Traditional, classroom-based MBA programs have always been a central pillar for business students. But now online MBAs are entering the arena, causing students and employers to pose some big, serious questions. Are online MBAs really equivalent to classroom-based degrees? Could they actually provide the same level of business expertise? As the trend toward distance learning takes hold, many are dropping their pretenses and viewing both as legitimate options.

The Traditional MBA: Reputation, Experience

The strongest asset classroom-based MBAs have is reputation. Since the first Master's of Business Administration program was introduced at Harvard University in 1908, MBA holders have been viewed as the upper crust of business graduates for their versatility in areas such as administration, finance, project coordination, human resources and risk management. MBA holders are usually the highest paid, the first to be promoted, and the most likely to become CEO or chairperson. Even veteran employees with long-term experience frequently take a back seat to young graduates with freshly minted degrees.

Another part of the traditional MBA program's appeal has been the interactive classroom environment where students work in teams, piecing together innovative strategies and putting them to the test, the same way they do it in the real world. Graduates from these programs came out perfectly sculpted for the work environments they were going to enter, ready to excel in the business world.

The Online MBA: Innovation, Discipline

But a revolution occurred when smaller, more flexible colleges began offering MBA programs that were accessible to the continuing-education crowd and people who are fully employed. With the same business curriculum being offered online by technical universities and career colleges, the focus of the MBA became more complex. Students still work in groups to create simulated business projects, but now they do it through distance communication channels such as email, online chat and internal message boards -- the same way modern businesses work in the real world. These graduates enter the workforce prepared not only for the management aspects of business, but also the technological aspects. This point is raising the eyebrows of hiring managers who use Web-based tools like Gmail, Yammer, IM and even Twitter to carry out daily business operations.

Another point to consider with these home-based, online programs is the increased level of discipline required to complete them. While some may be quick to assume online MBA programs are the equivalent of clicking around on a laptop while watching TV, in reality it can require even more focus and self-discipline to get through the condensed subject matter at home than it does in a classroom setting. With distractions like busy schedules, phones and other house occupants, successful online MBA students need to have the control to stay on task, again much like the real world. The result is a different breed of MBA graduate -- one with advanced technological ability and time-management skills. And increasingly, these graduates are being placed right alongside the older style of MBA graduate. It's a slightly different road to the same destination, but it's becoming more traveled by the year.