100% Online MBA Vs. Professional MBA Which Values Benefit You?

Ohio University's ASCSB-accredited College of Business (COB) offers a part-time, 100% online MBA and a part-time, Professional Master of Business Administration (PMBA) degree that each provide an outstanding, nationally-ranked education.

Though our online MBA programs differ slightly in presentation and personal experience, they were built with a commitment to align the core values of the COB throughout every aspect of the programs. This includes the curriculums, faculty, support systems, and learning options.

Read on to see how the values of the COB benefit our online MBA degrees and can help you determine which program is right for you. 

Value: We offer individualized paths to success.

Our MBA options are defined in the ways you can earn them online. They make it easy to fit an advanced business degree into your life, ensuring you can meet your responsibilities while growing your career. 

Online MBA vs. PMBA — Which Program Benefits Your Learning Style?

In the online MBA, you'll complete engaging, comprehensive coursework that combines the academic excellence and experience-based learning of a traditional program with all the flexibility and convenience of online study. The benefit of our online MBA degree program is that you can access your coursework 24/7 and complete your assignments on a schedule that fits your life. You learn without coming to campus, while virtual office hours and team chats give you the opportunity to connect with peers and faculty. 

The PMBA degree program is unique in its delivery and approach to learning. You'll learn with a blend of online learning at any time, virtual classes, and once-a-month Saturday workshops in Dublin, Ohio. This format gives you the best of both worlds. You can complete the majority of coursework without the worry of a commute. Then you can also network in person and in a state-of-the-art classroom with your faculty and professional peer group, participating in lively, real-time discussions, group work, and presentations. Learn more about upcoming PMBA Information Sessions and Open Houses.

Individualized Options for the Online MBA and PMBA

Our commitment to providing individualized paths to success extends through the curriculum for the online MBA and the PMBA programs so students have the same, excellent learning opportunities.

Choice of Nine Concentrations

The online MBA and the PMBA programs offer a choice of nine concentration options focused on the top-growth areas in business that offer high-paying careers. You can change your concentration up until your third semester, so you won't lose time or money if your interests change.   

Value: We serve students first, so they can serve.

We know that continued success in your career and ability to lead others is based on strong support while learning and growing. We commit to helping others succeed so that we all succeed. 

Benefits for part-time, online MBA and PMBA students:

• Get started quickly — apply without taking a GMAT 
• Get personalized attention in courses from subject matter experts
• Gain industry connections and mentorship opportunities
• Use GradCAT career services specifically for business students
• Have unlimited, lifetime access to advanced job-search technology
• Schedule an annual career coaching session for free to keep advancing

Value: We teach principled leadership.

Principled leadership starts at the top. Our online MBA and PMBA degree programs are based in the College of Business, which is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business (AACSB). The esteemed designation is held by only 5% of business schools worldwide. 

We also provide thoughtful leadership to our faculty and staff. As we support them in evolving with industry trends, they're encouraged to deliver the highest quality education to our future business leaders. 

Within the degree programs, students in our online MBA and PMBA programs attend a two-day Leadership Development Conference in Athens, Ohio. During this time, you'll hear from world-class speakers and faculty, explore aspects of leadership and learn how to influence others and lead yourself and businesses in today's environment.

Additionally, both the online MBA and PMBA degrees feature leadership and teamwork assessments and capstone activities that can include:

• 360-degree leadership assessment
• Teamwork style assessment
• Team composition analysis
• Implicit associations test
• A final project to create a marketing plan for a real consulting assignment or a new business
• A semester-long group project to develop a business case with an emphasis on the risks, benefits, and ROI of implementing emerging technology

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Value: We embrace the diversity of thought and community.

Both our online MBA and PMBA students benefit from our dedication to learning from others — it's crucial to teach current skills. As such, we rely on our Executive Advisory Board (EAB) to counsel and support the faculty, administration, and students.  

Our EAB members are successful alumni. From presidents to advisers, CEOs to consultants, they are investors, principals, managers, and Bobcats. Through their business ventures, skill sets, and locations throughout the U.S., they bring a national view of business trends and innovation to the college.

In the PMBA program, students work together in interactive workshops on group projects to do things like examine research, ideate strategies, write positioning statements, and develop creative assets. Using the comfort of the personal relationships they developed, they dive deeper into issues and ask probing questions. 

Without the need to come to campus, the online MBA program can welcome students from across the state, region, and globe, giving students a greater opportunity to connect with and learn alongside peers who can live anywhere they have a connection. This gives them the ability to learn alongside others from different regions and cultures and expands their understanding of diversity in work, cultures, and industries.

Students in the online MBA program and the PMBA programs will work with their cohort for team analysis breakout sessions to do things like analyze real-world financial statements, develop marketing plans after completing a situation analysis, use data analytics for research, and more.

Value: We foster relationships that last.

Whether you choose to enroll in the online MBA or the PMBA, you'll find it easy to build relationships that last. 

In both of our online MBA programs, the EAB acts as a crucial liaison between the business and professional community. They provide valuable government and industry contacts, helping faculty increase the impact of their research and teaching while giving students access to critical mentoring opportunities. 

As you consider your post-graduation options, the Executive Advisory Board is available to provide unmatched executive advice to future Bobcats in business.

In the 100% online MBA program, you'll build relationships with peers around the globe within your cohort. And at the leadership conference, you'll connect with your classmates and faculty members in person to deepen relationships and networking opportunities. The conference also allows you to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world application. 

Students in the PMBA program build upon their online relationships with virtual classrooms and monthly, in-person, meetings. This facilitates connections that lead to long-term professional relationships with fellow learners and faculty members.

At the leadership conference, our PMBA students expand their network further to include other cohorts and deepen the relationships they have with their own. 

Students in both programs network with peers and instructors and, at graduation, join more than 250,000 alumni.

Value: We deliver on our promises.

But, you don't have to take our word for it.

Third-party rankings and recognition include:

• Top Online MBA in Ohio and #39th Nationally — Poets & Quants
• #42 Best Online MBA — Fortune
• #57 Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans — U.S. News & World Report
• #88 Best Online MBA Programs — U.S. News & World Report
• Best Value in Ohio’s Public Universities — U.S. News & World Report

But, best of all is the success of our graduates, as they report it themselves. 

In a 2021 exit survey of recent OHIO online MBA graduates, 43% of respondents reported they had already received a pay increase, while 36% had earned a promotion. Of the OHIO PMBA graduates, 68% of respondents reported that they had received a promotion. In addition, they reported an average salary increase of $10,000.

Between the online MBA and PMBA programs, more than 90% said their program prepared them for lifetime career opportunities. 

Which Do You Choose? Online MBA or PMBA?

Ohio University's 100% online MBA and Professional Master of Business Administration (PMBA) degrees are accredited by the AACSB and are nationally ranked and recognized. The part-time online MBA and hybrid PMBA programs can be completed with a choice of nine career-ready concentrations, part-time, within two years. While these are great benefits of both degree options, the differences will dictate which program you select.

Is visiting campus once a month, joining your cohort "in person" in some virtual sessions, and building your portfolio through experiential learning your priority? If so, then the PMBA is for you. 

If you value the idea of learning online full-time and connecting with faculty and peers at times you choose, and having a greater opportunity to work with peers from across the world, then the online MBA is what you should choose.  

Let us know what you think is best, and please reach out with questions about our online MBA programs. We always look forward to talking with you. Contact us directly at 740.924.5725.

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