You want to advance your education and earn a Master of Business Administration in order to make more money at work. But you don’t have time for school because you’re working 40 hours a week. If you quit, you can’t pay for school. This cycle is familiar to many working adults looking to attend graduate school. Institutions like the University of West Florida have the solution: an online MBA.
Crunching Numbers
Each term is an accelerated seven weeks and, depending on class availability and start date, the entire program can be completed in as few as 14 months when you take two classes at a time. The curriculum is designed with working students in mind, so you can “attend” each virtual class when your schedule allows and from anywhere you have internet access. U.S. News & World Report places the completion time of a typical MBA at two years. UWF has shaved months off the national average while maintaining a comprehensive degree. Because classes happen where you are, you’ll also save time (and gas money) by eliminating the commute to and from campus.
They Did It
Andy Johnson earned his online MBA from the University of West Florida in 2018. He found the seven-week terms invigorating and was constantly inspired by the new material. “It’s still a lot of work, but what it does save me is having to drive to campus two or three times a week. It does provide a good degree of flexibility if you have a career you don’t want to abandon.” Soon after his first term began, Johnson quickly figured out how to best manage the added responsibility of school. “I usually just wake up early and do everything in the morning.”
Another graduate of UWF, Erin Jeffreys, earned her MBA online while working as a public information officer and playing music on the side. Though her time in the recording studio decreased while she was enrolled in school, she was happy to make the compromise. “It’s helpful for people to know if they’re considering the degree that they think it’s going to be worth it,” Jeffreys said. “Trust me, it is.”
High Standards
CBS News says online master’s programs have come a long way in recent years. Students are held to the same admission and grading standards as full-time MBA candidates, taught with the same curriculum and same teachers, yet allowed to attend class on their own schedules while keeping their jobs. Some online programs, such as UWF’s, are also accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). This accreditation serves to assure students — and their employers — that they have received a rigorous, meaningful education.
Learn more about the UWF online MBA program.
Sources:
U.S. News & World Report: How Long It Takes to Earn an Online Master’s Degree
UWF: Erin Jeffreys Stays at UWF, Gets Down to Business
UWF: Andy Johnson Goes for Four With Online MBA in Entrepreneurship