What's the time commitment to the online program? The is the key variable

My wife Is the main income earner. (we both work full time) and got her masters in computer science online at Georgia Tech while working. She could only manage one class at a time so it took at least 3 years. She was quite busy but managed it. I think the main difference was that our kid was already in high school and was pretty low maintenance.

She has since moved up in position and her paychecks make mine look like residuals.

I'm 46, 2 kids under 7 and am 2 electives away from all the taught modules of the MBA under my belt.

I do 2 modules a quarter. Broadly the online delivered content is 10 hours to work through excluding reading. Then 10 hours of live sessions 1.5 hours per module every other week of quarter then a 3000 word paper to be submitted.

I have a dissertation / project which is the equiv of another 6 modules of time. It will have been 12 taught modules, 8 core and 4 elective.

Time, or rather managing time is the key. So I have viewed the purpose of each module to pass the papers / exams.

Some, have been straightforwards and others a huge PITA.

The live sessions I listen to on my phone, the online content I just sit down and knock out in blocks and then the papers, I map out, populate with waffle then refine.

The papers tend to be the most disruptive part the weekend beglfore they're due, where I might be locked away at least for the morning if not all day because editing and formating and all the shit you never use at work (harvard referencing I'm looking at you) takes time.

Realistically I think it's probably part time, at least 4-6 hours a week with intensive sessions if I'm behind or a paper is due

I tried getting a Masters at UCLA while living 50 miles away on the other side of the megalopolis. I had to attend classes... plus work got busy (60+ hrs/wk). It was insane. I quit school.

The online thing should be much easier to manage, plus you don't really care about your job and are looking at a new career. Sounds like it's worth finding a way to do it.

Maybe cut out the Tri stuff? ... ;)

My daughter-in-law is currently working on her MBA and her sons are 5 months and 2 years. She gets a lot of support from my son with the boys but she is also a workaholic. She can't sit still so this fills a void for her. I got my masters while working full time but my kids are out of the house so there weren't any other things to occupy my time. A lot depends on how quickly you plan on finishing. I did 2 classes per session and finished in 2 years. My DIL is going 1 class at a time now, started out with 2 but is at 1 now because of the youngest.

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TEAM HD
Each day is what you make of it so make it the best day possible.

When my wife and I quit being lawyers we went back for another bachelor's in IT. We were working full time and taking classes Wednesday and Friday evenings and all day Saturday. We were in all the same classes so could easily split up the workload if it got to be too much (Yeah, I'm an even bigger cheater than Lori Laughlin). We got jobs after a year but had over half the program to go. We decided to complete it even though we didn't need to, we slowed the pace and took a semester off here and there. Finished in about 2 years later.

I am really glad we did. But I have no idea how we managed it. Several of the people we were in school with also got jobs with us so there was a lot of camaraderie and such. But dang, that took all of our free time for a while.

You don't mention if there is or isn't a partner in the house to help with the kids. But they have to add more workload. We have no kids so we didn't have to worry about that.

Obviously I would say go for it, you will be happy when you are done but it will be rough until you are. The way to balance is that you just do it. You don't waste time doing stupid stuff, you work and you go to school, that is your schedule. And you just keep moving forward. You act like you are at mile 5 of an IM marathon with devastating blisters. You can quit or you can finish. It will hurt the whole way but you just keep pushing through.

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

I am working on my MBA, Covid has made it a bit easier these days, But before than I have a full time job, coached swimming with variable hours because of swim meets, My daughter is older at 13.

The online format makes it easier as is very flexible. The MBA is already helping with my job immensely. I have a biology degree and I am in a COMPLETELY different field from my original goals. So I need to close some gaps.

Bryan

Where r u doing it?

I've found my MBA of variable use. Some has been good, some has been redundant and some has not been delivered well, but overall I've enjoyed both the experience and my cohort

What jpo said.

Back in the day (1985-86) before online classes existed, I completed an MS in mechanical engineering program by going to class two nights per week and spending most of my weekends doing homework. I was doing a staff assignment with the USAF, but still flying, so that took up a lot of my time Mondays-Fridays.

We didn't have any kids at the time, but even then Ms. Tostig had to be pretty understanding about how much time I was spending on the degree program. Looking back, I'm sort of amazed I managed to get the degree program and everything else that was going on at the same time done, but it was definitely worth it.

You can do it! And you'll be happy that you did.

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"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.

I got an MBA at night when I was a bit younger than you. It was part time so a four year program but it took a couple years longer because I took off semesters for the birth of children and because I took extra classes that interested me. Being older and having already been through a PhD program made it significantly easier. I also didn't have the pressure of needing it for a career change. I did it because I was interested in it, my employer didn't know about it.

I don't know what field your PhD is in or what field you are looking at getting the Masters in but I have found that a doctorate will open a lot of doors in other fields that don't have a lot of PhDs.

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The first time man split the atom was when the atom tried to hold Jens Voigt's wheel, but cracked.

Pretty sure The Masters will televised on CBS should be easy to watch while working.

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I miss YaHey

We've talked about it recently, we have no idea how we made it through. It seems impossible now but somehow it got done.

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

Coincidentally just started a masters program in natural resources (100% online with the option for some in class but mandatory field time). My approach might be a little different in that you seem to have a 2 year timeline to knock it out but I'm looking at up to 3 years by going year round so take that into consideration.

Not sure this is incredibly helpful since I'm newer to being a student again but one piece of added value I might have is to start slow with one 3 credit class and adjust as necessary. I would also encourage you to reach out to future professors of your classes and run your situation past them to get a gauge on how much work each is going to take and plan from that standpoint.

For what it's worth - married with an eight year old son. Wife and I are in the same income bracket.

Interested to see what others have to say as well.

I start year 3 of a doctorate next month. IMO, ability to handle it comes down to three things: support/buyin from family, time management and expectations.

My program is online despite the university being only 20 minutes away. I had the option to do a weekend program but I wanted flexibility even it it meant sacrificing a bit of quality. For two years I’ve taken 6 hours each semester, 3 semesters a year. I’ve been lucky that I can also schedule the classes on the same night. So I am out of commission one night a week from 5-9 pm. Family can adjust around that easily. The online format really helps because I get up around 430. I can watch or read for 45-60 minutes in the morning. Writing papers sometimes requires extra time but if I plan it out then I am efficient when I write. Lastly, temper expectations. Some weeks you won’t have it. Life will get in the way. All of my professors understand this and will work with is. Everyone in the program is a full time working professional trying to get ahead. Sometimes a B paper is the best I can do. And that’s ok.

If you want it you can make it work.

I did an online (back in the day it was Video tapes mailed out) masters program while working. We had 1 kid. it had a thesis, and I basically told the prof I am done, cause I am about to have a 2nd kid. It was hard with kids my wife worked from home so that helped. You just have to figure out and plan your time.

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Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

This

I found the lectures, reading and online material is fairly consistent module to module.

The papers have varied significantly in time to write and the marks do not correlate with time invested - turns out I'm rubbish at some things no matter how much time I spend.

The first 6 months I did it all before kids got up.

I'm continuing, or planning to roll over from mba to dba next Sept. I think I've learnt time wise it's doable, I'm much more efficient at 46 than I was at 18

I thought this thread was going to be about watching the golf tournament while at work.

As for getting your masters - go for it. You ‘ll either find the time to complete it or it might just take a little longer than you planned. But if your not in a job you like or in it long term then take the leap and don’t look back.

You can do it. You seem to be an incredibly driven person and I have no doubt that you can get it done. I did an in-person Master's many moons ago while working at an internal audit department, which required me to travel. I was also the main bread winner. It sucked and seemed to take forever (3 years) but in the end it made a huge difference in my career and earning potential. I will say this though, if your spouse is not supportive you may want to rethink it. I don't know what I would have done without my wife's support. We had 3 small children at the time and I was literally busy 100% of the time but she was my coach/cheerleader throughout the whole thing and I could not have done it without her.

I would also consider the expense side of it. Is your job paying for the Masters? If not, are you still paying off loans on your PhD? If so the Masters will only add to your debt burden. If you still have significant debt on your PhD and your job won't pay for the Masters I don't know how this really makes financial sense. Just consider the bang-for-the-buck implications.

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http://dontletitdefeatyou.blogspot.com

Northwood University in Michigan. I am in the automotive industry and the University has a good reputation with OEMs. I chose the University for this reason.

It has closed some gaps and has helped make more sense of the basics of "why we do the things we do" I work in Business Development and I know what I want out of the degree and have been focused on making sure that I get it from the University. I am a bit of a type A at times.

Classes: Some good, some bad so far. There is a heavy reliance on Harvard Business Review cases and articles. Sometimes I feel like it is a package that may have been sold to the University.

I think most universities have that sort of deal on cases.

Almost all ours came from Insead, with a couple from HBS.

I've enjoyed it. A project to go and I'm almost done.

Not sure it's going to immediately help me, but we shall see

Thanks for your comments. Financially it’s not an issue. We don’t have any debt except for our mortgage and I will ask my employer about contributing to the masters tuition as I plan to stay with the company and it would be beneficial for them as well if I have this.

My husband is incredibly supportive but I am worried about how this will impact him and the time I have with our kids.

I started the online MBA program at UIUC in March. Just completed the 4th class out of 18 required for the degree. I spend on average 6-8 hours per week per class, and if I was working full time I had planned to only take 2 classes at a time at most.

Will the program you are considering require group work? Every class in my MBA has a group work requirement, hence we typically schedule calls on the weekends and evenings to coordinate efforts and review before submitting. Just something you may want to consider with homelife, etc. I have seen several folks in the program with PHDs or other advanced degrees. My impression is that while some of the business concepts may be somewhat new to them, they seem to grasp the concepts quickly and are able to articulate there questions or positions very well.

I am currently looking at doing an additional MS in Applied Statistics or Data Science as well as the MBA, to fill my time while I consider my next career move.