Weekends at W. P. Carey

Inside the Classroom

When you enroll in the W. P. Carey Professional MBA, you become part of a group of diverse students committed to learning throughout. The team- and case-based learning environment provides you with the opportunity to not only share your experiences with your classmates, but also to learn from their experiences. Written assignments, quizzes, case write-ups, problem sets, exams and class participation contribute to your grade.

As a student in the Weekend program, you are expected to be on ASU’s Tempe campus every other weekend, Friday from 4:30 – 9:00pm and Saturday from 8:00am – 5:00pm for your core classes. This accelerated Weekend program begins in January and lasts just 18 months.

In addition to the time spent in class each week, you should expect to spend at least 10 to 20 hours outside of class for study and preparation. Classroom environments are energized with intellectual challenge, with you and your peers bringing real-world experiences into the classroom for presentation and examination in a new context.

Online Learning

Because a significant amount of your core courses and electives is delivered online, you need to ensure that you are comfortable learning in, what is for some, a new and different way. The following questionnaire will help you determine how well you are prepared to pursue online coursework.

Compare yourself with these statements from successful online students to determine if online learning is a good match for you:

• I have excellent organizational skills.
• I am a very self-directed learner.
• I tend to get things done ahead of time rather than waiting until the last minute.
• I can figure out written instructions very well on my own.
• I like learning about new technologies; they don't intimidate me.
• I am a very comfortable and skilled reader.
• I like engaging in written communication.
• Coming to campus for class during the week is very difficult because of location, current time commitments or lack of transportation.
• My need for taking a more flexible MBA is very high.
• If I don't take it now, I will not be able to take it later.

Outside the Classroom

Part of the excitement of being a Professional MBA student, is being able to take new skills and concepts and directly apply them to your current work environment. You will also have the ability to bring examples of your current work that highlight concepts being covered in courses and case discussions, allowing for immediate, real-world application.

As a Professional MBA student, you are are all juggling the same demanding schedule as your classmates, requiring you to work full-time during the day, attend class on the weekends and maintain a level of personal life balance. You may also need time for important team meetings outside of class time. Most students find they become very agile at managing time commitments to be successful throughout the program.