MBA options multiply with online programs

Net-based education allows for flexibility

Three little letters — MBA — have long been the coveted keys that graduate students hope will unlock the door to that long-sought promotion or the next big raise.

Now there are more options than ever in the realm of distance-learning programs leading to the master’s degree in business administration, thanks to the Internet and the increasing competition to provide adult learners with convenient ways to further their education.

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Take Eric Weinmaster for example. A 32-year-old Fort Collins resident, Weinmaster was in the process of earning his MBA the traditional way — attending classes during the day at Colorado State University.

“But then my life got real busy,” he said.

At 29, halfway through his MBA, he took a new job as a financial analyst with Hewlett-Packard Co. It was a great career advancement, but it also meant more hours in the office and an additional commute to Loveland. Then his wife told him they were expecting their second child. New house, new job, new baby: Something had to give, and Weinmaster was sure it was the MBA.

But then he learned CSU offers a distance MBA program.

He earned his degree this past December. Admittedly, it took him longer than most students, but Weinmaster said that without the flexibility of the program he never would have completed his MBA.

Enrollment swells

He is not alone. A study by the U.S. Department of Education showed that 42,601 students were enrolled in distance MBA programs in 1998. Of the 2,580 institutions polled, 82 percent planned to begin or increase courses offered online by 2001. The prediction is holding true: Universities across the country are rushing to offer programs online, and a new business model — the online university — is becoming a burgeoning business.

Currently, two curricula models dominate the online MBA world.

In both types, students download software and lecture notes, then research, read and write papers every week. Students discuss course work using real-time messaging software, while the professor proctors the online discussion. Englewood-based Jones International University and the University of Phoenix follow this model.

The second model adds video to the mix. For example with CSU’s program, traditional on-campus lectures are videotaped, then sent to the distance student. Denver’s Regis University also offers a video-based distance MBA program. Regis has partnered with Bisk Education Inc., which produces its video, hosts the technology and markets the program. The alliance is an example of business collaboration that is expected to increase as the market develops.

Virtual interaction

Students from both types of programs said that group interaction is emphasized in both formats.

Renée Stern, a 25-year-old Fort Collins resident, is earning her MBA from the Englewood-based Jones International University, which is the first fully online university to earn accreditation.

“The online discussions with other students stimulate a different thought process than a response that just comes to you sitting in class,” Stern said. “It really raises the bar on student interaction. It’s a more formal, researched thought.”

Weinmaster said he uses the communication skills he learned through CSU’s distance MBA program in his current job. “In one class we had people from four different time zones,” Weinmaster said. “It was a challenge to coordinate schedules. But now I do that every day.”

Weinmaster said that the group projects helped to fill the social void, but he did miss the face-to-face interaction. “Sometimes it feels like you’re not really connected with the university,” he said. “You’re kind of isolated.”

Don Quick, who researches adult learning for CSU’s school of education, said that online classes can level the playing field for some students.

“The pushy don’t take over so much as in a typical classroom setting,” Quick said. He also urges students to first understand their own learning style, and said online education should be looked at as a new tool to enhance the learning process.

“It’s like switching from overhead slides to PowerPoint presentations,” Quick said. One of the keys to a successful program is to have professors well trained in the technology, he said.

Do the homework

Other than competent teachers and personal learning style, there are other practical aspects a potential distance learner should consider when deciding on a school:

” Accreditation: Probably the most important task is to verify that a university is accredited by a legitimate agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

” Financial aid: Perhaps it’s not a huge concern for those students whose employers will be footing the bill, but federal regulations state that students cannot receive federal financial aid if the university they attend offers more than 50 percent of its courses through distance education.

” Flexibility: Some programs are more flexible than others. The University of Phoenix offers courses every six to eight weeks. At CSU the program is semester-based, reflecting the on-campus class schedule.