After you graduate college, you will likely be left reeling and uncertain. This is how it goes for most students. After four years of structure and insulation, you are launched out of a cannon into the real world, with no idea what to do or how to make money. It’s important that those are noted as two separate ideas: what to do and how to make money. Your post-graduation life won’t just be about finding a job or making money. It will be about finding stuff to do, especially since you probably won’t be able to find a job at first, and if you do, it is likely to be part-time, and less than fulfilling intellectually. So you will need to find ways to productively fill time that won’t cause you to gain weight or lose your mind.
One of the options many people consider is getting another degree. In the modern job market, having a bachelor’s degree isn’t a benefit, it is a necessity. Having master’s degree is almost the same way, in many fields. You may not need a master’s degree, but as Wooderson says in “Dazed and Confused,” it would be a lot cooler if you did.
But with the decision to get a master’s degree, you face another dilemma. Even though a master’s is traditionally earned in two years, it is just as much work as getting a bachelor’s. You are already deep in debt from student loans, and your payments will start any month now. You can’t afford to go any deeper into debt without making money at the same time.
That’s where online master’s programs come in. If you earn a master’s degree online, you can earn it from anywhere. You do all of your work at home, and you can completely make your own schedule. This will allow you to dedicate a reasonable amount of time to working and earning money while also working towards earning a master’s degree.
A common choice for a post-graduation master’s degree is MBA, or a master’s in business administration. It is an intensive degree that can boost your resume in any field. Online MBA programs have become extremely popular, and are now offered by prestigious institutions like Villanova University.
But how do employers view online MBAs?
MBAs are highly regarded degrees among employers, but it isn’t necessarily the same case for MBAs which were received online. More traditional employers may perceive your online MBA as less valuable than one that was earned in a more traditional college environment. There are still doubts about the curriculum in these online MBA programs, as well as the legitimacy of the degrees, especially with older employers.
Having an online MBA is definitely better than having no MBA or master’s degree at all. The benefits of being able to study towards this degree from home and have a flexible enough schedule to still work are great, but it should be considered that they may not outweigh the drawbacks when it comes to employers’ perception of your degree.