The higher education landscape is constantly evolving. Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, online learning has significantly increased in popularity. For example, the number of schools offering an online Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in the United States increased by 85 percent between 2016 and 2021—proving that students are more likely to opt for a virtual business education. 

Business education is also among the most popular online course topics—accounting for 46 percent of online learners. With such demand for online MBA programs, it can be difficult to identify which programs still provide quality online education in today’s over-saturated market. 

Here's an overview of how Northeastern University's online MBA program provides quality education to its learners, and why this program is a good choice for learners who want more flexibility in their advanced education.

5 ways Northeastern's Online MBA offers quality education

While there are many reasons why Northeastern is well-regarded in the online educational space, here are five ways the online MBA program provides quality education to its students.

1. Supports learning outcomes

Northeastern's online MBA program fosters positive learning outcomes by offering students various opportunities to engage with experienced faculty members and business executives. 

You can take advantage of several unique benefits, including: 

• Optional faculty connect sessions
• Faculty office hours
• Experience-powered learning

Morgan Francese, a Success Manager for Northeastern University's online MBA program, is another important resource students can lean on for support. “As the Success Manager, I ensure students are engaged and receive all the information they need to be successful in the program," she explains. "We even offer a personalized approach where students can book time with me to get support at any point throughout the program."

At Northeastern, your Success Manager can help guide you through the entire program from start to finish. “I really like to get to know the students on a personal level and help them navigate their program when life challenges get in the way,” says Francese. “We have learners who are parents of young children, hold a high title within their company, or even dream of starting their own company one day. These students have lives that can be extremely hectic.” 

Additionally, Northeastern’s staff takes an active role in student scheduling to make sure that any potential major conflicts are avoided ahead of time. This can be incredibly important for working parents who struggle with constantly evolving schedules, or working professionals who have demanding professional needs.

2. Provides flexibility to working professionals

Flexibility is one of the primary benefits of online learning. It allows you to maintain a much better work-life balance as a working professional than in-person or even hybrid programs. 

Northeastern's online MBA was specifically built with working professionals in mind. “I really care about helping them navigate their academic journey and make informed decisions on what classes they're going to take to fit their needs and goals,” says Francese.

Some ways Northeastern’s Online MBA program accomplishes this level of flexibility is by offering: 

• One-hundred percent online classes: Northeastern's online MBA program is 100 percent online, offering live sessions for students and modules through Canvas. 
• Asynchronous courses: While synchronous courses require you to attend sessions live, asynchronous courses are pre-recorded so you can watch them at your convenience. 
• Optional live faculty connect sessions: If you'd like to interact with faculty live, this program offers optional live sessions, which are also conducted in the evenings to accommodate most working professionals’ schedules. These sessions are also recorded and posted to Canvas.

“These connect sessions are a great opportunity for students to meet with their faculty—almost like a regular class—but in a flexible format,” says Francese. “Students are not required to attend, although we do highly encourage it, which takes the pressure off of our working students and our students who are parents." 

To provide maximum flexibility, Northeastern helps students select courses that align with their career goals and personal interests. Students have the freedom to choose when they want to take their courses and how many they want to take at a time. Moreover, they're not required to declare whether they're studying part-time or full-time, making it easier for them to adapt to changing schedules and priorities.

3. Delivers high quality learning content

One of the primary factors students consider when choosing an online MBA program is its academic quality. At Northeastern, students can rest assured that they'll receive a quality education from a faculty of industry experts. 

“The faculty in the online MBA are experts in their industries and have extensive academic qualifications that bring real-real world insights into the classroom,” says Francese. “Some were entrepreneurs before they became professors, while others worked in the innovation and finance industries. As a result, they are able to give a perspective that is very realistic to the business world today.”

In addition to its faculty, Northeastern prioritizes engaging and easily digestible content that enhances student learning and understanding of course material.

“Our faculty works with professional learning experience designers, who ensure the online content is engaging, high quality, and applicable,” says Francese. “Students aren't just reading long pages of text on a screen, but rather viewing interactive videos and reading engaging content through our modules that are also a very intentional length of time.” 

For example, if faculty members are teaching a longer format in-person, Northeastern works closely with course designers to ensure the content is effectively delivered over an eight-week span. The university also utilizes course feedback surveys as an opportunity to improve and enhance course content and delivery, ensuring the learning experience is effective and engaging.

4. Offers real-world, experiential learning opportunities

One of the drawbacks of many online programs is the lack of practical experience opportunities they provide. At Northeastern, however, experiential learning is fundamental to the Online MBA program. “One of the cornerstones that Northeastern puts emphasis on is the experiential learning,” says Francese.

These opportunities—known as EXPO courses in the online MBA program—allow students to take on two societal challenges that highlight how business concerns and modern societal challenges are intertwined. The industry experts take part in the class and provide feedback on business proposals and student presentations. “We also challenge the students to take on a different role than they may have currently so they can get a well-rounded perspective on business,” says Francese.

5. Expands professional networks

In addition to the real-world connections students make through the experiential learning courses, the online MBA program provides additional networking opportunities through in-class discussion groups and strong faculty connections. 

“We encourage students to do a lot of peer-to-peer collaboration,” explains Francese. “So they have opportunities to interact with each other and with faculty a lot."

Some of the networking opportunities this program provides include: 

• Course activities: Group projects and discussion boards provide opportunities to interact with classmates throughout the program. 
• Alumni network: Following graduation, you'll be able to join an alumni network of 50,000 D’Amore-McKim School of Business graduates.
• Networking events: Northeastern occasionally hosts in-person events for MBA students (both online and in-person), faculty, and staff. 
• EXPO courses: Group projects and discussions in these courses can lead to many positive professional relationships with classmates and industry leaders.
• Live sessions: Some of the sessions also host guest speakers in the industry, which provide additional opportunities to connect with reputable professionals. 

These opportunities are invaluable, and are just one of the reasons Northeastern's online MBA is an excellent option.

Earn a quality MBA degree online

Northeastern's online MBA program is perfect for working professionals who aspire to take their careers to the next level. This program will give you access to an abundance of valuable tools and knowledge to equip you for success in your career advancement goals. 

If you're ready to take the next step and apply to Northeastern's Online MBA, complete the application fee waiver form to save $100 and become one step closer to advancing your career!