Today, more and more students are opting for distance courses rather than regular ones. There are a number of factors that impact this choice. For instance, distance courses provide students with the flexibility to learn while they continue to advance in their careers. Furthermore, distance learning has been found to be more effective than regular courses by a number of studies. All this has made distance learning a favourite among students.
Especially in the domain of Management education, the distance mode enjoys immense popularity. Most working professionals go for a distance or online MBA to take their career a notch higher. The distance MBA course is especially tailored to the needs of 21st century workers, equipping them with an extensive knowledge of various business fundamentals and a diverse skill set.
Big companies prefer to hire MBA graduates to facilitate flawless operations within the organisation. As per one research by Statista, the percentage of companies that hired MBA graduates from 2008 to 2023 has surged from 59% to a whopping 92%. These figures are really encouraging. Is’nt it?
Source: Statista
But despite the numerous benefits offered by a distance MBA degree, one cannot help but wonder whether or not a distance MBA from India is worth it. After all, a distance degree is a big commitment. Not only would you require to devote two years of your life to it but it will also decide your entire career path. So, let’s quickly take a look at the various pros and cons of pursuing a distance MBA to decide whether or not you should pursue it.
Advantages of Pursuing a Distance MBA
An MBA degree in the distance mode offers a number of benefits. For instance, it provides you a chance to study from the comfort of your home. Furthermore, it helps you to gain hands-on experience in the business world. Some of the top benefits offered by a distance MBA programme are:
1. Flexibility
The biggest advantage that a distance MBA offers is the flexibility to learn anytime anywhere. A student enrolled in a distance MBA does not have to put his career on hold, but he can learn from the comforts of his home. With the advent of the internet, now exams are also conducted online and through flexible time slots, meaning that students can make the most out of their time.
2. Networking Opportunities
While pursuing a distance MBA, you will get numerous opportunities to interact with various academic and industry experts. The university will organise many webinars and workshops wherein you can connect with industry experts and strengthen your ties. Furthermore, you will get access to an alumni portal that you can use to build professional network. In addition to all this, your classmates will prove to be resourceful connections as you move ahead in your career.
3. Soft Skill Development
During the course, you will get various skill development certifications and personality development workshops. You can utilise these opportunities to groom your personality and develop necessary soft skills such as communication skills, analytical abilities, etc.
4. Career Advancement
A distance MBA opens many doors for you. Whether you are looking for a career switch or want to assume leadership roles, the course makes everything possible. In addition to this, a distance MBA will also help you grab lucrative packages. Students have reported getting salary hikes of up to 30% after a distance MBA.
5. Time Management Skills
One of the things that you will master during a distance MBA course is time management. A distance degree demands you to be very disciplined and strategically balance your work, life and study. Thus, you get a number of opportunities to learn how to utilise your time most effectively.
Disadvantages of Pursuing a Distance MBA
1. Lack of Interaction
The biggest disadvantage of learning in the distance mode is that you will often feel isolated. Unlike a regular degree, you will not be surrounded by your teachers and classmates all the time. In fact, you will get very few opportunities for one-on-one interactions. Luckily, with the advent of the internet, most universities have set up discussion forums and chat sessions to address the same.
2. Less Exposure
When you visit the campus on a regular basis, you get to know about various events and opportunities in and around the campus. However, the same is not true for the distance mode. Thus, while pursuing a distance MBA, you will be often restricted from participating in these activities. However, many universities provide access to campus events to their distance-learning students as well.
3. Delayed Feedback
Since there is no one-on-one interaction and conversation often occurs through emails and text messages, there might be a delay in receiving feedback on your assignments. This can hamper your studies and cause a lot of confusion.
4. Gaps in Doubt Redressal
In distance learning, students study at their own time and pace. Thus, there is no way to get their doubts addressed on an immediate basis. This causes a lot of trouble and can hamper the overall study schedule of a student.
5. Missing Out on Campus Life
Campus life is a big part of student life. You get to enhance your personality and get opportunities to develop both personally and professionally. However, when you are studying in the distance mode, you get no such opportunities as you do not visit the campus on a regular basis.
Takeaway
A distance course offers many benefits and disadvantages. On one hand, you enjoy greater flexibility, get to develop necessary soft skills & time management skills, create a wide network and grab lucrative career opportunities. On the other hand, there is a lack of interaction, less exposure, delayed feedback, gaps in doubt addressal and no chance to enjoy campus life.
Whether or not you want to go for a distance MBA is, therefore, a personal choice that you must make based upon your requirements and why you want to go for the programme. But one notable argument favouring distance education is that it allows working professionals and busy parents to upgrade and leverage it in career growth.
