What makes the full-time MBA degree worth the investment? It offers a stimulating learning environment for professionals from all over the world who are looking for career growth and a new beginning. But it is also much more than that.

Read on to discover the advantages of this high-level study format that is more relevant than ever in these challenging times.

It’s fast and focused

For most professionals who choose to pursue an MBA degree, it is a once in a lifetime occurrence. Naturally, you would want to take as much from it as possible. With a full-time MBA programme, you dive into it completely and immerse yourself in the full experience. What does that mean?

Most full-time MBA programmes take between one and two years to complete, which is some of the fastest routes you can take. Compare it to a part-time MBA and you will see why. Barbara Coward, founder of MBA 360° Admissions Consulting, told Fortune Magazine that “most part-time students take roughly three to four years to complete these programmes”. This is because opting for a part-time MBA means you can keep working alongside your studies, which slows down the process.

Professionals who choose a full-time programme, on the other hand, have to give up their jobs and dedicate their working time to studying. Of course, this route requires long-term planning and a stable environment. But at the end of the day, it is a great option for gaining a truly valuable, focused, and authentic business education.

Enrolling in a full-time programme means fewer distractions and no tricky balancing between work and study. Scott Ibaraki, who graduated with an MBA from Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder (US), realised this during his own studies. “You won’t have to contend with the stresses of balancing a demanding job during the day with lectures at night and hoards of school work over the weekend,” he said. “This allows you to immerse yourself and focus more intently on your learning. You will also have more flexibility to explore different business interests and get involved with extracurriculars.”

Read: MBA Formats Designed for Different Learning Goals

It’s perfect for a career switch

Are you looking to go into an industry that is completely different to the one you have experience in? If your answer is yes, then the full-time MBA might be the best option for you.

Full-time programmes are an excellent trampoline for professionals who want to reinvent themselves. The highly experiential learning elements in most such programmes enable students to get a glimpse of different sectors and unfamiliar functions. They provide an opportunity to gradually and confidently ease into the new environment you might be aiming for.

“There may also be opportunities embedded within the curriculum that allow students to apply theory to practice, such as partnering with a company to solve a problem,” Harvard Business School (US) MBA alumna Shaifali Aggarwal highlighted for U.S. News & World Report. “Such experiences strengthen students' skillsets and may even be closely related to what a student wants to do in the future, which in turn can facilitate a career change.”

Because your full focus will be dedicated to the MBA and not to your regular job, you will be able to kickstart your new career while already in business school.

It’s practical

Next to the experiential courses and projects, there is another aspect that adds value to the full-time MBA – internships. While part-time students continue taking classes and working during the summer, many full-time students have the summer months dedicated to a work placement.

The internship can be an important experience for people looking for a major career change. It gives them room to try a new role in a different industry risk-free as part of their MBA studies. At the same time, internships have the enormous potential of landing you your next dream job. If all goes to plan, this temporary arrangement can turn into a permanent job after graduating from business school. This is the case for many MBA alumni who jumpstart their new careers straight after a full-time MBA.

Of course, each study format has its pros and cons. For example, part-time MBA students get to apply what they learn to their workplace throughout the whole programme. By comparison, the full-time MBA is more about a gradual accumulation of skills and connections, so that by the end of the programme, you have the full toolkit.

The full-time MBA is without a doubt one of the most valuable and immersive experiences you can choose for your professional growth. It is a study format available in many different countries and featuring countless perks for students. Just be sure to weigh all the options before deciding on the best one for you.