Getting an MBA is still a great way to impress recruiters and prospective employers. But it’s also a costly one, not to mention the time and effort one needs to invest to graduate from a business school. So, choosing an MBA program calls for extensive research and some tough decisions.
One of such decisions is choosing between an offline and an online program. And while offline programs are still generally regarded as a somehow safer option, there are a lot of benefits that online degrees can offer. Amidst the pandemic, they’ve become even more obvious.
So…
Table of Contents
Why Choose an Online MBA Program?
Apparently, online MBA programs have both pros and cons. Talking about the latter, students still fear that online degrees are somehow inferior to in-person tuition and offer fewer opportunities. While this point of view is not ungrounded, there are also a number of benefits that distance learning offers.
Consider these:
- flexibility;
- lower costs;
- no need to relocate;
- being able to study at your own pace.
How to Find Time for an MBA?
MBA programs are typically very intense and time-consuming, but most people can’t afford to invest all their time and energy into getting a business degree. This can become a problem for those studying offline, but distance learning offers more flexibility.
However, it still requires a lot of time, so sometimes, using an essay helper will be the only option. Fortunately, you can always get essay help on EssayHub when you feel you’re falling behind your schedule. But anyway, you’ll definitely have to learn effective time management, too.
But the crucial question is…
How to Pick the Right School?
Picking the right business school is definitely harder than choosing a perfect comparison essay writing service, but it’s still quite manageable when you know the methodology. In short, here’s what you need to consider when choosing an online degree program:
- Your goals: why do you need a business degree and how are you planning to use it?
- International rankings (provided by reliable sources, such as QS, Forbes, The Financial Times, etc.).
- Faculty staff and class size.
- Costs, ROI, financial aid.
- Language in which the program is taught.
Still seems daunting? It should. That’s why we’ve put together a list of top online business schools for you.
Top 6 Online Business Schools Worldwide
The list below is largely based on the current QS ranking, but we’ve only included one school from each country to make it more diverse.
IE Business School (Madrid, Spain)
Spain’s IE Business School is #1 in the ranking for the fourth consecutive year. Currently, it offers a 15-month Executive MBA program with intakes in September and March. It’s taught in either English, Spanish, or both – a bilingual “optional track”.
It also uses “blended methodology” which means that it’s delivered as a combination of online activities with in-person experiences in various locations worldwide. The tuition fee is 61,200 euros, and you have to undergo a rigorous selection process, too.
Imperial College Business School (London, UK)
Imperial College in London hardly needs any introduction, being so famous all over the world as it is. In addition to being #2 on the QS list, it’s also #3 in the Financial Times Online MBA Rankings 2021.
The program, The Global Online MBA, is a part-time one and offers considerable flexibility. You can even choose the duration – from 21 to 32 months, plus there are new electives to choose from this year. But naturally, there’s also a long list of entry requirements including extensive work experience, high academic achievements, and English language proficiency.
Australian Graduate School of Management (Sydney, Australia)
Currently, #1 business school in Australia, Sydney’s AGSM offers both short courses and a full-time degree program. Entry requirements here are somewhat less rigorous than at IE and Imperial College. Also, there’s a great range of options with different tuition fees.
Obviously, courses at AGSM are delivered in English which implies a high level of language proficiency. Yet, meeting requirements is one thing, and writing business essays is another. In case you’ll need help, essay review service NoCramming can give you an overview of reliable essay writing services that offer assistance with even the most demanding tasks.
Politecnico di Milano School of Management (Milan, Italy)
Politecnico di Milano is one of the best universities for tech students from all over the world, and its School of Management offers top-quality education as well. The school prioritizes digital innovation, relationships, and multiculturalism. It also offers a big variety of online programs – full-time, part-time, evening, and flexible schedule.
Indiana University, Kelley Direct Online (Bloomington, Indiana, US)
There are quite a lot of great online business schools in the US, but Kelley by Indiana University is among the best ones overall. The program is very flexible and offers a duration of 2-4 years plus 7 majors to choose from. The application process is by no means easy but somehow less selective than in other institutions from this list.
Other notable mentions among US business schools include the University of Southern California (Marshall) in Los Angeles and Florida International University in Miami.
Vlerick Business School (Ghent, Belgium)
Vlerick is a private business school with campuses located in Ghent, Leuven, and Brussels. It emerged in 1999 as a combination of the two university MBA programs and is currently one of the best business schools in the world.
The institution provides an exceptionally flexible online MBA degree that can last anything between approximately a year (Fast Track) to the whole 5 years. There are three intakes – in January, April, and September. So, there’s little chance you’ll miss out. It’s also a relatively affordable program, costing just over 37,000 euros.
In Conclusion
All in all, online MBA programs are a great alternative to in-person tuition. They generally cost less, offer more flexibility, and have many other considerable benefits. However, it’s crucial to choose the right school to achieve the best results.
The list above will help you narrow your choice, but you might need to conduct your own research to make the final decision.
