This week I am feeling quite satisfied with my preparation for classes. This is actually first time in this Spring module that I was able to study and work through most of the material assigned to homework. The keyword here is most. The important part of the MBA experience is to work under pressure and prioritize.
Arguably, the MBA courses in all reputable business schools are designed in such a way that students cannot possibly work through every single assignment they are given. This is a built-in component of the curriculum in order to train business leaders and business managers ready to deal with the real-world environment. One needs to be able to identify the most relevant and important focal points within every assignment and concentrate on them, because there is no time in the world, or at least in any reasonable person’s schedule, to go through all and everything assigned for homework.
This is especially true with the new format of the MBA program adopted at George Washington University School of Business for this academic year. Before this year there were regular 3-credit classes that ran for the whole semester. Now we have this modular system with courses worth 1.5 credits and lasting for 7 weeks only. The administration of the business school has of course their rationale for introducing the modular system. Regardless of whether that explanation valid or not, the modular system puts more pressure on both instructors and students.
I cannot argue on pros and cons on this matter since I only have been doing my MBA program after the modular system had already been introduced. So I don’t have relevant experience on before and after. But I have some common sense observations. Basically it boils down to doing more than half of the previous course learning in just half the time. Which inevitably shifts even more of the studying from the classroom time to self-study.
That said, I personally very concerned about getting something of real value, relevance and applicability from my MBA studies, not just the grades and eventually a diploma. So far I found all my courses quite relevant and of good application value. That’s why whenever I can (and it’s not often), I try to consume and work through as much of the material as possible.
This week was good in that regard. I have already finished required reading for both of my classes this week: Global Perspectives and Managerial Accounting. I worked on the required cases for both of them. I feel I have a reasonable grip on the concepts and ideas for both classes. I still will have time to work on additional problems for Managerial Accounting tomorrow night, and, very important – it’s not 3 in the morning yet, and I am ready to go to bed!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Does the modular system hold true for the FT MBA class as well? Also, is there any interaction between the FT and PT MBA class. I would suspect that the FT can learn a lot from the vast amount of PT students and i am sure that the FT class can also contribute to the PT students learning curve.
Cheers!
The modular system was adopted for both full-time and part-time MBA programs at GWSB as a part of a major curriculum overhaul by the MBA task force at the business school.
As for interaction, part-timers mostly have their classes in the evening. And the very nature of part-time students, i.e. juggling responsibilities of a full-time job, MBA classes, and in many cases-family responsibilities, precludes most of them from active participation in all extracurricula activities available at GWSB. Some still manage to do that. Full-timers, however, have advantage in that regard.