Carnegie Mellon University - Tepper School of Business

The Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business Part-Time Online MBA offers students the opportunity to combine online classes with short on-site immersive "Access Weekends" held every two months at Carnegie Mellon locations throughout the United States. Students say they choose the Tepper School Online MBA program because of its "flexibility," noting that "the online program offered me an opportunity to attend an outstanding MBA program while continuing to work." Students appreciate that the Online MBA program is "treated exactly the same as [Tepper's] full-time and part-time programs," including that it "provides the same curriculum and awards the same degree as its full-time program." These part-time students appreciate that "the program allows you to switch to full-time option." The faculty is not only "excellent" and "very knowledgeable" but also "easily accessible." Students appreciate that "the class size is small and courses are analytical;" however, they experience some "logistical" issues and would like more electives. Online classes use a variety of software and notably make ample use of Vidyo video conferencing for live instruction. The students enrolled come from "diverse cultural and professional backgrounds," such as pharmaceuticals, engineering, and technology. Considered "very intelligent" and "successful," most students have a few years of work experience but are still young. They are regarded as "collaborative," "friendly," and "supportive." Every six weeks students meet in person for Access Weekends: "The immersion aspect is how I actually go to know my classmates and incoming classes." The general consensus was that "I felt very connected to the school and the program as a result of these weekend meetings." Though difficult, with the right prioritizing, most students found achieving a work-life balance possible.