Leicester is never the right answer!

Leicester is never the right answer!

I am not sure you will find many Top 20 accredited MBA programs under £10K. The only one I can think of is probably Leicester, accredited by AMBA and was about £7500 a few years ago. It is certainly not a top 20 program, but at least it's accredited. You might want to look for how it's rated on other threads on this forum. Try http://www.mbaworld.com/guidetomba1/searchbusinessschool for a list of AMBA accredited distance learning programs. But do you realise that for just £3000 or so extra you will get some very good DL programs; Bradford, Strathclyde, etc? Good luck in your search.

Is Bradford reputed and valuable degree?

aah..I was reading this post from beginning and found hudson's LIVE experience on the selection procedure for his MBA quite thrilling. Just as the thread was ending and I was wondering how it started with various options to Durham and finally hudson selecting Warwick, it was a relief to see Bradford's name at last (thanks to Kanika). I am also on the same boat where fees is a factor and do not wish to exceed my £10k budget and also looking for scholarship. Based on what I am hearing from the experts like Duncan and Mamit, I have expanded my search to Bradford, Durham and Warwick and have contacted the schools directly. Whilst DBS have their own scholarship program, due to their next intake in April, no info is available until Jan next year. No other options are also available for the scholarship either. This pretty much closes the door for me for DBS. p.s. From August 2013 DBS increased fees to £19k from £14.5k and it will effect those who will be enrolled at that time.

WBS has impressed me and by following Hudson's MBA journal on this thread, I consider myself lucky that Im in UK ans can attend the residency, however, seems a little tough due to family commitments. Yet WBS seems interesting but with a £20k price tag..sigh!

My only hope is Bradford now but I am so far not hearing the buzz for the school like I heard for DBS and WBS.

Can anyone highlight the pros and cons of Bradford please? (as nuf as has been said in honor of WBS and DBS)

Like I mentioned in a post above, it's a respected program. Distance learning programs are usually more effective when you can take on-campus residencies, both in terms of the overall learning experience and your development of soft skills like leadership, negotiation, etc. So keep that in mind.

As far as I know, Bradford does not offer any scholarships for this program - so that might affect your decision.

The Durham and Warwick programs are a little more expensive, but may be worth it considering their robust post-graduation career services. Since you are already in contact with the schools, I'd ask Bradford questions about the program and career services.

Hi,

There is so much to consider in choosing an MBA that I feel the cost, if reasonable, should take a backseat to the quality of the program, student-student and student-faculty interaction both on campus and online, and the ranking and reputation of the institution and degree you are earning.

I have to admit to you that I just graduated from Warwick with my MBA and have no regrets, and I am proceeding with my doctorate.

The investment in time and effort to do the studies is far greater than the money, and the money can be spread out so it doesn't need to be paid all at once. I don't know about the UK but in many countries tuition is partially deductible against your taxes. I feel you have to consider this as an investment for your's and your families future; analyze your program choice from that frame of mind rather than solely the cost.

Good luck but my two pence would be to go to WBS.

There is so much to consider in choosing an MBA that I feel the cost, if reasonable, should take a backseat to the quality of the program, student-student and student-faculty interaction both on campus and online, and the ranking and reputation of the institution and degree you are earning.

Just an update, I have received an offer from WBS this morning but unfortunately with no scholarship have been awarded! Reading the previous posts, I completely understand that quality of the study is more important and should be considered more than the financial aspects. Saying that, I already have a strong network established from my 11 years of work experience with some reputed companies across the globe and can re-join my previous employers anytime. So post graduation career service may not be a selling point for me. But whenever I hear of the reputation of Warwick I feel proud.

I guess I am seeking motivation to say YES to a £19k program. So calling anyone especially the ones who have recently graduated from DLMBA in WBS, how was the overall experience and how do you feel post graduation? Do you see eyebrows raising when potential employers see WBS on your CV?

Just wanted to add few points as below. Something I stumbled upon from businessweek on Warwick BS.


http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/rankings/distance_mba_profiles/warwick.html

1. Do distance MBA students have access to a career development office? Yes
2. When in the degree process are they able to use the service? At any time
3. Do distance MBAs have access to an alumni database? Yes
4. Are distance MBAs permitted to interview on campus for summer internships? No
5. Are distance MBAs permitted to interview on campus for full-time jobs? No
6. Are distance MBAs included in resume drops for prescreening by recruiters? No

My concern is wrt point no. 5 and 6. Looks like DL MBA's are clearly discriminated here! Why can't there CVs be forwarded to recruiters for pre-screening? And why can't they be interviewed for FT positions like FT MBA students? Is WBS not confident about the quality of students that graduate via DL? Thoughts guys...?

Same degree no matter how earned with WBS MBA..

The way the question has been answered has probably more to do with the diversity of the nationalities and geographic locations of the DLMBA students than anything else, as on campus events and recruiters etc. would be focused more for the UK based students as DL has a much greater non UK cohort of students, simple practicalities - just my thought...

The way the question has been answered has probably more to do with the diversity of the nationalities and geographic locations of the DLMBA students than anything else, as on campus events and recruiters etc. would be focused more for the UK based students as DL has a much greater non UK cohort of students, simple practicalities - just my thought...

I have checked the WBS career support website and they do talk about FT and PT MBA support, nothing about DL. The questions, as put forward, seems daunting as they use words like "permitted" for interviews on campus and the answer is NO! So can it actually be the fact that DL student profile is such that they are currently at a job from various geographic locations and it is presumed that they wouldn't want any career support? If thats the case then Henley has a completely different way in handling their flexible course where they do provide access to their executive recruitment database and allow on-campus interviews plus meeting recruiters for ALL MBA students. Again, this is a question I guess I need to ask WBS myself.

Anyone with views on Aberdeen Business School? It is accredited..and comes on top 20 for TOPMBA connect (QS) for their DL course. Worth??

WBS does provide career support services to all MBA students, and as a graduate I have access to these, and I have accessed them.

Perhaps too much is being read into a survey with one word answers: yes or no, the answers are more complicated than that because of issues like visas, geographic location, eligibility to work in certain countries, the candidates background other than the MBA completed, as the MBA is not a cure all, etc.

First step may be to commence a good MBA program, like WBS - to which I can attest, and consider that the graduate has a lot to do about getting themselves hired, not just the amount of career services.

I prefer the FT rankings...

sharneel,
Just to add my own thoughts on a few issues you have been raising above. Firstly, I think you are doing the right thing exploring various options before you settle on your final answer. I went through the same process, and have read posts from others who went through the same confusing process. I started out being all for WBS after I went for their Opening Day at Warwick, then I got fed up by what I thought was the ?over-hyped? program. (I have several friends who have been, or are, on the WBS program). I explored other options, and to be honest, there are one or two good DL MBAs out there. While I am happy to have enrolled for the WBS DLMBA, I would be happy to enrol at Durham, Henley and a few others. However, the problem with options like Aberdeen is that they are almost totally ?distance? with little interaction with your ?cohort?. I know you say you already have your own strong network, but you will be amazed how even stronger your network after connecting with people doing the same course as you; it?s not quite a full time MBA, but it isn?t far away from it. I have studied some ?online? professional certifications before; locking yourself in a study room for hours on end with no one to exchange experiences with isn't most people?s idea of fun; imagine doing that for 3 years or more!
As someone else points out above; I wouldn't really mind about the seemingly high fees. If your budget was say £10K (and you know you can?t get a good MBA for that), it means your realistic chance of a decent MBA starts around £13/14K. That?s only about £6k from options like WBS. Once you spread it over 3 years, you will see that the course fee isn?t really such a big deal.
Finally, in one of your posts you asked about employability of WBS DL graduates. I know you can?t make much from one example, but a friend of mine who graduated from WBS last year moved here Down Under. He came here without a job, on his wife?s visa. After a few interviews he landed a job with an international energy company based in Sydney; and one of the things the interview panel told him was that his MBA from Warwick was very well regarded in his organisation. I tell you I am not exactly excited to be doing the marketing for WBS (first because I am not paid for it, and second because it tended to turn me off when I was in your position), but I am just narrating something that happened to my friend.
Good luck in your search

Just listening an Imperial mba presentation and the adcom replied this to a question about their online mba
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Hi - we are developing a distance learning programme, which will be launched in 2014. Applications are not available for this programme yet but more ifnormation will be made available in the near future.
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Don't they already have one, which is outsourced or in some way not administered by Imperial?

Will this be something new then ?

BigD

Just listening an Imperial mba presentation and the adcom replied this to a question about their online mba
**********
Hi - we are developing a distance learning programme, which will be launched in 2014. Applications are not available for this programme yet but more ifnormation will be made available in the near future.
**********

Don't they already have one, which is outsourced or in some way not administered by Imperial?

Will this be something new then ?

BigD

Just listening an Imperial mba presentation and the adcom replied this to a question about their online mba
**********
Hi - we are developing a distance learning programme, which will be launched in 2014. Applications are not available for this programme yet but more ifnormation will be made available in the near future.
**********