How To Get An MBA Online In South Africa

Each year a new batch of young South African professionals enter the working world bright-eyed and hopeful of making their mark within the various industries that make up corporate South Africa. Gaining the necessary experience and climbing the corporate ladder is by no means an easy road and ensuring you're adequately qualified for those next steps and honing your business acumen is essential if you want to break through to the upper echelons of business.

As the competition for positions at the top increase, it is essential to set yourself apart from other candidates, and one way to do that is by obtaining the iconic MBA (Master of Business Administration). 

So far your options for studying an MBA have been through more traditional academic institutes offering this accreditation. However, that is all set to change now that MBA courses will soon be available online.

MBA course will be available online in South Africa

South African higher education institution, Milpark Education, recently announced that they had achieved international accreditation for its MBA course from the Association of MBAs (AMBA). This is the only AMBA accredited online MBA available in Africa and is the only African MBA with international accreditation for both contact and online distance learning.

“We recently had our first Doctoral Degree accredited, the Doctorate in Business Administration, and the AMBA recognition is another milestone to celebrate, especially because of the importance graduates and the industry place on international accreditation. Milpark Education is making considerable strides in higher education”  said Dr Cobus Oosthuizen, dean for Milpark Business School. 

Milpark Education is one of the top six private higher education institutes in South Africa and forms part of the STADIO Multiversity (a former subsidiary of private education group, Curro).

Other institutions in the group’s stable include:

• AFDA
• The Embury Institute for Higher Education
• LISOF
• Southern Business School (SBS)
• Prestige Academy

The demand for MBA courses online are on the rise

Milpark Educations announcement comes at a particularly great time as global MBA applications are on the rise for the first time in five years. International accreditation body, the Association of MBAs (AMBA), reported a 5% growth in applications from 2014 to 2015. The increased demand for this prestigious degree is creating fierce competition for traditional MBA acceptance as more students turn to MBA online courses and bridging programmes.

AMBA chief executive, Andrew Main Wilson, cited increased competition stemming from globalisation as a potential driver for this iconic rise in MBA applications, following a 14% decline between 2010 and 2014. MBA applications in Africa, however, increased by 4% over the period, testifying to the prestige still placed on the MBA in developing nations.

While traditional MBA applications only experienced an increase in demand recently, the number of schools offering online MBA-level programmes grew by 44% from 2011 to 2016. In addition to easier accessibility, online MBA's often offer lower tuition fees, while studying an MBA online has the allure of flexible learning and being able to implement one’s learnings immediately in the business environment.

How to get your MBA online in South Africa

The MBA course is a multidisciplinary programme with a practical orientation that provides managers, professionals and graduates with advanced management and business leadership education. The minimum duration for an online MBA in South Africa is two years, and applicants are expected to have access to reliable broadband internet access in addition to meeting the traditional application requirements.

Modules currently available in the online MBA programme include:

• Business report writing, quantitative analysis, and presentation skills;
• General management environment;
• Business ethics and corporate governance;
• Social responsibility and environmental management;
• People management;
• and Operations and technology management.

What does it cost to get an MBA in South Africa?

MBA's qualifications around the world may are seen as prestigious, but they are also notorious for being a costly course with institutes charging a premium for this accreditation.

So what does getting an online MBA in South Africa cost?

The estimated cost of the distance learning programme is R244,633, with the first year costing R107,260 and the second year coming to R112,910. However, as a celebration of the accreditation, the group said that it is offering a 10% discount on the fees, with the full price for the MBA now at R220,170 for both years.

Comparing other online MBA's

So how does this compare with other online MBA options currently available to South African's but accredited outside South Africa? By looking at the study run by Top MBA in 2018, I would have to say that Milparks course offers some serious value for money when compared to that of other online MBA's available.

Have anything to add?

What do you think of studying online versus traditional education institutes, can they compete? Are online degrees the future of education? Do you think we will see an increase in MBA graduates in this country? Would you opt for an MBA online or do you prefer a traditional academic experience?

We would love to hear from you so comment below.

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Sources:

• timeshighereducation.com
• aacsbblogs.typepad.com

Tags: tertiary education, studies , Education