Potentially one of the biggest choices a potential MBA candidate can make is whether to study online or on campus. It’s a decision that will shape the next few years of their life.
Fortunately for those considering an online MBA, the choices are rich and numerous. Better yet, employers are actively supporting the idea of online MBAs as they tick a number of boxes. Online MBAs, for example, mean talented staff aren’t removed from the organisation for long periods of time for their study.
Completing online education whilst working also helps to demonstrate the candidate has the ability to manage and cope with varying demands and pressures. As online MBAs have improved in leaps and bounds, employers are more confident their staff are receiving an exceptional education.
Online MBA courses are also rising in popularity. According to a global report released by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) in 2023, flexible MBA courses, which include online delivery, had higher application growth rates compared to full-time, in-person programs. This demonstrates how MBA candidates today are putting more emphasis on flexibility in acquiring their postgraduate degrees.
At the same time, this sentiment is shared by other higher education students. McKinsey & Company reported in 2023 that almost 65 per cent of students around the globe want aspects of their virtual learning experience to remain online. These students shifted from in-person to online classes during COVID-19.
Students nowadays have a broad choice of MBA formats. Depending on their personal and professional circumstances, they can choose to study an online or traditional MBA as a full-time or part-time student.
So, what’s the difference? How do the experience and outcome vary between online and traditional?
Let's explore.
The online experience
Online courses offer the freedom to choose when and where the coursework is done. Once enrolled, a student typically has a period of time in which they must complete each unit of study or segments of each unit. Classes can be taken and retaken, at any time during that period and the academics make themselves broadly available for consultation.
While online MBAs once required some on-campus interaction, most providers are moving to a 100% online model.
What do classes involve? They tend to be a series of bite-sized videos, rather than hour-long lectures. These videos might be three, four or five minutes long, and are interspersed with coursework tasks that help to bring an immediacy of understanding and practicality to the learning process. Those tasks are sometimes focused on the business in which the student works.
From the very beginning of a course, group projects are conducted. Just as staff members in workplaces develop strong relationships with people they’ve never met in other departments and other organisations, online MBA candidates also develop powerful networks.
Students come to know each other very quickly, fast discovering each other’s working styles, strengths and weaknesses. They connect and experience networking opportunities in real-time in breakout rooms via videoconference during study periods, and again during projects. Some meet in the real world if they’re in the same geographical area. Others work on practical projects together, solving existing problems for local businesses.
Then, of course, there are also some live classes during which students and teachers will interact openly. Pre-work and reading will be set each week before the live session. Students and teachers will then dial in to discuss, iron out any issues and work through problems together.
There are no queues at libraries, instead, there is 24-hour library access. There are no extra costs for social events, university clubs, external trips, travel, accommodation or membership society fees. With the online MBA, everything you need is on your screen, whenever and wherever you need it, and often available to be digested at the student's own pace.
The traditional experience
How does the traditional MBA experience differ from online? First of all, the class timetable of the traditional MBA is more rigid, which could be a benefit for individuals who respond better to an external level of discipline, stability and accountability.
Much of the coursework takes place in the same physical space as lecturers and fellow students. Here, there are greater opportunities for physical social gatherings and water-cooler conversations, etc. There are also more opportunities to spend time – over lunch and after lessons have ended – with others in the course.
Extra time must be put aside each week for commuting to and from the campus, and it’s possible that an agreement will need to be made with the student’s employer, to ensure they are released from work for long enough to meet their MBA obligations.
Full-time courses held on campus offer little chance for paid work. The degree is able to be completed more quickly, but the student must take at least a year out of their employment to do so.
Part-time MBAs held on campus offer a little more flexibility, sometimes allowing options such as choices of days or times for particular classes. Some traditional courses nowadays are also including online options.
Part-time courses still require extra time for travelling to and from the campus.
Traditional MBA offerings can be interrupted negatively by travel and other unforeseen events such as COVID-19.
However, the structured nature and the increased face-to-face time in a real-world environment can also be positive. MBAs require great discipline, and certain types of people will appreciate the discipline that traditional MBAs promote, rather than having to be individually responsible and accountable.
Which MBA format will fit in with my work?
It’s interesting to note that there is an age and experience difference in online and traditional MBA cohorts, although this line is fast blurring. Traditional, and particularly full-time, MBAs tend to attract younger professionals with less work experience. Online MBAs tend to attract a slightly older cohort, with more years of experience.
SEEK says the average age of MBA students in Australia is 30 to 35.
Individuals who are more established in their careers may also be at a stage at which they may have settled down, taken on a mortgage and have children. As they have greater financial, social and professional commitments outside their study, they’re less likely to be able to or want to spend an entire year without an income. They may also want to network during their MBA degree with people at similar levels to them professionally.
As mentioned, full-time, traditional MBAs do not fit easily with full-time jobs. For obvious reasons, online MBAs fit more comfortably with full-time employment. The online MBA student need not take a financial or professional hit for the sake of their education. Both can co-exist.
While there is not a lot of research on the topic, anecdotal evidence suggests that employers prefer not to lose their promising talent during the time they’re studying. Hence, online or part-time courses will allow the student to continue to work and apply their new knowledge to their job as they progress through the degree. In that way, it’s a win/win for the MBA participant and for their employer.
If an employer questions the value of the MBA, whether online or traditional, it’s always worth checking whether the business school has any resources that have been developed to help employers appreciate the value of the degree to their business. Many do this very well.
Online MBA checklist
An online MBA will likely suit your requirements better than a traditional MBA if:
- You are in a busy job that requires time and effort. Online MBA degrees are far more flexible in terms of the timing of classes – you can attend at 6am, 3pm or 11pm, the choice is yours – and as an added bonus, you don’t have to factor in travel time to the campus.
- You have a family, perhaps a partner or children. Once again, the flexibility of an online MBA means it can be shaped around other personal commitments. All you need is a quiet space to attend online classes, whether at home, at work, or in a public space like a local library or a park.
- You desire choice in MBA providers. Online MBAs open up an entirely new range of choices of university, whether within Australia or anywhere else around the globe. This offers a greater ability to personalise the course offerings to your own specific needs and aspirations.
- You’re motivated and technologically equipped. You’ll need to put aside time and mental bandwidth every week to ensure you keep up with the workload. Speaking of bandwidth, you’ll also need a decent, reliable internet connection and a computer.
- You travel for your work. Most impressive is the fact that online MBAs can be conducted anywhere and at any time, as long as you have a laptop and an internet connection. Evenings in hotel rooms, downtime at airports and quiet moments in foreign offices can become periods of educational and career advancement once you’re enrolled in an online MBA.
Traditional MBA checklist
A traditional MBA degree will likely suit your requirements better than an online MBA if:
- You’re able to leave work or cut down your hours. The qualification can be earned more quickly if conducted full-time, which means a year out of work and with little to no income.
- You prefer the discipline that comes from structure. Every MBA course, whether online or traditional, requires a high level of discipline. The less flexible nature of traditional MBA courses may help those who might struggle without that discipline.
- You want access to everything a university has to offer. This might include social or sporting clubs, infrastructure such as gymnasiums and cafes, as well as student services such as career counselling.
- You prefer real-world, face-to-face learning and networking. Some learn better in a real-world environment, while others prefer the lack of distraction that comes with online studies.
- You are happy with what your local university offers in their traditional MBA program or are willing to travel and live elsewhere.
Find the right MBA course that fits your schedule
More universities nowadays offer more options for you to enrol in their MBA course. Whether you prefer studying on campus or online, you can definitely find the most suitable program that accommodates your personal and professional commitments. Discover various MBA courses available in Australia to begin your search.