Air Conditioner Startup Wins Big at Wharton Startup Challenge

UC-Davis will become the first University of California school to offer an online MBA

Another B-School Has Launched an Online MBA

The Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Davis is launching its fully-online MBA program.

Davis will be the first UC campus to launch an online MBA program, according to a press release.

“As a world-leading research university with a nationally ranked business school, UC Davis is well positioned to offer an online MBA for students to learn to think in new ways, expand their network and prepare to have a positive impact on the world,” H. Rao Unnava, dean of the management school, says.

Geared Towards Nontraditional B-School Students

The two-year online program at Davis will be targeted towards nontraditional students and working professionals who are looking to earn an MBA.

Despite being online, the program will mirror UC Davis’ traditional MBA curriculum with a focus on leadership, innovation, and sustainability.

All courses will be taught by UC Davis Faculty as well as expert lecturers.

Additionally, students will have the option of residential sessions, where students come together to learn and network amongst peers, faculty, and executives of Fortune 500 firms.

Adapting to the Digital Age

The announcement of Davis’ online MBA program highlights a growing trend of b-schools around the world looking to adapt to the changing business world.

Last year, according to Forbes, the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business saw enrollment in its online MBA program increase by 151% to 369 students. Just a year before that, the online program saw only 147 students.

At the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, the enrollment increased from 1,047 students to 1,862 students within a year, representing a 78% increase.

Experts say the increase in popularity of online MBAs is due to changing needs amongst b-school students.

“More people are doing online programs because they don’t want to stop their careers and quit their jobs,” Ramesh Venkataraman, chair of Indiana University’s Kelley Direct MBA & MS programs, tells Forbes. “They are doing perfectly fine and like their companies. So the quality of students in these programs is quite high. These programs are here to stay and they are actually going to be a very viable alternative to the full-time programs.”

Sources: UC Davis, Forbes

Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below.