AACSB Vs Regionally Accredited Online MBA

**MBAQUES** · 03-27-2006 05:29 PM

I want some opinoin here. I have decided to go for Online MBA from some good accredited college. Also the max I want to spend is $24000.

I am confuesd with online AACSB programs with regionally accredited programs. I am not able to decide whether to consider AACSB programs or regionally accredited program.

1. Can someone please tell me as which one is good and why.
2. Does online MBA from AACSB college really matters
3. I was considering Westerns Governers University,Norwich , Regis & Capella --> Can any one please tell me which one is good
4. Also How is Western Kentucky University, University of Wyoming (both are AACSB) and are they better than above regional accredited programs.

Thanks

**zvavda** · 03-27-2006 09:53 PM

AACSB is better.

**edowave** · 03-27-2006 11:44 PM

RA is what matters. AACSB would be nice, but not an absolute.

**PhD2B** · 03-28-2006 03:59 AM

Not to add to you list, but have you considered Colorado State University's distance MBA program? B&M university, RA, AACSB, and completely online.

http://www.biz.colostate.edu/grad/

**mbaonline** · 03-28-2006 06:15 AM

it is well known only in academic circles.

If you EVER think that you might want to teach at the college/grad level, you should definitely get AACSB. That is because most AACSB schools require or want their instructors to have degrees from AACSB schools. Some won't take credits in transfer etc. from non-AACSB.

Otherwise, if you find a program that has it and fits your other needs, it's a bonus. There are some good quality online programs that are and are not AACSB.

I went to Regis and I think I got a great education . The name recognition isn't very high, but it didn't keep me from getting hired to teach less than a year later. My profs (with one exception) were outstanding and I still keep in contact with some of them. Lots of real world experience and good curriculum.

I don't have much exposure to Capella . I think Western Governors may be a good program, but it requires that you take the CMBA exam at the end and I believe that the classes are not traditional classes, more of a mentor/student model but I could be mistaken.

Finding a school -there are more like Colorado State - that have a B&M presence, AACSB and online would be a good choice, if the costs and such work for you.

Here's a ranking list http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/3/prweb353802.htm

If you search this forum you should find more discussions.

Good luck!

**MBAQUES** · 03-28-2006 06:39 AM

Hi
I have 4 questions based on above reponses --->

1. From the previous response it looks like AACSB is good for people planning to teach. I am not plannig to teach so i guess i will be fine with RA online MBA (Comments Anyone !!!!).

2. I hope it will not matter later (Presently I am not looking for change of career and planning to continue in my present company) whether i did MBA from AACSB or RA --> Please comment

3. Which RA online MBA is good. The Geteducated.com's list considers the cheapest MBA present and i don't think it says anything about the quality of the education . --Let me know if I am wrong.

4. I was considering Weteren Governers University,Regis and Norwich -- > Which one is good and are there any better than this

thanks again

SK

**Fortunato** · 03-28-2006 06:50 AM

Originally posted by MBAQUES
4. Also How is Western Kentucky University, University of Wyoming (both are AACSB) and are they better than above regional accredited programs.

I graduated from the University of Wyoming's BS in Business Administration program through Online UW, and took a few MBA classes in the process. One of the fantastic things about UW is that very few online classes are taught by part-time or adjunct staff, most of my classes were taught by full professors, and several department heads teach online. This means you get to work with professors who are actively doing research in the areas in which they teach.

UW's MBA is a good program that will prepare you for a career in the business world. At $1620 per course regardless of residency, there are few better values out there. It's also a 30 hour program, so you can complete it relatively quickly if time is an issue for you.

Good luck with your decision and your MBA !

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**RobbCD** · 03-28-2006 06:51 AM

Originally posted by MBAQUES
Hi
I have 4 questions based on above reponses --->

1. From the previous response it looks like AACSB is good for people planning to teach. I am not plannig to teach so i guess i will be fine with RA online MBA (Comments Anyone !!!!).

2. I hope it will not matter later (Presently I am not looking for change of career and planning to continue in my present company) whether i did MBA from AACSB or RA --> Please comment

3. Which RA online MBA is good. The Geteducated.com's list considers the cheapest MBA present and i don't think it says anything about the quality of the education . --Let me know if I am wrong.

4. I was considering Weteren Governers University,Regis and Norwich -- > Which one is good and are there any better than this

thanks again

SK

Unless I'm mistaken, all AACSB schools are also RA. The latter is a requirement for the former. You don't have to choose, if you don't want to.

**mbaonline** · 03-28-2006 03:15 PM

Originally posted by MBAQUES
Hi
I have 4 questions based on above reponses --->

1. From the previous response it looks like AACSB is good for people planning to teach. I am not plannig to teach so i guess i will be fine with RA online MBA (Comments Anyone !!!!).

2. I hope it will not matter later (Presently I am not looking for change of career and planning to continue in my present company) whether i did MBA from AACSB or RA --> Please comment

3. Which RA online MBA is good. The Geteducated.com's list considers the cheapest MBA present and i don't think it says anything about the quality of the education . --Let me know if I am wrong.

4. I was considering Weteren Governers University,Regis and Norwich -- > Which one is good and are there any better than this

thanks again

SK

To answer some of your questions: Anything RA seems to meet your needs and AACSB would be an extra "bonus". So you really don't need AACSB but you might end up attending an AACSB school. (All AACSB schools are RA, as far as I know.)

Regardless if you want to go AACSB you know that the quality is very good and if the university is not AACSB you may need to do more research to determine level of quality.

I don't think anyone here could rank the four universities (WGU , Capella , Regis & Norwich ) other than by their own opinion. I think they're all good choices.

If you talk to the schools, maybe talk to a current student or two you might have an idea of which program would suit you best.

Another thing you could consider is location. Capella is in Minnesota, Regis is Denver, WGU is Salt Lake and Norwich is Vermont. If I lived in Minnesota, I'd pick Capella but if I lived in Denver I'd pick Regis .

Hope this helps.

**little fauss** · 03-28-2006 03:22 PM

It's hard to compare how good one program is vis-a-vis another. Very few people have attended more than one. So you're pretty much left with name recognition. Right, wrong, indifferent, or downright silly, it's what gets your foot in the door.

With that in mind, I'm trying to fathom why, given the inexpensiveness of many AACSB programs, you would even consider otherwise.

WGU , for example, charges about $13,000 for a two year MBA .

Let us compare this with: Oklahoma State--about $17,000 for an online MBA , the University of Nebraska--about $15,000, Mississippi State--about $14,000, the University of Wyoming--about $16,000, Florida State--about $19,000, Auburn--about $19,000.

A couple of those have occasionally shown up in national rankings, such as US News & WP. All are instantly recognizable. All AACSB. None of them would require much--or any--explaining to prospective employers, academic or otherwise. And depending on what state you live in, you might be able to get an online MBA from an AACSB for flat out less than WGU or one of the for-profits, as all of the above amounts quoted are out-of-state tuition.

There is simply no reason, in this day and age, to shoot for less than AACSB. It's the absolute gold standard for MBAs in this country, as every B-school in the U.S.--surely without exception--would love to be up to AACSB snuff. It's not a matter of some qualifying for AACSB, some for RA. Just ain't so. RA means that the school as a whole has met certain requirements established by the US DOE and the regional accrediting agency. AACSB is a different animal, a professional standard, specific to the subject of business administration at the graduate level, roughly what the ABA is to law schools. Many institutions as a whole can make RA, but less than half of all B-schools meet the higher, more specific AACSB standard.

The only reason of which I can fathom for rejecting an AACSB in favor of an RA-only is if the school is solid and recognized in your particular area and you don't care to ever have a career in academia (as you've already said). But I'd be talking about someone who lives in the western desert of Texas pursuing the MBA at West Texas A&M, someone in the plains of Kansas matriculating at Fort Hays State, someone in the woods of Alabama attending Northern Alabama.

I'm not talking about WGU or Capella . Nothing against them per se, not that you'll get a junk education there, you'll probably get a real one, just that once the mBA there is completed, there will simply be too much explaining to do, and the cost versus very solid, AACSB accredited options, is just as high. Makes no sense.

Go to schools like Capella only if you can't find a certain program online at an AACSB, such as a PhD in Business. Otherwise, I can't figure why you'd do that.

**mbaonline** · 03-28-2006 06:51 PM

Little Fauss has great points. I didn't know that there were AACSB DL MBA programs before I did my MBA . I wish I had known, and wish I'd known about this forum. I definitely would have gone AACSB.

I choose Regis because it was RA, entirely online, and the finance/accounting concentration fit my desires. And I was really turned off by the commercialism of some of the for-profit schools. At the time, Regis was much cheaper than UofPhoenix.

I truly didn't know that there were so many DL schools. There is a wide range and something for everyone.

**gsmckee** · 03-28-2006 09:38 PM

MBAONLINE brings up the point I consider when making this decision. THE ELECTIVES or whatever you want to have as a concentration.
All programs will have the accounting , stats, org behav, and whatever required courses. Your distinction and strength will be in what you have to choose from to make the required amount of classes.
Some folks are interested in the general MBA .
Some folks are interested in concentrations within their MBA .
The choices for the additional classes are not going to be the same at all schools.
AACSB? - Yes, the gold standard. What school? To answer that you need to add "What do I want to be with my MBA ?" to that list.

Personally, I like the general generic basic MBA . But I am also looking at the schools that have some extra project management courses - that might be the kicker that changes my mind...
Good luck.

**little fauss** · 03-29-2006 06:29 AM

Originally posted by mbaonline
Little Fauss has great points. I didn't know that there were AACSB DL MBA programs before I did my MBA . I wish I had known, and wish I'd known about this forum. I definitely would have gone AACSB.

I choose Regis because it was RA, entirely online, and the finance/accounting concentration fit my desires. And I was really turned off by the commercialism of some of the for-profit schools. At the time, Regis was much cheaper than UofPhoenix.

I truly didn't know that there were so many DL schools. There is a wide range and something for everyone.

I would put Regis in the same category as Northern Alabama, Cal State U--DH, West Texas A & M.

Regis is a real deal university and a fine one. It is NOT the same thing as a for-profit such as UoP . Don't look back on that one with regret.

**CocoGrover** · 03-29-2006 12:33 PM

I am almost finished with my MBA at Regis . For me it has been a good experience. I like the fact that the instructors are working in their area of expertise, the coursework challenging, and team projects are very limited.

Being RA credited didn't become a factor for me. I wanted an established bricks and mortar school with limited team projects and Regis fit those requirements.

I'm no expert but the lack of AACSB accreditation in teaching at the college level would probably in most cases be an issue in teaching in a business school. I am likely to begin teaching an online marketing course at a well known b & m after graduating. The course will be part of their BA program for working adults, not the business school. Regis ' accreditation is not an issue with this school although they do have a business school with AACSB accreditation. –Kevin

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**mbaonline** · 03-29-2006 06:36 PM

Originally posted by little fauss

Regis is a real deal university and a fine one. It is NOT the same thing as a for-profit such as UoP. Don't look back on that one with regret.

Thanks for that. I don't really have much regret, since I still got my first teaching job less than six months after graduation. I don't intend to ever teach at a Tier 1 school or go for tenure (I have another career, teaching is just for fun). And I'm really happy with the education , the profs and the contacts I made.

CocoGrover, congratulations on almost finishing! And having a teaching job lined up too! Very impressive.

**DesignMBA** · 09-27-2009 01:48 AM

Originally Posted by little fauss

I would put Regis in the same category as Northern Alabama, Cal State U--DH, West Texas A & M.

Regis is a real deal university and a fine one. It is NOT the same thing as a for-profit such as UoP. Don't look back on that one with regret.

I started the online Regis MBA program took three online courses from Regis and was told by a co-worker to give UoP a try, so I did and took one course from them at the time. After the course I compared the two and the Regis courses were a complete dis-organized mess compared to UoP . UoP might get a bad rap from people who never attended the school, but their online MBA courses are well put together and flow nicely. I ended up finishing my MBA from UoP they excepted all my credits that I received from Regis . If you are looking for online degree UoP is a good choice, take it from me I have taken online from UoP and Regis . The Regis online was a big mess, maybe it has changed over the years, but I would not recommend it.

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