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MBA Study Programmes

MBA study programmes are gaining popularity in the UK and among many UK universities. Most universities operate under traditional teaching methods where you have to be in the same teaching room with other people. However, this is now changing. MBA study programmes are now shifting to online delivery where your physical contact with tutors and other students is being minimised. This new design of MBA delivery gains popularity. Doing the MBA online creates the sense that you can keep your normal job and stay at your same place without having to move elsewhere. The online study of the MBA is considered ‘distance learning’. With this help guide we would like to give you information about the similarities and differences between the two programmes so that you can become more aware of what is involved for you.

MBA Study Programmes. Are they all the same?

If you are considering about doing an MBA you are also questioning as to whether the university is important, or whether the MBA title in your CV is going to be good enough. Clearly, universities have similarities between them, in terms of, the MBA content and its delivery. However, they also have many differences in the way teaching methods are organized and how assessment is designed. Universities in the UK are divided between those that belong to the Russell Group and those that do not. This group is comprised of universities that are selected for their seeming higher quality of studying.

Branding is important even though it is not the most important. Our experience with MBA Students shows that the more prestigious universities are not necessarily receptive or responding to the needs of their students. For example, one of the most common complaints is the lack of time and response with which tutors lack for engaging with students. The decision of the MBA study programme needs to become an aggregation of many factors that you need to take into consideration. What you come to consider as the ‘best’ choice for you might not be the ‘best’ choice for someone else.

You need to take into consideration the MBA fees but also the location and commitments that you will have to make in terms of making changes in your current work situation. MBA programmes are not all the same and this is why you need to look close at the programme specification. You need to carefully consider the subjects taught, the people teaching in the module and to access their research profiles and see what they are interested in.

At first, you might feel that it is not really necessary to get into so much depth about a programme that you want to study. After all, you want to do the MBA programme in order to learn! Even though this is true at the same time your MBA experience is going to be severely impacted by the environment in which you will study.
This environment is comprised of students but mainly tutors who will set the expectations that you will need to meet. Hence, understanding who is sending these expectations will help you align yourself with the aims that they will set for you. If you do not do enough background research on your programme you are likely to find yourself stuck and with having to do work that you do not really understand how and why it is relevant for you.

 

Traditional and Online Programmes

We could dedicate a very long document in discussing about the similarities and the differences between the traditional and online teaching MBA programmes. However, we want to keep our advice brief and succinct.

The traditional MBA programme requires you to be at a single location for periods of time where you can have taught lectures and engage in workshops and seminars. The online programme is trying to create new opportunities so that students can study from their own location. The idea of studying for the MBA is attractive. However, its practicalities make the experience more challenging for what it is. This is because you will be sent the material that you need to study whilst having little direct interaction with tutors and other students.

Efforts are made in order to create new and online forums of interaction. For example, by using new forms of technology and by working on the development of new IT platforms companies seek to simulate the learning experience as you have it when you are at the university but whilst you are staying at home!

This is likely to take time but it remains an important trend that challenges how the MBA is taught on its entirety. For us, the more important elements that you need to consider prior to making the decision is twofold, namely, (a) availability and (b) self-commitment. Availability concerns the practical dimensions that you need to consider in terms of being with your family or needing to travel for long periods of time. At the moment availability is difficult as people have to work in order to pay for their tuition fees. However, taking time away remains particularly important that can make the big difference as you will be ‘there’. The other issue you need to consider is your self-commitment in terms of studying on your own. If you need the social interaction and helps with your learning experience this is key. However, if you are self-committed to put into your studies the work required on your own then this is very important. Our advice to you is to take a good look at your learning style. That is, what is your process by which you select, analyse and understand new information. Learning styles are different between people and on basis of their past experiences. If you want to learn more about your learning style then we advise you to look at the questionnaire by Honey and Mumford where you can find more about your own learning preferences.

MBA Winner is a dedicated service hub for business undergraduate but also MBA Students. If you are struggling with making a decision you can contact us and we will help you. Email us today at support@mbawinner.com

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