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Click here for the Top 10 Online MBA Programs in 2024
Do you want to pursue an MBA but can’t find the time? Maybe you don’t feel like being out of a job for 2 years is worth the investment? Maybe all the online MBA programs you know seem too generic? Do you want a quality MBA without sacrificing your job, your family, or your earnings? This is a quick summary of the top ten online MBA programs based on rankings/reputation, structure, networking opportunities, gained skills, and tuition investment. The Rankings and Tuition Fees* published on this article are believed to be true for the academic year 2010-2011.
1. IE Business School
| Location: | Madrid, Spain |
| Program: | Global MBA |
| Rankings: | #1 by The Wall Street Journal, #11 by Financial Times, #1 in Europe by BusinessWeek |
| Description: | IE offers a 15-month Global MBA program for English and Spanish speakers. The program allows students to connect to the virtual classroom from anywhere in the world. In addition to virtual lectures and videoconferences, students are required to participate in two short week-long residence sessions in Madrid. There are additional optional sessions to network and connect with other students in different locations throughout the course. |
| Networking Opportunities: | Students from 24 countries with background and expertise in a diverse variety of fields including financial markets, banking, marketing, and technology. |
| Gained Skills: | Strategy, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Information Systems, Intercultural Skills. |
| Tuition: | € 39,200 (approx. $56,000 USD) |
| Website: | https://www.ie.edu/business-school/programs/mba/global-online-mba/the-program/ |
2. Thunderbird School of Global Management
| Location: | Arizona, USA |
| Program: | Global MBA |
| Rankings: | #1 in International Programs by U.S. News & World Report, # 1 in International Business by Financial Times |
| Description: | Thunderbird offers a 12, 19 and 36-month global MBA program where students participate through virtual classrooms and on-site seminars in the USA, China, Switzerland and Chile. |
| Networking Opportunities: | Students have lived and worked in several different countries with backgrounds in a wide variety of companies ranging from Coca Cola to Boeing to the U.S. Department of Defense. |
| Gained Skills: | Cross-Cultural Communications, Global Political Economy, Global Finance, Global Operations, Global Marketing, Global Negotiations, Global Leadership, Global Strategy. |
| Tuition: | $68,800 USD (includes on-site costs for international study trips except airfare) |
| Website: | http://www.thunderbird.edu/ |
3. Duke University
| Location: | North Carolina, USA |
| Program: | Cross-Continental MBA |
| Rankings: | #6 by BusinessWeek, #12 by U.S. News & World Report, # 20 by Financial Times. |
| Description: | The program lasts 16 months blending Internet-enabled distance learning with 6 residential sessions that take place in North Carolina, Europe and Asia. |
| Networking Opportunities: | Students from 25 countries average 3 to 9 years of experience and are currently employed full-time in a variety of industries. |
| Gained Skills: | Finance, Accounting, Decision Models, Cross-Cultural Communications, Marketing, Strategy, Global Financial Management, Global Economics. |
| Tuition: | $125,400 USD |
| Website: | http://www.fuqua.duke.edu/mba/executive/cc/ |
4. Manchester Business School
| Location: | Manchester, UK |
| Program: | Global MBA |
| Rankings: | #15 by MBA Career Guide Survey, #29 by Financial Times. |
| Description: | This flexible program can be completed in 2 years (accelerated option) or 3 years (regular option), and combines self-study with face-to-face workshops in one of six destinations worldwide – UK, USA, Brazil, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Malaysia and Jamaica. |
| Networking Opportunities: | Students and alumni are located in over 140 countries and possess years of work experience in industries such as construction, engineering, and finance. |
| Gained Skills: | Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Organizational Behavior, Managerial Economics, Quantitative Methods, Corporate Strategy. |
| Tuition: | £23,100 (approximately $37,900 USD) |
| Website: | https://manchester.ac.uk/ |
5. Warwick Business School
| Location: | Coventry, UK |
| Program: | Warwick MBA Distance Learning |
| Rankings: | #1 (Distance Learning in the UK) by The Economist, #42 by Financial Times. |
| Description: | The Warwick MBA consists of 3 parts that can be completed in 3 years (one part/year) or extended up to 8 years. The program uses a variety of delivery methods including print materials, online resources, virtual study groups and a compulsory September Seminar at Warwick each year. |
| Networking Opportunities: | Participants include students from more than 90 countries with an average of 10 years of experience. Many students are in middle-management and upper-management positions. |
| Gained Skills: | Strategic Advantage, Finance, Accounting, Modelling and Analysis, Economics, Market Analysis, Operations Management, Organizational Behavior. |
| Tuition: | £6,200 for 2011-2012 period. (approximately $10,100 USD) |
| Website: | http://www.wbs.ac.uk |
6. University of Florida
| Location: | Florida, USA |
| Program: | Internet MBA |
| Rankings: | #1 (Distance Learning 2010) by The Economist, #9 by The Wall Street Journal, #53 by U.S. News & World Report, #2 (U.S. Best Value MBA) by Financial Times (2011). |
| Description: | The Internet MBA program at the University of Florida provides students with two options: The Two-Year MBA and the One-Year MBA option. The Two-Year MBA program starts in February, offers a 27-month curriculum and requires 8 weekend campus visits at the end of each term. The One-Year MBA option is provided for students with a business degree and 2 to 7 years of work experience. It starts in January, offers a 16-month curriculum and requires 5 weekend campus visits at the end of each term. |
| Networking Opportunities: | Students in these programs average 6 years of work experience in a variety of industries such as telecommunications, banking, and international trade. |
| Gained Skills: | Personal Finance, Corporate Finance, Accounting, Marketing Management, Professional Writing, Operations Management, Entrepreneurship, E-Commerce, Brand Equity, Business Policy, Business Law. |
| Tuition: | $46,000 USD for the One-Year MBA option; $52,500 USD for the Two-Year MBA option. |
| Website: | http://www.floridamba.ufl.edu/ |
7. Indiana University
| Location: | Indiana, USA |
| Program: | Master of Business Administration (Kelley Direct) |
| Rankings: | #19 by BusinessWeek, #23 by U.S. News & World Report, #2 (Distance Learning) by The Economist. |
| Description: | This flexible program can be completed in 2 to 5 years. It focuses on general administration, but can be tailored to meet the needs of individual students. The program is offered almost exclusively over the Web with two in-residence clinics that last one week in Indiana. |
| Networking Opportunities: | Students in the program come from almost every state in the USA as well as over 20 countries from around the world. Almost all students have several years of corporate or military experience. |
| Gained Skills: | Accounting, Finance, Economics, Quantitative Analysis, Project Management, Strategic Marketing, Human Resources, Global Business, Business Law, Strategic Capabilities. |
| Tuition: | $58,395 USD |
| Website: | http://kd.iu.edu |
8. Pennsylvania State University
| Location: | Pennsylvania, USA |
| Program: | Penn State’s Online MBA |
| Rankings: | #47 by U.S. News & World Report, #56 by The Economist, #44 (Business School) by BusinessWeek. |
| Description: | This 2-year program combines online courses with 2 residency experiences – the first one at a U.S. company (at a U.S. location) and the second one at Penn State’s University Park campus. |
| Networking Opportunities: | Penn State iMBA students represent employers from 42 states and 8 countries. |
| Gained Skills: | Finance, Accounting, Organizational Behavior and Change, Data Analysis, Decision Making, Marketing, Corporate Strategies, Global Operations, Global Management. |
| Tuition: | $55,656 USD for the 2-year program |
| Website: | http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/iMBA_Home.shtml |
9. Babson College
| Location: | Massachusetts, USA |
| Program: | Fast Track MBA |
| Rankings: | #21 (Evening MBA Program) by U.S. News & World Report, # 1 in Entrepreneurship by Financial Times, #39 (Business School) by Business Week. |
| Description: | This 24-month program combines face-to-face learning, web-based learning, and field-based projects. Face-to-face instruction is based on two-day sessions that are held at Babson, Portland or San Francisco approximately every six weeks – all day on Fridays and Saturdays. |
| Networking Opportunities: | Students in this program average 10 years of work experience and come from almost every state in the US and approximately 10 countries. |
| Gained Skills: | Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Creativity, Human Behavior, Marketing, Accounting, Finance, Ethics and Law. |
| Tuition: | $73,500 USD |
| Website: | https://www.babson.edu/ |
10. University of Massachusetts – Amherst
| Location: | Massachusetts, USA |
| Program: | Online MBA |
| Rankings: | #9 (Greatest Opportunities for Women) by Princeton Review. |
| Description: | The entire 37-credit degree program can be completed online. No campus residencies are required. The program can be completed in 2 years. |
| Networking Opportunities: | Students in the program are from the 50 US States and 15 countries and have experience in a variety of industries. |
| Gained Skills: | Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, Organizational Behavior, Business Data Analysis, Independent Research. |
| Tuition: | $27,795 USD |
| Website: | http://www.isenberg.umass.edu/MBA |
Other Online MBA Programs to Consider
| Arizona State University Arizona, USA http://wpcarey.asu.edu/mba/online | Oklahoma State University Oklahoma, USA https://osuonline.okstate.edu/ |
| EuroMBA France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Spain | University of Texas – Dallas Texas, USA https://mba.utdallas.edu/academics/professional-mba-online/ |
| Florida State University Florida, USA http://www.cob.fsu.edu | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Virginia, USA http://www.mba.vt.edu |
| Northeastern University Massachusetts, USA http://onlinemba.neu.edu | CENTRUM Catolica Lima, Peru (Program is conducted in Spanish) http://centrum.pucp.edu.pe/categoria-programas/con-grado-academico/mba/ |
*Most rankings are based on regular MBA rankings.
Tuition fees are for the entire program.
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