MBA Buying Guide

It seems as if everyone is accredited these days. But not all accreditations are alike. Butler is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), the premier accrediting body for business schools, founded by such highly regarded institutions as Columbia, Harvard, Northwestern and Yale.

It means different things at every school. At some schools, it means they are using "adjunct" faculty - working professionals who have experience with a course's subject matter. On the surface, that sounds pretty good. Unfortunately, not all adjuncts are good teachers, which means you could end up hearing old war stories rather than learning.

At Butler, we rely primarily on our full-time faculty. And we often partner them with business executives to add a real business component to the class discussion. In addition, our class projects tend to focus on actual business problems with vital, relevant input from our many business partners. That means Butler students work on current problems rather than just case studies.

We understand that life "happens." Some people must travel for work and others have parenting obligations and commitments. For busy students, flexibility is key. Unfortunately, many MBA programs are notoriously rigid. You enter as one of a cohort group and continue through the program at a pace dictated by the school. Skipping a semester or just taking a lighter class load for the spring can cause major problems.

We built our MBA program around the concept of flexibility. You decide how many classes you take in a semester. You decide how quickly you progress toward your degree. On average it takes a student 2-2 ½ years to get his or her MBA. Some get on a "fast track" and finish much earlier. Others take longer, and that's OK with us.

First of all, make sure you know what the real tuition cost is. Most schools and comparison lists show only the cost per credit hour. You'll need to multiply the cost per credit hour and the number of required hours to get the total tuition cost. The school with the lower cost per credit hour may appear attractive at first. But it might actually require you to take more credit hours to receive a degree, which will end up costing you more than you anticipated.

Also, don't forget to find out about add-on costs, including student fees, enrollment deposits and miscellaneous items. Butler has no extra fees beyond the tuition per credit hour and your books.

The best way to see if you'll fit in is to visit a class. At Butler it's easy to do. In fact, we encourage it. By monitoring one of our classes, you'll have the opportunity to picture yourself working with other students on a group project and find out how comfortable you will be speaking up in the classroom.

Everyone's needs are different. Your decision should be based on the quality of the school, including accreditation, and the respect the school and the MBA program have in the business community. Ask around. Ask your boss. If he or she gives you a "you've-got-to-be-kidding" look when you mention "X University," it's a pretty good sign an MBA from there won't help you much.

Campus-based education offers students several benefits, including convenience and peer interaction. Because our faculty is located here, along with the library, computer labs and other important resources, students can easily meet with their professors and review work. In addition, students also have the opportunity to meet and learn from other students.

Yes, an MBA program can be easy, but a good MBA program will never be easy. Ultimately, your MBA is only as good as the tools you learn during your coursework. That's why a solid MBA program, like the Butler MBA, should be a rigorous learning experience.

If you're just looking for a diploma to frame and hang in that empty spot on your wall, some other institution might be right for you. If you want to get your career to the top, a Butler MBA is well worth the effort.

If you have more questions, please give us a call at (800) 368-6852 ext. 9842 or (317)940-9842. You can also send an e-mail to  mba@butler.edu. The sooner you contact us, the sooner you could be on your way to an MBA!

Since we are a self-paced program, students choose the pace that suits their schedule and lifestyle best. It's important to note though, all schools do not require the same number of credit hours to graduate. At Butler you need 33 credit hours of graduate level coursework to get your degree. In addition there are 10 credit hours of "Foundation" courses (prerequisites) that you may have to take, depending on your previous academic work, possible waiver exams, etc.