Foster Hybrid MBA at the University of Washington

The Hybrid MBA at the Foster School of Business is thoughtfully designed to fit a demanding lifestyle without sacrificing meaningful student and faculty connection. Foster’s flexible program enables working parents, frequent business travelers, and young professionals the opportunity to take advantage of the region’s unique, dynamic, and innovative business community to advance their careers.

 “The backdrop of Foster’s Hybrid MBA Program is the Greater Seattle region which is rich with iconic companies. We’re a hub for innovation and tech, and that’s one of the reasons that people are drawn to our program — it’s how they can get a foot in the door in the Seattle job market,” said Christine Wollin, Associate Director for the Hybrid MBA Program.

The Foster Hybrid MBA is a lockstep program broken into six quarters that extend from September to June, with summer off. 95% of the program is online, with the remaining 5% in person, on the school’s Seattle campus for four to five-day Immersions at the beginning of each quarter. 

During the Immersions, students engage in academics during the day and get down to networking at night. “The top reason that many people chose an MBA is to grow their network with other business professionals, so we are happy to offer programming during and post immersion: networking happy hours, dinner with the faculty, keynote speakers, and more” Wollin said. 

Teamwork is a core element of all Foster MBAs, which is why all Hybrid MBA students are placed into study teams with which they spend the duration of the program.

Throughout their first year, students take the same courses at the same time, and core courses continue, in addition to a menu of electives, during their second…

The Hybrid MBA at the Foster School of Business is thoughtfully designed to fit a demanding lifestyle without sacrificing meaningful student and faculty connection. Foster’s flexible program enables working parents, frequent business travelers, and young professionals the opportunity to take advantage of the region’s unique, dynamic, and innovative business community to advance their careers.

 “The backdrop of Foster’s Hybrid MBA Program is the Greater Seattle region which is rich with iconic companies. We’re a hub for innovation and tech, and that’s one of the reasons that people are drawn to our program — it’s how they can get a foot in the door in the Seattle job market,” said Christine Wollin, Associate Director for the Hybrid MBA Program.

The Foster Hybrid MBA is a lockstep program broken into six quarters that extend from September to June, with summer off. 95% of the program is online, with the remaining 5% in person, on the school’s Seattle campus for four to five-day Immersions at the beginning of each quarter. 

During the Immersions, students engage in academics during the day and get down to networking at night. “The top reason that many people chose an MBA is to grow their network with other business professionals, so we are happy to offer programming during and post immersion: networking happy hours, dinner with the faculty, keynote speakers, and more” Wollin said. 

Teamwork is a core element of all Foster MBAs, which is why all Hybrid MBA students are placed into study teams with which they spend the duration of the program.

Throughout their first year, students take the same courses at the same time, and core courses continue, in addition to a menu of electives, during their second year. 

ABOUT THE PROGRAM’S DESIGN: NO SHORTCUTS

Classes in the Foster Hybrid MBA are weekly and synchronous. They include real-time course discussions between faculty and students and virtual team simulations. Optional review sessions are also scheduled weekly. 

More than the usual amount of care has gone into the design of the program, Wollin said. It’s telling that half of the Hybrid MBA staff are the course development team of videographers and instructional designers.

“It makes for a high-quality learning experience. The lessons are done via video conferencing and the supplemental videos are the caliber of the evening news. Students won’t see a camera set up in the back of a lecture hall- these videos are made for Foster students,” she said. 

“I would say that is something that’s separating us (from our peers),” she said. “First, we have an amazing faculty — the professors we have teaching this program are the ones who are teaching across the business school. They work closely with instructional designers to break down their courses and map them to course objectives. This is a crucial component for us because then we divide up the course delivery in three ways: synchronous online learning, asynchronous online learning, and in-person learning.”

“Our Career Management team works with students to develop a custom, strategic plan that is uniquely suited to their career needs and goals, using 1:1 and small group coaching, job search success teams and virtual career fair,” Wollin said. “Some students want to advance in their current organization while others explore and change industry, company, and function. The constant element, across all paths, is a desire for growth and increased impact. Foster Hybrid MBA students do not participate in campus recruiting. Instead, they meet and engage with recruiting leaders and hiring managers through company presentations, onsite company visits, and custom networking and recruiting events.”

The Foster Hybrid MBA has strong in-person, online, and team elements. It’s the best of all worlds, Wollin explained: high-quality delivery of engaging content plus a diverse and dynamic cohort of fellow learners.