Four Australian online MBA courses have been ranked in the top 50 in the world, including the AGSM’s MBAX program which was the only non-US course ranked in the top ten.
The AGSM MBAX ranked 8th out of 50 global online MBA programs from around the world with Deakin Business School (=15th), Curtin Graduate School of Business (42nd) and La Trobe University (46th).
| QS Global Rank | School | Duration | Fees | Average work Experience | Class size |
| 8 | AGSM at University of New South Wales | 40 months | $56,520 | 8 | 231 |
| 15 | Deakin Business School | 30 months | $50,580 | 12 | 226 |
| 42 | Curtin Graduate School of Business | 34 months | $53,400 | 14 | 18 |
| 46 | La Trobe University | 18 months | 54,300 | 12 | 22 |
The 2018 QS Distance Online MBA Rankings are based on six core indicators including employability, class experience and diversity. AGSM scored higher than the global mean scores in four out of the six.
“There are several benefits derived from long term experience in online delivery,” said Professor Nick Wailes, AGSM Director and Deputy Dean of the UNSW Business School.
AGSM Director and Deputy Dean of the UNSW Business School Professor Nick Wailes said the MBAX programs were designed and facilitated by experienced academics and leading industry practitioners.
“They know how to ensure that students are successful in this mode of learning and are able to immediately apply what they learn in the program to their work,” he said.
“Our background and experience means that we are well positioned to innovate and take advantage of new technologies that can enhance student learning as they emerge. We are constantly evolving our model to make it the best possible learning experience,” he added.
“The AGSM MBAX attracts high quality candidates from very diverse backgrounds and this quality and diversity significantly enhances the learning experience of students in the program. Its pleasing to see this reflected in the QS rankings both in terms of the classroom experience and employability,” said Professor Wailes.
Earlier this year, AGSM ranked 39th in the QS Global Full Time MBA Ranking and 37th in the world for the QS Global Executive MBA Rankings.
Deakin Business School’s global rank was an impressive climb from its original score of 21. in the past few years the school has improved its online MBA program in the eyes of the world and jumped to 16, and then again this year to its place at 15.
Deakin Business School MBA Director Colin Higgins said the score this year was a testament to the efforts Deakin went to to set itself apart from other schools as a “premium learning experience”.
“We’re all about quality and flexibility,” he said.
“We have a long history of providing opportunities to study anywhere and anytime, and we couple that with international accreditations such as AACSB and EPAS.
“Students are able to personalise their education with state of the art tools such as Deakin Genie and a personalised learning dashboard Deakin Sync.
Professor Higgins said it was important for staff to understand distance learners and how to teach well in an online environment.
“We know that it is more than just ‘technology’ and ‘an online platform’. It is about an attitude and orientation toward understanding that those not able to be present on campus deserve the same level of attention and experience as those who come on-campus.”
Dr Geraldine Kennett, Director of La Trobe’s MBA program, said the program’s leading position on the Australian and world stage was testament to the hard work the MBA team have put into providing a unique, flexible, relevant and engaging experience for students who can complete the MBA online within 12 months from anywhere in the world.
“Our online MBA is tailored specifically to working professionals with more than three years’ management experience, which ensures a much more dynamic peer-to-peer learning and networking experience,” Dr Kennett said.
“It is particularly satisfying to see our high score on the ‘class experience’ ranking indicator*, which reflects both our focus on peer-to-peer learning via weekly live interactive sessions, and the exceptional teaching by our facilitators who have diverse industry experience and expertise.”
