Anyone do an online MBA?

[IndyColtsFan]

If so, let's talk. I'm looking at several different options and want to hear your experiences. I'm looking for economical and reputable (no offense to anyone, but I won't consider UoP or other 'for profit' schools).

So far, my list consists of Western Governors, Jacksonville State, Nebraska, and UMass-Lowell. I've heard Auburn and a few others have relatively cheap programs as well but I have not investigated yet.

For clarification, when I say "economical," I'm looking at programs at $25K or under. I won't go into debt for an MBA. If I wanted to go into debt for an MBA, I'd walk next door and take classes at Indiana in the evenings.

 

[edro]

Indiana is expensive?

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Indiana is expensive?

Indiana has a top MBA program. Total program cost is quoted at around $55K to $60K so for a top program that isn't bad, but I won't take loans for an MBA program. A friend did IU's program and said he went $40K into debt that that was about half his actual cost. If I were younger, I might consider that but at this stage in my career, the initials after my name are more important than where those initials came from.

Nebraska, for example, has a program that is $20K to $25K IIRC.

 

[kranky]

It just kills me that schools insist on charging the same price for online programs as the on-campus ones. When there are more people like you who refuse to go into massive debt for a degree, that will add pressure to drive costs down.

Although I think it won't happen until the school loan bubble bursts which is probably a few years away.

 

[uclaLabrat]

Is it really worth it? I heard the best advantage of an MBA was the contacts you make while being there and being able to network off them.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

It just kills me that schools insist on charging the same price for online programs as the on-campus ones. When there are more people like you who refuse to go into massive debt for a degree, that will add pressure to drive costs down.

Actually, I think Indiana's online price was even MORE than going on campus! The last time I looked at the actual rates (probably 18 months ago), it was $700/credit on campus and $1000/credit online. I couldn't believe it.

I just can't justify debt for such an iffy proposition as an MBA. At this stage in my career, it is more of a checkbox filler when going on interviews. I've seen too many friends get MBAs, some of them going deep into debt, and it really hasn't propelled them forward.

Although I think it won't happen until the school loan bubble bursts which is probably a few years away.

I can do an MBA at WGU for about $13K over 2 years (work would pay $10K of that) and if I stretched it into a term in the third year, it would be 100% covered by my employer. I have also heard that Jacksonville State has an online option as low as $10K or $11K. Jacksonville State's is also AACSB accredited, but I've heard that regional accreditation is more important and AACSB only comes into play if you want to teach (which I don't). I think WGU is probably more flexible but IIRC, Jacksonville State is pretty flexible as well. I'll need to check my notes at home to be sure.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Is it really worth it? I heard the best advantage of an MBA was the contacts you make while being there and being able to network off them.

I'll repeat something I've often said here on AT. I personally do not believe an MBA is worth it unless your employer is paying OR unless you're given a promotion with a significant raise on condition of getting an MBA. I'll modify that a little and say that it might be worth it if you can get out of it with only spending a few thousand out-of-pocket. I personally think my undergrad (BSEE) is more prestigious and difficult to obtain than an MBA, but I don't make the rules so my opinion doesn't matter.

In corporate America, many management jobs are requesting or requiring MBAs. I don't believe an MBA necessarily makes you a better manager, nor do I believe that you learn something so mysterious and incredible in an MBA program that you must go through a program because you'd never learn it otherwise. That's hogwash. The sad fact, however, is that companies aren't willing to train anyone these days and they would hire someone externally with the MBA checkbox filled rather than encourage or train their employees for the job.

 

[Zeze]

Interesting.

There are many jobs I've come across that say MBA preferred but never required for management levels.

Based on what you say (which I wholly agree), then why not just get a cheapest accredited MBA? You're doing it just to clear the HR hurdle.

 

[corwin]

I'm not sure how much their graduate programs are but you might check out Baker online, I'm getting my undergraduate there and it was pretty much the cheapest around for 100% online classes...still damn expensive but you pay for the convenience.

https://www.baker.edu/graduate/mba.cfm

 

[edro]

University of Dayton has an online Masters in Engineering Management degree.
A coworker is taking it now.
IMO, it would be much more worthwhile than a vanilla MBA.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Interesting.

There are many jobs I've come across that say MBA preferred but never required for management levels.

Yeah, most say "MBA Preferred" and I don't want to be eliminated because I don't have that on my resume but can do a better job than someone with an MBA.

Based on what you say (which I wholly agree), then why not just get a cheapest accredited MBA? You're doing it just to clear the HR hurdle.

WGU's option is really attractive because it is one of the cheapest and is very flexible, but even though it is regionally accredited, I'm not sure if a degree from them would be held against me. I know it is a more reputable option than a UoP or for-profit school, however.

If I had a better feel for this, I'd go the WGU route for sure. Otherwise I'm looking at other options that involve traditional schools offering online options and if they're close enough in price, it might be worth sacrificing a little flexibility to go that route.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

University of Dayton has an online Masters in Engineering Management degree.
A coworker is taking it now.
IMO, it would be much more worthwhile than a vanilla MBA.

I'd probably target an MBA with a focus in IT management, which WGU offers. I don't have my notes so I am not sure what the others that I've researched offer.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I'm not sure how much their graduate programs are but you might check out Baker online, I'm getting my undergraduate there and it was pretty much the cheapest around for 100% online classes...still damn expensive but you pay for the convenience.

https://www.baker.edu/graduate/mba.cfm

The advantage to WGU is that you pay per term, not credit hour. A term is $3250 so an entire year is $6500 and you can cram in as many courses as you want in that time period. So it is theoretically possible to get an MBA from them for $6500 or so, but it would probably be impossible to do while working unless you have enough knowledge to test out of a bunch of the classes.

 

[Zeze]

The way HR works, I really doubt your typical HR or hiring manager would know how 'regional' WGU would be. All they'd care about is that you do have an MBA. I doubt they would even check your school.

Most of them, outside of internet, counts UoP as fully legit. So if you're leaning towards WGU, then you should be golden.

I say go for WGU. And best of luck Indycoltsfan!

 

[edro]

I'd probably target an MBA with a focus in IT management, which WGU offers. I don't have my notes so I am not sure what the others that I've researched offer.

Oh ok, I didn't know you were in IT.
I assumed otherwise since you have a BSEE.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Oh ok, I didn't know you were in IT.
I assumed otherwise since you have a BSEE.

Yeah, I changed careers shortly after graduating and I'm at a crossroads where I have 3 options to move on to bigger and higher-paying things:

1. Delve deep into a technical area and do consulting.
2. Continue with my original plan and just get a PMP and hope it pays dividends.
3. Get an MBA and hope it pays off in the future. Even with one, someone is going to have to give me a chance somewhere along the line.

 

[Zeze]

Yeah, I changed careers shortly after graduating and I'm at a crossroads where I have 3 options to move on to bigger and higher-paying things:

1. Delve deep into a technical area and do consulting.
2. Continue with my original plan and just get a PMP and hope it pays dividends.
3. Get an MBA and hope it pays off in the future. Even with one, someone is going to have to give me a chance somewhere along the line.

2 & 3 aren't mutually exclusive. PMP is nowhere near time and $$ demanding as MBA.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

2 & 3 aren't mutually exclusive. PMP is nowhere near time and $$ demanding as MBA.

That was why I originally started studying for the PMP, as I was hoping it would be an easier and less expensive route towards my goals.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Really depends what you want to do. PMP certification is easy to get. The hardest thing is filling out the application. Your company should be willing to send you to a week-long boot camp for the test. I passed a practice test without even studying and before taking the class.

MBA - will provide you more career opportunities and you will actually learn stuff. In regards to online vs B&M, I think B&M will provide you with twice the education at four times the pain. You just don't get the same interaction with professor/students and online really creates a poor environment for discussion and concentration.

Just my two cents as someone who has their MBA, PMP and done both online and B&M MBA classes.

 

[rifken2]

I would say that getting an MBA online is not something I would tackle... There is something to be said for sitting in a class with undivided attention. The instructors can also look to get a feel if a topic is sinking in...

I finished mine about a year ago. About half the classes would have been no problem online. The other half would have taken a lot of work online versus sitting in a room. It also helped me get in the right frame of mind once I was sitting in the class versus sitting at my desk at home with the wife and newborn to distract me. But that was my situation, not all situations...

I would have to agree with others, get the cheapest you can, accredited of course. If this is coming out of your pocket, like mine, it can take a long time pay off.

I agree with Zeze, 2 & 3 aren't mutually exclusive. If I recall correctly, after one of my MBA courses all I had to do was take the exam to be a certified PMP. No one in the course went that route, but we had the option.

On option 1, while that is a route you can take, think about it... You will go deeper down the rabbit hole than you are now. The benefit to a MBA or PMP is that it gives you broader appeal; you have other skills to offer. Also, MBA and/or PMP give you great options for consulting when/if you decide to go that route. Also, a MBA will really help you understand who to talk to and how to talk to people that can make decisions at a company when you are a consultant. One of the single most important things that I learned during my program is that you have to find out who controls the purse strings and pitch to them otherwise you are just wasting your time.

Anywho... If you do complete your MBA, don't be one of those goobers that put MBA after their name in their email signature.

 

[sactoking]

I was looking at doing mine online. My leading candidates were UMass-Amherst and Florida State. Not only were they too expensive, but I also learned that many online MBA programs require one semester to be done "in residency" (Read: in person). This is for accreditation purposes; the real accreditation groups won't allow a school to be perceived as a diploma mill my doing 100% of the instruction online.

I ended up doing the in-person, part-time program at my local university. It was much cheaper, was top-10 for part-time programs, and the in-person instruction was invaluable.

Whatever you do, be sure to thoroughly investigate the residency requirement of the program you choose.

 

[dfuze]

I was thinking about getting mine at Western New England until I decided to go for an engineering associates degree first. I did their online bachelor's degree program and they also do their MBA online as well. The one really nice thing is that they have accelerated classes, every 11 weeks.

http://www1.wne.edu/adultlearning/index.cfm?selection=doc.6279

 

[corwin]

The advantage to WGU is that you pay per term, not credit hour. A term is $3250 so an entire year is $6500 and you can cram in as many courses as you want in that time period. So it is theoretically possible to get an MBA from them for $6500 or so, but it would probably be impossible to do while working unless you have enough knowledge to test out of a bunch of the classes.

Holy crap...while looking I never came across that school, I may have to transfer if I can cram a shit ton of classes all at once it would be way cheaper there...

 

[Imp]

Anywho... If you do complete your MBA, don't be one of those goobers that put MBA after their name in their email signature.

Why blow at least $10k when you're not going to whore it everywhere you go?

Just graduated from graduate school last month and thought about putting MEng. after my name, then thought too douchey...

If I don't flame out after my second technical master's, I am considering either an MA in public policy and admin, or a cheap MBA for shits and giggles. I wouldn't do it online though even if it's just resume padding - I just can't concentrate and do that amount of self-study. Also, being in the class and on campus makes it more manageable psychologically.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Really depends what you want to do. PMP certification is easy to get. The hardest thing is filling out the application. Your company should be willing to send you to a week-long boot camp for the test. I passed a practice test without even studying and before taking the class.

Quite honestly, I am thinking of paying someone to do the form for me. A lot of the PM bootcamps will offer application assistance and even if they charge extra it is worth every dime.

Maybe I will ask my boss to pay for a bootcamp -- I think that would be a good "shit or get off the pot" moment for management here.

MBA - will provide you more career opportunities and you will actually learn stuff. In regards to online vs B&M, I think B&M will provide you with twice the education at four times the pain. You just don't get the same interaction with professor/students and online really creates a poor environment for discussion and concentration.

Just my two cents as someone who has their MBA, PMP and done both online and B&M MBA classes.

It all comes down to cost and flexibility for me. I know an MBA is a lot of work in terms of projects, writing, research, etc, but I have no fear of the program's difficulty. I could go next door and get a top 20 MBA but I'd also rack up tens of thousands in debt and that is something I'm not willing to do.

Also, I despise group projects and don't see the value in them when you've been working for 20 years already.