Did you know that the UCCS College of Business distance MBA program is one of the oldest AACSB International-accredited online programs in the country?  We began this program 15 years ago when online learning was just beginning.  Our first graduate lived in California and visited campus just once: for her commencement ceremony. 

This spring, we had 69 MBA graduates, 19 of them from our distance program.  One of the surprises we've had over the years is how many of our campus students take distance courses.  Even if they live in Colorado Springs, the majority will take at least one online course before they graduate.  Why? The same accreditation, quality and flexibility of the courses that attracts students from around the world also meets the needs of local students who must travel frequently, who cannot attend class in the evenings, or who move out of the area after beginning their classes on campus.

Some of our students aren't even on land when they take their classes.  Capt. Chuck Litchfield, helicopter pilot and Executive Officer of the USS Bonhomme Richard, took many of his courses while he was aboard the ship. 

"The AACSB International accreditation was the number one reason I chose the UCCS distance MBA program," he said. He looked at graduate programs all over the country. Through his research on graduate programs, he knew he could get a high quality education in a program with accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.  Less than 5% of business schools worldwide have earned this distinction.  "The UCCS College of Business has the same level of accreditation as the Naval Postgraduate School," noted the former test pilot.

Litchfield needed the flexibility offered by the distance program at UCCS.  "The biggest barrier for me getting an MBA was time management," he recalled. "But the online courses made it possible."  The courses are taught entirely online with asynchronous delivery.  That means students do not have to be tied to a computer at a particular day or time.  The online classes fit the realities of his life: weeks of deployment at sea sandwiched between periods in port. "I didn't have to give up every Saturday to earn my degree," he said.  "The online program did not require a huge sacrifice of time compared to the cost/benefit for my career. I still had time with my family, and this degree prepares me for a great position in my next assignment."

That same quality and convenience offered to our MBA students will be offered to undergraduates beginning this fall.  I'll talk more about that program next month.

We are proud to be able to offer an excellent degree program to so many students, enabling them to further their careers whether they are here in Colorado Springs or in far flung places.  If you have questions about our MBA program either for yourself or for your employees, please don't hesitate to contact me.