Others transmit lectures via satellite and use audio tapes and CD-ROMS to augment textbooks. Distance MBA programs typically last two to three years, with a five-year maximum for finishing. Requirements range from none at Colorado State to nine weeks to graduate from Syracuse. They also get to network. Admission to most distance programs requires students to be employed and have an average of 10 years' work experience.
Employers often cover the cost, which can be steep.
With that much money at stake, it's reasonable to wonder whether a distance MBA is as good as one earned in the classroom. And distance students have the advantage of melding work and school projects. Henze, for example, designed a statistical program that analyzes customer preferences, getting high marks from both her professor and boss. Distance learning is not for everyone. It takes greater effort because of the amount of self-discipline required, Russell says.