Distance Learning MBA and employment

Distance Learning MBA and employment

“The CEO of a large international consulting firm recently commented that he would value a graduate from a distance learning MBA who had achieved the same results as a graduate from an equivalent on-campus program more favourably in light of the greater commitment required from the student to achieve this result,” says Chris Howarth, Director of External Programs at the School of Management, Royal Holloway, University of London.

If the point of an MBA is improved career prospects, there are three main areas that potential candidates will focus on when choosing their distance learning MBA. The skills they will learn, the career networking opportunities and the qualification itself.

Skills training:

Colin Eden, Associate Dean at the University of Strathclyde Business School argues that the MBA “is not just to do with getting three letters after your name, indeed these days having three letters, MBA, after your name does not open doors to an incredibly new and distinct career. Rather, it provides you with an education that enables you to become a better manager, and therefore get career progression.”

Many of these theoretical skills can be taught remotely, especially with the rise of communication technology, but one disadvantage of a DL MBA, according to Sheila Gordon, Talent Vendor Manager from drinks company, Diageo is that: “you miss out on the debate and discussion that can happen through the normal classroom route and hear alternative view points. Having a healthy debate or argument about topics can stretch your thinking and get you to view different perspectives.” Looking to accreditation, the Association of MBAs’ (AMBA) principles are very specific about the need for dialogue and collaborative learning and how this can be integrated within a DL MBA: “A common way of providing these opportunities will be through the provision of a significant face-to-face element to the program, for example, book weeks, residential schools or face-to-face tutorials. The duration of the face-to-face element is expected to be a minimum of120 hours.”

When looking at a DL MBA, it is important the courses offers face-to-face activity or group work. Colin Eden argues that if they don’t candidates will be missing out. “Group work is fundamental to organizational life, so losing that as a part of your education can be very significant. There's no group interaction, no debate, no networking - that's difficult. There's no learning in practice, no rehearsal, no chance to try things out.”

Chris Dalton, Director of Studies for the Distance Learning MBA at Henley Management College, says: “At Henley we maintain a blend of learning opportunities, some of which are flexible and allow people to read and reflect online and offline in their own time. We also run up to26 days of face-to-face workshop during the MBA, though we are careful not to label this teaching.”

One advantage of working on a DL MBA is that candidates can continue to work in their own job, and therefore can see practical applications to what they are learning. Chris Howarth says this helps with: “career continuity as students typically continue to work in their existing career throughout their study in contrast to campus based programs where students must take the risk of giving up work for the duration of their study.”

Companies are beginning to recognise this strength of combining career and training and are using DL MBAs as part of their training package, which also helps to retain their staff. For instance KPMG currently has between40 and50 employees on the MBA program for financial manager and financial professionals at the Manchester Business School. Nigel Bannister, chief executive of Manchester Business School Worldwide, says: “We work closely with KPMG on the Global Finance MBA and MBS also works with companies such as Tesco, G4S and the General Medical Council on specifically tailored executive education programs. These programs enable them to retain their best people, their staff get a qualification, and the individual and the company have less opportunity cost by way of12 to18 months off the job and also the need to forego their salary.”

The DL MBA does rely on one skill even more than the on-campus MBA – the ability to push and motivate yourself. Chris Dalton says: “Anyone who believes that distance learning is the poor relation of a face-to-face program has clearly never done our distance learning MBA. It's not. In fact, since you can argue that distance learning gives you a lot more time to apply what you are doing, and reflect where you are going, it could be seen as a much richer experience.” He finds that some DL MBA students struggle near the end of their course: “This is because they are victims of their own success. They are struggling not because they cannot cope, but because they are being promoted within their company and are using their new skills to take on more responsibility.”

This fact should not be lost on potential employers – as Dr Marcel Cohen, Program Director for the Distance Learning MBA at Tanaka Business School, Imperial College, London, says: “Enlightened, informed employers see the distance MBA as being of at least equal value. In some cases, I’ve noticed an added appeal for employers - they know that they are employing a highly resilient and motivated employee with all the MBA skills. It’s not every day that such focused and determined people bubble up in the applications process.”

Sue Beech, Distance Learning MBA Program Manager at Warwick Business School agrees. “My impression of employers' views is that they have changed significantly over the last10 years or so. There was previously a perception that a distance learning program was the poor relation, but I believe this has changed to a view that students who succeed on a distance learning program have many of the very qualities that employers value, such as organizational ability, time management, team work, both virtual and face-to-face, being able to apply management theory to practice, self-motivation and dedication.”

However, the downside to this skill is the increased pressure it places on the student. Chris Howarth says: “The main disadvantages are the increased pressure of studying alongside existing work and personal commitments and the potential for a sense of isolation since large parts of the program are studied independently.” Sheila Gordon agrees, and says that taking a distance learning MBA “is a massive undertaking which I think people underestimate and companies don't always realise the pressure whilst working in your current role.”

Career networking opportunities

Whatever school candidates apply to, they need to make sure they are plugged into the career network from the start. James Thompson, Lead Talent Search Partner from AstraZeneca says that his company goes to the top five business schools looking for employees so you need to find out how you can take advantage of these events and the alumni network even if you are not studying on campus. For instance the University of London external system provides careers services including an international job line (online vacancies and careers information from large international employers) and online careers advice to all DL MBA alumni.

Qualification

The rules of choosing the school are the same as if choosing an on-campus MBA, it’s all down to accreditation. This applies just as much for D/L MBAs as being one of the most important things employers look at. Potential candidates should look for accredited programs. There are three main accrediting bodies which are of interest to MBA students and employers – AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB – and AMBA has specific criteria for D/L MBAs.

Source: www.topmba.com

Mohannad Aljawamis
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