Are MOOC courses a threat to a regular MBA?

Question

Wondering what people's thoughts are on Coursera etc replacing full0-ime MBA programs?

finalhourmba · Answer

Not likely at all. MOOCs are probably good for entrepreneurs but won't give you the experience, deep knowledge, and connections of an MBA program. Even online MBA programs are just not as good and won't get you as far. The point of a full-time MBA is not academic. A lot of people miss the point because they think they did in school and have good test scores. They think they should be in at Harvard or Stanford. That's a very binary way of thinking and that doesn't fit with the MBA program. It's not a master's, it's an MBA ! The experience is 95% of it. :-)

VeritasPrepEdison · Answer

The value from the a good MBA program would be in relating concepts with how it applies in a real business or corporate environment, integrating across courses and dimensions of an issue. Actual discussions, sharing of experiences, and even group exercises to create experiential learning help ingrain the concepts and the challenges of implementing them in the real world. Online courses would have a more difficult time providing these learning experiences.

Seeker2802 · Answer

Unlikely that they will ever replace MBA because it is an experience rather than just reading a few books and doing some cases. I've taken a few courses on Coursera and while they are very good for self-study, they hardly offer anything substantial that you wouldn't get from reading few books.

MBAPrepLatam · Answer

No chance, at least in the short term.
The connections that you get from attending to an MBA are one of the most valuable assets of attending a full-time program. 
Executive programs also give you those connections.

An online program helps you to get some of the classes, but I don't think they can give you the type and the degree of friendships than a regular MBA does.

StratusDonna · Answer

Interesting question- and I agree with responses that a FT MBA program is much more than just what you learn in the classroom. I do think there are starting to be some online MBA programs that use platforms that are very interactive- such as the 2U platform and when combined with regular immersions where you can meet classmates face to face- that this could be a viable option for some. But those relationships and friendships formed in the Full Time MBA program are what stand the test of time and become part of your professional network. But for spot learning on a particular topic- Coursera and all the new online options are certainly adding some value also.

Are MOOC courses a threat to a regular MBA?

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