5 Most Affordable UK MBA Programs
The UK is home to many top business schools known worldwide. From London Business School to Oxford Saïd, many cutting edge institutions offer MBA educations second to none. However, these schools also tend to come with a hefty price tag. An MBA from LBS will cost you around £82,000 ($99,548 USD) while Oxford Saïd costs £57,200 ($69,440 USD).
So, where can you go to school in the UK and earn an AACSB accredited MBA for far less? We’re highlighting five of the most affordable UK MBA programs below—three in the £18,000 range and two in the £30,000 range.
News Roundup – UNC Hosts Former Obama Advisor, Georgetown Promotes Gender Equity, and More
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest stories from this week, including former Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett speaking at UNC Kenan-Flagler.
To Address Public Pension and Infrastructure Funding Gaps, Connect the Two: NYU Stern Infrastructure Finance Initiative – NYU Stern News
NYU Stern Professor Ingo Walter recently co-authored a book addressing challenges faced by many Americans: their pensions and the systems funding them.
Along with colleague Clive Lipshitz, Walter wrote Bridging the Gaps, which aims to address the concerns of the working class with regard to their financial future.
“Ultimately, we hope to make a positive contribution to the search for solutions to public pension sustainability as well as unlocking capital to remedy America’s persistent infrastructure gap,” Walter says. “We hope that this study provides greater transparency to complex public finance challenges. It lays out a range of ideas that can be explored by responsible officials and policymakers.”
The book gives innovative suggestions on how governments can finance pensions while investing money in the vital infrastructure systems that keep Americans employed. Lipshitz and Walter’s research was part of NYU Stern’s Infrastructure Finance Initiative, sponsored by the Global Institute for Advanced Study. For more on Walter, Lipshitz, and the new book, read here.
Foster Ranked #5 in the World for Financial Accounting Research – UW Foster Blog
UW Foster School of Business recently earned top spots in the lists of the country’s most influential researchers and schools for financial accounting.
Experts at Brigham Young University have compiled the data based upon the volume of research produced by a number of leading teams over periods of 6, 12 and 29 years. Foster comes in at FIFTH in the world among renowned institutions for financial accounting research.
Dawn Matsumoto, Foster Financial Accounting Faculty, ranked in the BYU Top 100.
The BYU data also explores the number of individuals with the most valuable contributions, and five faculty members from Foster have contributed in the period since 1990 to land on this list. Four Foster professors made the top 100 list for research performed within the last twelve years. Foster School of Business has also been acknowledged for its training of doctoral candidates who have been influential in the field of accounting.
Foster holds the number THREE rank for overall research record of its accounting Ph.D.s over the past six years, and fourth for alumni contributions since 1990. Read more on the ranking methodology and the listings here.
Embracing the Zigzag–and Learning to Absorb the Pain– UNC Kenan Flagler News
UNC’s Kenan Flagler Business School recently held its first annual MBA@UNC Alumni Immersion, featuring former Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett. David Hoffman, Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior and Senior Associate Dean for academic affairs led the conversation.
From 2009 to 2017, Jarrett chaired the White House Council on Women and Girls, along with managing the Offices of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs. Prior to her service in the Obama Administration, Jarrett was chair of the Chicago Transit Board, commissioner of planning and development, and deputy chief of staff for Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. She also served as CEO of Chicago’s Habitat Company.
Jarrett received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Stanford, at which point she decided to earn her law degree at the University of Michigan. After practicing corporate law, she shifted into public service after discovering that this was her true passion.
To the audience of Kenan Flagler alumni, Jarrett advises:
“You have a safety net with the great education you received. You can do it. You can try it. You can experiment. Work toward something meaningful, even when it’s a grind. If you think you don’t want to do it, don’t. The only adventure is in the zigzag.”
For more on the talk and the Alumni event, read here.
Dignity Health Global Education and Pepperdine Graziadio Launch Online Certificate in Healthcare Marketing – Pepperdine Graziadio News
The Pepperdine Graziadio Business School announced its new partnership with Dignity Health Global Education which will launch a new online certificate in Healthcare Marketing.
Designed for both administrators and marketers in the healthcare field, the goal of the certificate is to further innovation by training staff in strategic marketing and communications skills. According to Kurt Hayes, Chief Learning Experience Officer at Dignity Health Global Education, “Rapid technological advances coupled with societal and regulatory [factors] make it imperative to stay ahead of the curve.”
The certificate is comprised of nine units, and it can be completed in nine weeks with an average of six hours per week of studying and coursework. Lynda Palmer, faculty practitioner at Pepperdine Graziadio, says, “This is a unique program that teaches marketing concepts with a healthcare spin … It will equip healthcare professionals with the tools they need to develop [effective] strategies for their organization.”
For more on the new Healthcare Marketing certificate, read here.
Georgetown McDonough and USAID Expand Gender Equity Program – McDonough School of Business News
Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business has announced that it will deliver a Gender Equity Executive Leadership Program beginning this summer in Amsterdam. Participants from 17 energy utilities from around the world will participate.
In partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), McDonough began the program in 2018 with individuals from 21 countries including Nigeria, Jordan, and Kenya. The goal of the program is to train utilities to instate gender equity practices across every level of their organizations.
Brooks Holtom, the program’s Academic Director and Professor of Management at Georgetown McDonough, says, “This program has helped participants think deeply about how they can positively contribute to the active recruitment, development, and retention of women in male-dominated positions and industries.”
Recent participants in the Georgetown McDonough and USAID Expand Gender Equity Program.
Beginning with a week-long in person module, the program also employs virtual modules. It concludes with a final in person session at McDonough in 2020.
Osinubi Oyinlola, a 2017-18 participant from Nigeria, says, “The program has changed my perception of various aspects of my job as head of organizational development, which includes policy formulation, recruitment, and manpower planning. I have learned to consider gender equity [at all times].”
Read here for more on this year’s program.
School v. School: Arizona State W.P. Carey vs. Arizona Eller
The Grand Canyon State offers two attractive MBA programs tailored to professionals looking to expand their career horizons.
Arizona State University in Tempe, just outside of Phoenix, and the University of Arizona in Tucson, 60 miles from the Mexican border, are both large public universities with renowned business schools. Each program has unique strengths depending on what prospective b-schoolers are ultimately hoping to get out of their business school experience.
We take a look at the two largest business schools in the state of Arizona in our most recent School v. School comparison, analyzing Arizona vs Arizona State.
Michigan Ross and Michigan State Broad: Which MBA is Right for You?
As you search for the best fit in an MBA program, the country’s big metropolitan areas are likely on your list. It’s clear that New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston and Philly have no shortage of renowned business schools and robust job markets.
#1 Ranked IU Kelley Online MBA Undergoes Major Curriculum Update
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Already ranked #1 by the U.S. News & World Report, the IU Kelley Direct Online MBA has revamped its program for a more customizable experience. Now, their online program is even more robust while still offering the same flexibility and strengths that have made Kelley Direct a long-time business leader.
As always, the same faculty that teach in the IU Kelley on-campus programs also teach in the Kelley Online program. The Kelley Direct Online program also still includes live case studies within every in-residence week, offers global and domestic immersions, and focuses on quality student experiences.
The purpose of the revamp wasn’t to take away any of the elements that made the online MBA so great in the first place. Instead, the goal was to enhance the curriculum and offer more customization to make the program even stronger.
The Kelley Direct Online MBA now offers students 50 percent electives, seven majors, and a signature integrated core experience focused on business fundamentals.
It’s the next evolution of the online MBA, which goes far beyond what people typically think of for online MBAs.
“The primary motivation for the redesigned online MBA was not to focus on a new market segment, but to update our product and create a significant differentiator from other competitors in the marketplace,” explains Ramesh Venkataraman, chair of the Kelley Direct Online MBA and MS programs.
More Electives for a More Customized Student Experience
A quick glance at the current marketplace tells you that a candidate with specialized knowledge is more valuable than a general management MBA candidate. So, it made sense for the Kelley Online MBA program to update its curriculum to match what employers want, and they did this by drastically increasing the number of electives offered.
“In general, online MBA programs tend to be more core-heavy with less potential for electives,” Ramesh says. “But why should our online MBA not have as many electives as any other product? Specialized knowledge is what the marketplace wants, and our new electives allow students to gain that knowledge and use it as a launching pad in their careers.”
The newly revamped online MBA, which launches this fall, requires students to complete 27 credit hours of core coursework and 27 credit hours of electives—a 50/50 split. It’s a significant change from the previous format, which allowed for just 12 elective credits. The increase—with at least ten different electives in each of seven disciplines—results in a far more customizable student experience that’s aligned with both student and employer expectations.
But don’t worry; to get here, the online MBA didn’t take away from the core knowledge students need. Instead, the new curriculum is far more streamlined. The core material has been compressed into two credit hour classes instead of three, but with the same subject matters and essence.
“They’re not going to lose content,” states Ramesh. “They’re just going to enjoy their core content in a new format.”
The newly revamped online MBA format breaks down the core curriculum into three blocks: understanding markets and institutions; delivering value through functional excellence; and creating and sustaining competitive advantage. Each block includes a trio of 12-week courses with eight live sessions each that leverage technology to get the content out synchronously and asynchronously.
- Core 1: Business law and ethics, economics, and organizational behavior.
- Core 2: Operations management, marketing management, and financial management.
- Core 3: Digital tech and innovation, developing strategic capabilities, and an integrative live case experience.
Though, you should note, the update does mean that there’s a little more overall work. Online students now have to complete a total of 54 credits compared to 51.
However, the hope is that this increased workload will result in MBA students from a wider variety of backgrounds choosing the program thanks to the depth and breadth of their new course offerings, which includes seven new majors.
- Business Analytics
- Entrepreneurship & Innovation
- Finance
- Global Supply Chain Management
- IT Management
- Marketing
- Strategic Management
These majors allow students to choose the curriculum that best reflects their interests and career goals. Now, it’s possible to go deep into a specific business area or industry in a way that wasn’t possible before, providing students with a way to optimize their resume and find the best opportunities for moving forward.
Learning Doesn’t Stop Inside the Classroom. It’s an Immersive Experience with Many Co-Curricular Opportunities.
But learning doesn’t stop in the classroom when you choose the Kelley Online MBA. It’s an immersive experience that helps you build skills and confidence far beyond the curriculum through co-curricular opportunities.
“We know that online MBA students want to build a set of experiences that complement what they do in their online courses, but there’s a lot of variability in terms of what students want to build,” says Adam Herman, executive director of the Kelley Direct MBA and MS programs. “So, we offer a wide range of co-curricular opportunities that students can use to strengthen their professional profile.”
There are four main types of co-curricular activities:
- Experiential learning, including global and domestic immersion experiences as part of credit-bearing courses.
- A robust slate of affinity groups/clubs, both identity-oriented and career field-specific.
- Twice-annual Global Connect Networking Night in 25-30 cities across the globe.
- A suite of high-impact offerings from the career and professional development center.
In particular, experiential learning is a hallmark of the Kelley Direct Online MBA program. From a variety of in-person courses that focus on a particular business area to global and domestic immersion experiences, experiential learning is a highlight of many students’ education.
“Experiential learning is super important to the Kelley Online MBA program,” says Joe Hwalek, a ’19 MBA and associate brand manager for Hyatt Place Hotels, Hyatt Corp. “The greatest experience has been working in smaller teams. You spend an incredible number of hours working and learning from them, and each time, I’ve been awed at the level of professionalism and the solutions that we’ve put together.”
These immersive, educational experiences enrich the online MBA and create life-changing moments where students can make connections and learn by doing.
For example, there’s an annual trip to Washington D.C. that focuses on public policy. Students spend a week at the Washington Campus exploring, site seeing, and learning from the best and brightest individuals in politics.
“The program is fantastic,” describes Elisa Stampf, a ’19 MBA and senior small commercial sales representative at The Hartford. “The first day we were on campus we listened to speakers from all walks of life, backgrounds, and political parties. The next day, we toured Capitol Hill, spent time at the National Press Club, and more. Everything was incredibly relevant, and was an investment that was worth every penny.”
Also worth every penny are the global experiences where students will see the world and gain international economic knowledge and skills to move their careers forward.
MBA Students Are Going to Work in a Global Environment, and Being Online Doesn’t Change that Fact.
“Just because you’re an online MBA student doesn’t change the fact you’re an MBA student in need of international experience,” says Ramesh. “So, the more our students understand what it takes to do business outside the U.S. and in different cultures, the better. Our global experiences are crucial to providing that exposure.”
These Global Immersions typically include 5-6 weeks of online content to give students a deep understanding of business in a rapidly emerging market such as Thailand, India, South Africa, or Cuba. Then students head to their country of study to visit key companies and work on a real-world project. After returning to their homes, students work on—and submit—valuable deliverables designed to meet their clients’ needs.
“Our group was paired with a client and tasked to solve some of their business problems,” remembers Elisa. “We faced some challenges along the way, but we were able to consult with a local MBA student who knew the language and culture and who helped strengthen our experience.”
Even if students choose not to head out on a week-long international trip to a foreign country, they still have the opportunity to gain exposure to global business during their second Kelley Connect Week. During that time, they take on a business case study in a foreign country, which forces them to solve an international business problem, giving every student a global perspective.
IU Kelley MBA students in Vietnam.
Kelley Connect Weeks Are When Students Fall in Love with the Program
Speaking of Kelley Connect Weeks, when you ask students about their most memorable times in the Kelley Online MBA, they’ll always mention these two weeks. As Elisa says, “Kelley Connect Week was when I fell in love with the program and what I was doing.”
In most online programs you rarely meet your fellow students in person. However, that’s exactly the point of Kelley Connect Weeks. You attend these twice during the program for a full week, not a short weekend, allowing you to be completely immersed in the program, city, and school.
“Kelley Connect Weeks immerse you in something bigger,” explains Elisa.
Kelley Connect Weeks are a chance to feel connected to your classmates, professors, and the program on a much deeper level. Students head to Indiana University’s Bloomington campus for a week when they’ll meet faculty and classmates, work on team projects, undergo intensive coursework, and attend networking events. The highlight of the week is the live business case where students work in a team to solve a real client/company problem before presenting their solution to the real company, face-to-face.
“The Kelley Connect Weeks are super rewarding,” says Joe. “I’ve created friendships that I’ll have for the rest of my life. And from a career perspective, my classmates have been a valuable source of advice and networking, ultimately helping me make a career change.”
Top-Ranked Career Services Take Online MBAs to the Next Level
And making a career change is why many online MBA students choose an MBA. They’re looking for a change in their function, industry, location, or promotion—a way to enhance their potential. And that’s why the Kelley’s Graduate Career Services are so valuable.
“We have a five-phase career development model for our online MBA students,” explains Adam Herman. “It begins before the first Kelley Connect Week when students are sent pre-work focused on their career goals. From there, students are assigned a dedicated career coach who works alongside the student and guides them throughout the rest of their MBA program.”
These career coaches regularly check in with their students one-on-one to provide insight, offer feedback, and help with overall career navigation. Combined with online materials, weekly communication, and the ability to take classes delivered by the career services office, students have endless opportunities to impact their career in both small and large ways.
With a 115,000-strong alumni network, there are thousands of ways to make meaningful career connections.
For Joe Hwalek, that meant changing his career twice throughout the course of the program. He started out working at an advertising agency, but what he really wanted was to make the switch to working for a corporation. And that’s exactly what he did.
“I’m very fortunate that throughout my online MBA, I was able to move to another ad agency and then to a strategic role with Hyatt,” Joe explains. “The MBA gave me the knowledge that I needed to showcase myself well and demonstrate my commitment to my career field.”
In the End, It’s All About the Students.
And, in the end, the Kelley Online MBA, revamped or not, has always been about what students can get out of it.
“Our lives are so incredibly unique and diverse, and we get to share those experiences live,” says Elisa. “I now have people across the country and world that I know thanks to this program. And we’ve all been able to help each other in our professional lives. The technology IU Kelley uses does a stellar job of bringing people together.”
“The reason I chose the Kelley Online MBA is the flexibility it gave me, no matter my life stage,” Joe says. “I was able to move homes, change jobs twice, and maintain my lifestyle all while continuing my education. Life is busy, and you never know what will happen, so the flexibility to adjust my schedule weekly was invaluable.”
Choose an MBA where your success is paramount. Learn more and apply at the Kelley Direct Online MBA website.
The Online MBA: Which Programs Matter?
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to earn your MBA online? We wanted to take an in-depth look at the advantages of an Online MBA program and what it looks like to complete your graduate business education online—how long it will take, what activities will be available to you, and how it will enhance your career.
To that effect, we interviewed the admissions staff at some of the top brick and mortar business schools with leading Online MBA programs: CMU Tepper, Indiana Kelley, Michigan Ross, UNC Kenan-Flagler, and USC Marshall. Here’s what we learned:
CMU Tepper School of Business Online MBA
The CMU Tepper School of Business Online MBA program is a hybrid program, meaning students attend live, interactive online classes two evenings a week (for 70 minutes each) and then work the rest of the time offline, at their own pace. Students take the same rigorous curriculum as full-time students and are taught by the same faculty and staff.
- Duration: Flexible program duration
- Travel: Six times a year, students meet in-person for Access Weekends in Pittsburgh, Silicon Valley, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
- Workload: You’ll attend two, 70-minute live class sessions every week with an additional 3-5 hours of offline assignments.
CA: How do your Online MBA students take advantage of extracurricular activities (e.g., can they join a finance club, organize a tech conference, what are the similarities for an online program with the full-time program)?
“The Tepper School part-time Online Hybrid MBA is structured to provide maximum flexibility without sacrificing the extra-curricular experience, which is an essential component of an MBA program. Our online students have access to various campus activities, including student clubs, speaker events, and career treks that enrich the academic experience and provide opportunities to connect with colleagues, alumni, and potential employers. We also have a TepperBot (picture attached), which is a great way for students to actively join campus activities remotely. They can control the TepperBot’s movements from their phones, adjust the height, roll through spaces. It’s an excellent way for online students to be part of the on-campus experience.
Throughout their Tepper experience, online MBA students actively participate in student club activities; leadership coaching and workshops; corporate presentations and recruiting; and all that business school has to offer. Our online students have an active student leadership organization, and even started a virtual Friday afternoon happy hour!
CA: How do your Online MBA students take advantage of career resources. Do you offer the full-time MBA equivalent of on-campus recruiting?
“Our part-time Online Hybrid MBAs have access to the same career resources as our full-time students, including on-campus recruiting, corporate presentations, career treks to visit employers around the country, and connections to jobs at premier companies. Our top-ranked Masters Career Center provides career coaching from seasoned professionals to help them successfully manage career opportunities.”
IU Kelley School of Business Online MBA
The IU Kelley Direct Online MBA is delivered completely online. Students must complete 54 units to graduate—27 credits of core courses and 27 credits of electives. Courses are taught by the same faculty that teach the full-time MBA, but students have the flexibility to fit the coursework into their busy schedule. You can either participate in live lectures with your classmates or watch recorded lectures on your own schedule.
- Duration: Two to four years
- Travel: Students attend two Kelley Connect Weeks, which are intensive seven-day, in-person experiences on IU’s Bloomington campus.
- Workload: Live weekly classes are around 75 minutes in length in addition to prep work and additional study.
CA: How do your Online MBA students take advantage of co-curricular activities (e.g., can they join a finance club, organize a tech conference, what are the similarities for an online program with the full-time program)?
“Effective November 1, we have re-branded student services to the Office of Student Services and Advising. That unit is now responsible for co-curricular and experiential activities. What is true about an online MBA student is that they want to build a set of experiences that complement what they do in the classroom, but there is a lot of variability in terms of what they want to build.
Our co-curricular experiences have been divided into various buckets.
- There are four-credit experiential learning opportunities. Specifically, there are global learning courses that offer two types of experiential learning. There is a consulting course where they work on a live project, and then there’s an exploratory course where students spend a few weeks in a different country working with and learning from high-performing corporations outside the U.S.
- We also offer a robust suite of affinity groups—both identity-oriented groups and functional groups. As an example, there are several events for online MBA students, including virtual happy hours and excursions to visit Warren Buffet in Nebraska.
- Third, twice a year, we have a Global Connect Night where students get together and have refreshments with each other all across the world. Students entirely coordinate these events.
- Finally, we have a high-impact suite of offerings from our Career Management Center and one-on-one career coaching.”
CA: How do your Online MBA students take advantage of career resources. Do you offer the full-time MBA equivalent of on-campus recruiting?
“We have a five-phase career development model for our online MBA students that begins before a student’s very first Kelley Connect Week. They are sent access to a website that allows them to begin pre-work on their career goals and what they’re hoping to get out of their online MBA.
We recognize that most students in our program are primarily seekers looking to change their function, industry, or location, or they are career navigators looking to move up in their organization. So, as a first-year student, we ask them to complete career work early and then come to campus for a two-hour content session led by the Career Center to gain more insight into their options.
Then, our online MBA students have touch-points with their career coaches throughout their time in the program. Not only do they have access to the Career Center online, but they can check-in with their coach in person as well; it’s up to the individual. Our career office also sends out regular communications with career tips, job offers, and more. Students can also participate in several 1.5-credit hour courses offered by our career office for job seekers, career navigators, consultants, and more.”
Michigan Ross School of Business Online MBA
The Michigan Ross Online MBA (OMBA) is a flexible format that includes live class sessions, self-guided study, and leadership development training on the Ross campus. To graduate, students must complete 57 credit hours including 27 credits of core curriculum, 18 credits of electives, nine credits of in-person residencies, and three credits for an action-based learning project (MAP). It’s a highly flexible, self-paced program.
- Duration: Two or more years
- Travel: Students must attend three in-person residencies on the Ross campus that take place Thursday through mid-Sunday.
- Workload: Each 2.25-credit course requires students to participate in four live classes via the online platform.
CA: How do your Online MBA students take advantage of extracurricular activities (e.g., can they join a finance club, organize a tech conference, what are the similarities for an online program with the full-time program)?
“We will work with club leadership to devise ways to accommodate these students, knowing that this will be an enriching experience for both the online students and the clubs. We are planning on using technology for students to participate remotely in events.”
CA: How do your Online MBA students take advantage of career resources. Do you offer the full-time MBA equivalent of on-campus recruiting?
“Online students will be able to take part in the formal recruiting process if they wish. We have a career professional dedicated to our PT students, who is familiar with their specific needs and common career paths. OMBA students will have access to comprehensive career development services to prepare them for recruiting. These include resume reviews, networking guidance, interview practice, and negotiation advice.”
UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School MBA@UNC
The UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School MBA@UNC is an online MBA program where the teaching and coursework are delivered online. Students must complete a total of 62 credits, including a broad business foundation and an emphasis on strategic leadership. Weekly, students meet face-to-face online for collaborative sessions that build on coursework and foster stronger connections. However, using the mobile learning platform, students can complete coursework 24/7 from anywhere in the world.
- Duration: Anytime between 18 to 36 months, as it fits their work/personal commitments.
- Travel: Optional three-day intensive Global Summits are available every quarter, and students must attend two prior to graduation. Summits are held around the world and students can choose the location and term that best fits their schedule.
- Workload: Throughout each week, students complete interactive assignments on their own time comprised of case studies, video simulations, group projects, and reading materials. Students then meet each week in a webcam-based online classroom of no more than 15 students to discuss the week’s material with classmates and professors.
CA: How do your Online MBA students take advantage of extracurricular activities (e.g., can they join a finance club, organize a tech conference, what are the similarities for an online program with the full-time program)?
“Yes! Online MBA students at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School students engage in our many and very active student-led MBA clubs. Some use online social media channels for communication and promotion, while others hold virtual meetings and webinars. In some cities, they have regularly scheduled in-person social outings.
They also participate in events on campus–in-person or via live-stream–including speakers and conferences. Conferences include Carolina Women in Business, Careers with Impact Forum, Real Estate Conference, and Healthcare Club Conference.
For those students who join our in-person orientation, their networking/relationships begin before classes start. Then it occurs organically through group projects in courses, but they also use “cyber-rooms” (where they study with classmates and work on group projects) to run happy hours.
At our in-person summits (four per year – two in the U.S. and two in other countries), students spend a great deal of time creating and strengthening their networks and relationships. Many plan personal trips together before or after the summits.”
CA: How do your Online MBA students take advantage of career resources. Do you offer the full-time MBA equivalent of on-campus recruiting?
“Our students take advantage of the school’s many career resources, including:
- Every student participates in a 360 Multirater process at the beginning of the program and conducts a one-hour debrief with an Executive Coach to help understand their strengths and areas for improvement as a leader.
- Our Career & Leadership team conducts over 400 additional (optional) individual, one-hour personalized coaching sessions annually for our online students on a variety of topics, including developing a personalized action plan, assistance with job search, working through leadership challenges with their team, onboarding into a new role, etc.
- We conduct nearly 100 Career & Leadership programs (in-person events, webinars, networking forums, etc.) annually on topics ranging from leadership development to industry education and preparation sessions, to tactical career search elements. We deliver many of these ourselves; well also offer them in collaboration with national experts when appropriate.
- We offer a complementary suite of recruiting activities for our working professional students. These include virtual career fairs, networking events with employers, student, and alumni panels, and two in-person career fairs per year, in addition to the MBA National Conferences, which provide company networking and interview opportunities as well.
- We participate in a wide variety of national MBA career fairs (Forte, Prospanica, MBA Veterans Conference, ROMBA, National Black, etc.) where we provide on-site support.
- The long history of the MBA@UNC program and UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School has helped us grow a strong student and alumni base at top companies. Students have exposure to this network through industry/functional panels; our 17-city alumni networking summer series; and ongoing, informal events throughout the year at our various alumni chapters both nationally and internationally. We have about 37,000 alumni living and working in 86 countries.”
USC Marshall School of Business Online MBA
The USC Marshall Online MBA offers a unique, integrated curriculum designed for the online platform. Each class is taught weekly via live, interactive class discussions and asynchronous coursework. To graduate, students must complete 51 credits to graduate or six courses: Role of the Manager; Fundamentals of Business; Opportunity Recognition and Implementation; Managing Inside the Firm; Managing Outside Firm; and Business Environment & Leadership.
- Duration: 21 months
- Travel: Students must participate in a one-week, on-campus residency
- Workload: Every course requires two meetings per week for about one to two hours for each live class meeting—typically, Monday through Thursday from 5 pm to 10 pm. On average, students are expected to spend between 20-30 hours per week on coursework.
CA: How do your Online MBA students take advantage of extracurricular activities (e.g., can they join a finance club, organize a tech conference, what are the similarities for an online program with the full-time program)?
“The Marshall online MBA students may join the student organizations, attend all campus events, and participate in USC and Marshall alumni events. They are fully USC Marshall students. Some have attended alumni events in their region. Similar to the residential program, students may serve as cohort ambassadors, graduate with all of the residential MBA students and with the same diploma. Some have engaged in entrepreneurship competitions. Many attend the monthly virtual conversations with executives.”
CA: How do your Online MBA students take advantage of career resources. Do you offer the full-time MBA equivalent of on-campus recruiting?
“Because 100 percent of the students are fully employed–meaning they also cannot pursue internships–and nearly 40 percent are financially supported by their employers, and because the average work experience is 10+ years, OMBA students have a different set of career resource needs than our residential MBAs. When the Marshall admissions committee interviews final candidates, we explain the career options to avoid any later disappointments. Our Online MBA students consistently make appointments with the Online MBA career coaches for individual career counseling, most use the Marshall alumni network, and some attend on-campus job fairs. A few have even hired cohort-mates, and four OMBAs started a new company together.”
