A Masters in Business Administration or MBA can be a great way to advance your career and could open up a wide variety of positions. It is one of the best credentials for those who want to move into management, work as a business consultant or run their own business. And the possibility of being able to earn your degree completely online makes it even more interesting. Here are six reasons why getting your MBA online is the best decision you’ll ever make.
You’ll Finish School Sooner
If you’re looking for advancement in your current career, enrolling in online MBA in South Africa is one great way to do it. The sooner you graduate, the sooner you have the credentials necessary to be promoted at work.
Programs like Walsh University’s online MBA will allow you to complete your MBA in as little as one year, while traditional MBA programs take at least two years. This gives you at least a year at your new pay grade. It also gives you the option of earning a dual degree in the time that you’d complete a traditional master’s degree. This may be the right combination to pursue a niche area of expertise or get promoted to the position you want.
It Offers More Flexibility
An online MBA gives you more flexibility than attending classes at a brick and mortar school. At a minimum, it eliminates transportation costs and the associated travel time. In most cases, you can take classes at your own pace.
It is your decision to watch the latest lessons over your lunch break or after the kids go to bed. You’re free to fit your classes around your schedule instead of trying to schedule your life around your classes. If you don’t understand a lesson, you can repeat it. If you need to take a break, pause, take care of things, then return and continue with the lesson.
An online MBA is often the only real option for those who work the night shift or variable work schedules. You can choose online programs that have appointed class times or asynchronous times. You can pick from programs that have set project due dates or assignments you turn in when you’re ready.
Another benefit of online programs is that they may not have the same strict start dates as your local university. Some online MBA programs offer intakes three, four or even six times a year. You can start the program when it best fits your schedule.
If you’re constantly traveling, the online MBA is the ideal choice. You can connect to classes whether at home or on the road. You can continue your education during a military deployment or when you take a job overseas.
A side benefit of online MBA programs is that you can earn the degree while connected to a school where they teach lessons in your native language, no matter where you’re living. On the flipside, it could give you the opportunity to connect with international students attending your online MBA program, giving you an international network of peers those attending the local school will lack.
You Have a Wider Array of Options
If you were planning on earning a conventional MBA, your choices are to choose from the few local schools that offer the program or move to attend a school that has the program you want to attend. When you decide to earn an online MBA, the number of choices you have skyrockets. You can find schools that don’t require you to take the GMAT. You can choose from specializations like marketing, healthcare management, or general management. Also, you can opt for a certificate in healthcare administration, and completely change your work environment.
It Is Often Cheaper
We’ve already discussed how online courses eliminate travel time and driving costs. However, online MBA programs are often cheaper than traditional courses. There are several reasons for this. One is that the school will have a professor host the online class from their office or a small conference room instead of booking a large lecture hall. The school certainly doesn’t have to pay for maintaining amenities used by students attending the campus like libraries, dorm rooms or cafeterias. It can save you money in other ways, too. For example, you don’t have to move to attend a specialized MBA program. The lower cost increases the odds you’ll finish your degree, too.
Some online MBA programs allow you to adjust how many credits you take per semester. This lets you alter your course load to fit your budget without having to drop out of the program if money gets tight. If you need to ramp up your overtime at work, just scale back on the class load. Being able to continue working while going to school, though, is incredibly valuable. That it may allow you to earn an MBA without going into debt is certainly worth it.
It Gives You Access to More Resources
While it may sound counter-intuitive, attending online courses gives you access to more resources than if you attend a brick and mortar school. You’ll have more interactivity with the professor since you can instant message and email them after class. You’ll have more interaction with your online classmates.
You can seek one-on-one assistance from the professor digitally, and you may not be constrained by visiting hours. You’ll be able to repeat lessons multiple times, if necessary, to get the material down. You’ll also have access to third-party online tools that complement what you’re learning in class. These tools allow you to connect with others studying the same material even though they aren’t in your particular program. This gives you a very large pool of potential study partners.
You’ll Master the Technology You’ll Need Tomorrow
Another benefit of earning an online MBA is that it forces you to learn the various tools that are becoming commonplace in business. You learn how to use file-sharing services, tools for real-time online meetings, instant messaging apps and other interactive tools to watch classes and connect with professors. You’ll become fluent in this technology by the time you complete your degree.
Conclusion
Online MBAs have so many advantages over the traditional option that it is a wonder anyone seriously considers attending brick and mortar schools. And the online MBA is equally respected by employers, so there’s no reason not to earn it online.
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Founder Dinis Guarda
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