Liverpool/Durham MBA? - Distance Learning


Mallean

Hey,
After a lot of investigation about different online MBA educations i'm thinking about The university of Liverpool or Durham university. I do want an education that is accredited and have a good reputation abroad.

I'm from Sweden and have a bachelor in Computer Science - informatics as a major. I have also worked as an IT project manager for 3 years now at CGI, with mainly medium sized projects, budgets spanning to 1842327 US dollar, but i do want to broaden my skillset with an MBA to finally be able to get a good job in either the UK or U.S: Therefore, the choice of taking an MBA is important in order to be qualified for a higher post or alternatively run my own business.
The thing is that i am only 26 and i only have budget for 6-700 dollars a month, also, i am preparing for the TOEFL test as for now but would wish to avoid taking the GMAT test.

I'm looking at the part time online MBAs' below:
- Liverpool university- already had an interview and were processed to the next step of enrollment. I also meet their requirement's..Budget is affordable here, and i can pay monthly.
-Durhams Online MBA- seems to be hassle to pay 3 times per year instead of monthly? But has the triple crown accreditations..

Which one is the best if i want; accreditations, reputations, great job in UK or US and in the IT management area, pay 600 dollars /per month, i would prefer assignments and group cases before exams due to examination anxiety..

Please help! :)

Hey,
After a lot of investigation about different online MBA educations i'm thinking about The university of Liverpool or Durham university. I do want an education that is accredited and have a good reputation abroad.

I'm from Sweden and have a bachelor in Computer Science - informatics as a major. I have also worked as an IT project manager for 3 years now at CGI, with mainly medium sized projects, budgets spanning to 1842327 US dollar, but i do want to broaden my skillset with an MBA to finally be able to get a good job in either the UK or U.S: Therefore, the choice of taking an MBA is important in order to be qualified for a higher post or alternatively run my own business.
The thing is that i am only 26 and i only have budget for 6-700 dollars a month, also, i am preparing for the TOEFL test as for now but would wish to avoid taking the GMAT test.

I'm looking at the part time online MBAs' below:
- Liverpool university- already had an interview and were processed to the next step of enrollment. I also meet their requirement's..Budget is affordable here, and i can pay monthly.
-Durhams Online MBA- seems to be hassle to pay 3 times per year instead of monthly? But has the triple crown accreditations..

Which one is the best if i want; accreditations, reputations, great job in UK or US and in the IT management area, pay 600 dollars /per month, i would prefer assignments and group cases before exams due to examination anxiety..

Please help! :)

quote
Duncan

Unless you have US citizenship, I think you can exclude the idea that an UK distance learning MBA will have any [substantial] impact in getting a US job. Liverpool and other MBAs run by for-profit firms like Laureate are not as well respected as MBAs delivered directly by schools which also have successful full-time MBAs. So, I would exclude Liverpool and instead consider Bradford, Warwick and Henley. At least these schools have real alumni networks and some careers services especially for MBAs.

I don't understand why you think it's hard to pay three times a year. I think all those schools let you pay by the course, at your own pace.

PS There are also some great online MBAs from US universities.

Unless you have US citizenship, I think you can exclude the idea that an UK distance learning MBA will have any [substantial] impact in getting a US job. Liverpool and other MBAs run by for-profit firms like Laureate are not as well respected as MBAs delivered directly by schools which also have successful full-time MBAs. So, I would exclude Liverpool and instead consider Bradford, Warwick and Henley. At least these schools have real alumni networks and some careers services especially for MBAs.

I don't understand why you think it's hard to pay three times a year. I think all those schools let you pay by the course, at your own pace.

PS There are also some great online MBAs from US universities.
quote

Agree with Duncan. Personally, I think the Bradford program is a really solid value - it's 13.5k GBP and most students compete it in 2 years, so you'd effectively be paying 500 or 600 GBP per month. Spread it out to three years and it's even less.

I would be really skeptical that you'd be able to land a job in the US after a distance learning program based in the UK. The visa logistics alone would be an uphill battle. If you want to work in the US after graduation, I would take a few more years to work and save up, take the GMAT, and then look at ranked programs in the US.

Agree with Duncan. Personally, I think the Bradford program is a really solid value - it's 13.5k GBP and most students compete it in 2 years, so you'd effectively be paying 500 or 600 GBP per month. Spread it out to three years and it's even less.

I would be really skeptical that you'd be able to land a job in the US after a distance learning program based in the UK. The visa logistics alone would be an uphill battle. If you want to work in the US after graduation, I would take a few more years to work and save up, take the GMAT, and then look at ranked programs in the US.
quote
Mallean

Mr Duncan and Razor, Thank you so much for your replies.

I have been reconsidered Liverpool after your replies and instead looked at Bradford for an online/mixed MBA, both on campus off campus. The thing with Warwick is that i have to have 4 years of work experience, and Henley is far too expensive (for us swedes it is 37223 plus travel cost and hotel every month.. )
But i really want to start studying in 2014 and cannot wait a couple of years to save up cause then im going to be mid-carrier, so it better to do it right away.

But why would it be hard to land a job in the US after an MBA from Bradley? Why would that be impossible? The green card is provided by CGI internally... is the US MBA a prereq if i want to work there? Then i have to take an MBA from one of the Ivy League Schools?

My thoughts are that an MBA is better than just a bachelor in every case, and if i take if from Bradley (which is a good respected school, as you said Duncan) its good enough? Positive thoughts here :)

thanks again for your replies!

Mr Duncan and Razor, Thank you so much for your replies.

I have been reconsidered Liverpool after your replies and instead looked at Bradford for an online/mixed MBA, both on campus off campus. The thing with Warwick is that i have to have 4 years of work experience, and Henley is far too expensive (for us swedes it is 37223 plus travel cost and hotel every month.. )
But i really want to start studying in 2014 and cannot wait a couple of years to save up cause then im going to be mid-carrier, so it better to do it right away.

But why would it be hard to land a job in the US after an MBA from Bradley? Why would that be impossible? The green card is provided by CGI internally... is the US MBA a prereq if i want to work there? Then i have to take an MBA from one of the Ivy League Schools?

My thoughts are that an MBA is better than just a bachelor in every case, and if i take if from Bradley (which is a good respected school, as you said Duncan) its good enough? Positive thoughts here :)

thanks again for your replies!
quote
Duncan

If you're looking at an internal transfer inside your firm, rather than gaining a job with a US employer you don't know, then perhaps you don't need an MBA at all. Ask your firm what you could do to improve your chances. But if you want to find a job with a new employer in the US, you need to get into a full-time MBA in the US at the best possible school, ideally in the top 20.

If you're looking at an internal transfer inside your firm, rather than gaining a job with a US employer you don't know, then perhaps you don't need an MBA at all. Ask your firm what you could do to improve your chances. But if you want to find a job with a new employer in the US, you need to get into a full-time MBA in the US at the best possible school, ideally in the top 20.
quote
Mallean

Hello again and a big thank you for all your answers and help!

I have been thinking about this during the Christmas days and to my horror I have discovered that on my diploma, (Bachelor) which I just ordered (it is not that common to take the diploma directly after graduation cause we have to order it from the university), it is stated that i was finished 2013, but I finished my degree and thesis at 2011.. I have understood that this was a major blunder from my side as i for now have lost 3 years of postgraduate work experience...

As i understand many schools only look at postgraduate work experience, and if it is strictly i only have 3 years of full-time work experience within management BEFORE graduation, which sucks.

Therefore, as i see it, i have a couple of new questions (I still want to work abroad in either UK/US/Canada):
I am 26 years old now this January.

- Is it better to take just a general Master in Management from a respected university,
work a couple of years and save up and then aim for a top 20 MBA later on in my carrier. (this can be hard due to kids and stuff in my thirties..) ?
OR
- Aim for a distance MBA like Bradford etc, in 2014 which don't have as high requirements and so on as the top 20 universities. ?
- How much better is an MBA compared to a good masters degree, (as in Entrepreneurship/Leadership etc)

I do want to gain some abroad work experience within 2 years from now..

Your help means the world to me, I wish you all a Happy New year!

Kind Regards
Malin

Hello again and a big thank you for all your answers and help!

I have been thinking about this during the Christmas days and to my horror I have discovered that on my diploma, (Bachelor) which I just ordered (it is not that common to take the diploma directly after graduation cause we have to order it from the university), it is stated that i was finished 2013, but I finished my degree and thesis at 2011.. I have understood that this was a major blunder from my side as i for now have lost 3 years of postgraduate work experience...

As i understand many schools only look at postgraduate work experience, and if it is strictly i only have 3 years of full-time work experience within management BEFORE graduation, which sucks.

Therefore, as i see it, i have a couple of new questions (I still want to work abroad in either UK/US/Canada):
I am 26 years old now this January.

- Is it better to take just a general Master in Management from a respected university,
work a couple of years and save up and then aim for a top 20 MBA later on in my carrier. (this can be hard due to kids and stuff in my thirties..) ?
OR
- Aim for a distance MBA like Bradford etc, in 2014 which don't have as high requirements and so on as the top 20 universities. ?
- How much better is an MBA compared to a good masters degree, (as in Entrepreneurship/Leadership etc)

I do want to gain some abroad work experience within 2 years from now..

Your help means the world to me, I wish you all a Happy New year!

Kind Regards
Malin
quote
Inactive User

it is stated that i was finished 2013, but I finished my degree and thesis at 2011.. I have understood that this was a major blunder from my side as i for now have lost 3 years of postgraduate work experience...

I'm sure if you actually completed your degree in 2011, then you could get them to fix the error and reprint, no? It seems silly to me to let this slide, two years is a lot of time to let go of.

<blockquote>it is stated that i was finished 2013, but I finished my degree and thesis at 2011.. I have understood that this was a major blunder from my side as i for now have lost 3 years of postgraduate work experience...</blockquote>
I'm sure if you actually completed your degree in 2011, then you could get them to fix the error and reprint, no? It seems silly to me to let this slide, two years is a lot of time to let go of.
quote
Duncan

You will also find that most schools will ask for your transcript, not your diploma, and that will have the accurate dates.

You will also find that most schools will ask for your transcript, not your diploma, and that will have the accurate dates.
quote
Sparks

Is it better to take just a general Master in Management from a respected university,
work a couple of years and save up and then aim for a top 20 MBA later on in my carrier. (this can be hard due to kids and stuff in my thirties..) ?


Yes.

A Masters from a highly respected university is better than an MBA from a lower ranked university. For example, a Masters in Management from LBS would add far more value to your CV than an unaccredited MBA.

If you got into a top Masters in management, then you mightn't need an MBA later on. If you had an MPhill in Management from Cambridge, say, why would you need to do an MBA later on?

It becomes less clear as you compare mid-ranked MBAs vs. Masters. The specifics of your industry, as well as the country in which you work, may determine which course is best for you.

<blockquote>Is it better to take just a general Master in Management from a respected university,
work a couple of years and save up and then aim for a top 20 MBA later on in my carrier. (this can be hard due to kids and stuff in my thirties..) ?
</blockquote>

Yes.

A Masters from a highly respected university is better than an MBA from a lower ranked university. For example, a Masters in Management from LBS would add far more value to your CV than an unaccredited MBA.

If you got into a top Masters in management, then you mightn't need an MBA later on. If you had an MPhill in Management from Cambridge, say, why would you need to do an MBA later on?

It becomes less clear as you compare mid-ranked MBAs vs. Masters. The specifics of your industry, as well as the country in which you work, may determine which course is best for you.
quote
ralph

Good advice. But it can also be a bit tricky for somebody who has work experience that's on the cusp between the two types of programs: in a MiM, he might find that he's surrounded by students fresh out of undergrad, who may not have any professional experience to relate to. He might feel more comfortable in an accredited MBA program, where the cohorts will have some work experience. But you're right, it depends on specific programs, career goals, etc.

Good advice. But it can also be a bit tricky for somebody who has work experience that's on the cusp between the two types of programs: in a MiM, he might find that he's surrounded by students fresh out of undergrad, who may not have any professional experience to relate to. He might feel more comfortable in an accredited MBA program, where the cohorts will have some work experience. But you're right, it depends on specific programs, career goals, etc.
quote

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