How can I fit an MBA into my busy life?

Maybe you envision having to rush from work to beat the traffic, grab a drive-thru meal, find a parking spot on campus, and make it to class with enough energy to last through the next few hours of learning. Such a routine could become even more complicated if there’s childcare or other home responsibilities to consider. For many, it’s enough to keep them from moving forward with earning a degree.

Fortunately, traditional campus-based business degree programs aren’t your only option. Many professionals choose to earn their MBA degree through online graduate degree programs.

Benefits of Online MBA Programs

Time—or the perceived lack of it—is what often causes people to delay advancing their education. Online programs can help resolve many of the time-related conflicts that keep people from taking this important step. Here are several reasons why earning your business administration degree online makes sense, especially if your life is already busy:

• Allows scheduling around work hours. Unlike traditional on-campus programs whose courses only meet at certain times, online programs are compatible with your work schedule. Your online course content is accessible at any time, which means you don’t have to miss work to complete the required coursework.
• Easily connects you to course resources. The learning platform that delivers your online degree course content also puts the needed course materials at your fingertips. Any documents, videos, and webpages that you need to view for each lesson are organized and easily accessible.
• Allows virtual interaction with peers and faculty. The online classroom can have a global reach. When you study with students potentially from all over the world, your learning is enriched with diverse perspectives. You will also have the support you need. Interactive forums and face-to-face video conferencing are two ways to connect with your peers. Faculty members often keep regular office hours during which you can contact them online with questions or concerns related to your course.
• Gives you more time with family. For many busy professionals, this is the most valuable aspect of an online MBA program. By studying online, you spend less time in a car, less time in a classroom, and more time at home.

Competency-Based MBA Program

Another option to consider is a competency-based MBA program. Unlike a course-based MBA program where you progress by completing a sequence of courses, this format allows you to advance from one competency—or skill—to the next. One such option is Tempo Learning^® in the MBA program at Walden University. The format focuses on mastering specific skills and offers flexible deadlines and self-paced lessons. All of this can mean potentially earning an MBA online in less time than through a course-based program.

Testimony From a Walden MBA Student

Individuals from around the globe are earning their degree through Walden University’s accredited MBA program. For MBA graduate Kelly Nolan, this combination of quality and convenience is the key to success.

“I think Walden’s MBA program is a great way for people who are already in the workforce, already have busy lives, to pursue their education, their lifelong learning, while continuing to do their job,” he says. “The flexibility of being able to study when you want, to make your postings at a time that’s convenient, and to work around family considerations and job and volunteer opportunities has been really helpful. We all have such busy lives that having to attend a class, perhaps drive some distance to get there, would be quite burdensome. In fact, it might have made my continued education nearly impossible. But being able to do it in the comfort of my home according to the schedule that I need—that provides a lot of flexibility that I might not have otherwise.”

Walden University offers fully online MBA programs in both course-based and competency-based formats. Expand your career options and earn your degree using a convenient, flexible learning platform that fits your busy life.

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.

Walden’s BS in Business Administration, Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), and PhD in Management programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). The MS in Accounting and BS in Accounting programs are also accredited by the ACBSP and have earned the organization’s separate accounting accreditation.