Wharton EMBA (long post, sorry!)

Limits of DL...

"Unfortunately this is where the distinction between DL and traditional education really shows. These guys probably had lots and lots of case study-based dicussions and debates during their in-classroom lectures. Not to mention the "social time" that occured before, during and after the lectures. When you hang around high caliber people, you tend to talk and think like them after a while. These guys were exposed to team projects, group presentations and many different interactive methods of instruction."

I would actually have to agree with that. Subjects such as strategic/general management, project management, negotiation etc. are very difficult to convey via distance learning. Nothing beats sitting in a room with your classmates and spending hours over a case study. DL is very well suited for technical subjects but for an MBA an on campus degree is the way to go. The main benefit of an MBA is the networking opportunities one gets, with a DL degree there are much fewer opportunities --> it is very hard to beat face to face interaction.

Cheers,

Neekmeister
-----------------------------------------------------------
BS IS Management, University of San Francisco
MS IS, University of San Francisco

 

Re: Limits of DL...

An MBA is one of those degrees that really should be studied on-campus to get the most out of it.

A DBA or PhD in Business Administration can have a certain component that is external, however, on-campus seminars, presentations and networking opportunities are a MUST to get the full benefit of the degree.

Since my doctorate requires residencies, it is easy for me to say that it is a residential program. Exclusively DL doctorates raise too many questions regarding quality standards.

 

My best guess is that what's going on in the original poster's example has far less to do with the benefits of DL versus classroom MBA studies than it has to do with the experience of the two Wharton grads versus the Ellis student. They have 15-20 years of high-level seasoning coupled with those Wharton degrees!

And also, it's kind of unfair to yourself for you to be comparing yourself with Wharton grads, for goodness sakes; that'd be like me, in my third year of Arizona law, lamenting that a couple Harvard law grads with 15 years of practice could talk circles around me. Hey, man, no kidding! What'd ya expect?

I did law school on-ground and didn't know beans about what I was doing my third year, or really the first few years out of law school. I'm no genius, but now that I have a dozen years of experience (even experience relatively paltry compared with the Wharton guys in the example), I assure you I could have a conversation with Osborne that would dazzle the ears of most third year law students, whether they be DL or not. You just learn something over time, or you learn how to utilize the language so as to fake it better (this strategy does not work very well with judges, however).

Unless someone has the experience of having taken an MBA both on line and on ground and/or the solid studies to back up their claim to the effect that "nothing beats the in-person experience, that's why you're floundering with your Ellis MBA", then I take such statements with a huge grain of salt and consider them nothing more than horseback opinions--which is all they are.

Now let me qualify that in one way: face-to-face networking is certainly one of the benefits of the MBA that is missing with DL. This is why I wouldn't recommend a DL MBA to the stereotypical MBA student. DL's more for the older, more experienced student for whom networking is less of a factor.

However, as for the contention that nothing beats these face to face what-have-yous for understanding teamwork, case studies, etc., I can turn right around and say that the DL MBA student--who's working full time--gets the decided benefit of applying their MBA studies directly to the field of business. They get to work with actual teams with something on the line more important than a letter grade; they get to apply their MBA studies directly to the environment for which they are intended as they go, as opposed to hiding away in a sterile environment for two years with a bunch of similarly-ignorant twenty-somethings.

I am absolutely not convinced of any benefits of in-person MBA studies beyond networking and the prejudices against DL MBA programs among recruiters. Not that those aren't valid points. But that's why I wouldn't recommend a DL MBA to one who does not already have some netwrok established and does not yet have the seasoning necessary to learn how to make an end run around a recruiter.

I put it to the posters of these theories to prove their points with other than words. Give me some meat to bite into.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Wharton EMBA (long post, sorry!)

Yes, I truly do suffer from manic-depression and have for eighteen years. But I'm just joking around about "prejudice against crazy persons with two MBAs."

 

Don't bother with a second MBA, instead look for a Post MBA in IT Management from a brick and mortar school. A post MBA from a top school would offset the non-prestigious degree and the degree in your resume would look like a progression instead of redundancy.

 

Re: Re: Wharton EMBA (long post, sorry!)

Agreed. Get a post-MBA qualification from a top school.

 

Re: Re: Wharton EMBA (long post, sorry!)

I agree...hey that is what I said - "Go for a certificate or read some business books. I am going for a certificate from UF to add some name recognition to my resume."

 

DL has its limitations but the same for part time study. Ideally, you would want to take a program on a full time basis in order to benefit the most from the experience.

If you are in IT and really want a second master's, I would do a master's in Computer Science or Engineering as technical degrees carry more value when applying for managerial positions. Employers tend to think that management is easier and cheaper to train than technical skills.

 

In response to the original post. I would say that its not fair to compare yourself to those grads. These guys have an Executive MBA and not an MBA. They are paid to strictly think, strategize, and theorize. Their education has prepared them for that. Moreover, once you have this much experience under your belt and graduate from one of the best business schools in the world, you are bound to sound intelligent. I would approach it differently and not undermine myself but rather try to be as good or even better.

Doning another mba is useless in this instance. You are going to learn the same material all over again with slight differences. I would wait and think of maybe doing an EMBA in the long term future once you have risen in the ranks.

 

To the original poster:

Who knows whether your associates know what they are talking about or not? If what they were saying didn't sound familiar, then they may have been spouting about the latest business read or jargon they picked up in the journal. Keep in mind that Harvard, Stanford and a lot of the EMBA programs are filling people's heads with strategy puddin' for boardroom banter. Most MBAs are going need to have a solid grounding in the managerial details of departmental functions though.

I recommend that you subscribe to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and devote yourself to at least 30 minutes a day reading the lead articles. If you have time to read the whole journal everyday, then good for you. Any significant and meaningful jargon will eventually appear in the WSJ.

As for a second MBA, there could be some value in this about 10 years down the road and you could pick a different specialization. You might also consider an MA or an MS. For example, Cal State Dominguez Hills has a DL MSQA, with some great stats and experimental design courses for a very reasonable tuition. The key is to pick an another masters degree that will balance what you already have. Fort Hays State has a network and a security MLS that might complement a non-technical MBA. There are a zillion options for upgrading your education through DL that we didn't have 10 years ago!

Some will say get a doctorate but unless you see teaching in your future, I would hold off on those aspirations.

Some thoughts...

Dave

 

QC,

I do not know of the standing of Ellis (I am British) but I would opine that the second MBA would be somewhat redundant. You have received some good advice here; if you really want big name recognition then go for a prestigious post-grad cert. I am studying a blended EMBA at Henley Management College which is a highly regarded school in Europe but has less recognition in the US. I report into Houston and would like to get a prestigous US name on my Resume, and post-MBA will possibly take something like this:


eCornell - Studies in Proactive Leadership

Fauss,

You said:

My blended program means I get the opportunity to meet my cohort three times a year (similar to Scott) and these sessions prove invaluable. We get to know each other as people and feel much more comfortable picking each others brains and chatting on Skype or msn at assignment time. I would wholeheartedly recommend a DL program with some sort of residencies as a preferred option if that is available or feasable.

All the best,

Dave C.

P.S. Ted, I'm sure you had your reasons for studying two MBAs but my comments are related to QCs particular situation.

 

Re: Re: Wharton EMBA (long post, sorry!)

I know. I was just joking around with everybody. No harm intended.

 

Re: Re: Re: Wharton EMBA (long post, sorry!)

Actually, I think getting another MBA to pursue a second speciality or to update one's education makes perfect sense. It all depends on the student, and what sort of needs and ability to pay that they have.

Dave