UNSW’s Online MBA Proves Business Schools Have to Give Students Choices

Everyone has an opinion about online education. Some believe it’s the wave of the future while others think it simply cannot compare to traditional face-to-face programs. But the technology designed to deliver this method of education continues to improve and more schools are channeling an online audience to spread their knowledge. Really, no one in the education sector can afford to ignore the possibilities.  

When high-quality schools use online platforms to deliver degree programs, they carry weight. Many of these business schools aim to create a rigorous program that complements their traditional full-time and executive MBA programs. Often, the material and faculty used are the same or close to it.

Why online learning works

That is the case at Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM), which is part of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Business School in Sydney, says Nick Wailes, director of AGSM. The rigor, standards, and quality are the same for the school’s online MBAX and traditional executive MBA programs, he adds.

MBAX launched in 2015 and is the school’s largest program with about 900 students. But AGSM has been a leader in online education for some time, says Wailes. For 20 years, the school has offered some form of online program, and as a result, has an edge in providing the most robust and high-quality education via this medium.

This program is aimed at high-achieving professionals, who are usually in their mid-thirties with busy full-time jobs (some of them even have family obligations, too). These students need a program with built-in flexibility that boasts the same standard of education as top traditional MBA programs. They want the education to be swiftly applicable to their real-world jobs.

The specifics make the difference

Educators at AGSM use 30 to 40 platforms and a range of tools and technology available to them to deliver the program. But Wailes says the key to success is focusing on the student experience, rather than chasing the ever-advancing technology.

Teaching methods include readings, discussion forums, simulations, video, and more. There’s great emphasis on class participation, which happens mostly through discussion boards, which generate rich, written conversations. Wailes points out that because students have more time to contemplate and formulate written responses, these conversations often serve as examples of robust debate and sophisticated dialogue. And you are then able to return to them to read.

Getting the grades

Students are assessed similarly by professors as they would be while studying a traditional executive MBA. Rather than administering many final exams, students have to demonstrate their ability to apply theory to practice through various means, such as projects or reports. The rigor is first maintained, however, through admissions standards, says Wailes.

Requirements are the same for executive MBA and MBAX applicants. They must have, on average, between five and seven years of professional experience, letters of recommendation, and a statement of motivation. But it doesn’t require a standardized test, such as the GMAT. The admissions committee is looking for students who can contribute to the classroom because a lot of the MBA programs are based on peer-to-peer learning.

Moving away from the crowd

Wailes says this online program’s combination of core MBA courses and the ability to specialize is what separates it from other programs. Many online programs don’t offer specializations, but this one does. You can zoom in on technology, social impact, finance, or change management. Employers are happy with this approach, says Wailes.

“We receive strong market feedback that the combination of breadth and depth makes our students attractive candidates,” he adds.

Usually, students sign up for the MBAX for career progression at the company or industry they already work in, or they use the degree to catapult them into another career. One alumnus, Andrew Paton-Smith, who had been in a strategic IT role in financial services, launched his own accounting software business, Jazoodle, within six months of graduating.

Wailes says, “High quality candidates who get a high-quality education go on to do great things.”

In fact, the MBAX program allows the school to reach out to groups that have often been sidelined at traditional business schools. Women have been drawn to the program’s flexibility because many of them are juggling family and career. At last count, 46 percent of the online students were women. Wailes hopes to reach gender parity in the classroom, and the online program makes this more achievable.

It’s all about choice

However, even Wailes isn’t convinced online education is going to obliterate bricks-and-mortar business schools.

Although variety can be seen as the spice of life, this could also be applied to education.

Wailes says, “Online is an important part of the mix, but the future is omni-channel. You need to deliver education in many ways.”

Truly, the main goal of educators should be to keep creating new and engaging programs, says Wailes. However, working on the online MBA provides educators more opportunities and flexibility because it helps them focus on the education model, especially when preparing to launch.

In the end, online education isn’t going anywhere. Top business schools will have to include it among delivery methods to stay competitive. To stand out, UNSW’s business school is constantly considering new ways to offer the skills students want and recruiters need. Providing options will be a necessity to remaining relevant.

Wailes says “It’s the same as retail. A winning strategy is giving choice and selection to students.”