Ask Kim
Surfing to Business School
By Kimberly Lankford, Contributing Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance
June 27, 2001
Were can I find more information about online education programs, specifically MBA programs? What should I look for? Which accreditation really matters?Looking at a program's accreditation is a good first step for finding a quality program. Several groups accredit online MBA programs, but the most rigorous is AACSB accreditation from the International Association for Management Education. This is the organization that accredits the top business schools in the country (including Harvard, Stanford and other elite programs), regardless of whether they offer their programs in person or online. Visit the AACSB Web site for a list of the business schools it has accredited.
Consider the following when assessing an online MBA program:
- Check out the professors' credentials. Some schools have the same professors teach their online and in-person classes. Others have big-name professors develop their online curriculum, but have lesser-known profs facilitate the classes.
- Find out how much interaction you'll have with fellow students and professors. The best programs have the entire class meet in person at least once a semester, then emphasize group projects, class participation and interaction with professors throughout the year.
- Look for a program with small classes (preferably no more than about 40 students). Since most of your interaction with students and professors is through e-mail and online forums, it's easier to participate when the group is smaller.
For more information about online MBA programs, see Do Online MBAs Measure Up? For details about many schools' distance-learning programs, see Peterson's Guide to Distance Learning Programs.