Education specialist QS Quacquarelli Symonds has released rankings for the top online MBA programmes worldwide. Online programmes have made a steep development: quality as well as the offer have increased over recent years.
According to the Financial Times (FT), the number of business schools offering online options has grown substantially, with 54 per cent more online MBAs made available from 2012 to 2016.
Today at least 300 programmes are on offer and the number is growing each year. Many do not have any form of accreditation, however, and there’s often a lack of transparency in terms of the quality of these programmes. Rankings can therefore take on a more important role compared to rankings of full-time MBAs.
Amongst the online programmes that QS examined are programmes all over the world. They differ substantially in tuition as well as programme lengths. Tuition fees range from about $US20,000 to over $US100,000 and courses can stretch between 15 and 60 months.
Overall European schools have taken a leading role in the online field with six out of the top ten schools located in Europe. The winner – IE Business School – is a Spanish school – whilst four more contenders stem from the United Kingdom. Imperial College Business School, Warwick Business School Alliance, Manchester Business School and Durham University Business School are all in the top ten. Another European school which placed a respectable seventh place is the Italian Politecnico di Milano School of Management.
Three US schools also made it into the ranking with Southern California ranked third globally. Indiana University and the University of Florida placed fifth and ninth respectively. Sixth place went to the Australian business school AGSM. No Asian or Latin American schools placed in the top ten.
QS’ online MBA ranking is based on six indicators found to be the most important factors for MBA students: employability, establishment date, student quality, faculty and teaching, class experience and diversity.
Online MBA rankings 2019
1 IE Business School, Spain
2 Imperial College Business School, United Kingdom
3 Southern California (Marshall), United States
4 Warwick Business School, United Kingdom
5 Indiana University (Kelley Direct Programs), United States
6 AGSM @ UNSW Business School, Australia
7 Politecnico di Milano School of Management, Italy
8 Alliance Manchester Business School, United Kingdom
9 University of Florida (Warrington), United States
10 Durham University Business School, United Kingdom
Read more on topmba.com