Media Coverage

“The belief that online degrees aren’t as valuable as traditional ones was already fading as students desired more-flexible schedules and lower-priced degrees, said Tim Westerbeck, president of higher-education consulting firm Eduvantis.”

Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management in Indiana said last month that it would stop admitting students to its two-year resident M.B.A. program for the 2021 academic year, making it one of the most high-profile schools yet to close its program.

“The survey, conducted by higher-education consulting and digital marketing firm Eduvantis, surveyed deans about the spread of the coronavirus’s impact on business education.”

For schools making moves away from campus coursework toward online alternatives, it’s not happening without friction.

According to Eduvantis, monthly Internet searches around terms like “dual degree” doubled from 2007 to 2014. In the past year, searches for “MBA/computer science” grew by 22 percent, and there was an 86 percent jump in interest in “MBA/engineering.”

After spending years adding new programs in an attempt to boost enrollment and capitalize on untapped revenue streams, deans say the efforts often confused prospective students or distracted administrators.

Female deans “are more likely to create cultures that are more open to new ideas,” says Tim Westerbeck, president of Eduvantis, LLC, a consulting firm for business schools.