Distance Learning MBA and employment

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Distance Learning MBA and employment

By James Donald

Distance learning as a mode of study is becoming more popular, particularly among MBA candidates. But does an MBA received via distance learning impact on your chances of employment? QS TopMBA finds out.
mba distance learning

“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 of 120 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 to 26 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 between 40 and 50 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 of 12 to 18 months off the job and also the need to forego their salary.”

source:QS Top MBA: world’s top business schools and best MBA programs