What do you recommend for a good online MBA degree program while in Active duty?

2015-07-05T16:03:44-04:00

Response by SGT Ronnie Warford made Jul 5 at 2015 4:03 PM

2015-07-05T16:03:58-04:00

Thanks in advance

Response by LTC Yinon Weiss made Jul 5 at 2015 4:08 PM

2015-07-05T16:08:40-04:00

UNC has a strong commitment to military, and their MBA program is among the best in the country. A UNC MBA would definitely carry some significant weight with future employers:
http://onlinemba.unc.edu/admissions/military/

Military Veterans Information | MBA@UNC

MBA@UNC empowers you to harness military experience to earn recognition from the institution mentioned in BusinessWeek’s top 20 since its inception.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 5 at 2015 4:20 PM

2015-07-05T16:20:08-04:00

Let me be frank here. Got my MBA with concentration in information security from Northcentral University.

Title: great. Courses: 10 total (1st was intro to graduate studies, next 4 were core MBA, last 5 were information security curricula). Quality: questionable.

To say that I've 'learned' much, can't really say because what I did mostly was write weekly reports. Those had to be 5-7 pages long and be backed up by at least 3 scholarly citations. Occasionally instead of reports I'd have to do PowerPoint slide presentations, 10-12 scholarly supported reports.

I was expecting different when I hit core information security courses and boy was I wrong. Same routine, 5-7 page reports weekly. No practicals, no modules, no labs, pretty disappointed.

All in all, got a degree. Learned much? Cannot say because not applying much of that information overload in practice. But hey, got a paper!

So it's up to you. Many schools are out there are straight up for profit, yes even those that are 'regionally accredited'. If you truly want to learn and apply your knowledge, I think browsing the pages of 'Consumer Reports' and other independent reviews is the best route. Good luck!

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Jul 5 at 2015 4:54 PM

2015-07-05T16:54:18-04:00

You'll find tons of options out there, but if you've chosen to focus exclusively on online programs (and not traditional or hybrid programs), then I'd narrow my focus to online MBA programs from AACSB-accredited business schools. I'd then pick a school with positive reputation nationally. If you want to reach for the stars, look at the U.S. News and World Report rankings to see the most prestigious programs in the country. As LTC Yinon Weiss mentioned, UNC makes all of those filters.

http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/mba/rankings?int=a22409&int=a08008&int=aa6309

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 5 at 2015 6:17 PM

2015-07-05T18:17:42-04:00

I just graduated from MBA@UNC program and can speak to its incredibly high calibre. About 27% are veterans and maybe about half that are active duty still, so you won't be alone. Even a few complete the program while they are deployed. If you'd like to hear more specifically about the program I can connect you to the right people to test drive a class or talk to active students. It's also perfect for career transitions with a lifetime career guidance service and the BEST networking potential. Amazing program through and through.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 5 at 2015 6:42 PM

2015-07-05T18:42:22-04:00

I am currently attending Liberty University for a MBA in Project Management. It is a Christian University meaning all curriculum has faith integrated into it. The program's itself are challenging and I feel once I graduate my degree will hold weight against those who attended graduate programs as a resident. They are also very military friendly. Check them out.

Response by PO2 Anthony Dauer made Jul 6 at 2015 8:12 AM

2015-07-06T08:12:55-04:00

University of Maryland University College. It's part of one of the best business schools in the country and typically uses case study materials designed and developed by Harvard Business School.

Response by PO1 Joseph Frazier made Jul 7 at 2015 3:18 PM

2015-07-07T15:18:24-04:00

UMUC has a good program and cater to military personnel. If your going to be stationed somewhere for 3 years, I would recommend finding a local University and do the course work in a classroom setting.

Response by SrA Todd Panek made Jul 7 at 2015 4:40 PM

2015-07-07T16:40:07-04:00

Columbia College (https://www.ccis.edu/military/) has a long tradition of support of the Armed Services. Their nationwide and online programs, especially, are great fits for active duty service members. (Depending on where you are stationed, there may even be a satellite campus nearby.) I finished my BS in Business Administration and later my MBA at Columbia and took both in-seat and online classes for each degree as they best fit my own needs. The instructors are top-notch and all typically work during the day in the field that they teach at night or online.

Disclaimer: I'll be teaching in the Business program at Columbia's Hancock Field starting in the fall so clearly I'm biased in my support for the school! :)

Response by CW4 Robert Goldsmith made Jul 7 at 2015 4:49 PM

2015-07-07T16:49:49-04:00

I concur with LTC Kevin B. The most important thing is to make sure the school is regionally accredited. I also recommend state universities because their costs are much less than private schools. In this virtual world, you don't need a brick and mortar classroom to get a quality education.

Response by MAJ Bill Maynard made Jul 7 at 2015 5:44 PM

2015-07-07T17:44:00-04:00

Pay the fee, get the B??

Response by SPC James Rafferty made Jul 7 at 2015 6:33 PM

2015-07-07T18:33:27-04:00

While I do she that UNC had a marvelous program, there are others. Liberty University online had a flat rate for military and had good programs. Daymar College has some of the most sought after students due to the professionalism instilled, also Vanderbilt has one of the top three business schools in the nation. Ultimately it is your choice though, just do your research.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 7 at 2015 7:36 PM

2015-07-07T19:36:04-04:00

Do yourself a favor and go to a physical school.
A lot of online schools like "Phoenix" are loosing their appeal and status in the professional world.

Depending on course of study having a degree from a place such as "Phoenix" could actually close doors for you at some companies.

Just my two cents......

Response by 1SG Mike Martori made Jul 7 at 2015 8:11 PM

2015-07-07T20:11:19-04:00

Although i am no longer on Active Duty (retired) I am attending the Executive MBA program with the Jack Welch Management Institute, through Staryer Unversity. They are very Military friendly and offer a wide variety of scholarship and payment offers. The ciriculam is very good and I have to assume their normal MBA program is similar. There has been at least one active duty person in each of my courses and a few have been taking the courses from theater. Good luck with your search and thanks for your continued service.

Response by PO2 Jeffrey Sheibels made Jul 7 at 2015 9:20 PM

2015-07-07T21:20:45-04:00

Check out Ashford University. They have a great online program and a dedicated office for veterans.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 8 at 2015 12:21 AM

2015-07-08T00:21:43-04:00

First, ensure your program is AACSB accredited. That's the gold standard for B-schools.

Second, go to the best school you can afford. Many top B-schools have online or hybrid MBA's. UNC, Arizona State, Florida State, all immediately come to mind. The US News ranking were posted earlier and would be a good start. With all the high quality schools now offering MBA's, don't cheat yourself by going to a lower quality program.

Response by LTC Bob Gotsch made Jul 8 at 2015 12:43 AM

2015-07-08T00:43:53-04:00

Georgia College in Milledgeville, GA is offering an online Masters Degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. It is a two year program, with two 3 hour courses/semester. Active duty troopers with MOS's in Communications Electronics, Signal, Logistics, Transportation or combat arms involved with supply in the field from corps or theater level would enjoy this course.

Response by SSgt Michael Cox made Jul 8 at 2015 3:31 PM

2015-07-08T15:31:14-04:00

My only recommendations are the same as the VA which is ITT (not allowed to use GI Bill) and University of Phoenix (on watch list for recruiting severe PTSD veteran patients and then charging the VA if they attend or not).

Response by CPT David Tanner made Jul 14 at 2015 8:01 PM

2015-07-14T20:01:47-04:00

I got my bachelors degree from MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, KS in Management and Human Relations. The reason I mentioned that is because it is a business type degree. If you have a business type degree and you go with the University of Phoenix, they give you 9 upper division credits toward your MBA. They have satellite campuses in all 50 states. I went to the Kansas City Campus. You can get your MBA in 9 or 10 classes that are each 6 weeks long. You go to class 1 night per week for 4 hours per night (6pm to 10pm) and you have one paper due each week. These average 5-20 pages each. You also have team projects that you will need to accomplish. You will need to chat or conference call each other and communicate through email and/or meet at least 1 night before class. It sounds like a lot, but you can earn your MBA in just over 1 year, and you learn from professional doctors or professors that have real world corporate experience. I learned so much in such a short time. I was not active duty, but I worked 45 hours per week at civilian job, was a single parent, did most cooking, cleaning, child rearing, groceries, trash, grass cutting, National Guard officer, and full time student and was able to pull off a 3.97 GPA on bachelors and 3.8 GPA on MBA so I know you can do it. I did not do a concentration due to a deployment. Good luck.

Response by SPC Joshua Heath made Jul 27 at 2015 12:48 PM

2015-07-27T12:48:24-04:00

http://onlinebusiness.american.edu/

American University is offering an excellent MBA program online. We've been offering this degree at our Washington, DC campus for nearly 60 years. I think it is well worth it to check out our online version that utilizes 2U's technology. http://www.2u.com

American University Kogod Online Business

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