entrepreneurship path teaches you to scale your vision to market with precision and speed. If this is your goal, you might focus on experiential opportunities to test and iterate ideas, with access to unrivaled expertise, big picture and systematic approaches to launch and lead a breakthrough venture, and/or a low risk, high ROI learning environment to conduct early-market validation that taps a rich network of talent. Pursuing your idea for a venture while at Stanford GSB allows you to leverage the best and brightest students, guest speakers, and expert faculty to guide you along the way. At the end of your year in the program, you’ll have the confidence to launch your venture quickly, strategically, and with scalability.
The Career Change Path will prepare you to proactively enter a different job function or industry. With this curriculum, you’ll learn to pivot strategically. If this is your goal, you might aim to sharpen your general management skills, take industry-specific courses to understand and enter a new field, study advanced thought leadership in your desired industry and/or combine new skills and frameworks with your prior knowledge for maximum impact You will be able to take courses across the university, allowing you to study topics rigorously and make connections with faculty leading the research in your chosen field. At the end of your year in the program, you will demonstrate an ability to actively participate in a new space.
Student’s experience in the MSx Program is focused to help you internalize what you learn and apply it for years to come. The Stanford MSx faculty employ a variety of learning methodologies that extend beyond case studies and one-way lecture making each lesson more memorable. In addition, the MSx program brings in industry practitioners and guest speakers to enhance the academically rigorous curriculum with rich lessons and real-world insights that you can leverage going forward. Hands-on practice in a safe environment allows you to take risks, experiment freely, and yield confidence. The MSx program focuses on learning by doing. Their courses incorporates opportunities for you to apply what you learn to real-world situations, moving you beyond discovery and development to experimentation and practice. This experiential learning will help you codify the principles and frameworks you learn into knowledge and skills that simply cannot be replicated via job training, online courses, or screens.
Class Profile for the Stanford MSx
The Stanford MSx program consists of roughly 85 students and is designed for mid-career leaders, entrepreneurs, and experienced professionals who have demonstrated impactful management and accomplishments, and want to enhance their impact within the global economy. Students have, on average, 12.9 years of work experience. The range of work experience of students is between 8 to 33 years.
Career Statistics
Based on statistics of the Stanford MSx graduating classes of 2014 through 2017, 57% pursued a strategic job search, 18% returned to their employers in an elevated position, while 25% launched their own venture.
Tuition, Scholarships, and Financial Aid for the Stanford MSx
The tuition for the Stanford MSx program is $132,900. The total cost of attendance, including living allowance, documentation fee, book and supplies, study trips, transportation, medical insurance, and health fee is $190, 498.
Every student admitted to the Stanford GSB has demonstrated significant leadership accomplishment, intellectual vitality, clarity of purposes, and personal qualities that will contribute to the program and community. Admissions decisions do not consider how you will finance your degree and are made prior to you submitting a financial aid application. Once you have been admitted, the Stanford GSB calculates an expected student contribution based on your particular financial situation. The gap between the cost of attendance and the expected student contribution is then covered by a combination of fellowships and loans. Fellowships are awarded based solely on demonstrated financial need. In addition, all students are expected to contribute a portion of their income and assets to fund their degree program. Students are encouraged to repay consumer debt prior to applying for financial aid at Stanford GSB.
Admissions
The application is made up of four main components, all of which help the Stanford MSx learn about who you are, what you have accomplished, and how you have positively impacted your organization and the people around you. The application requirements include personal information, professional experience, graduate test requirements, and essays.
Lisa Ordóñez, the Dean at the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego, recently celebrated her first year with the university. Prior to Rady, Dean Ordóñez previously served for 25 years at the University of Arizona. Her roles included being a research faculty member and later as vice dean for over four years. MetroMBA recently sat down for an interview with Dean Ordóñez to discuss how her experience has been so far, the strong biotech and tech start-up community within San Diego and Rady, how their program differentiates itself and how they are adapting their learning amid COVID-19.
MetroMBA: You are celebrating your one-year anniversary as the Dean at the Rady School of Management. What has been your experience so far? What has surprised you the most?
Lisa Ordóñez: It’s very exciting to come in as the second-ever dean at the Rady School of Management. Bob Sullivan was the founding dean who did an incredible job to start a business school from scratch. The transition has been smooth because the Rady community has been so welcoming and supportive, including our lead donor, Ernest Rady. Since Rady is still relatively new, there are many ways that I can help prepare us for future growth.
I have spent this last year learning about the San Diego region and its history. We are the only program at a Research university to be started within the last 20 years accredited by AACSB. The Rady School of Management exists because the community asked for us. Thus, Rady is committed to the San Diego business community.
The strong biotech and tech start-up environment in San Diego is a great opportunity for our students. The students work actively on business problems, whether solving data analytic problems, or taking biotech or tech solutions to market. We teach our students how to take an idea through the process of building a business and going to market.
Biggest Surprise at Rady
Really the biggest surprise was learning about the incredible business and start-up community in San Diego. This is a very connected and supportive community with a concentration in biotech. Even with this strong support structure, it became clear during the pandemic that many small and mid-sized businesses were struggling and needed more support. At the same time, we had MBA students whose internships were being rescinded. In addition, incredible donors stepped in offering support. In response, we created the ‘Rady Coalition for Business Recovery’ to put together teams of students and faculty to help bring solutions to local businesses who needed help during the difficult time amid COVID-19.
MetroMBA: What is the one area of the Rady MBA program that you wish prospective applicants knew more about?
LO: Learning by Doing. It is the key way to learn and is not a new concept. A quote based on ancient Chinese thinkers sums up the value of learning by doing: ‘tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I might remember, engage me and I’ll learn.’ That engagement and learning by doing is the foundation of the Rady student experience. Our ‘Lab to Market’ project allows MBA students and select engineering students to take a concept and go through the process of creating businesses. In addition, our masters students in finance, business analytics, and public accountancy all have to work on a real business project and use the skills learned in the program. They are doing this with the best research minds in academia. We have incredible business faculty who are creating the cutting-edge tools in business management; so, our students are learning from the people who create those tools.
MetroMBA: What sets the Rady School of Management graduate management education offerings apart from those of other schools your applicants are considering? Basically, if someone is looking to go to business school, why should they choose Rady?
LO: Our focus on innovation and class size are our differentiating factors. Students receive individualized experiences with our faculty, including personal mentoring and a dedicated team to support them. Students are immersed in an environment that promotes innovation and entrepreneurship in the classroom and projects. They will be working with students who already have masters, PhD, and MD degrees. We also have many veterans from the military who bring leadership experience. Thus, they are working with an interesting array of classmates who bring a ton of experience. Together, these incredible students will work closely with our research faculty to apply the knowledge they are learning in the classroom.
MetroMBA: What are the advantages to going to business school in California and more specifically, San Diego? How does the Rady School of Management prepare students specifically for careers locally, regionally and globally?
LO: What we teach our students can help them go anywhere. We have a large international contingent, so we are training people who go back to home countries, while many remain in the U.S. as well. We are training our students to have cutting edge tools to thrive in San Diego, which is one of the largest areas for biotech start-ups. We place these students to companies right here in town and around the world.
These days with the pandemic, you need an educational experience that allows you to adapt to a quickly changing environment. In addition, all of our programs are mathematically and analytically focused so the students learn strong techniques that are cutting edge in the business world.
Another advantage for students is that our career services start before you even get on campus. We provide resources including resume workshops, individual interview training, and virtual conferences for meeting companies and securing internships. It is something we are working on from day one. I say this to all of our incoming students, “your job is to get a job.” Thus, we provide our students with events such as meeting firms or bringing industry leaders speakers to us (now virtually) to prepare them for the job market.
Corporate Partners at Rady
When it comes to Rady’s corporate partners, Qualcomm is the largest employer in the region where many of our students secure jobs upon graduation. There are other large companies like Illumina and Lytics which we have a strong job placement pipeline as well. We also have several biotech and tech start-ups in which our students take leadership roles. Lastly, we are launching our corporate partnership to market our MBA programs and our new weekend MS in Business Analytics program for working professionals. We are in the process of developing agreements with companies in which we will offer fellowships for their employees and the companies will recruit and provide tuition remission to attend programs within the Rady School of Management.
MetroMBA: What is the one upcoming development or change at the Rady School of Management that you are most excited about and why?
LO: One thing that we did this year that helped us during the pandemic is that we reconsidered our admissions process for the MBA, which required the GMAT/GRE. This year and next, we are waiving the GMAT/GRE for most applicants in the Evening and Weekend MBA programs, which helped us double and triple enrollment numbers for our programs this fall. In the Fall of 2021, we will launch our new FlexWeekend Business Analytics program targeted for working professionals. This was just a nascent area of study during the time they received their degrees, but now students can come back and get trained in how to harness data to make better business decisions.
MetroMBA: Everyone has been affected by the uncertainty of Covid-19 and how it will impact their decision-making whether they will attend business school, delay their decision or even what program they will consider. What has the University done to ensure students are confident in their investment?
LO: The one thing we did since we knew COVID-19 would lead to lower percentage of acceptances was to drastically increase the number of students we admitted. We knew there would be those who chose to delay their education and defer until Fall 2021. As the pandemic continued, several students requested deferrals for next year, which we liberally granted to meet the needs of these students. Even with these deferrals, we have the good problem of having a much larger number of students join us this fall than ever. Luckily, we had a deep pool of quality applicants so we did not have to lower our standards to have the highest enrollments to date. Due to the deferrals, we already have a great start for Fall 2021 admissions.
In terms of connecting with students during the summer, our goal was to make sure they felt part of Rady before they joined us by hosting webinars, training, and townhall sessions. Most of our enrolled international master’s students did not receive visas to join us this fall due to closures in emigration offices. We decided to offer 8 p.m. PST classes in our MS in Business Analytics and MS in Finance to allow students in Asia to attend classes via Zoom synchronously so they are able to actively participate, rather than watch a recorded lecture.
Adapting to the New Remote Learning
We have identified Vincent Nijs, a marketing faculty member to be our tech liaison. He and our IT group have trained our faculty to integrate best practices for remote teaching, efficiently use breakout rooms, polling and other types of techniques to keep students engaged during class.
We have found that we are getting more participation than in some of our face-to-face classes. The students can write notes in the Zoom chat or meet in breakout rooms to solve problems or discuss the course concepts. They cannot hide in the back of class. In reality, remote teaching is not lower quality instruction, but simply a different type of instruction which is helping our students adapt to the ever-changing workplace.
The MBA degree is commonly known as a Master’s in Business Administration. An MBA degree provides you with the education, knowledge, and experience to prepare you for real-world experiences. There are a variety of concentrations and specializations for an MBA degree with the most popular being: Accounting, Business Analytics, Finance, International Management, Management, and Marketing. We have provided the most FAQ’s for prospective applicants considering an MBA degree below.
What is an MBA Degree?
An MBA is a master’s degree issued by a higher education institution. The majority of MBA degrees are accredited by the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), however there are also other accreditations including AMBA (The Association of MBA’s), DETC (The Distance Education and Training Council), ACSBP (Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs) and IACBE (International Accreditation Council for Business Education). Accreditation is an independent evaluation process designed to recognize colleges and universities that meet rigorous academic standards. In order to gain accreditation, institutions of higher learning must demonstrate their academic quality to an independent accrediting agency. MBA degrees that have an accreditation increase faculty retainment and quality. In addition, Accreditation agencies meticulously evaluate the faculty at MBA-granting institutions to ensure that they meet high teaching standards and contribute to the discipline through research.
What are the Top Reasons to Get an MBA Degree?
The top reasons to get an MBA degree include:
Change in career or industry
Seeking to increase knowledge of business landscape
Seeking promotion or increase in salary
Expand your professional network
Is the MBA Degree right for you?
The MBA degree is right for someone who is changing careers or wants to change industries, seeking to increase knowledge of business principles, or seeking promotion/increase in the cosalary. However, there are alternative options to the MBA. Those options include certificate programs, specialized masters and leadership development programs, among others.
When choosing an MBA degree it is important to consider the resources the program provides for your goals. For example, if you are seeking an opportunity to change careers into healthcare, it is vital to choose a program that develops your healthcare business expertise and provides a network of healthcare-related networking opportunities.
How many years does it take to get an MBA?
On average, an MBA takes 20-24 months to complete, however a variety of factors will impact the length of the program. Online MBA programs offer the most flexibility and can take 12 months to over 5 years, while some full-time programs offer one-year structures.
The main factors that impact the length of a program is the structure itself and your time commitment. For example, some part-time programs can be completed in as little as 9-12 months, however the typical student who takes 3 to 6 credits per semester may take 5+ years to complete.
Is an MBA a good investment?
An MBA can be a great investment that can achieve your goals for getting an MBA degree. We organized the benefits based on the top reasons to get an MBA and how it can impact your return on investment.
Change in career or industry: Programs that provide career services for their students can be a great investment for getting your MBA. If you are seeking to change industries, the concentration or specialization you choose will build your expertise while taking your MBA. Some programs even offer personal career coaches to help develop your resume, refine your interview skills and connect you with corporate recruiter.
Seeking to increase knowledge of business landscape: If this is your main measure for return on investment of your MBA, then research programs before applying. If you are seeking a career in tech, find programs that have strong corporate partners in the tech industry. Location is also important since many MBA programs have a strong local network. Lastly, research professors and curriculum to identify learning methods that will challenge you.
Seeking promotion or increase in salary: One of the main reasons people pursue their MBA is to receive a promotion or an increase in salary. Prior to starting your MBA, contact your HR department to see if they provide any tuition assistance. Many MBA programs have strong corporate partners who have agreements in place to receive your MBA degree. When the company invests in your education, they are more likely to provide promotions and/or salary increases.
Match with reputable MBA/MS programs in minutes by completing your applicant profile with MetroMBA. As a registrant, you will also gain access to resources, advice and exclusive offers as you research and pursue your graduate business school options.
Johnson has found it easy to adapt. “Overall, I haven’t had to make any changes to my study techniques or learning strategy. I find the hybrid delivery at Imperial very organized and engaging, and that’s what helps me absorb information.” He is optimistic about university, even under current circumstances. “I think there is no better place to be right now than university. I saw abundant opportunity in going back to school in these times, opportunity that far outweighed any downside, and I think Imperial is proving that correct.”
