Putting your career and income on hold while you earn an advanced degree can be a difficult thing to do—and may often be a reason why someone might choose not to go back to school for their MBA. Thankfully, most schools acknowledge that a full-time degree is not just hard for students, but often a huge roadblock in the path to extending one’s education and career opportunities down the line. A quick look into any business school’s graduate offerings, and you’re likely to find a variety of different programs and ways to earn your degree, from part-time to online to weekends only.
Many schools also offer the opportunity to enroll in an Accelerated MBA program, which will allow you to earn your degree in less time and therefore get back to work (and an income) quicker.
In Washington DC, two business schools offer students the chance to reduce the time it takes to complete an MBA degree, so whether an MBA is moving on to running a business or running the country, they won’t have to put their career on hold long.
Kogod School of Business – American University
The Kogod School of Business at American University offers the only online program in Washington DC that can be completed in just one year. It is also one of very few year-long programs in the United States that is accredited by the AACSB. The highly demanding program consists of 48 total credits, 12 core courses, three elective courses and two immersions.
As long as the student is up for the challenge, Kogod’s One Year Online MBA will help students prepare to transition to a new career, start their career over, or just start! Committed to bringing a diverse group of students to the program regardless of background, the Kogod One Year MBA does not require students to have professional experience or even an undergraduate business degree.
The program is fast-paced and will completely immerse students in their business education, inspiring and challenging them to both manage their personal/professional commitments while still fully investing in the program and creating connections with both peers and faculty. Since the coursework, faculty and curriculum is no different than that of the traditional MBA, the One Year MBA is ideal for students who thrive in a fast-paced environment and our comfortable with a demanding coursework load.
Howard University School of Business
The Howard University School of Business offers students a number of different ways to earn their MBA, including an option to accelerate their part-time Evening MBA program. Typically completed in four years, the part-time Evening MBA at Howard provides students with the same high-quality curriculum of the full-time program but allows students to keep working during the day. The accelerated part-time program gives students the option of completing their degree in just three years, rather than four.
The Howard MBA program requires completion of 54 credit hours in total and 39 credit hours of core courses. There are also a number of concentrations available for the degree, such as Human Resources Management, Supply Chain Management, Information Systems, Entrepreneurship and more.
Executive MBA Option
For prospective MBAs with significant professional experience, many Executive or Professional MBA programs also offer students the chance to earn their degree in less time than the traditional full-time program. At DC business schools like the George Washington University School of Business and George Mason University School of Business, the Executive MBA programs can take 16 to 20 months for completion, rather than the typical two-or-more years. While these programs are intended only for mid-level managers with several years of work experience, students who fall into such a category may find that an Executive MBA provides another option for earning their MBA quickly and according to a flexible schedule.