Bismarck, NDThe online MBA programs offered by the University of Mary’s School of Accelerated and Distance education were recently rated among the Top 40 “Best Buys” in their Class By GetEducated.com, an online clearinghouse providing consumers with information on accredited online degrees since 1989.

The Best Buy award program was established “to help spotlight and promote the true affordable gems of e-learning.” A “Best Buy” designation indicates that a program has been reviewed and judged to offer a high-quality distance MBA to a national audience at tuition rates well below the national average. U-Mary ranked No. 26 among the 91 competing regionally accredited options nationwide reviewed for the 2008 ranking.

“We are pleased and proud that our online MBA programs have been recognized in this ranking,” says Brenda Kaspari, School of Accelerated and Distance Education director. “Since its establishment in 1959, the University of Mary has been committed to lifelong learning and providing accessible, high-quality education at a reasonable cost. We have continued to carry this commitment forward as we have expanded and enhanced our delivery options.”

The University of Mary, America’s Leadership University, was the first college in the region to offer specialized programs designed to meet the unique needs of adult students. The School of Accelerated and Distance Education, founded in 1996, offers on-site accelerated adult programs at 16 sites in six states.

U-Mary began its first online degree cohort in 2005. The university’s accredited accelerated online offerings now include programs leading to an MBA in management, an MBA in health care, and an MBA in accountancy. U-Mary’s School of Accelerated and Distance Education also offers online bachelor’s degree programs in management and accounting, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in nursing and a Master of Project Management.

More : kxmb.com

URBANA – Global Campus isn’t exactly spanning the globe – yet.

Right now, 10 students are taking classes through the University of Illinois’ new virtual campus – three in a bachelor’s-completion program in nursing and seven in electronic-learning programs – and the majority are from Illinois.
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Given the $3 million spent on Global Campus this year, that’s not an ideal student-cost ratio, as one trustee dryly noted last week.

The startup costs will average out over time, of course, and administrators expect more than 100 students to be signed up by September, when several new programs roll out. Within three years, they hope to enroll the equivalent of 750 full-time students – the “break even” point for Global Campus.

Administrators acknowledge some early hurdles in recruiting, and trustees who heard a Global Campus update last week advised them to be flexible to be sure they hit the right market.

“Startup companies often end up doing business very differently” from what they originally planned, said board Chairman Lawrence Eppley. “You can’t be rigid.”

As special assistant to University of Illinois President B. Joseph White, Chet Gardner has the responsibility of overseeing the Global Campus initiative. While the program is off to a slow start, Gardner said at three months, it’s still in its infancy. By Robin Scholz

In particular, trustees suggested the program target current UI students who have trouble getting into high-demand courses on the university’s three campuses. That could help students finish their degrees on time and save money, Eppley said.

“I think we’re missing a huge market, an internal market,” he said.

That’s “been on our radar screen from the start,” said Chet Gardner, who oversees Global Campus as special assistant to UI President B. Joseph White.

Gardner noted Global Campus has been up and running for just three months, too soon to judge its success.

“I’ve said all along that first real test of marketing and recruiting will be in September,” he said.

While the nursing program has had difficulties, the E-learning programs have been unexpectedly popular, attracting teachers, college administrators and corporate employees hoping to manage or teach online learning, he said. Twenty new students signed up for the eight-week term that starts in May and another 25 are expected in September, well ahead of original goals, he said.

The nursing program is a bit of a puzzle. Market research showed “very high demand” for the program nationally, and initial recruiting drew 3,000 inquiries, he said. But only three people ended up enrolling.

Many of those interested were hoping to finish their bachelor’s degrees quickly and inexpensively, Gardner said, and they were intimidated by the prerequisites required.

“We have high standards,” Gardner said, noting the College of Nursing is ranked in the top five nationwide. “It is a demanding program.”

To qualify, students must be registered nurses who have completed a number of tough prerequisite courses. Most applicants needed to take four to six courses before they could enroll, Gardner said.

To create a “pipeline,” the UI made arrangements for students to take the prerequisites online through Parkland College, and 15 to 20 should be ready to enroll in Global Campus by September, he said.

Global Campus also plans to shift to more targeted marketing for that program, advertising in nursing journals and pursuing contracts with hospitals or other health-care organizations that have tuition-reimbursement programs for their employees. Toward that end, trustees last month approved discounts of up to 15 percent for group enrollees.

Global Campus initially advertised on the Web and contracted with “lead-generation” firms that run Web sites where students can request information about online programs. Their names are forwarded to the UI for a fee.

More : news-gazette.com

Hoboken, NJ (PRWEB) April 2, 2008 — Although most economists say the United States is not in a recession, the pocketbooks of many Americans would say otherwise. In fact, a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll found that the majority of people in the U.S. believe we are now in a recession and inflation is their top concern. In the face of economic struggles, eLearners.com, a web resource of EducationDynamics that connects prospective students with online colleges, is seeing an increase in requests for information on online MBA degrees.

“In tough economic times people with an MBA or other advanced degree are often the ones that come out ahead,” said Terrence Thomas, Chief Marketing Officer for eLearners.com. “Those with a higher education will stand out against their competitors, making them more marketable for higher-paying jobs.”

In tough economic times people with an MBA or other advanced degree are often the ones that come out ahead
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a higher level of education equals higher overall lifetime earnings. Census Data projects that a professional degree holder (e.g. lawyer or doctor) will earn $4.4 million in the span of his or her career. The U.S. Census Bureau also found that people with an MBA or other advanced degree earned four times that of people with a high school diploma ($82,320 compared to $20,873 respectively).

“But, it’s not just about about the money, particularly in recessionary periods,” continued Thomas. “It’s about employability.”

A September 2007 College Board report titled “Education Pays” found that higher levels of education directly correspond to a lower unemployment rate. The average unemployment rate for people with at least a bachelor’s degree was around two percent, while the average unemployment rate for high school graduates was nearly five percent.

To “recession proof” their employment, many Americans are seeking advanced degrees, such as an MBA degree, to solidify their current position or to switch careers entirely. People are also looking to education to tap into jobs that may handle the hard economic times better than others. Some of those fields include education, international business, security and healthcare. For people having to juggle a career and school, online colleges are a perfect fit because of their convenience and flexibility. eLearners.com lists the following as its top ten most requested online master’s degrees: Business Administration, Counseling, Psychology, Health Administration, Criminal Justice, Nursing, Curriculum and Instruction, Special Education, K-12 Education and Educational Leadership.

More : prweb.com

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer says he’s sorry for whatever he’s done, which from the look of things amounted to romps with pricey prostitutes from an outfit called Emperors Club VIP. For students of business, the Spitzer scandal opens a new window into the workings of an illegal industry.

As it turns out, prostitution has business principles, human-resources challenges and marketing difficulties just like every other line of work.

Take, for example, the transaction that no doubt will be Spitzer’s last with Emperors, whose four principals were arrested last week. It was outlined in an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Kenneth Hosey on March 5.

Spitzer, identified by the New York Times as “Client 9” in Hosey’s statement, was looking to purchase the services of Emperors’ “Kristen” for an evening just before Valentine’s Day. Management at Emperors had strict rules about payment—major credit cards, authorized bank cashier’s checks and “most foreign currencies” in advance. Add a 20 percent surcharge if you needed Emperors to exchange your currency, according to Emperor’s Web page, which recently was shut down.

The New York governor tried to book his appointment with only a $400 credit on his Emperors account, but Emperors wasn’t buying it. Sticking to its guiding principle (no money, no action) Emperors kept the evening with Kristen on hold until Spitzer’s payment arrived Feb. 13.

Not wanting to encounter payment issues next time around, Spitzer gave Kristen an extra $1,700 as a deposit toward a future transaction. (Her services that night went for $3,100). Emperors, a class outfit, had no tolerance for delinquent payments.

Keep ‘em honest

Along with a knack for keeping customers honest, Emperors was a marketing whiz with a talent for knowing its customer. A Web page for Emperors Publishing Media Group, which advertised Emperors Club, boasted that 92 percent of Emperors Club VIP International Members were “CEO/Owner/Partners of a large” company. Annual income of its tony clientele ranged from $1 million to $30 million a year, the Web page said.

And Emperors wasn’t so foolish as to ignore the graying of America: Its Web page said that 9.3 percent of members were retired chief executive officers. Think of all the disposable income from those stock options.

With such a monied clientele, it would be smart to push for a little synergy. Seventy-seven percent of Emperors customers owned or collected art, according to its Web page, so it was a no-brainer to set up a division to buy and sell original art for clients it described as “millionaires and billionaires.”

Supply and demand

Even good marketers can’t control everything in the marketplace, though, and Emperors did face its challenges. Among conversations the FBI captured from phone calls, e-mail and text messages was one which two principals concluded that there was no point in advertising in Miami because of a tight supply of prostitutes.

In a different conversation, the two bemoaned that the Los Angeles market was sluggish because of too many girls, not enough demand. It was Economics 101, right out of Adam Smith.

To keep customers happy, the company offered lots of options. Customers who paid cash got a discount, much as you might when you fill up the car at certain gas stations.

Two prostitutes for four hours came with a price tag of $3,600 for cash, but $4,140 on the American Express card.

Taking a page from the auto industry, Emperors even offered a “buy or lease” option. A customer who tried a prostitute and liked her could pay a fee to buy her out, thereafter doing business with her directly and avoiding the middleman.

More : dailyreportonline.com

UNA started a 12-month program in business administration for graduate students in January.

This is a full-time residential program open to all college students, and it caters to international students who do not meet the UNA’s Master of Business Administration program requirements.

Upon completion of the program, students receive a graduate certificate in business administration.

Students can also pursue a bachelor’s, an associate’s or an online MBA.

“If they have used their time wisely, they can earn a graduate degree,” said Dr. Kerry P. Gatlin, Dean of the College of Business.

Students can get an online MBA through universities like Columbia Southern and Phoenix.

International Student Services Specialist Linda Allen suggests that CSU may be more “cost-efficient.”

“The cost of CSU will be almost the same as the UNA MBA program,” said Allen.

Students seeking enrollment in this program are not required to meet any prerequisites or submit GMAT scores, which MBA students must do.

This program is designed for international students who may have to finish in a 12-month period due to financial or other reasons. Students who have joined and dropped from the MBA program may opt for this course.

The program is designed to be cost-effective.

“There are no book costs,” said Gatlin. “Textbooks are provided.”

“For students sensitive about costs, this is a plus,” he said.

International students enrolled in this program require the same documents, like the I-20 and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) requirements, and have to pay the same amount in international students’ fees and health care services as other international students.

Allen said that the ESL students at UNA were approached with this option to see if this is “something that they want.”

Dr. Ward, interim director at the Center for International Programs at UNA, who recently visited India to recruit students for UNA, will be pitching this option to the potential students there, said Allen.

Upon the successful completion of the program students will have a transcript showing the courses they have taken and a certificate showing that they have passed the program.

More : media.www.florala.net

Lonzo Hall will graduate from Virginia College this December with an online MBA degree, and its even more impressive when you learn that Hall is legally blind. The 53 year-old student is proud of completing a journey he began as the result of a dare from a close friend.

“Some people think that because theyve got a disability, they just cant do things and they dont even try. I say to those people, look at the positives in your life. You may be blind or have some other disability, but you can still get up in the morning. There are some out there who would love to be able to just do that. There is always something to be grateful for.”

Lonzo Hall has appreciated the many opportunities hes had since going legally blind at seventeen after a bout with spinal meningitis. He attended a high school for the blind, received a business degree from a traditional college and then started his own business. Several years passed before the challenge from a friend to pursue an MBA online after hearing an advertisement for the Virginia College MBA online program. Hall enrolled in the program in 2005 and excelled from the beginning.

More : clickpress.com

MBA glut forces school to university

THE Australian Graduate School of Management, one of the countrys few globally ranked business schools, will cease to be a stand-alone institution as it battles an oversupplied market for business education.

AGSM, owned by the University of NSW, would become part of the UNSWs faculty of commerce and economics to give business education a new scale and specialisation, vice-chancellor Fred Hilmer said yesterday.

Were going to be able to extend the AGSM brand with faculty depth that an AGSM standing on its own would not have, Mr Hilmer, an ex-dean of the business school, told The Australian.

The decision followed last years exit from an AGSM joint venture by the Sydney University, amid reports of fierce competition in an oversupplied market for MBAs and a history of poor finances at AGSM.

John Seybolt, dean of the Melbourne Business School, chief rival to AGSM, said the Hilmer strategy could be a viable one for them but the No1 issue was whether the merger would weaken the AGSM brand. He said the merger would be seen as defensive simply because it followed the bad news of Sydney Universitys exodus and AGSMs history of financial losses.

More: theaustralian.news.com.au

MBA hiring, pay soaring

For the second year in a row, recruiters are flocking to B-schools. In fact, 98% of 60 schools polled in a recent survey say theyre seeing a big increase in job offers to MBA students, and 70% report a jump in starting salaries and signing bonuses.

Much of the demand is coming from those traditional stalwarts of MBA hiring - consulting, financial services, and consumer goods companies.

But recruiters arent hiring indiscriminately, says Greg Ruf, CEO of MBA Focus , which maintains a database on more than 20,000 MBAs that it uses to help about 1,800 U.S. employers find job candidates from around the world.

Indeed, 42% of U.S. schools report that theyre playing host to more and more recruiters who are there to find students from other countries, and to woo them for overseas jobs either in their own home countries or elsewhere, according to the MBA Career Services Council, a trade group for B-school career counselors and corporate recruiters, which conducted the survey.

More: money.cnn.com

IIM-B submits Singapore proposal

A 4,700 sq ft of space on Singapores Mei Chin Road, classes held only in the evenings between 7 and 10 pm and just one faculty at any given time on campus.

Thats pretty much what Brand IIMs maiden global venture — IIM-Bs Singapore campus — proposes to have. While legal hurdles are being cleared for the overseas campus, IIM-B has submitted a detailed proposal to the HRD ministry on the Singapore initiative.

To begin with IIMB-S, as it will be called, will offer two programmes — a two-year part-time MBA and executive education for senior and middle-level executives. The part-time MBA will involve 12 to 15 modules, with classes held during evenings between 7 pm and 10 pm.

More: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

B-schools just teach ‘theory’

In today’s rapidly changing global economy, upper management in most companies are becoming increasingly dependent on junior managers to take “complete ownership” in their areas of activity.

In fact, asking them to function more or less as entrepreneurs themselves! That can be exciting. But are most of our MBA graduates ready?

A tremendous amount of learning happens both inside and outside the classroom. While the breadth of material covered does not leave room for as much depth, the degree definitely leaves the graduating student confident of the theoretical exposure that he has acquired, coupled with the urge to try it out in practice.

But B-schools seldom provide the intermediary layer between theory and practice, especially in the context of running a business unit as a whole - as an entrepreneur.

I felt this strongly when I faced the first major crisis in my company and the core team of MBA’s that we had were unable to step up.

More: inhome.rediff.com