Online or Offline: Which Type of MBA Program is Right for You?

You like your job. Things are going well. In fact, you're up for a promotion. Hardly seems like the time to go back to school. With the right program, turns out, it might be the perfect time. Online MBA programs make it possible for you to keep your job and earn your Masters of Business Administration. Here are just a few of the reasons a distance learning MBA might be just what you're looking for.

For some people, a traditional, brick-and-mortar classroom-intensive MBA program is the right fit. They need daily face-to-face interaction. They're ready to take several years away from work to earn an additional degree. For others, an online MBA program is a much better fit. If you're trying to decide which type of program is for you, consider the following.

Online MBA Programs Offer More Flexibility

Online MBAs give you geographical flexibility. Regardless of where you live, you can access a good program, making it possible for you to earn your degree without moving across the country. Distance learning MBA programs also offer scheduling flexibility. Since you'll be able to complete much of your coursework on your own schedule, you can balance going back to school with a full-time job.

Distance Learning MBAs Offer Collaboration Opportunities

One myth about online MBA programs is that you'll toil away in your home office without any connection to real people. In fact, you'll work closely with other students and your professors, completing group projects and participating in discussions. Your experience will be different from a traditional classroom experience, but it certainly won't be a solitary one.

Online MBAs Solve Work/School Dilemmas

With an online MBA program, you don't have to quit your job. As you consider going back to school for an MBA one of the toughest questions is whether or not the additional degree is worth the time away from work, both in terms of earnings and advancement opportunities. If you're particularly worried about the sacrifice, consider a distance learning program. You might not have to sacrifice at all.

Only you can decide whether a traditional or an online MBA is the right choice for you. But with great programs available on your home computer, distance learning MBAs are well worth considering.

About the Author
Dawn West teaches writing at Oregon State University. Her previous experience includes working for the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance, a not-for-profit in New York City, and serving as the director of an educational program for at-risk youth in Boston. Dawn holds a B.A. in English from Harvard University.