Ten Online MBA Programs with the Most Interaction

MBA students often speak about the importance of interacting with fellow classmates and professors, something that’s described as a real benefit of full-time MBA programs. Those who aren’t able to study on campus because of either family or work commitments don’t need to miss out though, thanks to the rise of the online MBA.

Due to technological advances, schools are increasingly able to offer effective digital interactions, so students from across the globe can connect in the same way they would in the classroom.

Overall, business schools featured in the QS Distance Online MBA Ranking 2018 offer programs where around 50 percent of assessed coursework comes from assignments and projects where students interact directly.

The following 10 business schools beat this average with flying colors. Each of the following top 10 schools ensure at least 70 percent of coursework is completed through peer interaction, which helps students build virtual teamwork skills and a strong future networking resource.

Indiana University (Kelley Direct Programs)

Online MBA students earn their degree at Kelley through experiential learning opportunities, in-class career coaching and networking opportunities. 

Faculty make regular revisions to the course content based on new business knowledge and practices and also deliver weekly live sessions which are recorded for the ease of students.

One program bonus is Agile – Accelerating Global Immersion Leadership Education. Each quarter, an elective AGILE course is offered taking students to global hubs of emerging economic opportunity including: Gaborone, Botswana; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Beijing, China; Johannesburg, South Africa; Havana/Viñales, Cuba.

The AACSB accredited 30-month course is US$60,000-70,000 with start dates in March and August.

EuroMBA Consortium

The EuroMBA boasts a consortium of six prestigious b-schools: Audencia Nantes Ecole de Management; EADA; HHL-Leipzig Graduate School of Management; IAE Aix Graduate School of Management; Kozminsky University and Maastricht University School of Business and Economics.

The 24-month blended learning MBA program mixes 10 online courses with face-to-face sessions. Students attend an introductory seminar followed by six residential weeks with each one taking place at one of the partner schools.

The aim of EuroMBA is to bring together a globally diverse group and educate international managers. During a course, students work in groups with at least three nationalities in each team.

University of Strathclyde Business School

Strathclyde Business School has offered the flexible learning MBA since 1983, making it the first UK business school to offer a distance learning MBA.

Strathclyde’s Flex MBA values the importance of self-study and group interaction, and, through the virtual learning environment MyPlace, those studying off-campus have all the necessary tools.

The b-school believes collaborative learning is at the heart of an MBA and makes efforts to encourage peer interaction and group learning.

The AACSB|AMBA|EQUIS accredited Strathclyde MBA costs US$20,000-30,000.

Robert Gordon University (Aberdeen)

Aberdeen Business School’s MBA distance learning MBA course is delivered online through the university's virtual learning environment, Campus Moodle, where students have access to teaching materials and can communicate with lecturers and fellow students.

Online students attend the nine-day leadership week event in Aberdeen during their second year of study, and all students complete a consultancy project for a business client.

The specialist MBA for oil and gas management is designed specifically for managers and executives in the upstream oil and gas industry.

Both the general MBA and oil and gas management programs are accredited by AMBA, and the latter is also accredited by The Energy Institute.

Northeastern University (D'Amore-McKim)

The D’Amore-McKim School of Business Online MBA program’s 50-credit hour curriculum is divided into two segments: 13 core courses and five electives.

While the core courses intend to strengthen your business knowledge foundations, the elective courses enable you to focus on a particular area of interest.

You can choose from eight in-demand concentrations: finance; healthcare management; high technology management; innovation entrepreneurship; international management; marketing; supply chain management; and sustainability.

Lehigh University

Lehigh University’s Flex MBA program has offered distance education for over 20 years.

Classroom LIVE is an integrated, web-based learning environment that delivers programs in real-time from classrooms to students who can interact with professors and peers during the class.

Whereas Classroom Online allows students to view videos on the web at any time, professors interact with students using email, discussion boards, web-conferencing, or over the phone.

Lehigh University College of Business and Economics is accredited by the AACSB.

University of Texas at Dallas (Naveen Jindal)

Created in 1999, the online MBA at Naveen Jindal mirrors the on-campus program in almost every way, but some electives are only made available at the school’s campus in Richardson, Texas.

What makes this program special is it offers the chance to study a dual MBA/MS degree. There are 15 concentrations available including data analytics, marketing, finance and supply chain – there’s also 13 dual degree subjects available for students, including five STEM degrees.

The curriculum can be completed in a 16-72-month timeframe, and GMAT/GRE waivers are available.

Hofstra University (Frank G. Zarb)

The 20-month Hofstra Online MBA Program is described as a cohort-based MBA program. From this we might take the level of importance placed on interacting with one’s peers.

There’s also the flexibility to adopt a non-cohort option – which means students can choose to complete the program in a maximum of five years.

GMAT requirements could be waived if a student has at least five years’ work experience.

Small class sizes with a “digital classroom” environment allow for seamless interaction between faculty and students.

Students will begin the program in September at a school which has been AACSB accredited for over 40 years.

Suffolk University (Sawyer)

The flexible MBA program at Sawyer allows online MBA students to choose either full-time (12+ months) programs or part-time (average two-three years) programs.

Specifically designed for working professionals, the Suffolk MBA Online boasts the same curriculum and faculty as the standard MBA. This program offers collaborative experiences like group projects and engaging, highly interactive class discussions.

Students will focus their studies in one of six concentrations:

• Accounting
• Entrepreneurship
• Finance
• International Business
• Marketing
• Strategic Management

The AACSB accredited course costs US$70,000-80,000.

Syracuse University (Whitman)

The Whitman School has been accredited since 1920, making it the 16th business school in the US to receive AACSB accreditation.

MBA@Syracuse offers students everywhere access to the Whitman School of Management’s MBA program. The award-winning faculty teach MBA@Syracuse classes through a live, online platform, and graduates earn the same Whitman degree as on-campus students.

The program is designed to prepare students with the analytical and decision-making skills they need to advance their careers in today’s global business environment.

The 36-month course costs between US$80,000-90,000, with programs beginning in January, April, July and October.