[quote]Hi everyone,

I'm 28 years old, currently employed for a global airline as a 'Senior Marketing Executive'. Unfortunately due to the Coronavirus pandemic, I have had to take a 50% salary cut and working part-time. Thus I'm going to have a lot of time on my hands.

I've been accepted into the online Durham MBA course, but I keep seeing people downplay the course like 'Online MBAs aren't designed for large career transitions' - but why is this? I don't particularly want to spend 24,000GBP to come out the other end without opportunity. Essentially I want to see a ROI.

At the end of the day, I know this sounds cliche, but I want to be up there in the executive levels by 40. Is this online MBA offered by Durham going to help me get there? What are the potential roadblocks I will face with doing this course as opposed to; a better university or doing it in person? The certificate isn't going to say 'Online MBA' it's just going to say 'MBA'.

Thanks,
Josh [/quote]<br><br>Durham is a good university and its regular MBA is well regarded. You say you want to be at executive level - do you mean Chief Marketing Officer or similar?&nbsp;<br><br>There are a few reasons online MBAs don't tend to be associated with big career leaps or transitions, these include:<br>Networking and alumni opportunities are a lot less than on site courses. Networking is one of the biggest benefits with an MBA and in general, it's one of the best tools to help you progress towards exec levels.<br><br>Online students are often older and much more experienced than you so there isn't the same need for career or placement advice from their course. Older/more senior students tend to have bigger/deeper networks than those in their 20s like yourself.<br><br>Maybe you should start by using the often recommended tactic on here of searching on LinkedIn to see what kind of MBA senior marketing people in the airline sector have.

That's good advice.<br><br>Start with your goals: see the paths of people who are in the rolls you want to have, but don't assume that . In reality, most CMOs don't have MBAs. Marketing, digital and sales qualifications may be more common. No-one thinks of Durham as a marketing school.&nbsp;<br><br>You might get a better boost with a CIM diploma, and top-up MSc and a Micromasters.

E.g.&nbsp;
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CIM -</div><div>https://www.cim.co.uk/qualifications/diploma-in-professional-marketing/
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</div><div>Micromasters -&nbsp;


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</div><div>https://www.edx.org/micromasters/USMx-UMD-MBA-Core-Curriculum
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</div><div>or</div><div>
</div><div>https://www.edx.org/micromasters/berkeleyx-marketing-analytics
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