An MBA is a significant investment of both time and money. Many students put their jobs on hold in order to study, but for some, foregoing a salary and stepping away from the workplace simply isn’t feasible. 

However, the growth of flexible learning opportunities over the past decade has expanded opportunities for working professionals. New approaches give learners greater control over the pace, place, and mode of their studies, allowing students to pursue an MBA without putting their careers—or family commitments—on hold. 

According to our 2025 Prospecive Student Survey, flexibility plays a key role in MBA decision-making, particularly among professionals who are well established in their careers, with 12% of respondents aged 40 and older expressing a preference for flexible formats. 

We spoke with insiders from the MBA program at Concordia University Wisconsin’s Batterman School of Business to understand how flexible learning is redefining what’s possible for working professionals. 

Choosing how, when, and where to learn  

Studying for an MBA typically requires living around your program's schedule, sometimes giving up full-time work for the duration of your studies or even relocating in order to attend classes in person. 

Flexible study offers a different approach. With courses taught in eight-week accelerated formats and delivered online, virtual (online but in real time), or in-person, the Concordia MBA allows students to create a schedule that works for them each term. For working professionals, this flexibility makes it possible to build timetables that fit around their careers. 

“Having night classes offered flexibility for me to make time to attend class. This way, I’m able to earn a full-time living,” says Ernst Vonfrankenberg, a current Concordia MBA student who manages two jobs: sales professional at Kunes RV Freedom and operations manager at his family’s horse farm, Country View Equestrian Estates. 

The option to mix formats throughout the degree further enhances this flexibility, allowing students to choose the delivery method that best suits their circumstances at any given time. 

For Anna Thompson, a Concordia MBA graduate, shifting between formats on a course-by-course basis allowed her to get the most out of the program while balancing several commitments outside the classroom, including internships at The Heritage Foundation and Students for Life of America, as well as volunteering with the Luther Memorial Chapel and University Student Center. 

“The remote option was huge, and many of my classes were also in the evenings,” she says. 

“There were some times [where] I had some interesting schedules, I would schedule around the work that I already had on,” she adds. 

Studying at your own pace 

Often, MBA programs require students to hit pause on their full-time jobs for a year or two, sacrificing their current position with the aim of securing a more senior role once they graduate with an MBA. 

However, a flexible MBA such as Concordia's program allows students to continue working during their studies while also preparing to advance their careers post-graduation. Alongside multiple study modes, Concordia offers rolling admission with multiple start dates throughout the year. Students then have seven years overall to complete their degree.

While many finish in as little as two years, others students choose to spread the program over four years—making the program fit around their lives rather than the other way around. 

“I’m not in a rush. I’m not doing it as fast-paced as someone who chooses not to work full-time. I’m taking one or two classes at a time,” says Ernst. 

Anna feels the self-paced structure gave her a greater sense of autonomy over both her studies and her life. “The thing about Concordia that was so great is that they went at my pace and didn’t slow me down to go at theirs,” she says. 

Keen to earn both a bachelor’s degree and an MBA without missing out on valuable years in the workforce, Anna also took advantage of the school’s combined program option, which allows students to gain a bachelor's and an MBA degree within four years. 

“I did the Business Scholars program, where I didn't have to graduate from my undergraduate to start those MBA classes, and I ended up finishing both in three and a half years in total,” she says. 

Applying what you learn in real time 

Within a flexible learning format, where students can continue working full-time or take on internships and volunteering opportunities, MBAs gain the chance to apply classroom theory to real business scenarios in real time. 

“There wasn’t this constant disconnect,” says Anna. “For example, I was working for a nonprofit while learning about nonprofit management in my classes. That directly helped me become a better employee.” 

Ernst shares a similar experience, noting that the program’s flexibility enabled immediate application of classroom concepts, allowing learning to evolve alongside professional growth. 

“I took a class on Lean, which focuses on efficiency and productivity, and I was able to apply that directly when I went to work,” he says. 

This close integration of theory and practice helps strengthen career readiness, enabling students like Anna—now a deputy press secretary for the United States Senate—to feel confident taking the next step in their careers as soon as they graduate. 

“I walked into that role confident because I had real-world experience alongside my coursework,” she says. “You really can’t put a price tag on that.”