For many working professionals especially those who frequently travel or relocate, perhaps taking an online MBA degree is their only option in an effort to advance their careers. Getting an online course is more flexible and convenient and allows you to pursue advanced education without having to stop working for a year or two. Thousands of online MBAs are granted each year through the distance learning departments of traditional business schools. However, it’s best to be cautious about substandard schools with no legal accreditation and offers little work during the course of study.

According to the founder and CEO of GetEducated.com, a website that checks accredited online degree programs and educates consumers about them, there are now more fraudulent online MBA programs in the U.S. Some schools deceive their students on the accreditation aspect while others require less rigid work in getting a degree. An example is the St. Regis University which falsely claimed approval from the Liberian government and was ordered closed by the court in June 2005.

Although not all online schools offer quality education, some insist that they do. The University of Phoenix, for instance, claims to have formulated a method that enables students to give quality work. CEO Brian Mueller stressed that their online courses actually require more time and more rigorous training than their traditional courses. Their students, he added, can attest to this fact. The University of Phoenix online MBA program accommodates about 16,000 enrollees each year. Since its establishment in 1989, it has reported a yearly growth. The Regis University, for its part, revealed that about 1,800 students enroll in their online MBA program every eight weeks.

Meanwhile, corporate officers are not so sold on even the best online MBA programs because of its inability to create professional network and lack of interaction among classmates. A graduate of an online MBA degree should, therefore, have a strong and attractive resume and a good explanation as to why he or she had to get the degree on the Internet.

The important initial step you need to take is to get all the information about the course you wish to apply for and the business school. The Internet gives you the convenience in doing your research. You can virtually shop for the various schools that offer MBA programs before choosing the best one for you. You can also personally visit the schools to get first-hand information from the admissions staff concerning their requirements, fees, course outline and length of study.

Make sure that you fill up all the items in the application form as clearly and neatly as possible. Then take the time to make a good resume, one that will present yourself, your educational background and job experiences in a specific manner. Include your special skills and trainings undergone.

As for your application essay, it should be well written and in correct grammar, spelling and syntax. Remember that your writing ability in English is vital in your chance of being admitted to the program. Your writing skill will be tested during the course of the program as you will be asked to do assignments, reports as well as projects. You can state in your essay your reason in pursuing an MBA, your field of interest and the benefits it will give you in the end. Include also one or two unique job experiences in the past which were of great value to your personal life and career. Be positive in expressing yourself and use transitions between paragraphs. Choose the right words to convey your views and ideas and not just to impress. Make every effort to write an interesting essay by varying your sentence structure.

Your letters of recommendation should fully back you up. Choose people, such as former professors and employers, who can vouch for your knowledge and skills. Meet with them and tell them about this requirement but avoid telling them what to write in the letter.

Search for scholarships early if you believe you don’t have enough funds to finance your MBA. Apply to as many scholarships but only to those for which you qualify. Keep in mind that there are more applications received than the awards available so you have to apply to more than one. Don’t focus too much on the award amount. There’s actually less competition in scholarships that offer lesser amounts so you have a better chance of getting one.

Should you be scheduled for an interview, practice beforehand. Research about the school, the program you are applying for and how it can help you in your career. Look presentable and be on time during the date of the interview. Just be yourself and be honest with your answers. Present yourself well – your strengths, and traits that need further improvement. Understand the questions asked and don’t hesitate to ask for a repeat if you did not fully understand one or two questions. Feel free to ask about the school’s facilities as well as the financial aid available. Be honest too about problems such as grades, test scores or short working experience.

Hundreds of thousands of MBA degrees are awarded each year. Latest statistics show a sharp rise from the volume of degrees granted from less than 5,000 in 1960 to more than 100,000 in the year 2000. Judging by this figure, you can just imagine the thousands of aspiring MBA students that apply for admission each year to advance their education and their careers. The economy is instrumental in this upbeat trend in MBA enrollment as fresh graduates and displaced workers usually aim to earn a master’s in business administration when business does not perform well.

Applying for a slot in an MBA program is very challenging and the competition is stiff among applicants. This applies to any type of MBA whether full time, part time, executive, online or distance learning. Since many of those wishing to pursue an MBA degree are already experienced in their own fields, potential students compete among the best of the best. You need to be armed with attractive credentials both academically and professionally to be able to win a slot. And the earlier you apply, the better your chance of being considered into the program.

Admission officers are rigid in screening your submitted documents. Make sure then that the requirements you pass to the school are complete and, if possible, the best. A good GMAT score is one of your keys. Your past and present work experience, especially if it includes extraordinary ones, is another. Apart from those, what will matter greatly are your application essays and letters of recommendation. Essays are important because it gauges your English writing skills and your ability to express yourself. The details of your work experience, notably the unique ones, as well as its relevance to your pursuit for an MBA degree should be included. Honesty is vital so feel free to point out your weaknesses and the efforts you are taking to address them.

To find out for yourself how competitive the atmosphere is in the business school you are eyeing to be in, do make a school visit. Do this before submitting your application requirements. You can stay there for one whole day, attend classes or have lunch with the students. You can even interview some students about their experiences in applying to an MBA program. This personal visit can also help you in your essay.

Do your research beforehand to ensure a successful admission. Remember there are thousands of applicants each year from several countries. Not only that, you are also making a major decision that will affect your personal life and your professional career. You will also be spending thousands of dollars in tuition hence, being complacent is a no-no. If you so desire, you can get an admissions consultant who can help you formulate your personal strategy for a successful admission to an MBA program.

If in case you have a postgraduate certificate or postgraduate diploma in management or business administration, or a master’s degree in a related area from another country which has not been completed, you can apply for a transfer of credits. This should be done at the earliest possible time to avoid delay in your study.

The required education background, however, varies from school to school. Some are strict in their requisites for an undergraduate degree before an applicant can be admitted to their MBA program. If you’re one interested MBA student, you need to check with each school whether they require a bachelor’s degree or not. There are some exceptions to the rule.

It is not really necessary that you have an undergraduate business degree in order to pursue an MBA. Many students come from a variety of educational backgrounds even those not related to business such as the arts, communications and medicine and whether you plan to pursue a business career or a non-traditional career in the government, a non-profit organization, an international agency or other areas, the MBA can surely provide you with a bright future. Non-traditional students who have earned undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, social science, engineering, law or an advanced degree in another field can still acquire the basic business knowledge and skills offered by an MBA program. They can benefit from this program even without the prior formal business training during their undergraduate years or from a corporate training.

Without a business undergraduate degree, your best defense in getting into an MBA program is your ability in math. Preparatory courses in calculus, statistics, financial accounting, macro or micro economics and corporate finance will prove to be valuable during the course of your MBA study. You can enroll in these courses prior to your application to an MBA program if you feel the need to get additional knowledge skills in math.

After completing an undergraduate degree, you are free to pursue an MBA right away. However, experts advise to earn at least two years of professional experience before getting an MBA. In this way, you will be able to contribute more to class discussions and can gain a deeper understanding of specific business ideas. It is best that you have a practical understanding of the systems of organizations because most MBA programs value real world experiences of their students. Assignments given usually ask students to share and analyze their professional experience. Also, those with previous work experience are able to provide more practical solutions to business problems because they’ve personally observed what solutions work and what do not.

Take time to consider several points before committing to a part time MBA program. Courses included in most MBA part time programs are scheduled throughout the year and may give you a hard time in completing an internship. Although the part time set-up includes the same specialization as that of the full time program, it only offer a limited number of specialized courses as it puts more emphasis on the core subjects. And it may take you four to five years to complete an MBA degree compared to the full time MBA that takes only two years. The reason for this is the spreading out of the courses in a longer time frame.

The part time MBA has its own pros and cons. You can develop your present skills and learn new ones while still working on your current job. You can take schedules that are either before or after your office working hours. Situations and problems that happen in the office can be integrated in your classroom study and solutions you may take up during classes can be applied in real life. On the financial side, you can avail of tuition assistance or student loans to support your MBA study. However, if your employer offers to shoulder or reimburse your tuition, the ideal program is the part time. In addition, to those who are self-supporting their MBAs, the part time set-up is not so much of a burden because the tuition fees are divided over a longer time frame. Geographically, this program offers more flexibility notably if you live far from your school and less travel stress as you need to attend classes either only once or twice a week.

On the other hand, a few disadvantages can only be pointed out in the part time schedule. These may be on tuition assistance which is not available for a longer period, frequent travel or relocation due to one’s job and the difficulty to transfer credits if ever you want to shift to the full time program or the other way around.

First thing you need to fill up is the school’s application form. Be sure to answer all the items in the form and keep it neat and clean.

The transcript of records from the universities or colleges which you have attended previously are also required. The transcript details the subjects you have taken in earning your bachelor’s degree or any other post graduate degrees and their corresponding grades. This is where your grade point average or GPA will show.

You also need to submit your resume or curriculum vitae, which is a crucial document. Your resume should clearly present the details of your previous education and work experience including trainings undergone. It should also specify your skills which are beneficial in your career and chosen MBA degree.

Letters of recommendations or references are as important because they could support your application. These should come from people who should not be related to you and who have supervised your previous studies and work like your former professors and employers. You can personally talk to them about this requirement but avoid telling them what they should write about. A two-page recommendation letter could be more useful.

An application essay should not be taken for granted. This should be well written and well structured. It should state your character, strengths and traits that need development as well as your goals in your professional career. Focus more on the positive side such as your unique experiences and how it contributed to your professional development. Explain also your choice of school and how an MBA degree will affect your future. Avoid being monotonous in your essay. Use different sentence structures and use the right words to communicate yourself. Be concise in the information that you give because admission officers do not want to take longer in reading essays.

Of course, you also need to take tests such as the TOEFL or IELTS for English proficiency if English is not your first language. The GMAT is another important requisite. You may also be asked to take personality tests before you can be admitted to an MBA program.

You may be interviewed as well during the application process. Be punctual and dress properly during the interview. Keep in mind to be yourself and be honest in answering the questions. Should you not understand the question, feel free to ask for a repeat from the interviewer.

Full time MBA – Full time MBA programs can either be for one year or two years. The one-year program usually requires vast qualifications or experience from applicants because the course is very intensive. Slots are also limited. The criteria for eligibility and the course content may differ from school to school. Meanwhile, the two-year program covers courses that can be completed in two academic years. Several months of internship are also involved during the course of this program.

Part time MBA – Courses in the part time program are more flexible and convenient especially to those who may find difficulty taking a full time MBA.

Online MBA – Getting an MBA in the past meant a full time education on campus which entailed traveling from home and not being employed for several years. But with the introduction of online MBA programs, balancing personal life and career had been a lot easier and convenient. Pursuing advanced education is now very possible without causing major changes in home life and present jobs.

Accounting MBA – This program is focused on the accounting aspect and is suitable for those wanting to be in business accounts administration.

Computer Systems MBA – As its name suggests, this course is meant for those who wish to further their careers in the field of computers. General and specialized skills as well as advanced knowledge in computer systems are taught here.

Criminal Justice MBA – This puts emphasis on the criminal justice system. The general MBA courses are normally covered in the first year while the specialization aspect comes in the second year.

eBusiness MBA – This is recommended for people wanting to be in the electronic business administration and management.

Entrepreneurship MBA – This is a very useful course for people who have strong interest in becoming an entrepreneur especially those who plan to open their own enterprise. Through this program, they will be able to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to make their business successful.

Finance MBA – This program trains professionals to develop specialized skills and to be able to ensure a smooth business operation notably on the financial aspect. A finance MBA is an ideal qualification for people wanting to enter the field of business administration and management.

Global Management MBA – Doing business these days is no longer limited to just one or two countries. Many companies now transact with other organizations and employees in the different parts of the world thus making business a global environment. This course proves to be invaluable as international companies look for professional and skilled people who know how to deal in a global market.

Health Care Management MBA – Health care is one of the most challenging and demanding fields to get into. This sector has been very competitive and a career in healthcare management and administration can be very fast-paced. An MBA in this field would be your best training ground as you gain the needed knowledge and skills to be at par with the others in this important service.

Human Resource MBA – Graduates of this course usually take charge in managing the human resource department of a certain company. This program trains you to be competent and confident in performing your job in this department.

The other MBA programs available include Executive, International Business, Leadership, Management, Marketing, Operations, Project Management and Technology Management, Engineering, Hospitality and Tourism, Information Systems, Industrial Management, Media, Real Estate, Sport Management and Telecommunications.

The courses included in this program are aimed at meeting the needs of busy professionals. Courses such as career management and corporate strategy are focused on global business issues and techniques. Classes are usually held during the weekend while the entire course lasts for two years. The schedule offered allows executives to continue with their work while at the same time pursuing their EMBA. The skills and knowledge taught are the same as that of the full time, part time and online MBA programs. The only difference is that those involved in the EMBA are executives who have expertise in their respective areas.

The executive MBA aims to develop new skills in business administration and improve existing ones. These are focused on marketing, management, operations, finance, leadership, problem solving, technology, decision making and plan implementation. The EMBA program is considered full time and its curriculum is very structured. Most of the time, students are tasked to do group projects and meetings.

Most of the faculty members of top business schools are experts in their own fields as students taking executive MBAs are believed to have vast knowledge and skills in their chosen fields. Most companies shoulder the tuition of their people taking EMBAs and they expect a return from their investment by way of improved performance level in the office. Executive MBA programs also give great opportunities for networking which many companies can take advantage of.

Meanwhile, the executive MBA has also gone global. In fact, five business schools from around the world have made a partnership to provide an EMBA with international scope. The difference lies in the curriculum, international network and extensive experience overseas required among participants. This type of EMBA includes international courses, get more students from abroad and provide short educational trips to other countries during which students meet with local executives. An example of this type of global approach is the OneMBA which targets to expose some 100 senior executives to business practices in each of the five school’s region. The business schools involved in this partnership are from Hong Kong, Brazil, Mexico and the U.S.

The EMBA was first offered in the 1940s. The Executive MBA Council says around 175 universities and schools are now offering 210 MBA worldwide.

Recent reports say there had been slight increases in enrollment for specialized one-year MBA programs. This is partly due to demand in the corporate world. The advantage of the one-year program is that it does not overlap with the curriculum of the undergraduate business. Students opting to take this shorter version are advised to enroll soon after earning their bachelor’s degree. In this way, they will be able to meet all requirements in the core business course. It is also seen that the one-year MBA degree will cause the use of more technology-based information media such as the CD-ROM and online services and will require a lesser number of faculty.

MBA graduates from both the traditional two-year and the one-year programs show no major difference in their work performance. This is evident in the way corporations have been neutral in hiring graduates from the two types of full time MBA programs. Experts confirm there is no published proof that those who completed two-year MBA programs do better then their counterparts in the one-year program.

Apart from the full time schedule, schools also offer a part time program which would take around four to five years to complete. This is the most flexible program for busy working professionals who cannot commit to a full time schedule and who wish to continue working while studying. The courses are spread out throughout the year and may be difficult to include internship.

The distance learning MBA falls under the part time program. Classes in this type of program are held off campus hence, it requires more self-discipline among students and some courses that need teamwork may take a lot of time. This is also more flexible in that you can study in any location, no matter how remote it may be, and even if you move from time to time during the course of your study.

It is a reality that most MBA graduates from U.S. schools would prefer to initially work for American companies located in the big cities such as the financial capital New York. But in the long term, you can still get hired by huge firms in other countries, all because of your MBA degree earned in the U.S. This recognition can be traced to the fact that the U.S. was the first to introduce the MBA program in the 1900s, with Europe following suit in the 1960s. This being so, an American MBA degree indeed brings honor to any graduate wherever he or she would like to work. It also translates to a top level job and a higher salary and bonus. For migrant students who wish to work in their own country, large business firms will surely run after them.

Another point to consider is that during the course of your study in the U.S., for instance, and you wish to relocate to another country, you can definitely have your courses credited to your new school. This is perhaps one of the reasons why the system of transferring credits from one business school to another has existed. MBA programs in the U.S. are highly regarded around the world hence, students are greatly respected as well.

Many companies from other parts of the world are seeing the importance of MBA graduates in the progress of their organization. Thus, there are companies in other countries who invest in their staff by sending them to business schools abroad, either in the U.S. or in Europe, to get an MBA degree for career advancement. For this reason, students overseas also make it a point to enroll in the best business schools notably in the U.S. In fact, more than half a million foreign students are now enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities to pursue their MBAs, 20 percent of them are in the field of business. Academic experts believe that the presence, experiences and insights of foreign students contribute greatly to the MBA program’s international context of learning.

This MBA trend has indeed gone global. No matter where you earned your MBA degree (so long as it’s from a reputable and accredited business school) and from what type of program (full time, part time, online or distance learning), you can be sure to land in top level jobs with better salaries anywhere in the world. What counts most is how you perform your job and eventually contribute to your organization’s growth and development.