How to Choose Between Full-Time and Part-Time MBA Programs
When deciding to return to school for an MBA, students have many options to consider. While deciding which school to attend is the main decision, choosing what kind of program to complete is also a significant hurdle. Not all schools provide full-time working students with the flexibility to schedule around their work week. Some programs only offer classes during the day, which can conflict with a working student’s schedule, while others offer classes at night, which may be easier for working students to complete.
The decision to complete the MBA in a part-time or full-time format can determine when and where you will attend business school, the overall cost of returning to school and the time it will take you to complete the program. It is important to decide what kind of schedule fits best with your personal obligations as well as your current work commitments. Deciding what kind of program to complete can determine your final decision on where to attend business school.
In order to determine what kind of program is right for you, a good first step is to assess your work and family commitments. Determining the amount of time you will have to complete classes as well as the required coursework will help with the decision to complete classes on a full-time or part-time basis. Students enrolled in programs at F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson University typically complete double the amount of homework as the number of credits students are taking.
Despite which program structure students choose, typically, both full-time and part-time programs complete the same number of total credits to complete the MBA degree. The amount of coursework necessary to complete each week will depend on the number of courses taken and the amount of work required for each class.
Along with determining your outside commitments, it is important to determine when you would be able to attend classes. Some part-time programs offer classes only on Saturdays, to accommodate the schedules of working professionals. The Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago offers a Weekend MBA program option for students who are employed on a full-time basis as well as for students who do not necessarily live in the Chicago area. These weekend programs are taught by the same faculty who teach the other full-time and part-time programs.
Another important factor to consider when deciding between a full-time and part-time program is to determine the financial commitment needed to complete the program. Because part-time programs take longer to complete than full-time programs, the financial commitment needed is for a longer amount of time. For example, the part-time MBA program at the University of Houston’s C.T. Bauer College of Business costs around $3,000 more than the full-time program.
Financial reasons in mind, students who complete part-time MBA programs typically are employed on a full-time basis, unlike students who are completing full-time programs, who typically are doing so while unemployed or working part-time. Many schools accept employee sponsorship as part of payment for program costs. Completing a part-time program while employed full-time can be helpful for your career immediately as well as helpful financially if your employer offers financial sponsorship.
It is important to determine your abilities to make financial commitments and to determine the amount of time that you have to complete class assignments as well as attend the actual classes for the program. Doing research into programs that meet these needs before determine which school you will apply for will make your MBA program search a lot easier. Attending information sessions and program open house events as well as talking with current students and alumni will also help you to find the right program fit for you.
For more information on top MBA programs, visit metromba.com.
About the Author
Erin Purcell
Staff Writer, covering MetroMBA's news beat for New York, Philadelphia, and Boston.
