3 Ways an Online MBA Boosts Your Career

Levelling up your career takes many forms. It could mean taking the next step as a leader, or simply looking to upskill. Further education is often the key to unlocking your full potential and can aid in evolving your operational knowledge, organisational abilities and professional skills. Yet with the pressures of modern life, attending a course in person is easier said than done. 

That’s where remote learning and an online MBA can be effective. The Monash MBA (Digital), provided by Monash University, has been specifically designed by its triple-crown accredited Business School – a distinction achieved by fewer than 1 per cent of business schools globally – focusing on operational trends such as automation, sustainability practices and a greater spotlight on employee wellbeing. 

Here’s how an online MBA can help you achieve the strategic skills, industry connections and digital edge to advance your career, on your own terms. 

Discover immersive learning with online flexibility

A key benefit of undertaking an MBA course is the opportunity to learn from industry leaders and professionals alongside a cohort of diverse students. Monash’s approach to online learning is no different, presenting plenty of opportunities to digitally interact with other participants and coordinators, with the added flexibility of being able to access the program from anywhere at any time.

“Our academics have designed all the units alongside industry professionals, leaders of various business sectors and learning designers, which makes a significant difference,” says Associate Professor Jonathan Matheny, Monash MBA (Digital) course director. “Every part of our course has been designed to enhance the student experience, whether they’re engaged in self-directed learning or taking advantage of online learning sessions with classmates from all over Australia and beyond.” 

“You’re put into groups where you can collaborate on a shared virtual whiteboard over Zoom,” says Associate Professor Matheny. You can also save the virtual whiteboard and add to it at your own pace. “After the live class online, you can come to the recording in your own time, stop and start the recording, make more notes and deepen your learning,” adds Matheny.

Transform your skills for the future

An MBA can futureproof your career with expert-designed coursework, diverse insights across industries and real-life applications. Through online learning, Monash University’s MBA (Digital) also equips students with the skills to respond to digital disruption. Dr Andrea Fenton developed the Innovation and Change for Digital Transformation unit with industry leaders to address that “pain point” in businesses. “Many students have emailed me to say they’re presenting the digital transformation plan they developed in the unit to their work,” says Dr Fenton.

With an online MBA you have the opportunity to collaborate with fellow participants from regional Victoria to Indonesia, working in industries from health to HR. “We received fantastic feedback about the value of being able to collaborate and compare findings across different industries. They learn a lot from each other because of that great diversity.”

Accessibility cultivates diversity

While traditional MBA programs remain appealing to those trying to further their careers, engaging in an online learning program can see a wider range of students to reap the benefits of an MBA without the roadblocks. “The major difference is accessibility – making it possible for people who would normally not be able to study for an MBA to attend class,” says Dr Martijn van der Kamp, who leads units around professional development, leadership and sustainable development. “The reasons range from living far away, not being able to make class times or perhaps having a disability. Being able to study online has also seen more women – who are traditionally under-represented – join the course so our online classes are now gender-balanced.” 

All live online learning sessions from Monash University take place in the evenings and while attendance is optional, meeting and working with the course’s diverse group of students is invaluable for learning and future leadership.This flexibility extends to Monash’s online Graduate Certificate of Business Administration (Digital), which offers an alternative, accessible pathway into the MBA (Digital).