New Year’s resolutions typically involve weight loss, paying off debt, or finally committing to pursue the career you’ve always dreamed about. For many, the New Year also brings a desire to go back to school.
Whether you desire to fulfill a life goal or boost your earnings potential, an MBA can be the ticket to business success; and, the degree is usually associated with a salary premium of 20 percent over an undergraduate degree, according to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Kaplan University, a leading online institution of higher learning, and Newsweek, Inc., the award-winning news magazine, joined forces in 2006 to create the Kaplan University/Newsweek MBA program. This innovative, online program combines Kaplan’s rigorous MBA training with the journalistic resources of Newsweek magazine to provide students with an education that uses breaking business news to illuminate the issues and theories that are part of traditional MBA coursework. The program offers a realistic approach to business education, combining up-to-the-minute case studies, interviews with some of the world’s most influential CEOs, and core business theory courses—all in an online environment.
If you’re considering going back to school for an MBA this year, you’re not alone. While applications to graduate business programs plummeted following the dot-com bust, they are on the rise again. This growth has spawned a surge of interest in online programs, which offer flexibility and convenience to working adults whose family obligations keep them from taking time off from their careers or traveling to campus-based programs. Online MBA enrollments are booming, having risen to 125,000 students in 2005 from zero just 10 years ago (source: Business 2.0). Online MBA students account for about 25 percent of all distance education students, according to Eduventures, the education research firm.
The benefits of pursuing an online MBA, particularly the Kaplan University/Newsweek MBA, are numerous. The Kaplan University/Newsweek MBA program offers students:
- A high level of interactivity with world leaders and award-winning Newsweek reporters and editors.
- Constantly updated curriculum with fresh business content.
- Online media, such as videocasts and downloadable MP3’s of interviews with business leaders.
- Specializations in International Business and International Health Care Management.
- Immediate insights into events that are making news in the economy and boardrooms distinguishes this program from other MBA programs.
- A flexible schedule that is ideal for working adults.
Online programs aren’t for everyone. Because this program is completely online and participation isn’t limited to set hours/days, students in these programs must be highly disciplined and have superb time management skills. To get the most out of an online MBA program, like the Kaplan University/Newsweek MBA, you’ll need to be just as dedicated as and work just as hard as—or harder than—students in a traditional classroom setting on campus. Participation in the online MBA program also requires students to provide or make an investment in (if they don’t already have) updated hardware and software.
For more information about how to boost your earnings potential and advance your business career prospects via the Kaplan University/Newsweek MBA, please visit: www.newsweek.kaplan.edu.
Until next time!
Lynn Byrne
