MBA options for Alaskans: going on-site and online for grad school.

• Author: Orr, Vanessa
• Position: EDUCATION

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In these tough economic times, many people are trying to decide whether a return to school for an advanced degree could help them move forward in their careers or provide more job security. Businesses are debating whether to send their employees on to graduate programs with the hope they come back with fresh ideas and ways to make companies run more efficiently.

Earning a Master of Business Administration requires a large investment of both time and money; and for universities offering such programs, this means making sure what students learn in those programs propels them, and the companies for whom they work, to a higher level.

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"There are a number of reasons to get an MBA, which in many business circles is becoming the 'new normal,' "explained Anselm Staack, MBA, JD, CPA, interim director of the MBA Program at the University of Alaska Southeast. "As businesses become more complex and employees find themselves competing against others from around the world, they need to find a way to set themselves apart; to compete with other employees with advanced skills.

"In Alaska, the job market is as much about globalization and global competition as it is about working for companies within Alaska," he stressed.

Employees who go back to school to earn a MBA not only show a willingness to develop more skills, but also show employers they have the discipline and drive to invest in themselves as a way to move forward in their jobs. Employers who support employees who want to enter an MBA program, whether through scheduling flexibility or even monetary incentives, benefit from having less turnover and a more skilled staff.

"The majority of people are quite loyal, so when a company invests in them and in their education, it shows them that they are valued as employees and that the company wants to provide opportunities for growth," said Rashmi Prasad, Ph.D., MBA, director of Graduate Programs at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

For Alaska residents, there are many opportunities to earn an MBA, whether at an Alaska or Lower 48 university, on-site; online through distance-learning programs, or through hybrid programs that combine the two.

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THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA SYSTEM

While the University of Alaska Anchorage, University of Alaska Fairbanks and University of Alaska Southeast all offer MBA programs, each is very different from the others. The UAA MBA, which is a two-year, 36-credit program, is largely a part-time program designed for students who work full time. "Our course delivery is fairly flexible, with most classes held in the evenings, weekends and early mornings," explained Prasad. "We also offer...