Types of MBA Programs


Business schools in many countries offer programs tailored to full-time, part-time, executive, and distance learning students, with specialized concentrations.






The Booth School of Business at University of Chicago, Top 10 MBA colleges in US - Ranked by The Economist.

Durham University Business School in UK, which reviewed Economics and Finance, the School was awarded a maximum score of 24/24.

Basic Types of MBA Programs

Two-year (Full Time) MBA programs normally take place over two academic years (i.e. approximately 18 months of term time). For example, in the Northern Hemisphere, they often begin in late August/September of year one and continue until May of year two, with a three- to four-month summer break in between years one and two. Students enter with a reasonable amount of prior real-world work experience and take classes during weekdays like other university students. A typical Full-time, accelerated, part-time or modular MBA requires 60 credit hours of graduate work.

Accelerated MBA programs are a variation of the two-year programs. They involve a higher course load with more intense class and examination schedules. They usually have less "down time" during the program and between semesters. For example, there is no three- to four-month summer break, and between semesters there might be seven to ten days off rather than three to five weeks vacation.

Part-time MBA programs normally hold classes on weekday evenings, after normal working hours, or on weekends. Part-time programs normally last three years or more. The students in these programs typically consist of working professionals, who take a light course load for a longer period of time until the graduation requirements are met.

Modular MBA programs are similar to part-time programs, although typically employing a lock-step curriculum with classes packaged together in blocks lasting from one to three weeks.

Executive MBA (EMBA) programs developed to meet the educational needs of managers and executives, allowing students to earn an MBA or another business-related graduate degree in two years or less while working full-time. Participants come from every type and size of organization – profit, nonprofit, government – representing a variety of industries. EMBA students typically have a higher level of work experience, often 10 years or more, compared to other MBA students. In response to the increasing number of EMBA programs offered, The Executive MBA Council was formed in 1981 to advance executive education.

Distance learning MBA programs hold classes off-campus. These programs can be offered in a number of different formats: correspondence courses by postal mail or email, non-interactive broadcast video, pre-recorded video, live teleconference or videoconference, offline or online computer courses. Many schools offer these programs.






Popular UK Business Schools

London Business School
Middlesex University, London
University of Central Lancashire
Liverpool Hope University
University of Wolverhampton
Northumbria University
University of Central England

Popular USA Business Schools

The University of Chicago's Booth School of Business offering a complete range of full-time and part-time MBA degrees and the nation’s oldest doctoral program in business.



Harvard University (MA)
Stanford University (CA)
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
Northwestern University (Kellogg) (IL)
Columbia University (NY)
Duke University (Fuqua) (NC)
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
University of California–Berkeley (Haas)

1.Utah State University

2.Louisiana State University

3.Montana State University

4.Wayne State University

5.Minnesota State University, Mankato

Financial Aid for International Students

MBA Loans as alternative to MBA Scholarships

Everyone knows that costs associated with an MBA Degree are quite high. Students with financial need rely on scholarships to fund their MBA Degrees. While there are a significant number of MBA scholarships available, applying for these scholarships is quite competitive and there just aren’t enough scholarships for everyone who need it. This situation pushes prospective MBA students to find other means of funding their MBA studies.

When an MBA Degree is considered to be a long-term investment, getting an MBA loan makes sense. Seen this way, it becomes a good alternative to MBA scholarships. Business Schools claim that their alumni are able to earn an average of $100,000-$200,000 annually after getting their MBA Degree. Average tuition fees including miscellaneous expenses for a full-time MBA degree (2 years) range from $100,000 to $150,000 depending on the business school. Living expenses would be around $50,000-60,000 for 2 years. In an investor’s point of view, you can recover your costs easily assuming you’ll land a good-paying job after getting your MBA degree.

Most Business schools implement and facilitate loan programs for their students. The Business schools partner with banks, private lending institutions, and the government to provide loans to their students.

To find out which MBA loan program is best for you, consider the following factors: interest rate, repayment options, upfront fees, and availability of interest subsidies. To help you find MBA loan programs, see our list of MBA Loans.