Top Online MBAs in Australia: Deakin & La Trobe

The QS Distance Online MBA Rankings 2017 are based on an analysis of six features of a program, including the employability of its graduates, the experience of its participants and how well established it is in the online education market.

One thing La Trobe cannot escape is the relative newness of its course, which was launched only two years ago. Employers (and MBA students) tend to place more value on a strong brand, although there is no evidence that this has held La Trobe back.

“Employers understand it’s not an MBA-light — it’s the exact same curriculum in the face-to-face offering, taught by excellent facilitators,” says Keller. However, she goes on to add that subjects in the online program have been specifically designed for digital learning: “Some of our competitors have recorded versions of face-to-face classes.”

The Deakin MBA, which costs around A$50,000 (c. US$36,000) in tuition, can be completed full time in 18 months but most students study part time.

One key difference between Deakin and La Trobe is that, at Deakin, postgraduate business students can choose to ‘fast-track’ and complete a unit in as little as four weeks, or take their time and complete it over a year. There are also no assignment deadlines.

Steve Jaynes, interim MBA director, says the program is recognized for its flexibility, relevance and real-world connections to business: “Our course is designed for professionals who want to develop their careers while balancing work, family, and lifestyle commitments.”

Overall, the Deakin MBA beat La Trobe on establishment, class experience and diversity with La Trobe scoring higher than Deakin in the faculty category, in the assessment behind QS’s online MBA rankings.