Online MBA in Finance On-Campus Residency Benefits
- Greater Campus Connectivity
- Greater Academic Resources
- Increased Networking Opportunities
- Greater Flexibility
- Similar Cost
More students are returning to school later on – when they have jobs, families, and responsibilities to juggle. While online degree programs have become immensely popular with many adult students, a new style of education has emerged – the hybrid degree program.
Hybrid degree programs use a mixture of online and face-to-face classes. This helps students mold their studies around their everyday lives. It also provides them with additional support when they’re on campus. All over the country, MBA hybrid programs are being offered by colleges and universities to adapt to an age-flexible population, according to the Boston Globe. Here are five benefits of an on-campus residency requirement in an online MBA program.
1. Greater Campus Connectivity
Studying purely online isn’t completely prohibitive to making interpersonal and academic connections. But the experience of being on-campus and meeting classmates and professors in person is key to having an overall satisfying college experience. Studying partly on-campus and partly online permits students to
- flex their classes around their schedule
- make friends
- meet with professors more easily
- participate in social activities at their college or university
For older students, this is also essential, especially since it helps them to befriend other older students on campus.
2. Greater Academic Resources
The academic resources offered by a brick-and-mortar college campus nearly always exceed those offered to students by an online-only university. From academic support services such as tutoring or writing consulting to research materials found in university libraries and regular access to reference librarians and researchers, the increased availability of academic resources results in a greater success on the part of the student. These resources include:
- tutoring
- writing consulting
- research materials found in university libraries
- regular access to reference librarians and researchers
3. Increased Networking Opportunities
Online networking such as LinkedIn are certainly effective, but face-to-face networking is almost always more effective, particularly when it comes to locating work or internship opportunities. Those enrolled in an MBA program will have the opportunity to network not only with classmates but faculty and experts who give talks or facilitate workshops. Face-to-face networking is critical to the success of those entering the business world. It will be especially important when the student is nearing graduation.
4. Greater Flexibility
One of the best parts of a hybrid MBA program is the greater flexibility it offers with class scheduling. When both on-campus and online options enter the picture, it allows the student greater freedom to take the classes they are really interested in. They can more effectively tailor their studies towards their professional goals. For students with families or full-time jobs, this flexibility is even more important to help them meet all their obligations while still maintaining academic success.
5. Similar Cost
Most hybrid programs don’t cost more than either traditional degree studies or online degrees. This makes financial consideration of an MBA program about the same when comparing purely online programs to hybrid ones. In addition, those participating in hybrid degree programs have been shown to perform academically better when compared with those studying in traditional degree settings. This makes hybrid programs an even more sound investment.
Regardless of where you live or what your intended specialization is in your MBA, chances are there is a college or university near you that offers a hybrid program that will accommodate:
- you
- your professional and academic goals
- your day to day responsibilities.
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