Author: Ashley Jefferson

is online mba worth it - value of MBA blog post UofL Online
[INFOGRAPHIC] Is an online MBA worth it? The value of the MBA in 2021—and beyond

[INFOGRAPHIC] Is an online MBA worth it? The value of the MBA in 2021—and beyond

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Busy business professionals around the world without a master’s degree often find themselves at this exact crossroad, wondering, “Is an online MBA worth it?”

Here’s the short answer: unforeseen and problematic challenges will always face businesses and those that lead them—as proven by 2020 more than ever before in modern times. This past year, we faced a business landscape that had to operate in an almost entirely virtual space, an unprecedented challenge for many businesses.

And a challenge that unfortunately not every business was equipped to overcome.

Preparing your business and career to tackle unforeseen challenges that arise, global pandemic or not, remains the number one reason to earn your MBA in 2021.

FOUNDATION FOR STABILITY AND SUCCESS

The education provided by an MBA lays a foundation for students to stay ahead of advancements and unpredictable issues. MBAs deliver a set of proven business tools and skills that help leaders better anticipate change and lead the charge in adapting to it with ease.

Is an online MBA worth it?

Online MBAs take that critical preparation one step further, giving students the added benefit of a flexible learning environment, arguably the most important condition driving education decisions for working professionals today.

But the added value and student benefits of a 100% online MBA certainly don’t stop at flexibility, especially at the University of Louisville.

DOWNLOAD THE “VALUE OF THE ONLINE MBA IN 2021
AND BEYOND” INFOGRAPHIC TO LEARN MORE


Prepare for the Future of Business at UofL

UofL’s College of Business, under the leadership of Dean Todd Mooradian, is committed to innovation and forward-thinking. These principles are found within the very foundation of our online MBA and continue to guide decision-making as we:

  • Continuously refine courses to incorporate the most pressing issues facing organizations
  • Offer an evolving suite of electives that address the demands of employers, along with one-of-a-kind graduate certificates in specialized areas like Managerial Analytics, Distilled Spirits, Horse Racing Industry Business and Franchise Management—which students can earn at no extra time or cost
  • Refine our choices for the program’s included international business trip, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many students and a significant differentiator for UofL’s online MBA program
  • Rapidly expand our student services to provide a variety of resources and opportunities that will enhance professional development, including lifelong career services


LEARN MORE

Even in the wake of COVID-19, earning an MBA remains now what it has always been: a proven way to gain the expertise and skills needed to effectively lead your business and employees through any great unknown.

Online MBA programs make this opportunity more readily available for those who need it.

UofL’s online MBA program is designed for that very purpose, while also still delivering a high-quality and student-focused educational experience.

ARTICLE | READ ABOUT ONE OF OUR ONLINE MBA COURSES: Managing in the Future: UofL’s Online MBA Prepares Students for the Future of Business [Video Q&A]

UofL ranked as top online programs by U.S. News
UofL once again recognized for Top Online Programs by U.S. News & World Report

UofL once again recognized for Top Online Programs by U.S. News & World Report

By |

We’re excited to share that – for more than five years in a row! – the University of Louisville (UofL) has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report in their Best Online Programs rankings.

Our fully online programs were acknowledged among some of the top U.S. programs in 2021 across the following categories:

  • Online Bachelor’s
  • Online Bachelor’s Psychology
  • Online Grad Criminal Justice
  • Online Grad Education
  • Online Grad Engineering

UofL is also ranked as Best Online Programs for Veterans across all the same categories.

Notably, our online bachelor’s ranking actually rose nearly 40 spots between the 2020 and 2021 reports.

“Online learning is an extremely important area of growth for the University of Louisville. We continuously strive to offer programs that deliver flexible education at the standard of quality the UofL is known for while also meeting the needs of learners today, who are often juggling careers, families and other priorities while pursuing an education. This recognition by U.S. News & World Report is a testament to our commitment to bring market-driven online education opportunities to students.”
Gale Rhodes
Vice Provost & Executive Director, Delphi Center for Teaching and Learning

Over the past year, UofL launched 10 new online programs such as a Managerial Analytics Certificate, Master of Science in Healthcare Administration, interdisciplinary early childhood education programs, engineering programs in areas like artificial intelligence in medicine and materials and energy sciences, as well as a Bachelor of Business Administration.

Find out more about online programs at UofL and take the next step in your education today!

managing in the future data business
Managing in the Future: UofL’s Online MBA Prepares Students for the Future of Business [Video Q&A]

Managing in the Future: UofL’s Online MBA Prepares Students for the Future of Business [Video Q&A]

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Prepare to Manage the Future of Business

UofL Online MBA: Elective Course "Managing in the Future"

“Managing in the Future” is a UofL MBA elective course designed to help students broaden their mindset and managerial expertise in order to overcome the ambiguity and theoretical nature of what may, can or will happen—and the impact of those possibilities on the future of business. 

For the first time, this course will be offered in a fully-online format as an elective for the UofL online MBA program. The Spring 2021 focus for the course will be about managing in a time of global pandemics, and will take a in-depth look at the effect that COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is currently having and will continue to have on the business industry.

Play Video

The course is designed and taught by Dr. Nat Irvin, UofL College of Business Professor and Assistant Dean. Hear from Nat in our video Q&A to learn about the takeaways of the course, how it helps business managers of today and tomorrow find new ways of seeing the future of work.

LEARN MORE AND GET STARTED: UofL Online MBA

Where did you get the idea for "Managing in the Future," the MBA elective course?

Nat has been teaching this course for over 20 years—yet never teaches a section of the course in the same way. As he says, “How can you?” After all, there are always different developments and variables that come into play when we think about the future. 

Play Video

Nat shares that “Managing in the Future” was developed to help students learn to see all the possibilities that can impact the future of business and learn to identify relationships between business and evolving trends in society. The course is designed to complement the traditional information learned in an MBA program such as the fundamentals of accounting, marketing, leadership, CIS, etc., in order to create better, more well-rounded managers, ready for the future of business.

The course description talks about developing a “new way of seeing the future.” Tell us a bit more about that.

Seeing the future is more about eyesight. Nat aspires to help MBA students expand their perspective and open their minds in order to identify what is happening around them, and how those happenings (such as advancements in artificial 

Play Video

intelligence and social media) are impacting the future of business, as well as our daily lives.

Was there a particular MBA student segment or business-level manager that this course is targeted toward? Or do you feel it’s applicable to business leaders at varying levels?

MBA programs are sought after and applicable to students across various levels of business—small business owners, managers at private companies or non-profits, middle managers, people managers, CEOs—this course is no different. 

Play Video

Nat designs course material and lectures to align with the people that are in his class, focusing more on areas of interest for his students.

Business leaders everywhere are looking to adapt their management and leadership skills to adjust to unforeseen challenges. What sort of takeaways will students completing this elective as part of their MBA leave the program with?

As Nat puts it, “students get different things from a course like this.” His greatest hope for what students will achieve in the “Managing in the Future” elective? Great insights into themselves.

Play Video

The MBA has only been offered at UofL for little over a year now, and this is the first time Managing in the Future is being offered as an online elective.

What excites you most about bringing this great, innovative elective course option to online students?

Online education opens up possibilities for UofL to reach more students than ever—from outside our local area—extending our high-quality, research-based education to those who otherwise wouldn’t be able to enroll due to other priorities, location, etc. 

Play Video

Nat is personally excited about the 100% online delivery for this course providing the opportunity to bring this course to more MBA students and allowing him to bring in experts and speakers from the business industry, regardless of where they are in the world, to share their knowledge. 

The Spring 2021 topic for the course is focused around managing during and after COVID-19—which is obviously on the top of everyone’s mind as we navigate these unprecedented times.

What will students learn about the pandemic in this course?

COVID-19 is rocking the business world everyday, putting managers in extraordinary situations, facing unprecedented challenges. The coronavirus pandemic has required businesses everywhere to operate with greater 

Play Video

adaptability than ever before, especially as so many of our businesses shifted to flexible work from home operations. Naturally, when planning his Spring 2021 online section of the “Managing in the Future” course, Nat was drawn to helping student consider the short- and long-term implications of how this disease is shaping business and operations.

SPRING 2021 COURSE DESCRIPTION
Imagine living in a time when the very foundations of the world are being upended by one single event, COVID-19. An event so powerful that it has literally touched every single human on the planet. How does one prepare to manage and lead in this new world? What would you read? What new skills would you need to learn and what beliefs would should leave behind? Whom will you trust when there is so much uncertainty about the future, and the efficacy of sources of information? What questions will you ask when the world of “Black Mirror”, Black Lives Matter, Black Swans, Machine Learning, AI Nationalism, CRISPR, Climate Change, Aging, and Social Media all converge? This course is designed for the curious mind; to help you your way into a new way of seeing the future. You will be challenged to reach beyond your comfort zone in a journey to discover new emerging broad social, political, economic, technological, and environmental trends and events that will impact your effectiveness as a manager in a post-pandemic world.

UOFL ONLINE MBA

University of Louisville College of Business Online MBAOffered through the College of Business, UofL’s online MBA is more than your typical MBA degree. Students will gain an understanding of the proven business theories, practices, and leadership skills expected of an MBA while also developing specialized expertise needed to stand out in today’s competitive business world. The program includes an optional 10-day business study trip, innovative electives like “Managing in the Future,” and the opportunity to earn a certificate in areas like Managerial Analytics or Distilled Spirits Business at no extra time or cost. Prepare for the future of business with UofL.

LEARN MORE AND GET STARTED: UofL Online MBA

MORE ABOUT NAT IRVIN

Dr. Nat Irvin, II, is an author, innovator, futurist, teacher, composer, and former radio and television commentator. Dr Irvin serves as Assistant Dean of Thought Leadership and Civic Engagement, Woodrow M. Strickler Chair and Professor of Management Practice for the University of Louisville’s College of Business. He teaches graduate courses in the future of management, leadership, and team dynamics. Dr. Irvin has engaged the leadership and management teams of several groups and organizations, including Fortune 100 companies in strategic conversations focused on the significant social, political, economic, technological and environmental trends and events that will drive the mid-to-long term future. Dr. Irvin is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and a Master’s degree in Media Arts. An accomplished composer, he also holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Music Composition from the University of North Texas and is a graduate of the Institute for Educational Management, Harvard University Graduate School of Education.

Check out more feature stories about UofL’s online business programs.
[Video] Debunking myths with interesting facts about online education

[Video] Debunking myths with interesting facts about online education

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Misconceptions about online learning are everywhere.

Online learning is on the rise, but there remain a lot of questions surrounding it. Let’s debunk five common online education myths with true, interesting facts about the reality of education in an online environment, especially at institutions like the University of Louisville (UofL).

Myth #1 - “Online degrees don’t have the same value as traditional degrees.”

The truth is, online degrees are real degrees. Studies, including one completed by the Department of Education, find that there is no significant difference in learning outcomes when compared to face-to-face programs. You may wonder, “What will employers think about an online degree?” At UofL, you receive the same degree online as you would on campus, with no indication of course format on your diploma. In other words, employers won’t know how you earned your degree unless you choose to tell them. Plus, most employers value the time management skills that online students must master to balance education with work, family life and other priorities. 

Myth #2 - “Online students are not held to the same standards as traditional students.”

According to the U.S. News and World Report, job recruiters are more concerned about the legitimacy of the institution you receive your education from than the format of your program. One important part of this is the accreditation of your chosen university. New programs at universities like UofL undergo a thorough review process before approval in order to ensure that their online degrees meet the same high standards as their face-to-face degrees. Feeling secure in where you earn your education will give you confidence as you pursue career advancement.

[Want to know more interesting facts about online education? Check out our FAQ video: What are the benefits of online learning?]

Myth #3 - “Online classes are easier than traditional classes.”

An online program is a simpler, abbreviated version of a traditional program, right? Wrong. In an online program at UofL, you will have the same expectations, the same courses and the same faculty as you would on campus. You are expected to engage and work toward the same curriculum as the equivalent on-campus programs. Group projects, proctored tests and field assignments can be accomplished in an online setting too. The format may look different, but that doesn’t make it any easier. 

Myth #4 - “You have to teach yourself.”

You aren’t physically sitting in a classroom, but that doesn’t mean you’re in this alone. Technology is a beautiful thing. In an online classroom setting, your teachers will communicate regularly through videos, discussion boards, group work, interactive activities, assignment responses, and more. They’re also available by email and for scheduled one-on-one appointments, as needed. 

Myth #5 - “It’s hard to build a network in an online setting.”

In an increasingly competitive job market, the relationships you build throughout your education are essential.  You can still make important connections with other students in an online setting. Online students are often working adults, returning to start or finish their bachelor’s degree or earn an advanced education through a master’s degree or certificate. In fact, many graduates of UofL’s online programs worked for Fortune 500 companies while earning their education. Because of the unique life and job experience the typical online student brings to the classroom with them, these connections are even more invaluable. At UofL, these experiences are often integrated into the lessons, allowing you to learn directly from your peers. You’ll also have the opportunity to network beyond your local area, with online students at UofL coming from across Kentucky and around the world. 

[Check out the featured news section on our blog to see what online programs UofL recently launched!]

GET STARTED TODAY!

If these interesting facts about online education helped you realize online learning would fit your life, take the next step with confidence at UofL. We offer more 50+ online bachelor’s, master’s and certificates across a variety of fields and industries, all designed to help you take the next step in you education with confidence and ease. Visit our site for more information and to get started today!

RSS Unknown Feed

  • An error has occurred, which probably means the feed is down. Try again later.