Online degree programs could help business students gain hands-on experience

Online degree programs could help business students gain hands-on experience

Students and business professionals who choose to enhance their educational qualifications at campus-based or online schools may be able to gain real-world experience through college-sponsored contests.

The Zell Lurie Institute at the University of Michigan's Ross School of business has announced the winners of its Michigan Business Competition, which challenged students to develop plans for their own entrepreneurial ventures.

Throughout the four-month event, contestants were subjected to a series of judging and advising sessions, which were intended to help them create plans that could be presented in today's business sector. At the end of the competition, teams who created exceptional company blueprints were given grant funding, which could help them start their small businesses.

All contestants received specific feedback and advice, which may allow them to translate their planning and project management skills into the working world.

The contest was designed to help students "develop go-to-market strategies and build the relationships necessary to get their ventures off the ground," said Tom Kinnear, executive director of the institute.

Degree candidates who take online courses may be more likely to succeed in similar competitions, as they may be able to integrate their studies into their work.