Pursuing a graduate degree in business is a noble goal. It can help you upskill in your industry, make the case for promotions and raises, and give you confidence in your work. However, many graduate business programs strain personal relationships or require intense rescheduling to make them work with your busy life. But when you’re taking a leap as large as grad school, you need support and stability. Maintaining your personal and professional responsibilities shouldn’t conflict with your goals to improve your career. That’s why looking for a master’s degree that offers a flexible schedule is crucial.
Finding the balance between your personal, professional, and aspirational responsibilities while getting a graduate degree is possible. One of the best ways to juggle it all is through a weekend-only option for graduate school. This option can help parents and professionals make the most of their graduate degree investment without sacrificing their current commitments.
A weekend MBA is a flexible, affordable alternative to the traditional full-time MBA. Classes are only held on the weekends, which allows professionals and parents to keep their current work schedules and spend weeknights with their families. Instead of uprooting their schedules to take evening classes or rearranging their workday to attend classes during the day, professionals in an online MBA program can make their degree work for them.
Plus, weekend-only MBA students receive the same course instruction as those in a traditional MBA program, without the schedule disruptions.
1. Flexibility
Weekend MBA programs offer coursework on your schedule. By attending classes only on the weekends and engaging in hybrid courses otherwise, you get your time back to spend with your family and on your career. It’s also not necessary to relocate to participate in a weekend-only MBA program, allowing you to stay connected to your community and enabling you to complete your coursework from home.
2. Affordability
Weekend MBA programs often cost less than traditional MBAs, making them a more accessible choice for those on tight budgets and with other financial commitments. Part of the savings comes from not having to relocate, and others are related to the program’s cost to run as well.
3. Community
Not only does a weekend MBA allow you to stay connected with your community at home and work, but it also enables you to build a new community within your cohort. Students in an MBA program will meet together and engage in discussions more than in a purely online MBA, helping everyone learn more from their program and get more out of the investment of time and energy.
MBA students can also gain industry connections through special events with alumni, increasing their network and professional development.
At Mount Saint Mary’s University, we equip students with the professional skills they need to succeed in the industry, without completely uprooting their lives. Our Weekend MBA program provides students with the same world-class instruction they’d receive from an in-person program, on a schedule that works better for busy professionals.
The weekend MBA meets every other weekend (and not every weekend) in person, for a total of only six weekends per semester. This unique format aids in flexibility and ensures students don’t miss out on personal connections in the program (or in their personal lives).
Our MBA is also priced for busy, working professionals, making it more affordable than a traditional MBA and better suited for those with families who depend on them for familial and financial support.
The relationships you form at the Mount, even when only meeting every other weekend, are hard to come by in Los Angeles. Students in the weekend MBA connect with their cohort, alumni, and faculty from the start of the program. These connections help students feel seen and supported in the program and give them a good starting place for industry connections after graduation.
The program can be completed in as little as one year through three semesters. Individuals without a business degree can complete the program in just 16 months. Our weekend-only MBA also has no GMAT or GRE requirements.
Here’s just a sample of some of the courses you’ll take in the weekend MBA program at MSMU:
This is an accelerated course in financial accounting, emphasizing the fundamentals of accounting and the preparation, analysis, and interpretation of financial statements. Students in this course will develop the skills needed to understand and analyze financial statements for decision-making by prospective consumers of accounting information, such as managers, stockholders, creditors, financial analysts, and regulators.
This course presents a theoretical framework in macroeconomics that leaders need to confront contemporary global challenges. Topics covered in class include global economic institutions, economic integration, global financial management, balance of payment, and strategies to address environmental issues and climate change.
As part of the MBA capstone, students can choose an international travel option. They will immerse themselves in an international market by studying business in a new location, helping develop their global business mindset.
The business world won’t wait for you. Start upskilling and growing your industry acumen now with a weekend-only MBA from MSMU. We’re excited to help you reach your career goals and prove to yourself that you can pursue a graduate degree without uprooting your schedule.
To learn more about our program, access our MBA guide. Connect with us today for any direct questions or RSVP for an event.