MBA and DBA from Athabasca University

Discussion in 'Business and MBA degrees' started by MBAstudent2011, Dec 21, 2010.

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  1. MBAstudent2011

    MBAstudent2011 New Member

    Hello,

    Has anyone had any issue at all with an MBA or DBA degree from Athabasca University in Canada? I understand the DBA is fairly new but the MBA started in 1994.

    I'm considering a DBA program in the next future and would like to hear any feedback. I read the other thread about the DBA at Athabasca but am looking for more info, as it is a major decision to be made. My question is about credibility and reputation.

    Is Athabasca comparable (equally) to Walden and/or Capella?

    Thanks!
     
  2. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    Welcome to DegreeInfo!

    I'm not sure if any of our members have any experience with Athatbasca, but most of us are familiar with them, even if only by name, and the general consensus is that they are a great choice among the hordes of distance learning institutions.

    I have no further info for you, but I am confident that others can chime in and help you out.

    Would I be correct to assume that you are from Canada?
     
  3. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    While I have no reason to believe the actual quality of instruction is different among those different schools, since Athabasca is a government-run university it would be better regarded by those biased against for-profit schools like Walden and Capella.

    -=Steve=-
     
  4. major56

    major56 Active Member

    Athabasca (Canada’s Open University) is indeed credible (holds both CAQC and MSCHE accreditation); however I personally believe the Athabasca option to be much overpriced (e.g., $43,500 MBA www.mba.athabascau.ca - Tuition and Fees - MBA and /or its DBA at $52,500 www.mba.athabascau.ca - Tuition and Fees - DBA even in CAN Dollars is, in my view, exorbitant for non-AACSB program/s. Athabasca programs are additionally assessed applicable surcharges for students residing outside of Canada.

    Just my $0.02 …
     
  5. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    C$1000 is US$983 right now, so I don't think that's a very significant consideration. But aren't Capella and Walden just as much? UMUC has a Doctor of Management program, but it's that much also. I believe Baker College is the North American school that's regionally accredited or equivalent that has the most affordable low residency doctoral program in business.

    -=Steve=-
     
  6. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    Most MBAs in Canada tend to be overpriced. McGill's MBA is now 60K while UoT's MBA is about 80K.

    The DBA is too new to see how is received in the market. The academic market can be tricky and it is hard to tell if the 52K would be worth the investment.

    Athabasca has the reputation of being a distance learning institution in Canada and for the same reason not considered top institution. It not ranked by Mclean's magazine for the same reason.
     
  7. okydd

    okydd New Member

    The MBA program was ranked among the Top three Executive MBAs in Canada (Canadian Business, 2001) and placed among the top Executive MBAs in the world (Financial Times, UK - 2003, 2004 and 2006).

    - The EMBA was rated in the Top 75 by the Financial Times 2004 - it is the only executive MBA on the list that is delivered entirely online.

    - The EMBA was listed among the Top 42 distance learning and online MBAs published in the Financial Times newspaper on 16 March 2009.
     
  8. emmzee

    emmzee New Member

    From casual conversations with people, Athabasca seems to have a positive rep among those who have heard of it. Personally I would rank it above places like Walden but of course I'm not in the business world so my opinion may not count for much here. :D
     
  9. major56

    major56 Active Member

    Athabasca is still overpriced in my view. There are many B&M online MBA’s, including AASCB accredited, costing far less. In comparison of another government sponsored DL university, consider that The UK Open University Business School (Europe’s largest business school and largest MBA provider in the UK) MBA is around £16,000 What you can expect to pay - Study Explained - Open University and is Triple Accredited (AACSB, AMAB, and EQUIS). Of course the UO is a Royal Charter university and additionally holds US regional accreditation through the MSCHE.
     
  10. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    The numbers don't lie, Athabasca is a great choice- even among great choices!
     
  11. major56

    major56 Active Member

    I meant AMBA and OU … sorry for the 2-typos.
     
  12. MBAstudent2011

    MBAstudent2011 New Member

    Hello everybody,

    Wow - thanks for all the prompt responses.

    Maniac Craniac, yes, I'm from Canada. So, I guess the consensus is that, if the degree is to support my career in Canada, AU is definitely a better choice?

    Do you guys see the DBA as a good option for both practical application + academic path?
     
  13. medstudent1234

    medstudent1234 New Member

    Has anyone taken any course at Athabasca recently?
     
  14. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    For the professional point of view, I don't see employers calling for DBAs in the employment market. The DBA cannot hurt for sure but I fail to see the ROI for professional careers.

    For academic careers, bear in mind that it is a very narrow market. Please check the http://www.universityaffairs.ca/ for job opportunities in your area and evaluate your chances. Every year there are plenty of people that graduate from good name schools like York, Waterloo, Toronto, McGill, etc that are unable to land tenure tracks and have to go overseas.

    Due to the glut of PhDs and DBAs, I know there is a trend to hire people from top American schools and many times Canadian graduates are not even taken into consideration. Please read: http://www.universityaffairs.ca/phd-to-what-end.aspx . The article talks about the issue in philosophy departments but it is also happening in the business departments. If you go to the Website of any well known business school in Canada, you will notice that the younger faculty have a high percentage of degrees from top American schools.

    Speak with people that work in Academia, it is getting to a point that only PhDs from good name schools stand a good chance and anything from lower tier Canadian schools only lead to adjunct careers.

    I'm not saying that an Athabasca DBA would not stand a chance for an Academic job, I'm sure that it will work for a lot of people with connections and good resumes but things being equal, employers would always go after the good names that means UBC, UoT, McGill, Waterloo, York, Queens, Western Ontario, UoA just too mention the most well known.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 9, 2011

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