Why Online MBA: 10 Reasons to Get Your Degree Online

If you are looking to advance your career, but don’t have the time for classroom study, then an online MBA might be the right choice. Here are some reasons why online MBA programs are becoming increasingly popular that may help you decide whether or not you want to get an online MBA.

1. Advance your career. According to the QS Jobs & Salary Trends Report 2011/13, a growing number of companies worldwide view an MBA from a top business school as an essential qualification for entry-level management positions.
2. There are many accredited online MBA programs. Contrary to popular belief, online MBA programs aren’t just a scam created by unaccredited diploma mills. Several online MBA programs are in the list of programs approved by the three major accrediting bodies -- AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS. Since the number of online MBA programs is on the rise, it is likely that more top business schools will add online programs.
3. Get the same curriculum as an on-campus program from the convenience of your own home. Most of the schools listed in the ranking offer online students the same MBA curriculum that is taught on campus, and usually from the same faculty.
4. You don’t have to relocate in order to participate in the online MBA program of your choice. This means that you don’t have to pay the moving costs that you would if you needed to find a place closer to campus.
5. Freedom to relocate for work. Since online MBA programs aren’t location dependent, you can move or change jobs, even serve in the military, and still be able to complete your MBA. Lieutenant Colonel Scott Coulson, a graduate of the W.P. Carey School's online MBA program, was able to get his MBA from Afghanistan while serving in the U.S. Army.
6. You can take courses while travelling. Many online MBA programs in the 2012 QS Distance Online MBA Rankings have students that participate in coursework while on business trips.
7. You can get your MBA while working. Getting your MBA online means that you can keep your current job, and your current salary. In addition to the financial benefits, you can also get more work experience and apply what you learn to your job as you learn it.
8. Convenience. In addition to taking courses from home, many of the services you’d get on-campus (library, career counselling, etc.) are available online. For example, many of the programs listed deliver materials before the start of the program and make it so you can access all the materials you need online.
9. Flexible scheduling. An online MBA is one of the most flexible MBA options out there. Since many programs use asynchronous technology, such as message boards and email, you can respond at your own pace. The real-time (aka synchronous) aspects of an online MBA program, such as videoconferencing, can be completed from your home, making it easier to fit an MBA into your schedule since you don’t have to commute.
10. Online MBAs are usually cheaper than on-campus ones, since there are fewer infrastructure costs associated with online MBA programs. For example, an online MBA program doesn’t require that new classrooms be built. In addition, you don’t have to pay fees for on-campus facilities such as library fees or internet fees. You also don’t have to pay costs associated with commuting. Since these programs are cheaper and allow you to continue working, online MBA graduates usually have an easier time paying off their college loans.

Download the QS Distance Online MBA Rankings ›