Ask Kim
Online MBAs Worth a Look
I've been hearing a lot about online MBA programs. Are they any good?
By Kimberly Lankford, Contributing Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance
September 15, 2003
I'm interested in getting an MBA. But there aren't any decent schools in my area, and I don't have the time to travel for classes. I've been hearing a lot about online MBA programs. Are they any good?
Some are quite good. The best online MBA programs tend to be offered by colleges with well-respected traditional business programs, have the same professors teach their online classes, and usually meet in person for a few days at the beginning of the semester so you can get to know your professors and classmates (which makes it easier to interact online throughout the term).
Not only do the online programs expand your options geographically and make it easier to fit the classes into your schedule, but also some students say there's even more interaction with professors (usually through e-mail) than with some in-person programs. You also can read your professors' lectures online and review them whenever you want. Most programs have a lot of group projects just like in-person business school –- although you meet with your classmates through teleconferences and Web conferencing.
There are several types of online MBA programs. Some are offered by online-only schools, which tend to be less expensive and provide even more flexibility. But you never meet the other students, and human resource directors will automatically know that you attended business school online. If you get an MBA online from a college with a traditional MBA program, on the other hand, your diploma will look just like everyone else's.
For a list of colleges offering online MBA programs, see Peterson's Distance Learning site.