Report: More women enrolling in online degree programs

Report: More women enrolling in online degree programs

Due to the economic downturn, increasingly more women are enrolling in campus-based and online MBA programs in order to enhance their qualifications, Forbes reports.

According to recent data from the U.S. Department of Education, women accounted for 44 percent of individuals who graduated from MBA programs in 2007, which shows a 39 percent increase over the course of 10 years. These figures also indicate a 75 percent increase in the number of female MBA candidates over the decade.

Experts attribute this rising interest in MBA programs among businesswomen to the turbulent economy, a growing emphasis on flexibility in business schools and additional efforts by universities who wish to recruit female students.

"Women are using [MBAs] not only for finance but also to work in nonprofits or open their own businesses," Deirdre Leopold, executive director of MBA Admissions at Harvard University, told the news source.

Across the globe, women account for 30 percent of applications to MBA programs, receive 31 percent of offers and constitute 32 percent of enrollments, The Independent reports.

By Stefanie Hughes