Feeling stuck in your job and thinking of leveling up to higher management? An MBA can be the ticket to advancement at companies of all sizes. In fact, a master’s degree is a standard requirement for mid- to upper-management positions at many companies, especially businesses in the top rank of their industries.
Though an MBA can help advance your career, it can be challenging to attend classes while you’re still working full time and trying to meet personal commitments as well.
The solution is an online MBA program, which offers the flexibility you need to work, to take care of your personal obligations and to study and learn when it’s convenient for you. Most online MBA programs are designed so working professionals can take classes where and when they can and never have to spend time and money getting to and from a campus.
Why Go Online for an MBA?
An online MBA gives you the option of enrolling in a program with little regard to geographic location. This widens your list of choices, no matter where you call home.
Many of the best business schools, colleges and universities across the nation offer respected and highly rated online MBAs. Some institutions charge in-state tuition rates for all online students regardless of state residency.
In an online program, you can study wherever you want. Wherever includes anywhere you can access the internet, which is almost everywhere. With a connected digital device, you have your textbooks, your classroom, your library, your discussion board and all the other resources you need to be a productive student.
Wherever could be the commuter train, a coffee shop, your neighborhood library or a picnic table at the park or anywhere else you can connect to the internet.
Go at Your Own Pace
Online courses are often described as self-paced, which is desirable for students who work full time. However, while self-pacing is a convenient feature, you will still need to exercise self-discipline and adhere to a course schedule to be successful.
Courses are delivered in synchronous or asynchronous mode. Synchronous courses have livestreamed classes that occur on a set schedule. Asynchronous courses offer recorded classes, which students can view at their convenience. In either mode, your course syllabus will include a calendar with a schedule and deadlines for assignments, activities and tests.
Schedule Time to Study
A great convenience of asynchronous classes is the flexibility they offer. You can schedule your “class” time when it works best for you. And whether synchronous or asynchronous, you’ll enjoy the convenience of being able to schedule study time when it’s most productive for you.
Squeeze in Study During Spare Time
With a connected device you not only have the convenience of studying almost everywhere, you also have the flexibility to work whenever you have time. Even with just a few minutes you can be productive because you have everything you need to study, do research, catch up on reading, participate in a discussion, write a few paragraphs for a paper, upload an assignment or text your professor.
Earn Your Degree in Less Time
Depending on the program you choose, it’s possible to complete a comparable MBA degree more quickly online than on campus.
For instance, the 31-credit-hour, 100% online MBA programs from Longwood University can be completed in as few as 10 months by enrolling full time. The 10 accelerated courses in each program, which cover all the same material as classroom courses, last just seven weeks apiece. A comparable live classroom-based MBA typically takes at least two years.
So, in less than a year, you could earn an MBA. And with your new credential, you’d be equipped and eligible to move up to a higher management level and boost your income potential as well.
Learn more about Longwood University’s online MBA programs.
