Is an online MBA program of any value????

A large part of any MBA program is working with a group on case study type projects. I can't imagine that an online class could include this aspect. Online classes never provide an equivalent experience to actually going to class. Most schools offer "executive" MBA programs that are specifically designed for people who will continue working while going to class.

I'm just about finished with a program through a major state university. This program has the option of online course or traditional courses at a satellite campus (that is, any given semester, you can choose online or traditional classes), but I travel so much for work that I'd have difficulty with attendance so I took all courses online. Even an executive MBA requires attending classes live one full workday every other week (typically a Friday)

Just about every online class involved at least one group project. It's not so hard to imagine how this works. Instead of meeting face-to-face in a room to work on the project, you communicate via phone, IM, e-mail, or discussion board. If you work for a company that has multiple offices, you probably do this every day.

Is this of any value? Clearly it's better than not getting an MBA at all, assuming your company reimburses tuition. Learning is always of value.

Given the right circumstances, I would have been best off with an executive MBA. This is more due to the quality of interaction with peers and the contacts I'd make, not because of the quality of instruction.

Now, I may have slightly different circumstances than you. I already have a PhD in engineering, and I'm a manager on the technical side. I have no interest whatsoever in going into marketing, finance, or any other purely business-side function. I just wanted to do this to improve my knowledge of business. A full time program would have been an utter waste of time and money, as any job I'd get out of any such program would be a step backwards in pay and responsibility. Even most part-time programs would probably have been more than I'd really need and not worth the sacrifice.

platinum wrote:

Anyone have any experience with an online graduate degree???Are these even legit? Or are distance programs the only 'real' alternative to a full time MBA program.

Here's another viewpoint: An MBA from anywhere is of little or value. About the only thing an MBA does for someone is help them establish contacts (extrinsic value).

Management Theory is 90% bullshit and 10% common sense.

Read Matthew Stewart's Article on the Management Theory Myth in the June Issue of Atlantic Monthly. You'll never think twice about not wasting your time getting an MBA.

RunDaddy wrote:

platinum wrote:

Anyone have any experience with an online graduate degree???Are these even legit? Or are distance programs the only 'real' alternative to a full time MBA program.

Here's another viewpoint: An MBA from anywhere is of little or value. About the only thing an MBA does for someone is help them establish contacts (extrinsic value).

Management Theory is 90% bullshit and 10% common sense.

Read Matthew Stewart's Article on the Management Theory Myth in the June Issue of Atlantic Monthly. You'll never think twice about not wasting your time getting an MBA.

Well, I would think you wouldn't be able to apply for anywhere near as many jobs in that sector without the little piece of paper

Matthew Stewart's article is beneficial insofar as even the MBA schools are now reconsidering their mission. The very top MBA schools can rightly be accused of merely filtering out the ultra smart for top grade employers to hire, as opposed to providing a deep subject matter education. As the above poster states, learning is always beneficial - one just needs to measure the costs.

Surprise! wrote:

Well, I would think you wouldn't be able to apply for anywhere near as many jobs in that sector without the little piece of paper

I'm not sure that's true, and you certainly don't need an MBA to be good at business. It's not like medical school where people actually learn important things about the human body. In the business graduate school world the only people winning are the ones cashing your tuition check. People should read Stewart's article - it's very humorous while being a real eye opener.

Unfortunately, Management Theory has come to the military like the plague. Every couple years there is a new book by a new guru. It's as bad as the Self Help genre. You're better off reading Plato.

I did have a friend who worked at Lehman Brothers and for a time hired all the Bond traders. He told me he was never impressed with an Ivy League MBA. He found the MBA to be a very poor predicter of success in the business world.

An MBA is only beneficial if you are in another field (ie engineering). If you have a business background, you are a dime a dozen.

platinum wrote:

Anyone have any experience with an online graduate degree???Are these even legit? Or are distance programs the only 'real' alternative to a full time MBA program.

It depends on the situation you are in. What do you want to do with your MBA? Do you want to continue with your current profession or switch careers? If you want to continue, why not do an EMBA program.

In regards to that article, it was just tiring. Obviously there are going to be exceptions to the rule. I will say that if you get an MBA from a top school you will walk away with big bucks. I am under 30 and cleared over 200k this year. Of all my friends I make much more money than they do including cost of living adjustments and I love the job I have.

Anyway do your homework, because this is a career move.

MBA wrote:

It depends on the situation you are in. What do you want to do with your MBA? Do you want to continue with your current profession or switch careers? If you want to continue, why not do an EMBA program.

In regards to that article, it was just tiring. Obviously there are going to be exceptions to the rule. I will say that if you get an MBA from a top school you will walk away with big bucks. I am under 30 and cleared over 200k this year. Of all my friends I make much more money than they do including cost of living adjustments and I love the job I have.

Anyway do your homework, because this is a career move.

I highly doubt you read Stewart's article. It had nothing to do with exceptions. Stewart concedes the extrinsic value of an MBA from a good school - namely that a grad from Harvard Business School will get a good offer based on the reputation of the school. What Stewart claims, very eloquently and convincingly, is that Business Schools really don't deal in subject matter of any substance. Management Theory is mostly inane. So if you want to fork out the tuition and sit through two years of inane garbage just to get a better job, go for it.

People usually defend getting an MBA by immediately telling you how much money they make compared with their peers (like you just did). They rarely defend it for the educational benefits alone. That's because the educational benefits are rather slim.

One of the great things about America is that you can be pretty uneducated and make a lot of money. At least I think it's a great thing.