Australia's best online MBAs give you the ideal combination of academic quality, and learning where and when it suits you.
A 100% online program is a good option for busy people. You can study efficiently – doing quick study sessions when you're alert and free of distractions.
- An online MBA course offers the same benefits as a campus-based program. It will challenge you intellectually, develop you professionally, and improve your career prospects markedly.
- The top online MBA programs have extra advantages. They are flexible and non-disruptive in terms of lifestyle. And they give value for money.
- You can test an online course by doing 4 initial units, which earns you a Graduate Certificate. Continue the MBA online if it's working for you.
Employers worldwide are looking for management professionals with the ability to identify new opportunities for innovation, improve performance and sustain growth. They see hiring MBA degree holders as a smart investment, and they’ll pay a premium for professionals who hold the credential.
~ NEU School of Business
Advantages of Online Programs
The advantages of studying for an MBA degree by distance learning start with convenience.
- You don't have to live near the business school. In fact, you can study with any online business school that will accept you, however far away. You also don't have to travel to classes – an important time saver for students who want to combine study with work/family responsibilities.
- Online MBA courses also offer flexible scheduling. The use of asynchronous technology – such as videos, animated tutorials, message boards and email – means you can work at your own pace. Any real-time (synchronous) aspects of the program, such as video conferencing, can be completed from home without having to make special arrangements.
- Online degrees can be fast tracked by studying consistently through the year. Modern distance learning programs aren't bound to the usual campus schedule (i.e. 2-3 semesters per year, intense exam periods, and a long summer break). You are able to work steadily through a program, finishing each unit quickly before taking a short break and moving onto the next one.
- Online MBAs are also cheaper than on-campus ones. While most universities have the same tuition fees for online and on-campus courses, business schools that specialise in distance education set lower tuition fees generally.
Online degree programs are an excellent option for busy individuals who want to earn a degree, but find it difficult to fit fixed class schedules into their lives. The flexibility of being able to work school into your life instead of trying to arrange life around school makes earning a degree possible for many.
~ Scholarships.com
Why Get an MBA Degree?
Studying for a Master of Business Administration can force you out of a comfort zone and set you on a new learning path. The degree challenges your professional concepts and practices. Students purposefully examine issues that they may not have considered in depth before. You'll learn proven strategies and expand your management repertoire.
It is generally easier to take on or be considered for leadership positions if you have an MBA education behind you.
- Graduates are familiar with leadership, business, and management philosophies. These can be applied to almost any leadership role.
- Completing an MBA program signals interest and ambition in business development, strategy and management.
An MBA is a valuable credential to have on your resume. When you apply for any role that is complex and related to business, an MBA is an important signal that you are both capable and prepared to take on challenges. Where recruiters find it difficult to separate job candidates, an MBA can give you a decisive edge.
~ Just Business Today
Eligibility
Business degree. You can be admitted to an MBA program on the basis of having a business degree (typically a BBus, BCom or Graduate Certificate).
You may be required to have professional experience as well – it's difficult to relate management theory to practice if you haven't spent much time in a workplace environment.
Professional experience. If you lack a business degree, you can be admitted on the basis of having significant professional experience.
Graduate Certificate pathway. A popular way to start MBA studies is with a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration.
A grad cert represents the initial 4 units of an MBA program. Entry requirements are usually lower.
Online Study Australia presents only the best courses and that's what we've done here. The top online MBA programs share some things in common.
- The programs are modern, flexible and, in some cases, purpose-built for online study.
- Extensive use is made of digital learning and communication technologies.
- Assessment is generally continuous (instead of relying on end-of-semester exams).
- Affordability is good compared to MBAs at most Australian universities.
The top ranking MBA programs are ideal if you want to study business administration in an efficient, time-saving manner.
University of Canberra MBA
The University of Canberra has teamed with Ducere Global Business School to offer Australia's most engaging online MBA. It is ideal for business professionals who don't want to sit theory-based exams. You collaborate online with fellow MBA candidates on projects, learning from each other and industry partners. The focus is on real-world experience and building specific competencies. You also receive excellent study support from the Business School. Included in the program package is access to exclusive talks from business and world leaders.
SCU Online MBA
Southern Cross University (SCU Online) has a 100% online MBA delivered on a modern learning platform. The highly affordable program is flexible, with 6 start points per year and short modules. You can choose the general program or major in: accounting, health services management, information and knowledge management, or managing and leading people. SCU Online programs are designed specifically for distance learning.
JCU MBA (Global)
Just about everything you could want in an online MBA program is offered by James Cook University. As you'd expect, the affordable program runs year-round – allowing you to finish quicker or, if you want, take a break at any time of year. Students focus on 1 unit at a time, which allows study to be combined with full-time employment. You're also assigned a Student Success Advisor and can access everything you need via LearnJCU. The program has 3 concentration areas: global perspective and strategy, data management and analytics, and organisational leadership.
CEOs with an MBA
Andrew Thorburn (NAB) – MBA (Durham)
Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz (Mirvac) – MBA (INSEAD)
Scott Charlton (Transurban) – MBA (Texas)
Andy Penn (Telstra) – MBA (Kingston)
Brad Banducci (Woolworths) – MBA (UNSW)
Peter Coleman (Woodside) – MBA (Deakin)
Become a Responsible Leader
MBA studies give you the opportunity to develop your ability to be a responsible leader. Responsible leadership is about looking outward – beyond just narrow, short-term goals.
Key themes in responsible leadership are (i) considering all stakeholders, from customers through to regulators and the general public (ii) establishing business practices that are sustainable and (iii) having a global mindset.
Doing an MBA program gives you the mental space, and the conceptual and applied frameworks, to develop as a responsible leader. Students learn how to make decisions with big-picture considerations in mind.
We created our organisations to serve us (not the other way around) and they are the primary vehicle we have for changing the world for the better. If they are to help us meet the challenges we face as a global society, organisations must act responsibly – be a force for good.
~ Grahame Broadbelt
Griffith MBA (Responsible Leadership)
An excellent way to learn responsible leadership is with the 100% online MBA offered by Griffith University. The 12-unit program has core values of responsible leadership, sustainable business practice and global orientation. It will help you develop a modern, progressive leadership style. The flexible MBA can be studied part-time, year-round. A graduate certificate (4 units) is also available within the program. Subjects include economics, finance, marketing, integrated accounting, people, strategy, and doing business across the Asia-Pacific region.
What's It Like?
Interested in what it's like to study for an MBA online? A recent graduate of an Australian online MBA program talks about his experiences. Janosh Biczok explains how you can do a full MBA in less than a year – while working full time.
There are 2 types of students: Those who want a degree and those who want an education. And there are 2 types of graduates: Those who believe doors open just because they have an MBA, and those who realize there is hard work ahead. An MBA will help those who want an education and are willing to keep working.
~ James Varrone
Just a week after Bloomberg released data that showed MBA graduates who switched careers getting a $55,000 increase over their pre-MBA pay, The Financial Times weighed in with its own data set on salary. The compensation numbers–for alumni three years out of an MBA program–was even more impressive.
~ John A Byrne
UK MBA for Australians on a Budget
Melbourne-based Ducere Global Business School is expanding into the United Kingdom, and is bringing UK education to online learners in Australia.
You can now earn a 100% online MBA degree from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. The cost is about half that for a similar MBA program in Australia.
A UK MBA qualification could be a great addition to your CV. The University is one of the oldest in Great Britain. You'll also be able to promote the fact that you will have done an online industry project with a leading company or organisation in the UK (organised by Ducere).
Masters degrees in the UK are highly regarded by employers. They are also popular among international students, indicating the UK's globally-recognised strength in this area... this extra higher-level qualification shows your ability to commit to an intense period of work.
~ Prospects
University of Wales Trinity Saint David MBA
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David is offering a 100% online MBA to people based in Australia. The program is highly affordable and includes a loan facility.
The MBA course is delivered in partnership with Melbourne-based Ducere Global Business School. Each student has the opportunity to do real project work with a leading company or other organisation from the UK. Key topics include global business challenges, HR management, marketing and financial management, digital entrepreneurship, and strategy. Assessment is regular and does not include traditional "exams".
More Courses
Business Degrees
Graduate Certificate in Business Administration
