{"id":12935,"date":"2018-02-02T09:13:16","date_gmt":"2018-02-02T09:13:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/?p=12935"},"modified":"2025-09-19T12:28:04","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T10:28:04","slug":"evolution-mba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/evolution-mba\/","title":{"rendered":"The Evolution Of The MBA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>MBAs were born from the need to help business professionals prepare for senior management as they climbed the corporate ladder. They were, in essence, degree programmes designed to help the professional evolve their skills, as their careers evolved simultaneously.<\/p>\n\n\n<div>\n            <!-- Responsive picture tag -->\n        <picture class=\"picture-block\">\n            <source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/The-Evolution-Of-The-MBA_getsmarter_career_advice_infostat_desktop.png\" >\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/The-Evolution-Of-The-MBA_getsmarter_career_advice_infostat_mobile.png\" alt=\"The Evolution Of The MBA_getsmarter_career_advice_infostat_mobile\">\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n<p>But as the MBA focused on giving students the business relevance they required to stand out, it to needed to remain relevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In recent years <strong>the traditional MBA has had to transform to meet the changing needs of working professionals<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enter the alternative MBA programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These new generation MBAs take a number of forms, from online MBAs to on-campus short courses, but their common thread is their ability to meet the demands of the working professional. A professional who could benefit from MBA skills, but can\u2019t necessarily overcome <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/is-an-mba-worth-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the barriers to entry<\/a> of the traditional MBA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This natural marriage of lifelong learning and MBAs has been picked up by a number of world-leading universities, as well as industry thought leaders like Seth Godin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One such example is the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/lse-mba-essentials-online-certificate-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MBA Essentials online certificate course<\/a><\/strong>. This short, online, MBA-based programme aims to provide you with an essential MBA toolkit that focuses on the leadership skills, financial necessities and human interaction vital to the growth of the contemporary business professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s no longer a question of credibility, but rather of professional preference, but what are the benefits of an online MBA alternative?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-cost-and-commitment-of-an-online-mba\"><strong>The cost and commitment of an online MBA<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"970\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/The-Evolution-Of-The-MBA_cost_getsmarter_career_advice_banner1.png\" alt=\"The Evolution Of The MBA_cost_getsmarter_career_advice_banner1\" class=\"wp-image-13398\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/The-Evolution-Of-The-MBA_cost_getsmarter_career_advice_banner1.png 970w, https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/The-Evolution-Of-The-MBA_cost_getsmarter_career_advice_banner1-300x93.png 300w, https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/The-Evolution-Of-The-MBA_cost_getsmarter_career_advice_banner1-768x238.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 970px) 100vw, 970px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Traditional, full degree MBA programmes from the world\u2019s top business schools can cost a student up to $400,000 when you consider tuition fees, the opportunity cost of lost income and living costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This number is inconceivable to a huge portion of professionals who would benefit greatly from MBA knowledge and skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coupled with this is the massive time commitment. <strong>A traditional MBA can take anywhere from one to three years to complete<\/strong>, a sacrifice that many business professionals aren\u2019t willing or able to make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The LSE MBA Essentials course provides you with the MBA skills you need to achieve excellence, but at a fraction of the cost and commitment of a traditional programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This gives you the opportunity to implement learnings into your career in real-time. It also means you\u2019re able to continually keep your skill set relevant by supplementing your continuous education with other online courses or programmes &#8211; more specific to your role or industry. This is particularly beneficial when you consider that <strong>your learning doesn\u2019t need to be limited to one discipline<\/strong>. Focusing on online courses, you have the ability to expand your skill set in multiple directions, learning everything from MBA skills to user experience design and digital marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And if you\u2019re not sure whether an MBA is the right decision for you, these alternative MBA programmes afford you the opportunity to test the waters and prepare for a potential full MBA in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-reputation-of-the-business-school\"><strong>The reputation of the business school<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"970\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/The-Evolution-Of-The-MBA_reputation_getsmarter_career_advice_banner2.png\" alt=\"The Evolution Of The MBA_reputation_getsmarter_career_advice_banner2\" class=\"wp-image-13399\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/The-Evolution-Of-The-MBA_reputation_getsmarter_career_advice_banner2.png 970w, https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/The-Evolution-Of-The-MBA_reputation_getsmarter_career_advice_banner2-300x93.png 300w, https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/The-Evolution-Of-The-MBA_reputation_getsmarter_career_advice_banner2-768x238.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 970px) 100vw, 970px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The LSE MBA Essentials online certificate course gives you <strong>the opportunity to learn from industry experts and esteemed University faculty<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The London School of Economics and Political Science developed this alternative online MBA programme as a way of bringing its world-class teaching and knowledge to the working professional. The course content seeks to only provide the most relevant and up-to-date knowledge and skills to students, helping them expand their own careers and influence the contemporary business environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On successful completion of the course, you\u2019ll earn a certificate from the London School of Economics and Political Science &#8211; hard <strong>proof of your ability to lead in business<\/strong>, backed by the names of a world-leading university.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-networking-with-other-mba-professionals\"><strong>Networking with other MBA professionals<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"970\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/The-Evolution-Of-The-MBA_networking_getsmarter_career_advice_banner3.png\" alt=\"The Evolution Of The MBA_networking_getsmarter_career_advice_banner3\" class=\"wp-image-13246\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/The-Evolution-Of-The-MBA_networking_getsmarter_career_advice_banner3.png 970w, https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/The-Evolution-Of-The-MBA_networking_getsmarter_career_advice_banner3-300x93.png 300w, https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/The-Evolution-Of-The-MBA_networking_getsmarter_career_advice_banner3-768x238.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 970px) 100vw, 970px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A major drawcard of the traditional MBA is the networking opportunity. You have the guarantee that your classmates are as interested in developing their careers as you are, and there\u2019s the potential that some of you may go on to exercise serious influence in the business world in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A concern for most online courses is that learning online is often equated with learning alone. That isn\u2019t the case with the MBA-based course from LSE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The GetSmarter learning model makes for collaborative efforts where <strong>group assignments and discussions are at the centre of the learning experience<\/strong>. You\u2019ll be exposed to a multitude of different professionals, at different stages of their careers, all striving for excellence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An additional benefit of this kind of networking experience? Your network is global. Online learning means your classmates aren\u2019t limited by geographical constraints. You have the opportunity to learn from, and partner with, business leaders from all over the world, who bring their own context and unique experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The LSE MBA-based course is also characterised by a human-centric, supported learning model &#8211; something unique to the vast majority of online courses. You\u2019ll be supported every step of the way by your expert teachers and dedicated Success Manager, much like if you were on a physical campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-want-to-explore-the-opportunities-of-an-online-mba-alternative\"><strong>Want to explore the opportunities of an online MBA alternative?<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/products\/lse-mba-essentials-online-certificate-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getsmarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/LSE_MBA_REGISTER_NOW.png\" alt=\"LSE_MBA_REGISTER_NOW\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The alternative MBA programme meets the changing needs of working professionals<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":17466,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[124,132],"article-format":[],"class_list":["post-12935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career-advice","tag-education","tag-executive-education"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - 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