good universities for online MBA

[Amitabh Reddy]

I am looking for a online MBA course. I wonder if it adds any value to my professional profile? Well, I am tired of doing coding for last ten years and want to try some other profession. Doing MBA seems one option. Thoough, being family man I think it would impossible to do class room based part time MBA.Here in Europe, I work for a US aviation company with a very strong brand

[Arvind Mahendra]

Why don't you try one of those MBAs that you can fastrack in 6 months or so. I dont know the name of these institutes, I think it was ISBM or IBMS or something like that. Other options are ICFAI, Symbiosis, IIM

[Pat Farrell]

Originally posted by Amitabh Reddy:
I am looking for a online MBA course. I wonder if it adds any value to my professional profile? ...I work for a US aviation company with a very strong brand

I think online MBA courses are near worthless.

Get your big aviation company to send you to school. Go full time. Go on campus.

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

This sounds like a serious question. We have a job discussion forum for that.

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

I got my Masters online, but it was for Computer Information Technology. I think there is a lot gained from doing an MBA in person. Especially in the realm of communication. I do know fathers that have done MBAs. Some of done it a bit slower than single people, but they still manage.

[Amitabh Reddy]

@ Arvind
I work and live in Eurpoe so Indian institutes is not feasible.

@ Pat
The way the organization is structured here, I see it next to impossible. In my bosses eyes, I am either priceless Engineer or will make worthless manager. I suspect his thinking is inclined towards later

@Jeanne
Classroom MBA seems extremely unlikely. Major impediments to classroom MBA are

1) I live in continental Europe and am linguistically insufficient to purse MBA in local language.
2) English language courses are available. However, cost is prohibitive.
3) I do extensive business travel, around 4 times and for 2 months, mostly to US.

Nonetheless, I am doing my own analysis of ROI, if I do the English MBA.

Thanks,
[ August 20, 2008: Message edited by: Amitabh Reddy ]

[Arvind Mahendra]

" I work and live in Eurpoe so Indian institutes is not feasible."

I thought being 'online' implied that you don't have to be physically present to do it. :roll:

[Amitabh Reddy]

Originally posted by Arvind Birla:
" I work and live in Eurpoe so Indian institutes is not feasible."

I thought being 'online' implied that you don't have to be physically present to do it. :roll:

Oh, I did not know the institutions you suggested above offer online courses. My impression was, the likes of symbiosis or even IIM offer only classroom courses. And in that case, distance would make it impossible.
And again, Fast track MBA in 6 months sounds more like a full time rather than part time/online kind of course.
I will google more.

Thanks for your reply.
[ August 20, 2008: Message edited by: Amitabh Reddy ]

[Arvind Mahendra]

Some of the better schools
http://www.scdl.net/

heres one that you can short for 6 months.
http://site.nimonweb.com/



though the visa mastercard logo at the bottom sort of makes me a little think a little

keep in mind that these kind of 'MBAs' arent really designed to teach you much I can imagine but mainly to certify that you are an MBA. And you will also need great selling/convincing skills to sell this as an asset to your potential employer
[ August 20, 2008: Message edited by: Arvind Birla ]

[Pat Farrell]

Originally posted by Arvind Birla:
though the visa mastercard logo at the bottom sort of makes me a little think a little

That is the problem. Its easy to set up a degree mill, take your card, give you a 'diploma' and send you out in the world.

An engineer with an MBA is a very good combination in a lot of areas.

Go read about a Harvard MBA website, see what they do, see why they do it. They talk about forcing you to work in teams to rely upon others, find who has natural leadership. Put you under stress and see how you handle it. etc.

I'm biased, I think MBAs in general are over rated. Moreso, I think even "executing MBAs" are just diploma mills. If its worth doing, get a real one.

Or learn a couple of new languages, and become a better geek.

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

Amitabh,
Those are really good reasons for not doing a classroom MBA. I certainly think an online MBA is better than nothing. It will still help you learn the skills and interact with others. Some universities have an option where you can take a really intensive class onsite for a week. (it meets pretty much all day for 5 days) I think this is nice as it lets you accomplish things and grow in ways that are hard to do online.