Cheryl Hercules (from left), photo by Sonya Revell; Maria Ochoa, photo courtesy of Ochoa; and Jeffrey Brunz, photo courtesy of Brunz

Commencement

Online MBA, “Biggest Experiment” in Questrom’s History, Is a Success

First graduates, getting their degrees May 22, say the program changed their lives

Jeffrey Brunz puts the “distance” in “distance learning.” Seattle-born and -raised, he works in the Netherlands for a software service firm, and while he has long dreamed of an MBA, traditional business school was beyond reach. “In my present job, it’s not an option to relocate for study or take an extended leave of absence,” he says.

He had to content himself with getting industry-specific certification credentials—until he stumbled across the new Questrom School of Business Online MBA while trawling for those. The program “ticked all the boxes for me: prestigious business school, university, and faculty; excellent price point; reputation for academic rigor and excellence; online and flexible,” says Brunz (Questrom’22). And as a member of this May’s inaugural graduating class—attending the 149th Commencement is one thing he plans to do in person—he’s already applying what he’s learned. 

“It has given me the knowledge to confidently participate in business conversations that had been out of reach and the option to pursue career advancement opportunities,” he says.

“The biggest experiment we have ever run,” Susan Fournier called the Online MBA’s nine-month gestation before the program launched in fall 2020. The experiment, Questrom’s Allen Questrom Professor and Dean says, “has exceeded our expectations on all fronts. 

“The quality of the program and the students who enrolled in it is exceptional. The faculty, staff, and leadership at Questrom are excited and proud to welcome this, our inaugural community of global pioneers, to celebrate their achievements when we gather in May.…We are forever grateful that these learners took a risk with us when we first launched our transformative MBA.”

That isn’t just self-back-patting; the news media raves about the program, too.

“The creation of low-cost scaled online degree programs from universities with global brands, such as Boston University, is the biggest story in higher education,” an Inside Higher Ed writer opines. “The full cost of the BU online MBA is $24,000,” a quarter of the typical in-person degree price tag.

The Economist imagined a letter to a fictional business school dean from a trustee, grousing about the cost of the school’s MBA: “Boston University’s Questrom School of Business has gone the whole hog and now offers its innovative MBA online for just $24,000. If we do not adapt, it will eat our lunch.”

Business is all about numbers, and numbers tell the story of this first class: 308 are on track to graduate this May and almost 40 percent of them, like Brunz, anticipate picking up their degrees in person. The graduates’ average age is 39, they hail from 43 nations, and a third of them are women.

Questrom’s challenge was to ensure that speed of setup didn’t sacrifice quality at a school with a brand to protect. (US News & World Report just ranked Questrom 47th out of 134 business schools for its full-time, in-person MBA, and 43rd out of 278 for its part-time MBA.) On that score, graduates interviewed have no complaint. 

“This program has been above and beyond what I expected,” says Maria Ochoa (Questrom’22). “I have been able to transition careers from nonprofit to the financial sector and doubled my salary.” (She recently became an associate working in asset wealth management and private banking at JPMorgan Chase & Co.) “I really feel what I have learned has allowed me to maximize my MBA for future career opportunities.” 

Getting that degree wouldn’t have been possible but for affordable and convenient online study, the Arizona resident adds: “The price point, the quality of instructors, and the ability to learn anywhere is what really made it a great experience. As a military spouse of an active duty service member, having the access to pursue a high-quality MBA program from BU was an opportunity I had to take.”  

Studying in person would have been a slog for Cheryl Hercules (Questrom’86,’22), given the Florida business consultant’s other commitments. “The online offering worked well with my professional schedule, and the affordability of the program was an added benefit,” she says. Corporate tuition reimbursement wasn’t available to her since she isn’t a full-time employee on the staff of a company.  

“The opportunity to work with global teams [in classes] has helped me to improve communication and networking skills within the organization where I currently consult,” Hercules says. “I have already benefited from opportunities to work on new projects at…the company and have received appreciation from my peers on my communication and project management style.” 

One privilege of being guinea pigs in the “experiment” has been influence in shaping the program. 

“Faculty and staff actively solicit and welcome feedback,” Brunz says, “and their agility to make adjustments has been impressive. I’m very grateful to be a pioneer.”

Ochoa agrees: “Our feedback of what is working and what is not helps continue to build this program. Being the first group is something very special to me, as it has been such a rich learning experience.” 

These graduates will also help students behind them, via a mentor program set up for after the first class matriculates, “to assist them as they navigate their MBA journey,” Hercules says.

Just the confidence boost for those who’ve been away from the classroom for decades has been empowering, she says: “The program has helped me to confirm that even after many years.…I hope to encourage others who may think they are too old to go back to school, or cannot afford to enroll, to realize their dream.”