Chapter Nineteen
Profiles of 14 Students From 8 MBA Programs
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W.P. Carey MBA - Online Program at Arizona State
University (ASU)
One of the best ways to learn about the career and education evolution
of online MBA students is to ask them
directly about their experiences learning online, as well as how
they may have applied what they learned to their jobs. During the Fall
of 2004, in order to get a better sense for what students in these
programs typically experience, I created a 10-question survey and sent
it out to more than 50 online MBA students and alumni that I was able to
connect with through the administrators of online MBA programs at the
following eight institutions, listed in alphabetic order:
• The W.P. Carey MBA - Online Program at Arizona State University
- Athabasca University
• East Carolina
University
• Regis
University
• Syracuse
University
• University of
Florida
• University of
Maryland University College
• University of
Colorado at Colorado Springs
The
questions I asked these students covered a lot of areas, such as their
backgrounds, including their personal lives; how they found and decided
to attend the program they enrolled in; what advice they had to offer to
new online MBAs; what their overall experience has been like; how they
worked in teams; and how their education may be helping their careers.
Many of their quotes are in other chapters of this book. What follows
are the stories of 14 of these students provided in greater detail. I
believe that much of what they have said can be applied to many of the
online MBA programs at similar institutions.
Also, in general, the information these students provide can possibly
give you ideas for formulating questions to ask programs as you conduct
your search. You will see that all of these students have very positive
things to say about their online MBA experiences. They are all
hard-working, positive people who have learned how to make the most out
of the online learning environment, and they have gladly shared their
perspectives on how to succeed.
Since these testimonials were generated in 2004, some of the general
information about these students would be different today. Nonetheless,
all the advice and lessons regarding their careers and learning
experiences as online MBA students these volunteers generously supplied
still apply today.
W.P. Carey MBA - Online Program at Arizona State University (ASU)
The
ASU program kicks off with a first-year, four-day orientation held on
the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.
Team-based learning is used extensively to practice effective team
participation in the workplace. The program is designed to provide a
general MBA degree to individuals who want to develop and/or improve
their management skills, irrespective of functional work area.
Robert Breen
Age: 40
Introduction
Vice president of strategic planning and financial services for Labor
Ready, a provider of temporary manual labor to the light industrial and
small business markets, based in Tacoma, Washington.
Robert Breen, who earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Western
Washington University, is also a licensed CPA in the state of
Washington. He is married and has two young children. He lives on a
small island in Puget Sound and takes a car ferry to work each day,
“which allows me a good deal of study time,” he says.
The
last time he attended any college classes was back in 1989, so he admits
that he was “a little rusty” going into the ASU program, which he
started in January 2004. He says that he initially looked into attending
a local Executive MBA program, but “ruled it out after weighing the
classroom time commitments. I learn best in independent study and find
the classroom for me is a really inefficient, low-bandwidth mode of
learning.
“I
took on the challenge of the MBA partly because of boredom. I had been
doing the same job for a number of years, and I wanted to find a way to
advance myself and seek new challenges,” Breen said. “My boredom has
been cured, and I have many new ideas on ways to add value to my job.”
Why ASU
Breen said the fact that ASU had more stringent admissions requirements
than other schools he looked into was an important factor because “it
gave me comfort to know that my cohorts in the program would be
top-notch and that the degree would be worth something when I finally
got it. I also like the reputation that ASU carries in the business
community and the fact that it does not export the teaching of its
online program to other universities, but uses its day and evening MBA
professors to teach the online sessions.”
Experience as an Online Learner
Like most of the students profiled here, Breen considers himself
computer savvy. Plus, his background in accounting obviously helped in
the Microsoft Excel skills area and on the quantitative skills side of
earning an MBA. It took him a little while to get used to the Blackboard
CMS, but overall he adapted quite well, calling it “a rich and robust
learning environment that raises the bar in distance-learning software.”
He
added that the team-based format of his courses were “great. It helps
that I constantly communicate by e-mail with colleagues at work who are
spread out throughout North America and the UK, so I am used to working
in a virtual community.”
Advice
Breen had some strong advice regarding time management, saying things
such as “don’t procrastinate,” and that “it’s easy to put off studying,
especially in the online format.” He added, “Don’t under estimate the
time requirements.”
Career Advancement Factor
Not
long after enrolling in the ASU program, Breen was promoted from
director of financial analysis to his current VP position, “due in no
small part to the pursuit of an MBA and the requisite commitment to
self-improvement.”
Jodie Filardo
Age: 48
Introduction
Jodie Filardo is vice president, economic development, Yavapai College
in Prescott, Arizona.
She
has a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Stanford University. Her
employment history includes holding positions as a chief information
officer, chief financial officer, programmer analyst, and software
engineer, along with being a private consultant. She is married with
three children. She holds “many, many” board positions on various
nonprofit organizations. The last time she attended college was 27 years
ago. As an ex-programmer she did not struggle with the online learning
technology and says she did not need any “adjustment time.”
Why ASU
Filardo explained that in addition to being familiar with ASU because
she lives relatively close to its campus, her research found that many
ASU faculty were recipients of teaching awards, were published and
provided consultant services for major corporations both in the United
States and abroad. “I am interested in the international perspective,”
she added.
Experience as an Online Learner
“My
favorite elements of the coursework are the one-on-one access to and
feedback from our highly qualified faculty, coupled with the group
projects with my diverse team members,” said Filardo. At the time of
this communication, she was working on a class project with a group of
five fellow students: one consultant, one college recruiter, one
accountant, and two engineers. “The consultant and I tend to deliver
more of the experienced-based examples,” she said. “The engineers tend
to deliver more help on the math. From the accountant we got an
up-close-and-personal look at the SBC strike. Our college recruiter
tends to be emotionally supportive to the group, as I do.”
Advice
“The best advice for achieving success online is to stay on top of your
assignments,” said Filardo. “By doing some work each night, the course
load is manageable, although rigorous.”
Career Advancement Factor
Filardo claimed that thus far she has experienced many “work-enhancing
elements,” from the ASU program. For instance, she was introduced to an
Excel add-on tool that does regression analyses, called StatPro, in a
statistics course. “That’s been helpful on the job,” she said.
Additionally, through an organizational behavior course, she has
“applied several of the analytical tools presented to help me diagnose
some personnel problems at work.
“I
think I’m realizing that when we’re taught new tools, I’m trying to
apply them to my current situation. This past weekend at a constituent
deliberation meeting I used managerial economics in explaining the
effect of tariffs on the quantities of products produced domestically
versus internationally.”
In
1994, Athabasca University’s
Centre for Innovative Management (CIM) logged on with the world’s
first fully interactive online Executive MBA program. Today, the AU MBA,
which is provided fully online without any residency requirements, is
Canada’s largest Executive MBA program. The program has a strong focus
on networking and peer support. Students discuss current work issues
with professors and fellow students, thereby obtaining a broad spectrum
of feedback.
Tim Bzowey
Age: 37
Introduction
Tim
Bzowey is an executive with an insurance division of a diversified
financial services company.
He
earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in economics from the
University of Saskatchewan. He has a 20-year background in sales and
sales management that involves approximately a decade in a small
business environment and just over a decade at one of Canada’s largest
publicly traded companies. He is married with three young children.
He’s a lifelong learner, having taken approximately one
continuing-education course every year since he earned his undergraduate
degree in 1991. He did not consider himself computer and Internet savvy,
but he does say he is “an average user of both.” He adds that there was
very little adjustment for him to adapt to the AU MBA program, saying
that he is “used to working independently and in groups.”
Why AU?
Bzowey explained that he was familiar with AU, having taken courses
there in the past. Plus, “I needed flexibility in student time and place
due to travel and the potential for relocation. In fact, I was relocated
across the country during my MBA program.” Another contributing factor
was that his employer “strongly encouraged” him to choose AU, and they
provided the funding for it.
Experience as an Online Learner
Like many online MBAs, Bzowey’s biggest challenge was “balancing the
commitment of school and work. Study time varies but would average 20
hours per week. Some weeks it could be as low as 10 hours, and other
weeks it could be as high as 30 hours.” He particularly enjoyed an
optional residential elective that he participated in for one-week in
Germany, saying that it “was the learning experience of a lifetime.” He
admitted that sometimes the group projects weren’t always the best.
“Like anything involving a wide range of individuals, some groups are
more productive, engaged, and interesting than others.” He added,
however, that new groups are created for every eight-week course, and
thus new and better group dynamics often emerge at frequent intervals.
Advice
Bzowey stressed that family and employer support play a major role in
his ability to maintain his commitment to the program and his work.
Without such support, he said, “I would not finish the program. I can
assure you that statement is neither a platitude nor an exaggeration.
Everyone sacrifices for the candidate to meet his or her commitments. It
is hard to be fully prepared for the nature of the commitment required.”
Career Advancement Factor
Bzowey says that he was transferred to a new role at his workplace
“where many of the principles I learned are now being utilized day to
day. In fact, I accepted the position, in part, because it contained
many elements that were directly applicable to my learning experience.”
Tom Kiley
Age: 47
Introduction
Tom
Kiley is senior manager, organizational effectiveness, RBC Learning
Services, which is part of RBC’s training and development Centre of
Expertise.
Kiley earned an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the
University of Western Ontario. Most of his career has been in training
and development within the banking and financial services sectors, and
he holds the Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP) designation.
He is also a member of the Human Resource Professional Association of
Ontario, Canada. He is single with no children, and he enjoys traveling
to Europe, which he does frequently.
Why AU
Kiley said that two of his co-workers completed their MBAs at AU and
“were very satisfied with the program. Their favorable experience
influenced my decision to apply to Athabasca.” He added that, when he
applied, he was traveling frequently though his work, and that “the
online, asynchronous learning approach at Athabasca offered me the
flexibility that I needed.”
Experience as an Online Learner
Kiley found the program “immensely challenging and rewarding,” and one
that required “focus and discipline.” He said that “one of the greatest
strengths of the Athabasca experience lies in the diversity of
participants, who are experienced managers from all over North America
and around the world.
“Overall I have found the online MBA program immensely challenging and
rewarding. Successfully completing any MBA requires focus and
discipline. In this regard, the online MBA program is no different from
programs offered through traditional channels.”
Advice
The
volume of work was in the range of 20 to 25 hours per, and “the demands
of making high-quality written submissions to group discussions renders
written communication skills a key success factor.”
Career Advancement Factor
He
said it’s too early to establish a direct correlation between career
enhancement and the MBA, adding that the experience thus far has
broadened his understanding of business and sharpened his analytical
skills.
East Carolina University (ECU)
The
mission of the East Carolina University College of Business is to be a
highly recognized regional business school in the Southeast United
States. This fully online MBA program is designed for both business and
non-business undergraduates. The degree is completely self-contained,
requiring no prerequisite course work or business experience and is
available to qualified students holding baccalaureate degrees in any
business or non-business field.
Joy Futrell
Age: 39
Introduction
Joy
Futrell is area director of a four-county program for a mental
health-care center. She earned her undergraduate degree in finance from
East Carolina University in 1987. She has held positions in sales and as
an accounting technician and finance officer. She is married with two
young children who are “very active.”
She teaches Sunday school. She said that her husband is “very
supportive. He assists (actually I assist) with cooking, cleaning, and
transporting the children to their various events.”
Futrell said that she was not computer and Internet savvy when she
enrolled in the program but is now. “It is amazing how much it has
increased my computer knowledge”
Why ECU?
Futrell lives in a rural area where there are few choices close by for
obtaining a graduate-level education. “I didn’t want an online degree
from a college I had never heard of and didn’t know anything about,” she
said. “I wanted to ensure that my degree would be from a well-known
school and that I was doing the same work to earn my degree as students
enrolled in the same classes on campus. I felt that East Carolina
University could give me that opportunity.”
Experience as an Online Learner
She
explained that “finding the time to do the work” has been one of her
biggest challenges. “Many nights I begin my school work at around 9 P.M.
when everyone else has settled in for the night. Life is so busy between
the demands of my job, my family, and school. I attend many workshops
out of town, and it is usually with my books in tow.”
Advice
Futrell claimed that students have to realize that although online
programs are flexible, “there are still numerous deadlines to meet,” and
it’s easy to skip assignments “when no one is there to make you complete
them. Because of this you have to be really motivated and committed to
the program. Also, she said it’s very important that students understand
the computer hardware and software requirements. Plus, “your computer
needs to be somewhere in which it is accessible to you at all times.”
Career Advancement Factor
Futrell said that her current job requires an advanced degree and that
she was granted an exception because she enrolled in the ECU MBA program
with an estimated graduation date of spring 2007.
Dawn McAvoy
Age: 34
Introduction
Dawn McAvoy is a public information officer/marketing director for a
community college. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and
Linguistics from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has
worked as a technical writer, in business development for an
environmental services firm, and in the telecom industry as a proposal
manager, marketing manager, and product manager. She is single and lives
in a remote area of North Carolina.
The
last time McAvoy took any classes was in 1992. In particular, her work
in the high-tech telecom industry has made her highly computer and
Internet savvy, and she has experienced computer-based training, so
“online learning didn’t faze me too much. I was initially concerned
about taking classes outside my comfort zone, such as accounting and
statistics online, but have done so and did well.
Why ECU?
McAvoy said she conducted research online and selected ECU “because of
accreditation, proximity to home, and cost. Compared to other online
programs, ECU is very affordable to in-state residents. At this point in
my career, I am not as concerned about going to a to big-name B-school
as I am earning the credential from an accredited program. A huge
benefit of online instruction is that as long as I have my laptop and
Internet access, I can travel when I feel like it, not when classes
aren’t in session.”
Experience as an Online Learner
“I
really enjoy my online coursework,” McAvoy said. “All the faculty I’ve
worked with have been great. Of course, some are better than others in
adapting their material for online delivery. I’ve had online classes
that actually scheduled time to meet online once a week during which
time the professor may call on your for a response, and I’ve had online
classes that consisted of nothing but reading the book and taking
exams.”
Advice
McAvoy had lots of great advice. (See Chapter 16, where she offered nine
tips about effectively communicating in the online learning
environment.)
Career Advancement Factor
McAvoy explained that being enrolled in the program has “certainly
helped” her career and sees it as being necessary to increase her odds
to possibly move up the career ladder. “The coursework has exposed me to
functions I understood before, but not intimately, and I feel that it
can only make me a better, more successful employee in the long term. If
nothing else, I will be more empathetic to the folks in accounting.”
The
purpose of the Regis University Online MBA Program is to produce
exceptional leaders. The fully online program claims to be the largest
“multimedia,” online MBA program in the nation. It is one of the first
programs to provide students with multiple, flexible learning formats,
including video, audio and textbook instruction. Regis University is one
of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities nationwide - others include
Georgetown, Boston College, and the University of San Francisco.
Katherine Porter
Age: 49
Introduction
Katherine Porter is vice president of marketing for POD, an IT solutions
provider and systems integrator.
Katherine Porter provided the most in-depth answers of all the students
who responded to the survey. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree
in Computer Science from the University of New Mexico in 1983. She has
held important technical positions in the defense industry, which
included working on a NATO project.
She
is married and does not have any children. Her computer and Internet
skills helped make online learning a “natural” transition for her. Her
responses revealed that she was an active learner who took her education
under full control on her own.
Why Regis?
Porter gave a long list of reasons for attending Regis, including that
“it had a 125-year tradition,” and “an honest-to-goodness campus, with
professors (academics as well as industry experts with doctorates) who
are dedicated to lifelong learning.” She also liked that it was located
in Denver, making it physically close enough for her to “attend
graduation and maintain a physical tie to the school.” In fact, she did
graduate from the program and attended commencement ceremonies in May
2004.
Experience as an Online Learner
Porter said that one of things she liked most about being an online MBA
student was that “it gave me the power to manage my education my way. I
could manage the pace, within reason. If I wanted to wait and spend the
entire weekend studying, I could do that; if I wanted to spread it out
and study a bit every day, I could do that. It was fast and furious for
eight weeks and then it was onto a new class. I could keep focused and
was willing to sacrifice those eight-week increments.”
She
added that she spent from 15 to 30 hours per week on her studies and got
straight As, usually above 95 percent. “A few classes where I already
had lots of experience with the material required only 15 to 20 hours
per week.” She explained that she “participated more in discussion
topics than required. If you needed to spend less time, you could
probably get B marks with fewer hours per week, but it still is fairly
time-consuming. Don’t forget, however, that you get to choose your 15 to
30 hours per week.”
Advice
Porter had plenty of very sound advice to fill several more pages. Here
are three of her nuggets of wisdom:
-
On choosing a program. “I think as in choosing any personal service, one
must evaluate one’s own preferences and needs then choose the program
that best matches those preferences and meets those needs. What is most
important to you - cost, prestige, something else? How do you like to
learn alone, in a group, a little of each?”
-
On faculty. “Manage faculty the way your manage your own boss/career, by
getting clear on the expectations, letting them know if and when you are
not able to comply, and negotiating a reasonable compromise when
necessary.”
-
On interacting with peers. “Just do it! Approach people; ask their
opinions; ask them for clarification; ask them how they came to hold
those opinions; ask them to give you an honest opinion on your stance.
Always be polite, Always acknowledge the other’s perspective and offer
yours as just another perspective to consider. Always thank others for
taking the time to interact with you, and mean it.”
Career Advancement Factor
Porter explained that she already had a lot of experience and knowledge
gained through her career before enrolling in the Regis program but
basically lacked the MBA credential. “I probably am slightly more
effective in my job, though, because I feel good about having finished
that degree. I’m sure it shows in my demeanor and in my decision making.
I do have some tools from school that I didn’t have before. That
additional self-assurance and knowledge will no doubt help if I find
myself looking for another job.”
Students in the Syracuse iMBA program participate in a week-long
residency at the start of each of three terms per year, then work
independently for the rest of each term. The residencies are the heart
of a learning experience that mixes intense face-to-face interactions
with sustained support and interaction throughout the term. The result
is strong esprit de corps among participants and an uncommon degree of
quality and personalized attention.
Christopher Hodges
Age: 45
Introduction
Christopher Hodges is head of group reporting, finance department, Banco
Urquijo S.A., Madrid, Spanish subsidiary of the KBC group of Belgium. He
earned an undergraduate degree in economics and public administration
from Bedford College at the University of London. He has two
professional qualifications, an ACIB from the Chartered Institute of
Bankers, and a MIL in Spanish from the Institute of Linguists, both
earned through distance learning. He is single, and he added that his
“principal responsibilities are juggling my professional, academic, and
domestic/private life on my own.”
Why SU?
Hodges chose SU because he “ was attracted by the residencies and wanted
to benefit from a U.S. MBA experience. Syracuse had been running
distance-learning MBAs since the 1970s and their qualification was
accredited by the AACSB.”
Experience as an Online Learner
Hodges said that the amount of work required was “a shock. I knew it
would be demanding but not as demanding as it has proved to be.” He
added that the challenge was “getting to grips with the standard of work
expected, rearranging my lifestyle to accommodate the academic workload,
and learning how to research assignments online. I quickly adjusted and
was able to build on assignment preparation experience gained from
working with fellow students to improve the quality of my work as the
program progressed. I find I’m being introduced to new information
sources or techniques all the time.”
Advice
In
relation to choosing an online MBA program, Hodges is a strong proponent
of residencies, saying he “is able to meet faculty and students for a
week, which builds a sense of commitment and strengthens relationships;
residences also provide an effective launch pad for virtual team
working.” He summed up his overall experience as being “totally
positive,” commenting that “I enjoyed researching and writing case
studies relating to famous companies or people and have got a lot of
pleasure from seeing how I’ve risen to the challenge and have produced,
in some instances, what I consider to be some of by best work, academic
or professional.” He added that prospective students must “understand
the commitment you’re taking on; the level of commitment expected is
extremely high, and it is not possible simply to get by.”
Career Advancement Factor
He
said that his aim is to use the MBA “as a stepping-stone to a more
responsible, better-paying job after graduation.” He also noted that the
course modules he took “have improved my current job performance in
terms of analyzing and understanding issues, presenting recommendations,
and team management.”
Mike Venable
Age: 31
Introduction
Mike Venable is vice president of operations, Countrywide Financial. He
earned an undergraduate degree in operations management and
accounting in 1995 from the University of Texas. His work background
includes stints as a credit analyst for a major bank in Dallas and
working in operations for a mortgage corporation in Philadelphia. He is
married and does not have any children.
He graduated from the Syracuse iMBA program in May 2004. His focus was
in finance and entrepreneurship.
Why SU?
Venable said he reviewed and interviewed four schools that had online
curriculums when he was searching for an MBA program. “What set Syracuse
apart was the three residencies. This element of the program allowed you
to meet new friends, colleagues, and, most importantly, your professors.
I felt like part of the student body at SU rather than an individual
just sending in tuition payments from afar every semester.”
Experience as an Online Learner
“The Blackboard application is an amazing tool,” said Venable. “It makes
you feel like you are on campus every day. The most educational piece of
the coursework for me was the case studies. I enjoyed reading about
company issues and problems and what they did to resolve them. I cannot
single out one portion of the coursework I did not enjoy. All of it was
a learning experience.”
Advice
Concerning the process of choosing a program, Venable noted that he did
research online and called friends for pointers who had completed their
MBAs. “Once I narrowed down my selection, I began calling around to the
schools, and I asked a series of questions that pertained to five
criteria: accreditation, flexibility, faculty, administrative and
support services, and cost.” Venable also advised students to “be
educated on the main Microsoft applications” because “they are used
frequently throughout online courses.
Career Advancement Factor
“The iMBA courses were relevant and difficult but, more importantly,
they were practical,” Venable said. “The lectures, group projects, and
tests could be applied to real-life work environment situations. Many
times I can remember including things I learned in a class into a
meeting agenda, business project, or seminar.”
The
UF program is divided into seven four-month terms. The curriculum has
been carefully designed to maximize the MBA educational experience while
allowing the student to work almost exclusively from his home or office.
Students are required to meet in Gainesville once every term to take
finals and participate in case presentations.
Scott Henninger
Age: 38
Introduction
Scott Henniger is production manager of a cement plant in Tennessee. He
earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, with a minor in
Math, from King College. He also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in
Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is
married and does not have any children.
Prior to enrolling in the UF program he considered himself “fairly
Internet and computer savvy. There was very little adjustment required
other than becoming familiar with the conferencing software,
presentation recording software, and acclimating myself to the different
types of assignments and tools the school’s website offers.”
Why UF?
Henninger said he chose UF because he “wanted a well-respected degree. I
placed a high emphasis on national rankings. Second, I looked for a
school with a structured program that allowed me enough flexibility to
maintain my current erratic work schedule without requiring significant
periods on campus.”
Experience as an Online Learner
“I
have been very surprised at the ability of the school and its professors
to provide quality learning through this medium,” said Henninger. “I was
skeptical at first, but I must say that I feel we learn as much, if not
more than, regular on-campus students. The work is challenging, but in
some ways the online format allows for greater learning.” He adds that
“surprisingly, the team method works well in an online environment.”
Advice
“Use the discussion boards,” Henninger said. “There is a great deal of
valuable information exchanged here from teammates that may be able to
provide many different perspectives.”
Career Advancement Factor
Henninger explained that he has not been promoted yet, adding that he is
“now much more confident in my work and feel that I am well positioned
for future promotions within our company.”
Kimberly Levin
Age: 34
Introduction
Kimberly Levin is a pharmaceutical representative at Merck & Co., Inc.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from the
University of Delaware in 1992. She taught high school math for five
years before moving to the corporate world. She is married and does not
have any children, saying that she and her husband are putting off
having children until after she graduates. “We made this decision
because work and school creates enough stress,” she says.
Although she claimed to have a “decent amount of computer experience,”
before enrolling in the program, she added that she is “not an IT geek.
Because I work out of my house, my work requires constant communication
through syncing handheld devices to my laptop and downloading my laptop
through the company intranet.”
Why UF?
Levin did her homework before applying to UF, saying that she “contacted
the school and asked for some references of students that attended their
online program. I e-mailed some and spoke live to others. I was
satisfied with what I learned.” She added that UF’s ranking by the Wall
Street Journal and U.S. News and World Report also helped with her
decision-making process. “I wanted the school to have some clout,” she
said.
Experience as an Online Learner
“At
first it was an adjustment for all of us,” said Levin. “But the
professors in the fist term are very aware of the learning curve. In
fact, the professors are very hands on. Most professors respond to
e-mail or discussion questions within several hours.” She says that her
coursework can take up to 30 hours per week and at other times as low as
5 hours per week. “It depends on the workload.” She explained that “team
projects can be very intense,” referring to a project in which she was
on a team that did a study about Vietnam that resulted in a 75-page
report. “This country analysis was an eye-opening experience. It is a
lot of fun to throw ideas back and forth and fight for what you think is
the best way to accomplish a task.”
Advice
Levin had some straightforward words of advice: “If you don’t interact
with your peers, you are not going to get as much out of the program.
Just because you are not sitting in a classroom together does not mean
you cannot benefit from each other’s knowledge and experiences.”
Career Advancement Factor
Levin has been promoted already at her current job, and she said that
she has “found that the knowledge I have gained has helped me assess
work situations differently than I previously would have. My graduate
school experiences have helped mold me into who I am today.”
University of
Maryland University College (UMUC)
The
fully online UMUC program is designed to be interdisciplinary,
integrated, and applied. The program consists of one 1-credit foundation
course and seven 6-credit seminars. The objectives of the program are to
explore the evolving nature of corporations, blend leadership with
change management, better measure an organization’s intellectual assets,
merge product development with entrepreneurship, and foster new
approaches to measuring the economic performance of organizations.
Linda Couch
Age: 43
Introduction
Linda Couch is a business unit strategist, IBM Global Services. She
graduated from the UMUC online MBA program in December 2002. She has an
undergraduate degree in mathematics from Johns Hopkins that she earned
in 1990. She has held a number of positions in engineering, marketing,
and general management with IBM since 1988.
Couch is a single mother with one adult daughter. During her stint as an
online MBA student, she was on a five-year assignment for IBM in Tokyo.
She is a veteran computer and Internet user.
Why UMUC?
Couch said that she chose UMUC because it did not have an onsite
requirement, was accredited, and she had previous experiences with UMUC
that were positive. She added that she first considered going the
traditional MBA route, “but the few English programs based in Tokyo were
not convenient given my extensive business-travel schedule. So I decided
that an online MBA was appropriate for me.”
Experience as an Online Learner
Couch found her online experience “very, very rewarding. First of all,
it was relevant because it was very much like my work environment -
remote, asynchronous, and including participants that I never met in
person. I learned a lot and felt that I worked just as hard, if not
harder, than any classroom student.” She added that “the faculty were
amazing. With the exception of one course, professionals, not full-time,
career academicians, taught all my courses.” She also mentions that the
“courses were very challenging. There was so much reading.” Plus, “I
learned a lot from the discussion threads. Almost everyone would support
their arguments with examples or analogies from their own business
experiences. Reading those pieces was extremely informative.”
Advice
“Unless you are doing an MBA for the fun of it, do the due diligence you
would do for any other MBA,” she said. “Ensure the total costs
(including books and other materials) are within your budget and ensure
that the program is accredited. Make sure you understand how online the
program really is. When I researched for my program, most of the schools
I found offered combinations of onsite and online work. Decide which
type(s) will work for you and ensure that you understand exactly what
the school offers.”
Career Advancement Factor
Although Couch had a lot of management experience under her belt when
she entered the UMUC program and understood much of the material
presented, she said that she “found a framework that made it easier for
me to apply both old and new knowledge. In addition, I believe the MBA
on my resume will position me more positively than other candidates who
may have similar work experience but lack that master’s level of study.”
University
of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS
The
UCCS MBA program is committed to blending business practice and research
into every aspect of its curriculum. The program is offered in two
delivery methods, on-campus and fully online, with various
specializations. This dual mode of delivery allows students to begin
their MBA either on-campus or online as well as to finish the program in
either format.
Errol Robateau
Age: 33
Introduction
Errol Robateau is employed with an affiliate of Exxon Mobil Corporation
in Belize. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Accounting from St. Louis
University. He has worked for a public accounting firm and is a CPA. He
was nearing completion of his online MBA program at UCCS, with a double
emphasis in finance and management, at the time of this communication.
He
is married with three children. He and his wife are busy people, active
in their church. He says that he is “quite fine working alone and
meeting deadlines” - two facets of his personality that have helped him
complete his MBA studies.
Why UCCS?
Robateau used some of the search methods suggested in this eBook,
starting out with the Business Week and U.S. News and World Report
websites. He says he chose UCCS because it was an AACSB accredited
program, had a reasonable cost, and did not require campus visits.
Experience as an Online Learner
Robateau explained that the UCCS faculty “were very responsive to our
needs and provided great support along the way.” He added that “the
ability to use the Internet to deal with real-world issues was great. It
was not all textbook learning. The online experience included online
financial real-world business data sites, which added to the learning.”
Advice
Robateau had some solid advice for students thinking about earning their
MBA online. “Starting is easy,” he said. “But completing your online
degree requires discipline, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment
to completing your degree.” Also he strongly suggested that prospective
students “start the application process early. I suggest starting
everything at least one year before you plan to actually begin classes.
This gives you enough time to choose the school, ask questions, obtain
recommendations and transcripts, and complete the essays and the GMAT.”
Career Advancement Factor
Robateau explained that he seems to be getting additional respect at his
job as a result of his MBA experience. “In addition, I have been given
more responsibilities that are in line with my MBA coursework. My
company values an MBA, and therefore opportunities for advancement in
our global company are now endless.”
Jennifer Skipton
Age: 38
Introduction
Jeffiner Skipton is an RF performance engineer manager for AT&T
Wireless.
She earned an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from the
University of Iowa. Her professional work experience has been primarily
in the telecom sector. She is single, in a long-term committed
relationship, and does not have any children. Skipton is also a
volunteer with the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
She is Internet and computer savvy, claiming that “there is not anything
I feel can be done to or with a computer that I can’t figure out. The
online learning format was easy to adjust to as long as you run through
the tutorial.”
Why UCCS?
Skipton searched the Internet for online MBA programs. “UCCS provided
what looked to be a challenging program,” she claimed. “My biggest
concern was to find something challenging. I want to feel as though I am
earning my degree and not as though I just paid a high price for
something worthless.”
Experience as an Online Learner
Skipton explained that she is “gaining real-world experience in being a
self-starter, which is important in the business world. Courses have
been challenging, particularly the accounting courses, because that is
not my background. I find the courses to be very relevant to business,
and the interesting part is they also apply to my investment club and
provide a great understanding of the stock market and stocks in
general.”
Advice
“Take it serious,” Skipton said. “Keep on your studies. You must be motivated because there is no one prodding you to do the homework. Don’t waste your time if you aren’t serious about it. Read the books, no matter if they are math-based or not. Plan your time wisely and, if possible, plan ahead.”
Career Advancement Factor
Skipton moved to a manager’s position prior to enrolling in the UCCS
program. She says that so far “the program has helped me to understand
not only what I have done right to get this position, but also what
things I need to improve on to move from being a manager to a true
believer.”
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