Jessica Rockow is pursuing her online Master of Business Administration from Trident University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communications from University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
Jessica chose to study online because she moves often since her husband is in the military. After earning her MBA, Jessica hopes to find consulting work and enroll in a PhD program while her husband pursues his law degree. Her ultimate goal is to teach business in higher education.
I chose to pursue my MBA online because my husband is in the military and we move around quite a bit. An online program enables me to move forward with my career and education goals even though I am not able to attend traditional classes.
Trident University was my first choice because of the discounted tuition that they offered me. I think that as long as I work hard and perform to the best of my abilities, I will gain a lot out of an educational program, regardless of its reputation or prestige. I chose to attend Trident over other schools because of this mindset and the importance of saving money.
An online MBA entails the study of organizational models within corporate environments and the ethical, responsible delegation of tasks within those environments. This field requires genuine passion and concern for the well-being of the company, its clients and employees.
I believe that traditional schools may not work for everyone, and for those who need flexibility and affordability, an online MBA can broaden career options and open doors. Before applying to Trident University, I contacted human resource representatives and hiring managers through LinkedIn and asked whether an online degree would hinder rather than help my career. All of them said that they hire the applicant, not the degree, which encouraged me to take this step and pursue an online degree.
My MBA program at Trident takes 1 year to complete. Currently, my reading load is about 300 pages a week, in addition to the participation requirement for the online classroom environment. In each of my courses, I write two 7 to 10 page papers each week.
One strength of my program has been its flexibility. Traditional courses usually set deadlines for participation and assignments. My courses, however, allow me to log into the classroom at times that are convenient for me, even if the most convenient time is midnight. I enjoy working on my own time and managing my own schedule.
My program’s only weakness is the stigma that online education holds in general. I would have chosen a traditional campus if my living and financial institutions had made it feasible.
My online classroom experience consists of multimedia course materials and active social interaction. I often have extensive reading for my courses, but sometimes the course material includes video, as well. Most of my courses also have participation requirements that spur students to socialize with each other. Professors require students to make a few posts a week in response to the weekly reading, but some also encourage twittering and facebooking, as well.
The strength of my classroom experience has certainly been this social interaction. In fact, despite the online nature of the program, students and professors often develop strong relationships.
My program has no residency requirement. However, graduate degrees typically have a 30 hour in-class requirement for accreditation and Trident University’s lack of a requirement has placed it under review. Since many of the people in their programs are in the military and deployed, Trident is still working out ways to meet the 30 hour requirement without making education impossible for some of their students.
My interactions with professors demonstrate the flexibility of the online format. For example, I can contact my professors through e-mail, class discussion boards and social media sites such as LinkedIn. One thing I particularly appreciate is the willingness of my professors to accommodate my unpredictable schedule. While they do not release students from assignments, they do offer extensions or assignment alternatives.
If my financial and living situations had been more stable, I would have pursued this MBA offline at a traditional institution. Nonetheless, this experience has opened my eyes to the viability of online education. Originally, I was biased against online programs, but now I see that they offer a viable alternative for those who cannot manage education on a campus.
However, I would caution students who are considering an online masters degree program that online graduate education demands self-motivation. In a traditional undergraduate classroom, the teachers typically handle some of the light work. In an online graduate classroom, that responsibility falls to the students. Professors hand out the assignments, and students are wholly responsible for completing them.
Students should also consider cost. Cost drove my decision to attend Trident University. Although I am paying substantially less than I would at [unnamed], for example, I still feel that I am getting a great deal out of my program. Perhaps more expensive programs offer something intangible or more valuable, but I believe that students get from a program what they put into it.
