By the way, I should mention that DBS ..
1. teaches learning about learning .. helps understand the psycological process of learning.. helps identify your own style of learning and helps build up that.
2. helps planing your learning schdule and streamlines the flow.
3. tutors encourage a lot of personal learning around the topic not just the handouts. They point me to specific top Journels, Articles, Web material, podcasts - even resources from other business schools ranging from Harvard to Bradford.
4. references to current business news/events as well as case studies from this year to the past 2 decades.

I don't know if others schools do the same.. but I am very pleased to see dynamic/hot content/topics and interactive support.

Thanks for posting this, georgep. As somebody who is interested in distance learning programs, this is very helpful. If you can, please keep giving us updates on how the course progresses.

By the way, I should mention that DBS ..
1. teaches learning about learning .. helps understand the psycological process of learning.. helps identify your own style of learning and helps build up that.
2. helps planing your learning schdule and streamlines the flow.
3. tutors encourage a lot of personal learning around the topic not just the handouts. They point me to specific top Journels, Articles, Web material, podcasts - even resources from other business schools ranging from Harvard to Bradford.
4. references to current business news/events as well as case studies from this year to the past 2 decades.

I don't know if others schools do the same.. but I am very pleased to see dynamic/hot content/topics and interactive support.

Here an interesting thread regarding the University ranking (not just the Business School ranking).

http://www.find-mba.com/board/20753

World ranking of UK universities:
----------------------------------------
6 University of Cambridge
6 University of Oxford
9 Imperial College London
22 University College London
40 University of Edinburgh
68 University of Bristol
77 King's College London
79 University of Sussex
81 University of York
85 ****** Durham University *****
86 London School of Economics and Political Science
87 University of Manchester
88 Royal Holloway, University of London
90 University of Southampton
103 University of St. Andrews
120 Queen Mary, University of London
124 Lancaster University
128 University of Glasgow
137 University of Sheffield
140 University of Dundee
145 University of Birmingham
149 University of Aberdeen
152 Birkbeck, University of London
152 Newcastle University
165 University of Liverpool
168 University of Leeds
174 University of East Anglia
174 University of Nottingham
184 University of Exeter

Source:
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2010-2011/top-200.html#score_OS%7Csort_rank%7Creverse_false

Hi georgep after scouring the internet for such a long time trying to find an ideal MBA, I must say I found your posts truly inspiring (I posted my inquiry on a different thread, but Duncan suggested I search the board for more relevant responses). I am in the same quandary as you were just before you started your DL MBA last year. My profile is this: I am African, but lived and worked in UK for 10+ years and got naturalised British citizenship, 12 years working experience in civil engineering, good Bachelors degree from my home country and an MSc in Engineering from a UK university. Now moved to Australia for career progression. I already have my own profession?s accreditations (Chartered Engineer etc), and a good job as project manager in a leading company in my industry.

In terms of Business Schools, I have long heard about Warwick MBA and its reputation, and did attend an Open Day when I was in UK in 2010. Good programme. But then I started looking around for something else to compare with it. That?s when I discovered Durham, and maybe Imperial. Currently Warwick costs £20K, Imperial is £24K, but Durham is £14.5K. Imperial is out for me because I am suspicious about its value (i.e. the DL option only). The MBA has 10 modules only, with 8 core modules, 1 optional and the dissertation, and there isn?t a great range to choose from for the options. It?s ranked lower than the WBS one, but costs more. I would go to Imperial for my first engineering degree or any other MSc, but not MBA. So for me it?s either Warwick or Durham, which is where George?s suggestions have been helpful.

I am 36, with a young family and leaving Down Under. DL is my only option. I don?t like this concept of having to attend school every year (for the Warwick option). Worse, if you want to take some modules on campus you have to pay more. Some have said you benefit from interacting with others. But let?s be honest guys, the benefit really comes if you are on a full time course. You are already doing a distance learning MBA for a reason ? that you can?t commit full time. I don?t see how a few days a year on campus are going to make that massive difference. Besides, if you are doing an MBA chances are you can interact with people anywhere. There are work and industry functions and seminars which could help you. Besides, I am sure most it can be done online anyway ? we now live in a virtual world, don?t we? Hera I am singing praises to George (and to Duncan for referring me here), yet I have never met them in person. If you are on the course, then I am sure you can establish more trust with people and exchange contact details.

Another thing which is making me tend towards Durham Global MBA is the cost. I know it now requires attendance on campus too, but that?s only once during your course. I don?t mind that, I can bring my family over in my second or third year. But you can also do some courses there for no extra cost. And for me personally, I have been lucky that over here in Oz, engineers? salaries are way higher than in UK, and I am already earning well above the expected average salary of even some of the topmost MBAs. But for me the MBA is not about the money per se, it?s about learning and getting something that will be of use in my future career, but also has the reputation of a good school. Warwick ticks those boxes no doubt, but George has just convinced me that Durham does that too. Oh, another thing with the Durham is the flexibility to accelerate; I believe I could start with 3 modules per term rather than two, but slow down towards the end if I need to. The Warwick one is rather rigid in that respect.

I will be paying for myself as an MBA is not necessary for my current job. So the £6000 difference is a lot for me, and would only spend it if I thought the difference would account for much.

One question for George though, if you don?t mind. What exactly do you mean when you say Durham has an ?academic MBA?? How is that different from other MBAs. I thought you still need to read books and course material, then do the exams and/or assignments. I haven?t sent in the applications yet, but will apply to both Warwick and Durham and decide afterwards. I needed someone to convince me that Durham isn?t bad, and I am happy I found one.

One final consideration; the problem with comparing MBAs from different schools is that no one has been to two MBAs, so one always thinks his/her MBA is the best (or worst) because they don?t have the direct experience of the others. I have colleagues on the Warwick one, but I am somehow beginning to feel that it is over-marketed and there is too much hype about it. I hope it?s not the fact that their high ranking is getting to their head. Rankings fluctuate year on year anyway.

Finally thanks George, so much. I have read your posts, please keep posting them. Congratulations on passing your modules.
Hudson

Hudson,

A few thoughts, after all I'm just finished the WBS MBA...

I wouldn't discount the face to face interaction along with case study analysis and team presentations for the September Seminar, and if you are "down under" then take some Face to face in Hong Kong or closer to home than in the UK, as well as some online courses which are different from distance learning courses.

I paid for myself and really liked the four payments per year to spread the cost out over some time, and not have to pay in a big chunk of money. Also, 5K difference is nominal versus the time that the MBA will help you with your earning power and management position advancement.

Rankings and reputations is what your new employer will see so make sure the program is triple accredited and has a good reputation and diverse student body. I am in regular contact with past students from around the world which could be invaluable in the future.

You are correct, that I can only comment on the course I have taken, but I did a great deal of research before I choose the WBS MBA, but I am very happy with my choice and experiences.

I wish you luck in your program research, and with your ultimate choice where you will be spending quite a bit of money, time, effort and sacrifice by yourself and your family.

Consider your options carefully.....

Cheers!

Hi Canuck,
Thanks for responding to my post. I was reading your other post on the same subject, and they only confirmed what I already knew ? that the WBS DL MBA is the one to beat. Thanks for pointing out that I can do the face-to-face courses in Hong Kong, wasn?t quite aware of that. It will certainly reduce the airfare, but still will need to take time off work at least one week per year. As you could probably tell from my submission, I am really trying to find excuses for foregoing the Warwick MBA. It?s the time off work that worries me, and the fact that it?s compulsory every year. If it wasn?t compulsory I would have to do it towards the end of my course, in the third year say. I understand even Durham do require you to come there too, but it?s a minimum of only once. So when I add these expenses, the difference for me becomes much more than the 5K (lost income included).
Like you said, I am still in the final brainstorming stages, so haven?t really made up my mind. All along I had been thinking WBS, until I came across Durham. Both schools are in the top 5 in UK, so that?s a plus for me.
Finally congratulations on finishing your MBA at Warwick. I am sure it has opened a world of opportunities for you. And thanks again for willing to share your experiences with the online community. It?s a great source of motivation for those of us still dithering on the river bank, instead of just taking the plunge!
Cheers - Hudson

hmm.. after reading all the posts something tells me that CANUCK is just more than a Warwick student (if at all student in the first place). Are you associated with school in a different capacity? Tutor, Marketing, etc?

The reason being - if you were just a student you wouldn't have any issues in writing any other school name in your posts. I don't see in any of your posts a mention of other schools than Warwick. Usually PR guys write like this.

People like Duncan, Ezra, George, Ralph are ready to speak of, compare, recommend, discourage any school in any country :-)

.. Anyone thinking the same as me?

CANUCK,
If I am wrong, please write few words of what you liked/disliked in Durham, Aston, Strath (All triple accredited :-) DL programmes in your "great deal of research" before commiting to WBS?

I think that's unfair. You don't have to pay a WBS alumnus to say good things about WBS; they have a vested loyalty to WBS, and Canuck hasn't hidden that. The Warwick Masters office does post here in their own name, and I don't think that Canuck is on the WBS payroll.

Gentlemen,

I have no contact with WBS administration or the school in any way, especially since I have graduated. I am a Canadian academic and researcher, and any comments about other schools would be three years out of date, the time when I did the research. Sorry,sometimes people are just what they say they are, but no problem here...

Personally I had a good experience with WBS, current rankings are UK top 5, Europe top 10 and global FT a 27th position with triple accreditation. I choose WBS after researching many options (three years ago) and still recommend the WBS DL MBA, especially with the current rankings and revolutions that Dean Taylor is implementing, for those that want to do an MBA and keep working at the same time.

Everyone has to make their own decision, but the above should make people pause and consider WBS as a very viable option - perhaps the very best.

Just my opinion...

Cheers!

I know I am skeptic. No offence intended though. Just trying to know the truth behind the criticism and the army of PRs..
"Warwick has at times received criticism for being too commercially focused, at the expense of academic creativity and diversity - Warwick University Ltd"

Hudson,

I went to Warwick twice as I did some online courses, you work online on team projects and do an assignment that combined are your mark - communicating by my.wbs or skype) this meant I applied for exemption from the last years seminar, so WBS can only be required to attend twice depending on your course selection. That would be just one more than the other school you are considering, and I remember that a FTF (face to face) may be a new requirement, but do that in Hong Kong, and you have to confirm that.

Sorry if I come across as being bias to WBS but I did the research (three years ago), completed the program, enjoyed it and my diverse group of fellow students, and felt it was a good financial move, particularly against North American tuition costs.

Any other questions, just post them....

Cheers!

realist,

No problem here... Canucks are a mellow bunch...

I'm only talking about my experience as that is all I can comment on now as my "Caveat Emptor" research is three years old, but the current rankings, accreditation, etc.are very good indeed.

but as I have said many times, we all have to make our own decisions based on our own circumstances....

Cheers!

I have just contacted the WBS admissions office and they said for the DL MBA you have to attend twice in the first year, and then at least 1 further time in the second year depending on your electives. In total she said you might attend 3 to 5 times over the duration of the course. I wonder Canuck how you managed to attend twice only?
For those of us not currently based in the UK, that is a big consideration. I will still send my application to WBS, but as it stands I don't think there will be much point. Which is a shame because their programme is very good, but they are making it more of a part time MBA rather than a Distance Learning one.

I knew they were changing the structure somewhat but was not aware to what degree. I started in 2008 so I attended under different rules than those that are commencing the program now. The on campus attendance was a high point of the program for me, while cost to get there is a consideration. As you say it is a great program, and you should apply, and dig deeper into the current rules as I am not as up to date as admissions with the current situation. I think they are trying to increase the inter-student interaction as that is an important aspect for an international MBA.

Have to weigh things carefully with your personal situation, but WBS is growing in ranking, reputation and brand awareness so apply to it and others, and then evaluate the options with your family and employer.

Hi,

I asked for some clarification from WBS by Rachel Killian, and this is the response I received that she agreed could be posted on this forum; seems like it is good news for the program for new entrants:

Hi Dave

We did indeed restructure the DL course recently, and the July 2011 intake were the first to experience the revised programme.

In essence, what has changed is this:
i) We?ve moved from a 12 month cycle to a 6 month cycle
ii) We?ve removed the fallow period between January ? March (remember when you couldn?t study because you were waiting for the exam results??)
iii) We?ve moved the residential part (formerly Sept Seminar) from being at the latter end of each cycle to being within 10 weeks of the start of the cycle. i.e. if you start in January, you first visit us in March, rather than waiting till Sept.
iv) We?ve integrated much more digital learning technologies into the programme, including moving to online study notes for the first time
v) We?ve adjusted the role of the tutors, giving them much more pro-active responsibilities in keeping students motivated and engaged, including hosting regular wbsLive sessions
vi) We?ve also included one 5-day module into the fee and are setting up a wider range of these to be held at various international locations.

Amongst the aims of these changes were to improve completion rates; in particular by shortening the study cycle into smaller chunks and getting people onto campus earlier so that they could connect with each other ? and us. By removing the fallow period, we?ve also shortened the programme from 3 to 3.5 years to just 2.5 years.

So, to get to your question?. Yes, in the first year students would now visit us twice ? once in March and once in September. The first time it would be for 5 days and the second time for 3 days. In the second year, you would also have another Warwick Week (this time for 6 days). After that, there would no further requirement to come to campus though there is the opportunity if they so wish.

We initially thought that this pattern of attendance would be a deterrent for people who lived further afield and so put in place a second route whereby students could visit just once a year but for 8 days ? and this would then prepare them fully for their entire first year of study. But it wasn?t a popular choice, with only around 10% of students choosing it. And the feedback from those students was that it didn?t really work (not surprisingly, as it was an add-on rather than part of the original plan) and so it wasn?t continued.

So we?ve got just the one structure and it?s going really well with great feedback from students. To the criticism that it?s more like a part time programme? No, not really ? just 8 days from 365. But yes, I can see that two trips are different from just one, though I hope that the benefits outweigh those disadvantages. Students want more and more interaction, whether it be online or otherwise, and they do especially value the f-2-f elements, as you know I?m sure.

Hope this helps....

CANUCK

Thanks Canuck for getting further clarification from Warwick. They indeed have changed their structure from a couple years ago when I went to Warwick for an Open Day. To be honest, I think their changes just make their programme even better for those who eventually enrol on it. I am sure for the majority of people, sacrificing those few days in the year is a small sacrifice considering the value of the program itself.
My only issue is that for there might be some people who will be put-off precisely because of the requirements to attend three times. For those people for whom an MBA is not an absolute necessity, the extra trips, time off work and extra costs all really add up, and they will look elsewhere for an MBA. I wasn?t considering any other DL MBA myself because my mind had already been made up for the Warwick programme. But then I started looking around until I found the Durham program and the Imperial programme. My most important criteria for an MBA are the reputation of the program itself and, to an extent, reputation of the school. Both Imperial and Durham are within the top 5/7 in the UK, so that?s why I considered them. But the Durham program is similarly triple accredited and a bit cheaper.
I wonder if WBS has considered the effect of these changes on those not based in the UK. Surely they will be some like me who would go elsewhere precisely because we can?t travel to the UK that often. I know that living Down Under I am probably in the minority of WBS aspirants, but even a 3 day attendance is equivalent to almost 6 days away from work and family considering the time to travel and readjust to the time zones.
If I am not mistaken, the Manchester DL MBA underwent similar changes, to the extent that now you need to attend class regularly at some of their centres. They had one MBA I used to like, the Engineering MBA, coming from an engineering background myself. But after those changes I have never bothered to look at the MBS again. I hope Warwick won?t go that route.
All that said, I am targeting a January start, so I still have time to re-schedule my work and family schedules, so haven?t totally ruled out WBS yet. Actually preparing the essays for submission in a couple of weeks. Will be sending to Warwick, Durham, and Imperial (even though I will unlikely go for this one). I also considered Bradford, but even though their MBA is good, the school isn?t ranked highly enough for me. If anyone else on the forum or reading this going through the same thought process regarding WBS let us know.
Hudson
 

There s an upside to Warwick's choice as well: it makes the DL programme more compatible with the other MBAs. If you think of the Durham programme, there are programmes with no group assignments or projects, few case study discussions and personal skills development opportunities. It fits a caricature of the analytical MBA with no people skills.

I'd consider the global ratings in ranking your options and not only look at the UK rankings, interaction with fellow students will help keep your motivation up, and active application of the principles prior to being tested is important as well.

Travel does cost money and time, but the program and program reputation along with application and discussion with diverse backgrounded students, that is part of the education. I had my kids stay in residence for at least their first year of studies, as meeting people and interacting directly as well as socializing is part of the experience and part of the qualification/skills earned to get the degree.

Perhaps consider the above as well...

I'm biased by experience but firmly believe a totally online course with no on campus experience is missing something from the equation - also don't get too stuck on the slight cost differences. The "brand reputation" is a substantial part of your purchase; on a global ranking where do your options place?

I'm biased by experience but firmly believe a totally online course with no on campus experience is missing something from the equation

I'd agree with this. As much as it is a lot of time and money to travel, the on-campus residencies add a huge amount to the learning experience, especially in terms of networking and soft skill development, which are cornerstones of an MBA experience. And when you think about it, the Warwick program only requires three trips to Warwick over the course of three years - it's not like you're travelling even once a month, as many people do in the case of EMBA programs or general management programs.

Agreed. Experience along with theory is what you get out of the MBA experience. The interaction between the right group of people can create much greater results than the input of each of the individuals alone. This on campus experience is a tremendous asset moving forward after completion of the MBA program, and not one to be discounted or belittled for a little extra expense. It is time away from home and family but so will studying and doing course work while still at home and working during the process. This is just another aspect, but a valuable one at that.