Online MBA programs are a popular choice of older adults and mid-career professionals who want to earn a degree without sacrificing their career and family life. Online MBA programs are also becoming a fast favorite of the younger crowd, who are looking for ways to earn a graduate degree while keeping their current employment. Many find that online MBA courses offer a flexibility that can't be found in traditional schools. If you're considering earning an online MBA, make sure you do your homework. Knowing the basics will help you make an informed decision about whether or not these programs are right for you. Once you've decided to enroll in an online MBA program, how do you stay on course if life gets in the way?

The pluses to getting an online MBA courses are well-documented:

•Two of the most-cited reasons for entering an online MBA program are better salary—salaries can grow 50 percent or more after earning an MBA degree*—and more rapid career advancement.
•You'll also acquire the skills to manage any sort of business activity, from accounting to marketing, and to take on all sorts of new roles and responsibilities.
•You'll grow as an employee—just as you'll contribute to your company's growth.
•An online MBA course gives you the flexibility of taking courses from home and choosing classes that fit into a job, family or social schedule. And you can study at any time of the day or night, and work for as long or little as you like.
•Don't forget that you'll save time—and money—because you won't have a lengthy commute to campus and you won't need to pay for parking or gas.

Distance learning and traditional MBA programs generally share a similar type of curriculum and can be considered equally difficult (depending, of course, on the particular school). Instead of spending hours in class, online MBA students are expected to dedicate their time to studying independently.

Online curriculum generally consists of lectures, readings, assignments, and participation in online discussions. Some programs also offer multimedia components such as video lectures, podcasting, and videoconferencing. Online MBA students from some programs are expected to physically attend a certain number of courses or workshops in order to acquire residency hours. Required tests can usually be taken with proctors in your own community. Online MBA students don’t spend less time studying than their traditional student counterparts. But, they are given the power to fit their school hours into their own schedules.

Tips for Success in an Online MBA Program

Because you never know when some unexpected curveball may be thrown, make sure you have a plan that will keep you grounded during your studies. Knowing you have things squared away at home and school will help you stay on top of your workload, especially if you or a family member becomes ill, or you have to work an extra shift. Here are some things you can do in advance to prepare for earning your online MBA:

•Set a realistic schedule, complete with small, achievable goals.
•Get to know your online instructor. A good instructor will tailor your online experience to match your goals and interests.
•Find an online student friend. Having another online classmate you can confer with about class assignments and expectations will help alleviate the stress of a rigorous online MBA program. You can chat online—via email, text messaging, Instant Messenger or a social community like Twitter.
•Establish realistic boundaries and communicate with family, friends and co-workers. When you study at home, it's easy for people to forget that you're really working. Make sure there's a mutually respectful agreement in place over common spaces, responsibilities, obligations and schedules.

Most important, keep your eye on the big picture. Remember, you won't be a student forever. You're working toward a goal that will change your life and help to ensure your future success. Though juggling an online MBA program with a job and family might seem daunting at times, pursuing the kind of career fulfillment that offers greater challenges and greater rewards takes an investment of hard work and dedication—an investment that will pay handsome dividends when you finally earn those MBA skills.

Jon Burke is an online MBA programs director with the MBA Education Institute. He has over twenty years of successful business experience and has held leadership positions in some of the world best companies. He has also provided management consulting expertise to firms of all sizes and in the process has trained and shaped the careers of many executives.

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