Opting for the wired classroom: online MBA programs allow business professionals to pursue advanced degree - Tech Talk - obtaining a masters in business administration degree online

Black Issues in Higher Education, Nov 20, 2003 by Peter Galuszka

The stigma remains, however, of being inferior to in-class MBA programs at the best schools. "Most eMBAs have not one but two strikes against them," Byrne says. "First, they are granted by schools few people have heard of. Two, there is little or no recruiting from the corporate sector. At the best 'b-schools,' hundreds of corporate recruiters from the best global companies show up each year to recruit for summer internships and full-time jobs. Not so with an eMBA.

"You'd graduate and then nothing would happen. No new job. No salary increase. Few new colleagues or friends. No alumni network to tap," Byrne says.

Indeed, since many MBA students are already working in competitive industries, they may find that an online degree doesn't cut it against someone with a campus degree when it's time for promotions. "Has there been stigmatization?" Cox asks. "To be perfectly honest--there probably has been. But online is absolutely the fastest growing segment; the rate of growth is just staggering. Before too long the sheer kind of numbers will begin to dwarf the others."

Curry says he isn't worried about being regarded as inferior because he's getting his MBA online. "I'm not doing this to get a promotion," he says, "I'm doing this because I want to know more about business and do my job better." Moreover, he says that he has created a network of student contacts. Since the Net knows no country borders, he says he's struck up close relationships with fellow students from other countries. He's happy with his experience so far. "I don't see myself as a creative listener. Even back in my high school and college days I did OK, not great. But in business I moved ahead fairly quickly. This course is the real world with highly competent professors."