How rigorous are online MBA programs?

LTC Curtis Madsen — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 15:44:10 -0500

Are online MBA's really as rigorous as mentioned on various school web pages? I'm considering University of Miami, Florida State, Baylor, and Washington State, however, I don't want to start a program that's so extensive that my family will suffer from all the course requirements. Ive completed ILE Advanced Operations Course with the Army via DL, which wondering if that's comparable. I'm swaying toward Florida State, but was hoping someone out there have experience with any of the previously mentioned schools.

Response by SCPO Charles Thomas "Tom" Canterbury made Jan 17 at 2016 3:46 PM

SCPO Charles Thomas "Tom" Canterbury — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 15:46:27 -0500

Check out Trident University International - http://www.trident.edu. I did a dual Masters with HCA and enjoyed the format. I learned a lot and it sure has came in handy since I retired.

Trident University International

Join an enthusiastic community of adult learners, leaders and scholars by earning your degree with Trident University.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2016 3:49 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 15:49:17 -0500

The program can be very intensive and each school is different. The accounting and stats classes were the most difficult for me, but manageable. I would look into schools which would support any type of break if needed. Therefore if time with your family is impacted, you can take a small break and pick up where you left off. I attended Gand Canyon University in the Western Athletic Conference and is rated an A+ school and they are extremely military friendly. Around $1,600 per course and with TA it's only about $600 per 8 week class. I'd look into it. Good luck!!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2016 3:51 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 15:51:34 -0500

Basically you can expect to spend 4-5 hours per credit hour doing work. So a 4 credit hour course will take 16-20 hours per week. Hope that helps. But every school is a little different. Norwich followed the 4-5 hour rule.

Response by SGT John Green made Jan 17 at 2016 3:53 PM

SGT John Green — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 15:53:45 -0500

I am in my masters, last assignment. The issue with online education is personal drive to complete requirements. I found through both on ground and online experience that online is about personal dedication

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2016 4:06 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 16:06:51 -0500

Online masters can be extremely rigorous because you have to be a self starter with extreme discipline and dedication. If you are doing 16 week courses it becomes much more manageable. However, if the courses are more condensed, the stress level gets ramped up significantly. I attended a school with shorter MBA courses and it was very challenging. I was a only able to do one course at a time since I am a active duty soldier. Now, I am pursuing a masters in public health and the courses are 16 week long. As a result, the classes are much more flexible and the tempo is very slow. I have easily combined 2 courses in the past while on active duty in this format.

Response by SGT Ron Boyd made Jan 17 at 2016 4:11 PM

SGT Ron Boyd — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 16:11:51 -0500

Have you checked to see if your work experience or ILE qualifies for credit? The University of Maryland used to offer credit for work experience. Your base education center would be a good resource to assist with this.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2016 4:15 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 16:15:19 -0500

It all depends on the person and his/her priorities of work. I was in an MBA program but decided to switch to a Masters in Performance Improvement. I'm about half way done now. I go through Grantham University. The work is kind of the same as an undergraduates degree except the amount of research differs. If you've been out of school for a while, the startup might be a little challenging. But it's achievable. I'm dual military with 2 kids and 36 Soldiers so I do sacrifice some personal time however not much as both my wife & I are both enrolled in degree programs. I know you have a much broadening amount on your plate as an Officer but I would always suggest and recommend SMs to continue education. If you're dedicated and willing to put in the work Id say go for it sir. I spend about 1.5 hours a day doing work just to stay ahead in case I fall behind. Grantham is nice, I think you should check it out as they are a business school.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2016 4:29 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 16:29:27 -0500

I used to teach Organization Management for the University of Phoenix online MBA program. So, I always got this question at the beginning of the class. Although your question is valid, the answer is going to be, 'it depends.' If you equate 'rigorous' to time consuming, then that is relative. But, if you equate it to challenging, it depends on the material, instructor and how the material is presented. But, it is not the rigor that matters but what you want out of the MBA.
So, here is what you lose from an online degree:
1. Network opportunities in the future with your classmates
2. Assistance from classmates
3. Team projects with an actual team
4. Real-time information exchange with the instructor

Here is what you gain:
1. Flexibility in your day
2. Reinforcement in your 'self starter' status
3. Self-confidence

There are plenty of recommendations on this thread but before you choose on-line versus classroom versus on-line with classroom or executive MBA programs, determine why you are pursuing an MBA, if you excel on your own or with others, what you want to get out of the program.

Good luck.

Response by BG David Fleming III made Jan 17 at 2016 4:39 PM

BG David Fleming III — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 16:39:43 -0500

I've found that those who are good at time management, often do well with on-line courses!

Response by MSgt Aaron Brite made Jan 17 at 2016 4:40 PM

MSgt Aaron Brite — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 16:40:30 -0500

My experience is from UMUC and talking w friends at other schools. The feeling I gotnwas that the state school programs followed their offline curriculum in rigor. The online only or for profit were less rigorous in their time demands. The other factor is the length of term. Full16 week terms offer more time and weekends to work and schedule around family. Shorter terms can be quite demanding. UMUC had 8 week terms in Okinawa and that took some work. How you are paying for it can determine this as well as some classes do not have enough hours not credits for full time student status for TA or GI bill. Then you have to take two classes at a time, doubling the work load. My Professional Master's program at UMUC was that way in 16 week terms so I had tontake 2 classes for my GI Bill. I averaged 4 hours a day and all weekend in a civilian job and ANG drill schedule.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jan 17 at 2016 5:10 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 17:10:20 -0500

It really depends on the person and the school. My wife is working on her second, and the current program is significantly "different" than her first which was extremely rigorous.

I'm working on mine as well, and my time investment is about 15-20 hours a week (I do a single 4 hour credit per term).

Response by CMSgt Donald Felch made Jan 17 at 2016 5:40 PM

CMSgt Donald Felch — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 17:40:08 -0500

My MBA is from Trident, an online program, but I have attended graduate-level programs in residence as well. The academic rigor is comparable. Successful completion will require a significant time investment varying widely with individual ability, personal work ethic and work-life balance. You will work just as hard in an onlne program but may have flexibility in scheduling your work. Expect to spend at least twice the weekly hours if not more. For three semester-hour courses, I typically invested 5-6 hours. Good luck.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2016 6:13 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 18:13:15 -0500

I can't speak to MBA, but I am doing my MA in Military Psychology and it is pretty rigorous between the reading, discussions, papers/presentations, quizzes/tests, and role playing. I have be be careful to plan out my workload because if I don't, I find myself up until midnight on a work night trying to get stuff done.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jan 17 at 2016 8:02 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 20:02:14 -0500

Masters degrees are a sprint, bachelors are a marathon. I would recommend a click and mortar program, ie it is an established institution with an online program. No one will know otherwise. Distance learning is gaining acceptance but there is still bias out there.

Norwich had a structured program that kept you on a time table for graduation. I did a resident MBA and don't know how you learn Zfinance and Accounting on your own. Can you take those resident, locally, and transfer them in.

Response by BG Robert Enzenauer made Jan 17 at 2016 8:52 PM

BG Robert Enzenauer — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 20:52:59 -0500

For me, I looked for a program where ALL of the faculty as the home institution ALSO participated in the online option. I was very pleased with the support I received from UMass-Amherst MBA. And that included some flexibility during TWO deployments - OEF 2 and OIF2.

Response by SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2016 9:42 PM

SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 21:42:01 -0500

I completed mine at a brick amd mortar and it was a two year program going one night a week for 5 hours. The hard pard wasnt the classroom it was the homework which took hours upon hours. Based off my experience with my online undergrad I would say it would depend on the program but by virtue of how an MBA program works there should not be too much more work than a non-online program.

Response by CPT Jason Mitchell, MBA made Jan 18 at 2016 9:20 AM

CPT Jason Mitchell, MBA — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 09:20:12 -0500

Sir, I'm working on an MBA from Louisiana State University. It is the flagship brick and mortar university for our state, and offers a 100% online MBA degree. I've completed about half of the core-didactic work thus far; which entails about a year of work. Each course is 3 credit hours taken over a 7 week period. The cost of the entire program is about $42,000, and easily fits into the Post 9/11 GI Bill's state tuition ceiling. I usually spend about 20 to 30 hours a week on the course to ensure mastery before the weekly quizzes, simulations, or case studies. As others have said, an online masters (or any masters) will require different effort from different students. In my opinion, this program has been challenging, but is rewarding as long as you keep up with the weekly coursework and online discussions; staying vigilant. The key to success is to maintain consistent effort, be proactive, invest more than the 16-20 hours recommended, and reach out to classmates and professors the second you have any question about the material. I have a wife and two daughters, and I can say that I'm able to spend time with them and still fulfill my commitments to class. However, I'm not working full time right now, so that must be taken in to account. Best of luck in your search for the program that best fits you. I'd suggest giving LSU's, and even UNC's programs a look. Both are considered good investments and cost less than some of the higher end universities.

Response by MSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 7:25 PM

MSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 19:25:37 -0500

Sir,
I just completed my MBA at WVU, all online, and I can attest to the fact that it was very rigorous but in the end has been very rewarding. It took a lot of my time, but was manageable. I completed the program with 4 others, all of whom had families and I believe they did well in managing the time between coursework and family time. I would urge you to consider WVU's program; they are nationally ranked and the faculty and staff was very accommodating. I fortunately had tons of support from my family and looking back, it was like a blip on the radar screen. But I am VERY glad it's finished. I wish you the best and feel free to contact me if you'd like more info.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 8:16 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 20:16:09 -0500

Understand that if you are pursuing a Master's in the field you have been in for the last decade or so the challenge won't be as if you were a 22 year old fresh out of college. Classes such as organizational behavior and management have already been drilled into you during your military education as well as your time leading.

Response by COL John Hudson made Jan 18 at 2016 9:15 PM

COL John Hudson — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 21:15:07 -0500

Curtis, there are numerous ways to obtain higher education. That said, anyone choosing the 'online' method loses out on the social interaction of a classroom, where one may learn just as much networking with other professionals in the class as with the course material itself. I taught school after retirement and always felt that up close and personal trumped the 'impersonal' aspect of a computer. My own situation (back in the day) caused me to attend night school for six years...Tuesday nights (2 years) for Undergrad, plus every Thursday night for Avn Officer Advance Course (a 3-yr 6 phase program). Immediately after that 3 yr hitch, I went directly into the C&GSC program at Univ. of Idaho for another 3 yr 6 phase program). Your own situation will drive how you approach your own education program and there is NO "one size fits all." I was requested 'by name' to teach at the Army Senior Service School for two years. I had to turn down year three as I was in Baghdad. I truly always enjoyed the interaction with my team members plus the other instructors and students at large regardless of the time of day or night.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 19 at 2016 7:36 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 19:36:41 -0500

I would look at Webster University, you get credit for both your career course and ILE, I didn't mine through them and found it not to be overly taxing!

Response by MAJ Donald Belles made Jan 20 at 2016 5:15 PM

MAJ Donald Belles — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 17:15:13 -0500

as a former college prof, my experience and that of some of my students was that the rigorousness of the program was a function of the strength and reputation of the college and the background of the student in business, administration, and now add technology structuring. Good luck to you and god bless you and yours.
don

Response by MSG Martin C. made Jan 20 at 2016 9:43 PM

MSG Martin C. — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 21:43:14 -0500

Currently at Liberty and I can honestly say I spend 2-3 daily on school work. Weekends I spend time depending on the project but I try to accommodate time for family first . Some courses are easier and the work load may vary depending on class specifics.
Comparing this to a traditional class setting I feel as if I am forced to learn more because the pressure is on me not to waste my money and time.

Response by LTC Charles T Dalbec made Jan 26 at 2016 12:57 PM

LTC Charles T Dalbec — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 12:57:11 -0500

Why Masters degree?? Are you mel 4 qualified. Would get that out if way and then seek tuition assistance to help with Masters degree. You need Mel 4 for promo to LTC don't you???

Response by LTC Charles T Dalbec made Jan 26 at 2016 12:57 PM

LTC Charles T Dalbec — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 12:57:52 -0500

I went to Webster U oversight and began one course at a time.

Response by Andrew Keady made Jun 26 at 2017 2:37 AM

Andrew Keady — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 02:37:41 -0400

I have taken an online MBA degree program. If you have self-discipline you should have no problem. however, just as you were in undergrad be smart about budgeting time. One expert top: always post to the discussion threads! They matter and in the end the accumulate. I was able to take a fast track MBA degree while working full time. It is not that hard if you budget your time. Your family may need to learn to adjust to your study times and plan family events around your school not the other way around. Always write in apa, easiest way is to download the template from Microsoft. Save your previously posted documents as you may be able to reuse material that is repetitive. Cite cite cite cite your sources. Some schools have a no tolerance policy for plagiarism, it is not something to mess around with. Buy a financial calculator and be prepared to study harder for quantitative and finance because these courses are math intensive. The accounting is more managerial accounting and should not be that hard. Anyways best of luck and choose a school that has a good online system because no one likes crashes or web errors.