The full-time MBA programs seem to be losing their charm for aspirants with the continued fall in applications at top Business schools in the United States and elsewhere, leading to dire predictions of its imminent demise.

However, realizing that adaptability is the key to survival, schools across the globe, have taken steps to provide a wider choice for MBA aspirants to pick the right course best suited for their busy lifestyles and widely divergent career goals.

The MBA in All Shapes and Sizes

The MBA had remained practically unchanged ever since its inception in the U.S. in 1908. It became popular as a two-year full-time graduate program that required the participants to forsake employment for the duration.

At a later stage came the shorter one-year MBA as also a plethora of part-time Executive MBA programs that allow the participants to attend classes in the evening or during the weekends while continuing with their full-time jobs. Then, there are the fully online programs and others offering a hybrid experience, combing campus classes with online lectures and assignments.

Take a look at some of these options listed by BusinessBecause editor Marco De Novellis in the AACSB blog.

How About Deferring Your MBA?

Did you know that you could defer your MBA even as an undergraduate? Some schools offer you the facility of seeking pre-admission to the program. Wharton  Moelis Advance Access Program allows applications from those in their senior year and allows you to gain two-to-four years of work experience before joining the two-year, full-time MBA. However, it is only open to University of Pennsylvania undergrads.

Oxford Saïd’s Oxford 1+1 MBA allows you to enroll in one of the partnering Master’s programs for the first year and continue with the one-year MBA. Likewise, Harvard’s 2+2 program is open to undergrads who should have gained two years of work experience prior to starting their MBA program.

Other schools offering deferred enrolment are Stanford GSB, Chicago Booth, Columbia Business School, MIT Sloan and Virginia Darden, among others. In India, the Indian School of Business (ISB) offers the Young Leaders Program (YLP).

Getting an MBA in Just 7 Months

For those hard-pressed for time, NEOMA Business School in France has a Global EMBA program, that could be completed in either 15 months, 10 months, or in 7 months.

The seven-month schedule allows students to complete 90% of the course in that period. The core courses are done in just two months and one of the seven mini-specialization tracks in the next five months. Another two months are needed for two international learning experiences (ILEs).

When the MBA Turns Topsy-turvy

Unlike the usual MBA format where students finish their core learning and proceed to the elective specializations, the “T-Style” MBA at the College of New Jersey allows them to pursue the electives first.

The reasoning behind the inversion is that the program is meant for executives with a minimum of two years’ experience. They are, most of the time, familiar with the core subjects of Finance, Accounting and Marketing. Since the electives incorporate the latest or much in demand subjects, it helps the students to put into practice their learnings much faster at the workplace.

The MBA with Another Name

The London School of Economics (LSE) is offering an Executive Global Master’s in Management (EGMiM).  It is described as LSE’s cutting-edge alternative to an MBA.

LSE claims the program It takes a broader view of the real business world, providing the students with an understanding of the socio-economic and geo-political forces impacting businesses worldwide. and the intellectual tools to succeed with complex challenges in the rapidly changing global environment. The part-time program comprises seven one-to-two-week modules spread over 17 months.

Specialized MBA Programs to the Fore

Specialized MBA programs are gathering pace with the need of the times. NYU Stern is offering a one-year Tech MBA. The curriculum comprises 4 major components, namely, the Business Core, the Technology Core, Stern Solutions (Experiential Learning) and Elective courses.

Similarly, there are several specialized MBA programs in areas like healthcare management, finance, and technology.

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