Understanding the difference between Online and Distance MBA

By Sahil Raza

Have you been thinking of getting an MBA degree while working? Do you find that when you start Googling about the best colleges, you come across different types of MBA?!?

At such times all types of questions pop up – Diploma or degree? Distance or online MBA? It is all confusing isn't it? Moreover, you plan to drop the idea of an MBA degree for now. Before that happens, you must at least learn about the 3-major difference between Online and Distance MBA. So, the next time you will not start from zero!

Online MBA programs are conducted in a virtual set up which means it is online, and the student need not attend live or regular classes. One may pursue an online MBA program with the help of broadband and a laptop irrespective of his or her location. 

1. Let's Get the Basics Right!

Distance MBA

In distance MBA, the self-study material is usually available in the form of soft copy and hard copy. Materials in the distance MBA programs include books and LMS. Additional study resources might be available depending on the program, including occasional in-person classes. These self-study programs allow you to learn independently at your convenience. Remember, that you may have to pay postal charges etc. for the study materials upon admission.

How you take exams when you are completing a distance MBA becomes a question. While the options may vary by university, you may be able to take the exam by mail, online, through the school's website, or at a nearby test center.

Many programs equate the terms distance education program and online education program, though they are different. Some programs may promote distance or correspondence programs, but in reality have online learning components. If you are looking for a paper-based format, check that your program does not include online material.

Online MBA

In an online MBA program, you can interact virtually with classmates and instructors. If you do not have enough experience with computers, this type of program has the added benefit of familiarising you with the technology. These computer and Internet skills could benefit you later in your management career. You can even experience the traditional classroom model of asking your instructor questions, discussing it with your classmates, and possibly viewing videos or listening to lectures. An online MBA could add flexibility, while you can earn a degree from an international school that confers the same degree to you and students on campus. Many institutions have started offering job placement services also, check to see if your prospective programs provide this.

Online MBAs do not need to use the postal system. So, you don't need to worry about delayed study materials when studying online. Both MBA options could provide information relevant to your professional ambitions. 

2. More Like a Class Than Study Material

Distance Degree

Distance education degree programs is how education can be delivered to students in remote places. It is made to offer students who cannot commit to online study, the opportunity to pursue an education in a non-traditional way. Distance degrees include online programs, live lecturers, Learning Management System (LMS) and Student Support as well.

Before the online system started, students used to complete courses by receiving and submitting coursework in LMS. As technology has advanced greatly in the past decades, the variety of distance education methods have increased. Usually distance education occurs when all students have to be present simultaneously on a scheduled basis. A degree that can be completed on a student's own schedule and does not involve a specific timetable is considered as an own-pace education, which is common for distance learning courses now.

Online Degree

An online degree program is one of the options under the category of distance education. Students who have access to PCs can pursue an online degree by completing the curriculum via the Internet. Online courses give students the freedom to work according to their comfort and convenience. Working professionals, who are not able to leave work to pursue full-time, on-campus study, benefit the most from online courses of study.

UGC & AIU approved accredited online degree programs are available in a variety of fields, including business administration and nursing. Students in such programs receive and submit coursework over the internet and talk to fellow students and teachers through email or other forms of electronic communication. Over the decades, online degree programs have flourished and become recognized as legitimate options for completing your education just like a full-time course. 

3. Exposure Like a Full-time MBA

An online MBA is a better bet as its quality, status and popularity are rising continuously, with good business schools offering online business degrees every year, which makes it even more convenient. 

An online degree’s curriculum consists of self-study material, live and interactive lectures and online assignments which you can download as text, multimedia, and audio files wherever and whenever required through LMS. Students interact through online channels such as discussion forums, chat, e-mail, webinars and telephone calls. Modern businesses increasingly rely on online communications such as email, online chat, and message boards. So, graduates of online MBA programs enjoy the advantage of being prepared for new technologies as well.

Also, online MBA programs have many unique benefits. Apart from allowing you to work at your own pace and convenience, an online MBA degree needs you to have more discipline as compared to those in a classroom setting. With numerous distractions, it becomes a challenge for online MBA students to stay focused, for the tasks to be accomplished successfully. Thus, online MBA students also get to hone their time management skills. 

Now, that we are clear about the difference between distance and online MBA. You now know how it is beneficial to you, and how important it is to get a degree, that to at your own pace and convenience.

About the Author:

Sahil Raza is a writer and educational counsellor in management studies. Sahil has over 8 years of experience in the education sector and he is Chief Education Officer at Talentedge.