Reading Time: 4 minutesSteve Taylor, Assistant Dean, Graduate Programs at ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business, joins BusinessStudent.com today to discuss their Online MBA program.
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Can you tell us about the online MBA program offered at the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University?
The online MBA program at W. P. Carey is one of the most well regarded programs in the world, consistently being ranked in the Top 5 since mainstream rankings began. Launched in 2000, the W. P. Carey Online MBA program is based on the same curriculum that is at the core of all of our MBA platforms and is focused on developing critical thinking, analytic, and integrative reasoning across organizational silos. Students take two years of study, taking two courses at a time. The culture of the program is built on the Business is Personal motto, which means that authentic communication and close relationships with faculty and peers play a big role. Students generally take the W. P. Carey Online MBA for one of two reasons: to advance in their current career or role, or to change the overall functional area of their work.
Is the GMAT & GRE required for acceptance into the program? Do international students have the same requirement?
All students are required to submit either the GMAT or the GRE, but there are opportunities to petition for waivers based on work experience. This requirement is held to all applicants, domestic and international.
How long does a typical online MBA program take at ASU/W. P. Carey School of Business? What is the maximum and minimum time of completion?
On average, students complete the Online MBA in two years; the degree can be completed as quickly as 18 months or can be extended for a full 6 years.
What do you think makes your online MBA program stand out from other online MBA programs offered by similar schools?
While the quality of instruction and the plethora of resources available to online students makes W. P. Carey’s Online MBA a great choice for many students, what really sets this degree apart from others is the focus on outcomes. The program does not hold a single focus area like many programs, but rather focuses on the integration of theory and practice, on the development of leadership abilities, and on bringing the best faculty to students – the faculty teaching in the Online MBA are the same faculty that teach in the Full-Time MBA and across graduate programs.
How important would you say accreditation is when choosing an online MBA program?
Accreditation is probably the first – and most important – criteria for which a student should screen schools. Accreditation, while not familiar to many prospective students, is the primary quality measure for determining whether or not a school truly delivers on what it promises students. In management education, the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business, or AACSB, holds business schools to a very high standard on assurance of learning and reaching stated program outcomes. Regional accreditation gives a university a formal warrant to deliver a degree, but the specialty accreditation by AACSB provides prospective and current business students the reassurance that the School is being audited and evaluated by experts on a regular basis.
What are the advantages to earning an online MBA degree in general and where are you seeing employer demand for this degree?
Generally speaking, the perceived difference between an online degree and campus immersion degrees is diminishing if not disappearing. Many employers see the benefit of training and educating their staff while retaining them in their jobs. Employers who know an applicant earned a degree online report that they have high confidence in these graduates, as they have proven their ability to balance multiple conflicting priorities during the program.
Does ASU/W. P. Carey School of Business offer job placement for students who graduate with an online MBA degree?
All students, including online students, have access to the W. P. Carey Career Services Center, where students are assigned coaches, take courses on preparing for the job search, and meet employers. Each of the resources available in the Career Services Center is made available to our online students, and the online students use the Career Services Center quite actively.
What type of financial aid packages are available for students in business? Are there any fellowships, grants and scholarships available?
Scholarships and grants are available to all applicants, each of whom has the opportunity to advocate and apply for scholarship funding during the application process. Scholarship awards and admissions decisions are made at the same time to help applicants make their decision, and there is a dedicated financial aid staff member within the graduate programs unit to advise prospective students of the options that fit their particular financial situation.
Do you have any advice for students enrolling in an online MBA program for the first time?
While the program is structured for students to do the program at their convenience, students should not be under any illusions that an online program is easier than a face-to-face program. Prepare to work across time zones, around deadlines, and with a diverse group of distributed team mates.
What do you enjoy most about your position at ASU/W. P. Carey School of Business?
In my role as Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs, I have the chance to make a positive impact on someone’s life every day. There is an invigorating electricity, an excitement that charges the air here at ASU and says, “Anything is possible.” That feeling of innovation and possibility, paired with the ability to help people fundamentally transform the direction of their lives, makes this an unbeatable place to work. For more information on the online MBA programs offered at ASU/W. P. Carey School of Business, visit them online. Thank you for sharing and participating in this piece. That concludes our interview!
