MBA
What Are Hybrid MBA Programs: Everything You Need to Know
Traditional universities offer the chance to collaborate and network with industry professionals, however, people who’ve already joined the workforce can’t deny the convenience of an online setup.
So, why not enroll in a hybrid MBA program and find time for your private and professional life?
Five of the top 20 business schools (as deemed by Fortune) offer hybrid MBAs and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it leads to careers with a significant job growth rate.
However, many applicants are hesitant to take advantage of this new learning model. Despite gaining prevalence in education, hybrid learning is yet to gather significant backup evidence on efficiency.
The existing data suggests an unprecedented opportunity for working professionals, though.
So, join us for a complete overview of hybrid MBA programs, discover how they rival traditional and online systems, and how they can accommodate your work-life-education balance.
What Is a Hybrid MBA Program?
A hybrid MBA is a master of business administration program that combines online teaching methods with on-campus sessions.
While the bulk of hybrid MBA coursework happens in online environments, there’s also several face-to-face components called immersions. Immersions are set up by the school and include face-to-face seminars, lectures, and social events for networking purposes.
Hybrid MBA programs are becoming more common. They’re a trend that took universities by surprise at first, but research shows that prospective students mostly refuse the fully-online education.
Therefore, hybrid programs became the next big thing in postgraduate education. More schools got on board throughout the previous decade, marking a definitive shift from the in-person-only education model.
Hybrid MBA Acceptance Rate
Hybrid MBA programs welcome more applicants than campus-based classes. The online element allows universities to maintain class quality even in larger groups.
As a result, it’s easier to get into these programs, even in top-tier institutions.
The table below outlines the acceptance rates for five notable American schools in 2021-2022. We’ve compared the in-person arrangement with programs that combine online and offline elements.
| University | Acceptance Rate—On-Campus | Acceptance Rate—Hybrid MBA Program |
| USC Marshall | 30% | 34% |
| UT Dallas | 52% | 33% |
| Oregon State University | 75% | 93% |
| UMass Amherst | 92% | 95% |
| University of Florida | 23.9% | 71% |
How Long Are Hybrid MBA Programs?
Most hybrid MBAand executive MBA programs take around two years to complete. Durations differ between schools, with some including 16 to 36 months of coursework.
The workload includes the core and elective subjects you’d get through an in-person program, so hybrid models progress at a similar rate to their on-campus counterparts.
The MBA and executive MBA at Quantic takes 15 months to complete. Our approach puts efficiency first to the full curriculum in half the time, reducing the strain on your finances and life obligations.
Apply for the Quantic MBA, get a degree, and acquire that higher salary and C-suite status sooner.
Hybrid MBA Costs
A hybrid MBA degree is more affordable than an on-campus MBA setup; the school doesn’t have to accommodate each student—except during the in-person weekends—which lowers overall tuition fees.
Nevertheless, there’s a large price variance between individual schools, depending on the quality of education and prestige of the institution.
The table below outlines the costs of hybrid MBA programs in notable schools, touching on their duration and selectivity for context, and compares them with the Quantic MBA program.
| Quantic | USC Marshall | UT Dallas | Oregon State University | UMass Amherst | University of Florida | |
| Price | $950 USD per month | $109,858 | $95,052 | $52,080 | $34,225 | $59,807 |
| Duration | 15 months | 21 months | 36 months | 30 months | 24 months | 16 months |
| Selectivity | High | High | Moderate | Moderate | Low | Moderate |
| Average GMAT | 703 | 630 | 609 | 530 | 570 | 680 |
| Scholarships | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile-First Curriculum | Yes | / | / | / | / | / |
Our MBA program is a better option in terms of time commitment and tuition, along with our mobile-first, tech-driven approach for a more efficient education experience
Quantic is sure to propel your career forward thanks to our strong network of academics and professionals, as well as being faster and results-oriented. Learn more about our program and how it offers an alternative to traditional postgraduate educational institutions.
Hybrid MBA Reviews
So, should you select a hybrid MBA program? The choice depends on your life situation, means, and preferences. Still, the growing popularity of blended education lends credence to this model of getting a postgraduate studying.
“The course is very convenient and flexible for the people who are confused between online MBA and classroom MBA.”
Sumit
Attendees appreciate the flexibility and convenience of online teaching, as well as the in-person dedicated qualities offered by the live events.
“As I am going into my 2nd year as a Hybrid MBA student, I can’t imagine going through a program that doesn’t have a cohort and teams model.”
Emily Huynh
“Most of my classmates are interested in building connections so we have found ways to do that virtually. I’m only 3 weeks in and I feel like I ‘know’ at least 2 dozen of my classmates pretty well.”
Slambur
Overall, the experiences with hybrid degrees are predominantly positive.
Best Online Hybrid MBA Programs
University of South California—The Marshall School of Business
The USC Marshall School of Business MBA delivers an intimate student experience through mostly online tools. The professors are engaged, teaching a well-organized class schedule to advance professional careers.
The school further streamlines their process through frequent checkups and making resources available through various outlets, offering an education worth the considerable investment.
The curriculum covers real-world skills across five business management fields. The cross-disciplinary approach seeks to provide a deeper understanding of the entire industry.
The University of Texas at Dallas—Naveen Jindal School of Management
The UT Dallas management school offers a hybrid MBA program that allows students to self-organize and take courses and exams at a suitable pace.
This solution is suitable for attendees with frequent family commitments and numerous professional out-of-school obligations.
Courses are available through a multi-platform learning technology system, with diverse electives to tailor each participant’s resume. Online and live classes are given by trained professors who teach on-campus lessons.
Teamwork is encouraged, especially among applicants from mixed backgrounds, and all participants have extensive working experience, adding diversity to the networking opportunities.
University of Massachusetts Amherst—Isenberg School of Management
A hybrid MBA from UMass Amherst offers a blend of academic rigor and flexibility. The university has been at the forefront of online education, ironing out the issues stemming from mostly-online setups.
Professors and students alike report that the multi-platform approach doesn’t hinder learning and lets attendees and staff connect even outside the immersions.
The school offers the flexibility of self-organization and the opportunity for students to combine their online course load with in-person lectures and collaborations in three Massachusetts-based locations.
Despite these positive experiences, not every professional fares best in a hybrid environment. Recent developments in online communication are pushing more applicants to consider 100% online options, which are swiftly catching up to their hybrid competitors.
Online Business MBA vs. Hybrid MBAs
Online and hybrid MBA programs are replacing the in-person model of pre-coronavirus days. Leading residential business institutions are opting for a fully-online format, while elite schools are applying a hybrid method of teaching.
Where did this discrepancy originate?
Hybrid programs used to offer more advantages to attendees. Since online immersion was still clunky a decade ago, applicants benefited from in-person networking events. It’s no wonder that top-paying, top-50 company employees chose them for their postgraduate education.
However, today, numerous students believe that a hybrid setup offers equal quality to an online MBA. Pricing, thus, becomes the primary differentiating factor—face-time hybrid elements add thousands of dollars to your yearly fees.
Paying extra is inevitable if you’re striving for an elite degree, and even schools outside the Ivy League might be pushing away potential applicants with their unjustified higher costs.
On top of that, research indicates that attending campus in a hybrid format doesn’t significantly improve learning outcomes; results are mostly a matter of motivation and dedication.
Therefore, the primary perk of blended programs stems from attending sessions that expand career connections.
However, more schools have begun organizing virtual meet-and-greets and platform networking.
Here are some more advantages of online MBA programs:
- Lower costs than traditional classrooms and hybrid formats
- Asynchronous curriculum delivered at the attendees’ schedules
- Interactive online environments and virtual events
- Shortest time to course completion and degree acquisition
These benefits are driving more professionals towards online-only setups. These degrees are increasing in value with more top-level working professionals carrying them. We expect to see a matching level of prestige between online and hybrid setups in the years to come.
The Best Online Business School?
The MBA marketplace is shifting with the advent of new technologies and learning approaches. The value of postgraduate education isn’t diminishing, but the traditional brick-and-mortar format is. Flexible, high-tech, virtual programs are quickly gaining precedence.
The Quantic School of Business is the epitome of this new approach, and the Financial Times agrees. Our MBA and EMBA programs mirror the curriculums of full-time B-school programs and are covered in significantly less time.
We’ve seen over 2,000 graduates in the past four years, all with excellent results. Our automated teaching setup increases interactivity, boosts retainment, and promotes a practical application of theoretical terms.
Our goal is to democratize postgraduate education. Our program is extremely affordable, costing only the necessities to expand our network and continue providing quality. We also offer three sponsored education options for students who need budgetary assistance.
We maintain an education standard confirmed by the Distance Education Accreditation Commission (DEAC), delivering a formal educational recognition in a smaller, more manageable package. Read our press releases to stay up-to-date.
Apply to the MBA and start furthering your education today.
