Online MBA programs burst onto the scene in the mid-1990s as the vanguard of Internet degree programs. American business schools, public and private, graduate some 100,000 MBA students annually from traditional classroom programs, a number far below the estimated demand for the domestic economy. Capacity limitations of campus-based programs, even with evening and weekend programs, leave a significant underserved population of working adults in need of business training. Many of these people want an MBA degree for advancement, but may not be in a position to leave their current jobs to attend school. Additionally, the world market offers a seemingly bottomless pool of candidates interested in an Americanstyle MBA education, but who don't have the means to attend American business schools.

A variety of online MBA ...