Overview

The term “part-time” course or program comes as modest and mundane to most people. They can include students, working professionals, as well as hiring managers in firms. You are not taken seriously when you say you have done a part-time course or program.

This is why top business schools have emphasized the dedication and hard work involved in a part-time MBA course. They want to ensure that students who complete the course are given their due in the market.

The part-time MBA programs were designed for working professionals. Enrolling in a full-time MBA program can be an expensive affair. Not to mention, you have to resign from your job to join the course.

This becomes challenging for MBA aspirants facing financial constraints, and having to leave a job, can become a tough ask. They have to resign from the position, join the full-time course, and complete it successfully to return to the market.

Due to the pandemic, the market conditions are gloomy and do not guarantee a job. So, the safe way would be to join a part-time MBA program without having to leave your current job. It is not surprising to note that part-time MBA programs garner hope among students globally based on a QS survey.

Also Read – In A Complex Business Scenario, What’s The Role Of The MBA?

Part-time programs are on par with a full-time program in terms of content and quality. The main benefit of a part-time program is it gives you extreme flexibility. In developed countries like America, degrees obtained from a reputed business school are given similar weightage to a full-time schedule.

Additionally, some firms also finance their employees to attend part-time programs. Today, reputed business schools allow students to participate in part-time programs with weekend classes, lesser work hours, and holidays.

Besides, students can attend the part-time courses on campus if they wish to. However, that depends on the business school.

Also Read – Is MBA And Other Management Programs Becoming More Technology Oriented?

Advantages of Part-time MBA

No Career Disturbance

The main benefit of enrolling in a part-time MBA program is that it does not become a hindrance to your current employment. Since you are working, you can also implement what you are learning at your office or work area.

Sponsorship Opportunities

It comes as no surprise that many firms and organizations realize the worth of a part-time MBA program. They take pleasure in sponsoring the candidates and even encourage some of their employees to join the program.

If your organization is willing to sponsor your part-time MBA program, this is a bonus that reduces the financial burden on you.

Cheaper

This one is quite obvious. The part-time MBA program is much cheaper than a full-time MBA program. If you look at the full-tme MBA programme, it can cost close to 1-3Lakh annually in India.

Also Read – 7 Books Business Professors Think You Should Read

Disadvantages of Part-time MBA

Balancing studies with life

The part-time MBA program comes with its own set of disadvantages. Students have found it challenging to attend classes, study, and complete assignments due to personal, professional, and family commitments.

Less Interaction

There is hardly any communication between the professor and the students. As a result, the student may not be able to understand the concepts well. That is because of the inability to schedule timings for both parties.

Fewer Networking Opportunities

Students may not be able to interact with their classmates, professors, and superiors because of time constraints. A full-time student can fully concentrate on his/her MBA program and have sufficient time for personal, family, and social commitments.

No Campus Placements

Though the students are employed or are working, the business schools do not consider them for placement offers after completing the part-time MBA program. This drastically reduces the chances of them getting placed in reputed firms.

Lower Value

In countries like India, where the reputation of the business school plays a significant role in employment, recruiters mostly avoid hiring part-time-MBAs.

As you can see, it lies entirely on the student to be able to convince the recruiter or organization that they are capable of the job. Besides, they need exceptional networking skills, put in hard work during the part-time course, and rely on a certain amount of luck to land better employment.

 

Part-time Vs. Executive Vs Full Time MBA 

Part-time Vs Full Time MBA

Part-time MBA programs are almost the same course and content-wise. The EMBA program is similar to a business school’s full-time MBA program. When you enroll for a Wharton EMBA, you learn from the same professors who teach the full-time MBA students.

It becomes evident that the curriculum is going to be highly challenging but rewarding. Additionally, you can interact with students, professors, and even alumni. Since the alumni are graduates from all the departments, it increases your chances of achieving your career goals.

Also Read – Full Time vs. Part Time MBA: What You Need to Know

The interaction in a part-time course will be much lesser when compared to a full-time MBA program.

Read More About Part-time Vs Executive Vs Full Time MBA

 

Rankings

Below are the top 100 part-time MBA programs in the world as per US news. US News ranking focuses on USA only and while there may be equally good programs in Europe, there is no reliable ranking yet of part-time MBA programs in Europe.

Top 100 Part-time MBA Programs – US News 2021 Ranking

US News Rank 2021NAME/RANKTUITIONENROLLMENT (PART-TIME)
1University of Chicago (Booth) Chicago , IL # 1 in Part-time MBA$7,200 per credit (part-time)1,245
2University of California–Berkeley (Haas) Berkeley , CA # 2 in Part-time MBA$3,464 per credit (in-state, part-time) $3,464 per credit (out-of-state, part-time)867
3Northwestern University (Kellogg) Evanston , IL # 3 in Part-time MBA$7,131 per credit (part-time)785
4New York University (Stern) New York , NY # 4 in Part-time MBA$2,300 per credit (part-time)1,139
5University of California–Los Angeles (Anderson) Los Angeles , CA # 5 in Part-time MBA$42,853 per year (in-state, part-time) $42,853 per year (out-of-state, part-time)857
6University of Michigan–Ann Arbor (Ross) Ann Arbor , MI # 6 in Part-time MBAN/A406
7University of Texas–Austin (McCombs) Austin , TX # 7 in Part-time MBA$110,460 total program (in-state, part-time)474
8Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper) Pittsburgh , PA # 8 in Part-time MBA$45,333 per year (part-time)74
9Indiana University (Kelley) Bloomington , IN # 9 in Part-time MBA$25,050 per year (in-state, part-time) $43,710 per year (out-of-state, part-time)278
10Emory University (Goizueta) Atlanta , GA # 10 in Part-time MBA (tie)$77,120 total program (part-time)262

 

Read More About Part-time MBA Rankings

Top Programs

Best Part-time MBA Programs in USA

According to US News and World Report portal, these are the most reputed business schools for doing your part-time MBA in America. Most of the courses begin each year in the business schools that are mentioned below.

The part-time MBA programs are suitable for working professionals looking to join evening classes or during the weekends. We have covered all of them in the post.

University of California, Berkeley (Haas)

The part-time MBA program in Haas is held during the weekday evenings, as well as on Saturdays. You can finish your degree in 3 years. The fee for the part-time course is $3,363 per credit.

Once you have completed the program, you stand to earn a 46% salary increment. The data is based on previous graduates who have completed their courses at Haas.

Read More About Best Part-time MBA Programs

ROI

Is a Part-Time MBA program worth it

Most Americans find that part-time MBA programs are the most popular delivery configuration. Approximately 56% of all MBA students in America are enrolled in part-time programs. The professional MBA (PMBA), evening, and weekend MBA programs are all included under the part-time MBA program umbrella. Because they’re designed for people with full-time jobs, some refer to them as fully-employed MBA (FEMBA) programs. Most students tend to be professional managers and senior managers who want to advance to the highest positions in their companies.

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A part-time MBA is very valuable

Many people debate the value of part-time MBA programs. This is perplexing since most schools that offer part-time MBA programs also offer full-time MBA programs. Part-time MBA students also have access to the same alumni network as their full-time counterparts. According to many reports, many employers consider part-time and full-time MBA programs to be the same. They’re equally willing to hire graduates from either program.

This article will explore the merits of online part-time MBA programs.

Read More About Part-time MBA ROI