Hey,

First of all, I'd like to tell you that I am a new member and this is my first post, so please be patient with me if I don't know all the tips&tricks of this forum yet.. :) Anyway, good to be part of it and anyway thank you in advance for your potential suggestions and feedback! :)

I am lately applying for a DL MBA. The reason behind that and not a FT one is that I really cannot move due to job related issues.

The facts that I will base my decision upon which MBA to choose, are the quality, programme structure, reputation according to my budget. So, based on my budget and from the DL MBAs I have found out, are the following:

1) Bradford University School of Management: Option of going abroad for up to 3 block modules, which is valuable for me, plus that I get the proof of studying in other institutions, as well. Also, triple accredited and quite often FT ranked. Fees of £13,500.

2) Durham University Business School: Triple accredited but there's an issue about the fees, which will sharply increase from £13,500 to £19,500, so I don't know what happens in that case, I think because I pay per module, I will have to pay each module from the new year with the new price, which I think for a DL programme of Durham's caliber is quite much.

3) Royal Holloway School of Management, University of London: Only AMBA accredited and not a 'pure' business school, with whatever that means, in terms of experience, reputation and alumni network. good thing is the brand that carries, meaning a degree from the UoL. Fees of £12,500.

4) Leicester University School of Management: AMBA accredited, reputed university but doubt if the b-school is, as well and I have a question about the quality and reputation about this MBA programme. Fees of approx. £11,000.

5) University of Liverpool Management School: No accreditation at all, this is my last option, the only thing that I would might consider is the reputation of the university itself.

6) Richards College of Business at University of West Georgia (USA): It has the AACSB accreditation, as being a US b-school and belongs to the WebMBA from Georgia Universities. I really have no clear picture on that, so any comments would be pretty useful. Fees of about $21,600.

I would be really glad to hear of what you think about each option I have but also in what order would you place them. The budget is always an issue, because in the case of Durham if I actually cannot 'lock' the current price and have to actually pay £19,500, I definitely wouldn't go for that, as is out of my budget but even if I could find the resources, I would clearly look in that price for something like Aston Business School, Imperial or Warwick. So, bearing that in mind, could you please provide me some information to help me clear out some things?

Just a small tip, as being a Bradford School of Management alumnus, I have a discount of 15%, meaning that the cost of the DL MBA from there would be approx. £11,500 in my case, so please also keep that in mind when proposing for the value for money.

Finally, what else I am interested in, is to know their international reputation, apart from the UK one and which do you think would give the best ROI between these.. I know is an extremely generalised question but based on their reputation and value, which one you think would give back the most? And finally, I know that the first two that were previously ranked, dropped out of the tables of the MBAs but still which do you think has better prospects?

As for me, being a Bradford alumnus, do you think by having a MBA also from there, meaning to keep having the same uni in my CV is something negative and would clearly be very crucial to study elsewhere so to have this diversification, or for a future employer that is totally neutral and something not to pay attention at? Keep in mind that in Bradford I would also have the option of going abroad for these three block modules (Italy, Netherlands/Germany, Singapore, Philippines, Dubai).

Thanks a lot in advance and I am really sorry for my long post, hope you will not be discouraged to reply! :) As I said, it's my first one! :)

The Distance Learning MBA is not known for giving you access to on-campus recruitment and strong networking so the opportunity to learn on campus is very important.

Among those schools the academic value is going to be similar and the learning environment gonna be shit anyways so look for one that differentiate.

To me it is clear that Bradford is the stronger and more valued-added program.

I would take the opportunity to go abroad at Bradford and take the executive-style on campus courses. Also negotiate with Bradford for a bigger discount. And then commit that extra quids to apply for an executive certificate or courses at another schools so you can build stronger network.

Except from Durham, It does not worth studying at all other mediorce colleges.

If you want something exotic look for an accredited continental Europe or American degree. In continental europe it can go as low as 5 thousand pound. In America I know there are AACSB degrees cost you 15 thousand USD so cheaper than your Bradford.

These DL degrees wont teach you much anyways because you already have a business degree and experience. It can however give you a certificate and some nice experiments to your approach

Thanks a lot donho199 for your input!

Actually, I am currently employed and I live abroad, not in the UK but in the Nordics, so the chance of the full-time's option for networking and especially recruiting is not the most important for me, but the knowledge and added-value I will get from the MBA, in order to apply that in my current job or in a future other employment. And that is why I was looking for the best quality in this budget but also the brand name of these unis, especially abroad.

But, as I can see, you suggest Bradford. I am also leaning towards Brad, as I am an alumnus from there and I also get it at a great price, I think. Also, this option of the executive-style learning abroad is also really intriguing to me, as I did that in the past from Bradford to EADA and I can say that this was a great experience but also very useful one. So, I guess the MBA one would be at least as good.

But as for the image of having two degrees from the same b-school instead of differentiating, does it really matter?

And clearly based on the value and the price, would you pick Bradford or Durham for the DL MBA?

Thanks a lot!

Well we just have to look at different ways to bring us the goal post. Nordics is famed for high quality yet affordable education even through private providers. so i am surprised you havent explored the option yet.

Durham MBA is better and the name sounds better and yes will help you differentiate a little bit.

It is a tough call. I would go for a few short courses in those Scandinavian schools especially courses geared towards your functional job. Those DL MBA is supposed to be general and if you look at education only and as you already have a BBA and experience. It would not teach you much. If you want accounting sign up for ACCA or CPA or one of the industry gold standard certification with classes. You will bump into people doing similar works with you and more likely to gel than let say somebody half a world away and have no interest in what a Brit is doing in those freezing icelands?

Thanks a lot for the feedback!

As regards the unis up here, indeed, there are some good schools but... The DL programmes are almost an unknown thing and I cannot leave my job to be a FT student, secondly the MBAs are almost something unknown, as well, apart from few schools like Hanken in Finland, where the FT MBA is at the same price like Manchester, where of course the value is not comparable.. And anyway, British b-schools are much more reputed, here they are more social sciences oriented..

Now, back to the DL MBAs, what is your pick then? Because in your first feedback you said you clearly go for Bradford and in the second one you go for Durham.. And also, based on what you think that is better the one you'll suggest?

Anyway, as for the rest, I guess you have totally put them aside, right? You only choose between Durham and Bradford?

Thanks in advance!

Oh so are you in Finland? Hanken is a good school.

OK if I were you and I cant get Durham price of 14 grand, I would go for Bradford. I would also negotiate a bigger discount and hopefully can bring the package down to 10 grand. I would then use that extra 3 grand to spend on executive education in England or Scandinavia. I know Norway and Sweden have some full-time short summer courses that look pretty interesting.

Another option which is a lot cheaper is the diploma provided by University of London External Programme. You gotta learn on your own much of it but the price and the prestige is tempting

Maybe some other Brit expats can contribute as well?

tt,

In Scandinavia, do they value the MBA? And what would be the value of MBA if you plan to stay on with your current employer or career track?

doing distance mba is like learning swimming through books, dont waste your time and money is such things, do full time mba, much better if you really want to do something. if you just want to impress your family and friends with a fancy mba degree than go for so called dl mba

David's comment is a little too sweeping. Some people cannot justify a full time MBA. There is a big difference between other programmes. For example, fewer and fewer programmes are 100% distance learning, and involve elements of the on campus experience.

Donho, they do value the MBAs and they are a really good asset on the CV but unfortunately it's scarce to find one over here and if so, it will be rather expensive, like Hanken's that I'd definitely go to Manchester for the fees they charge..

As for David's comment, I never said that with a DL you have the same ROI than with a FT.. But also I think is a bit far extreme to say that they do not even worth to take them.. You study the same materials, you have the same professors and syllabus but you don't have the option of making connections and links but also the feeling of being there and studying full-time.. But still, education is education and rather than not having a degree or a MBA in that case at all, I think even the DL would make a difference, you'll get something out of it and of course it also depends on you.. And as I previously said that unfortunately I cannot go for the FT as I will lose my job that I really don't want careerwise but also financially, I have to turn to the online one..

And as Duncan precisely said, they give options of attending the campus.. Bradford for example, gives me that option, plus the option of three modules to attend abroad, in Europe or elsewhere..

Duncan, what would be your opinion on the unis I mentioned before? Bradford or Durham, bearing also in mind the pros I mentioned for Bradford (price and abroad options) but also the quality and reputation of both? And what about the rest b-schools I mentioned, would you consider them and overall for which one would you go for?? And does this diversification from my first degree from Bradford matters at all or at least more than the pros of going there??

Thanks a lot in advance!!

Broadly speaking I think the relative placement of these schools in the FT rankings of full time and executive MBAs is a good guide to their distance programmes too. The Bradford programme is more applied and more focused on management development than the Durham programme. I would put it on a similar level to Manchester.

Thanks a lot Duncan!

So, your suggestion is to go for Bradford instead of Durham. But if in case I could pay these higher fees, what would you think of Henley DL MBA? They have a campus in Finland, which location wise would suit me a lot. Does it worth the extra pounds compared to Bradford (including the international modules I will have)? Bradford would be with the discount £11,500 and Henley costs £18,500. Which one do you suggest? And what about Aston that is somewhere close to £19,000? Could you please put them in order, including Durham, taking in mind the value for money, as well?

Thanks a lot!

If you want to continue to work in the Nordic region, then the Henley programme is a strong choice. The more time you have on campus. The better. With Henley in Helsinki you'd have small, regular chunks of time and real face-to-face contact with a cohort of students. That is the structure which makes Executive MBAs so much more effective than traditional distance learning.

Don't look at return at investment: the difference is fees is tiny compared to the outcomes. Consider the nett present value.