Imagine spending a minimum of four hours per week on the internet with strangers from all over the world. And that’s only the start. You’ll also be meeting online in smaller groups to collaborate outside of your set class times. Over time, you start to form bonds with these strangers and they become friends. Finally, you get the chance to meet and it’s like you’ve known one another for ages.
That’s a simplistic view of what happens with MBA students who are a part of the Flex option at Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley. The program allows people to get their degree in a way that best fits their lifestyle. It’s ideal for those who live in other parts of the country, or the world, but who still want the prestige of an MBA from a top ranked part time program. Students in the Flex option can still work full time while managing life at home.
Students are required to attend live online classes twice a week on set days and times. They also participate in small study groups in addition to spending time on their own watching videos and doing homework. Haas currently has two Flex cohorts and will be launching two more in July. These cohorts have approximately 70-80 people who really get to know each other over the course of the two-and-a-half to three years they attend classes.
The bonding for our flex cohort has been really great considering that we’re all spread out. I feel like our bonds are stronger this way than they would be in person.”
“I was worried that the dynamics of the program would happen in the classroom and there would be a lot of nuances you can’t pick up on the screen. But it’s actually turned out really well,” says Honolulu resident Erin Mitsuyoshi, MBA 25, . “The bonding for our flex cohort has been really great considering that we’re all spread out. I feel like our bonds are stronger this way than they would be in person.”
Those strong bonds are enhanced when students meet face-to-face. In addition to the online asynchronous and synchronous parts of the flex program there is the option of up to five in-person immersions. Three of them are required. It’s another unique aspect to the Flex program.
WELaunch (required)
The first immersion for Flex students is required. It is in July right before the start of classes. This is their orientation and is called WELaunch. Here they will learn about the case method, meet the people in their cohort, and participate in team building activities.
Molly Bjorkman, MBA 25, a California winemaker, explains a little about what they did. “Our first immersion was very intense, especially coming out of covid. Our Lux cohort was put through intensive classroom-like, on-the-spot situations and then tasked with making up a chant and a skit to perform in front of the entire EWMBA group.”
Meeting a group of strangers and participating in team building activities can be nerve racking for some people, but chemical engineer Kinshuk Verma, MBA 25, says you need to remember that everyone has the same goal. “I think it helps to leave your inhibitions behind and fully understand that other people may be nervous as well. Everyone is in the same boat—they’re all trying to network and make the same connections,” she says. “My advice would be that when you are attending these events, make sure you’re giving 100% and you’ll be surprised by how much others are giving back. It’s almost always 120%.”
Leadership Communication (required)
At the end of the first year, in the second half of the second semester, students meet again for an accelerated weekend core class called Leadership Communication. In this class they will learn how to enhance professional and leadership skills through authentic communication. Together they will learn how to inspire others, create cooperation among those who they work with, and advocate ideas within and outside of their organizations.
After spending a full academic year together online, students are excited to see one another on campus again, “For me it was going to be about connecting with my classmates.” says Andrew Hicinbothem, MBA 25, an American currently living in Seoul. “I’m able to remember everybody’s name and talk to them. The in-person program is where I’m able to build relationships.”
RE Launch (Optional)
The third immersion is optional and is held during July of the second year. So far, only the inaugural Flex cohort has had it. The weekend is called RE Launch and it is an opportunity to build on the energy of the prior year. It helps students think about their academic, professional, and personal goals while at Haas.
Since it was optional, not everyone was able to attend, but Kinshuk lives a little over an hour away from campus and enjoyed the experience. “When we met in person at the RE Launch event… I can’t explain the feeling, but it’s almost like we were friends for so many years and we just picked up where we left off. Everybody made an effort to get to know each other and network but also to be friends.”
Mid Program Academic Review (required)
The final required in-person immersion for Flex students is the Mid Program Academic Review. This is done during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend in January during their second year. This weekend immersion is done off campus and is usually held at a resort in Napa Valley, allowing students to enjoy a different scene. The off campus location is worked into the Communicating in Diverse Environments core course that they take over the weekend.
The class is based on cutting-edge behavioral and social science that includes a combination of economic, psychological, sociological, organizational, and cultural insights. They learn an evidence-based set of tools that make the workplace more equitable. This will help them to develop leadership skills to increase diversity and inclusion in the modern workplace.
Thomas Seidl, MBA 25, lives in Germany and despite the time difference he says the immersions have been worth it for him. “I found immersions to be really special and valuable. They can be tough based on long travels and jet lag,” he says. “Despite these challenges, I personally think that there is a good trade off between meeting in person too often, which is challenging especially when living in Europe, and having a completely online degree where you wouldn’t need to meet in person at all.”
WE Lead (optional)
WE Lead is an optional in-person capstone event held during May of graduation year. The inaugural Flex cohort will finish in 2025, so this has not taken place for anyone yet. The idea behind it is for students to come together to reflect on where they’ve been and set the compass for what’s next. They will have the opportunity to test skills and knowledge with their classmates, network with alumni, and celebrate their accomplishments.
Thomas is one who hopes to be able to attend and he won’t be coming alone. “I am planning to get my wife and kids over for graduation and then spend, hopefully, two weeks together in the U.S.”
The value of immersions
Whether students only attend the three required immersions, or all five, everyone seems to agree that they add a special aspect to the Flex program. “The immersions have been wonderful. The best part is being able to see our online classmates in person,” says Molly. ”You forget and/or don’t realize how tall or short everyone is. There is a dynamic aspect to a personality that is muted online. However, once you meet in person, you hold those layers in your head when you interact with these individuals online.”
She continues, “I feel like I got a lot out of them. The in-person immersions are a crucial aspect to the online Haas experience. Suggestions for future students: Go with an open mind. Engage as much as possible. Try to stay off your phone, as this makes engagement harder. Also, try to set up meet-ups with professors, if time allows.”
Some students were nervous about getting their MBA online, especially as “guinea pigs” for the new Flex option. Combining core classes, study groups, and in-person immersions almost forces the students to connect on a level that they never have.
According to Kinshuk, “This is very different from what my experience has been during in person courses. I really don’t have friends from the master’s degree that I did in person, so this is different even though it’s online. I’m hoping that I can keep friends for life after this experience.”
If you’re looking for an MBA from a top ranked school that combines the flexibility of online courses with the value that periodic in-person immersions can add to the experience, contact us about the Flex option. The next group starts in July.
