University of South Florida - Muma College of Business

The keyword that many students praise about University of South Florida's online MBA program is flexibility. "This online program allowed me to submit assignments around my schedule," explains one student, and many remark to some degree on the freedoms afforded by the asynchronous courses, calling it "a balanced workload that is manageable while running a household and working." For those with concerns about the digital environment, there's "an online module that walks you through how to take an online class" and the administration provides "clear instructions and helpful advice for succeeding in the program," with due-dates posted well in advance and assignments that "mirror the tech and functions that I am expected to use in the field." In short, "It was good to know my advisor was aware of my situation with work, my academic strengths and weaknesses, and charted a path that worked best for me."

Of course, simply getting set up with a solid curriculum is only the start, and students have similarly good things to say about how much their classmates and teachers enhance the academic experience: "With a wealth of international exposure and business experience, perspective is not lost in the online classroom." Though it may take a little while to get to know your colleagues, "Once you make the connection, you're always able to count on them." Class discussions also benefit from a diversity of ideas—"my peers come from a wide variety of professional and educational backgrounds—and "a myriad of multimedia tools to facilitate peer connections and [display] digital works." USF students also appreciate how their "engaged and determined" professors want to see them succeed, so much so that a few describe them as "always available to students" both for extra online weekend study sessions or by email where "they all responded within hours." Unsurprisingly, the rare negative feedback comes from those students who felt minimally engaged or who wanted "more events and campus activities [to be] recorded or livestreamed." On the whole, the MBA students describe a deep connection to their courses, classmates, and teachers.

The University of South Florida's MBA program is designed to remove barriers between enrollees and their desired careers. For instance, "the USFSP MBA program admits students who do not hold undergraduate business degrees and offers a bridge program" that catches them up. Another MBA candidate notes that the school did not require me to take the GMAT/GRE to be accepted since I hold an engineering license in Florida" and yet another speaks highly of being able to transfer credits at other programs, "which reduced my time to graduation."

Once at the university, there's no shortage of career-boosting opportunities, like an immersion program allowing participants to partner "with incredible businesses" and have "some very impactful discussions" in Singapore/Malaysia or to assist "a group of talented, local young women in Guatemala." Networking activities also comes from academic and career planning that is "personalized and easily accessed," and from the way in which classes put students in contact with peers who are "inquisitive and from various backgrounds." As one enrollee notes, “I'm in manufacturing, and I got to work with many professionals in the healthcare, financial, and tech industries." Take the swiftness with which the school's sterling reputation and personal connections work from this student: "I [had] a new position even before completing the program."