With many universities facing financial pressures, administrators are making difficult decisions about areas to trim. But career coaching and career services shouldn’t be the place administrators look to cut, especially for online MBA programs.
MBA students approach their education as a business decision. They invest substantial time and money and expect measurable returns. This is especially true for those seeking an online MBA program, as these individuals are seeking flexibility to support their career advancement while they’re working through a program.
With increasing competition from alternative learning paths and growing public scrutiny of degree costs, universities must demonstrate concrete results.
The Freeman School of Business at Tulane University understands these stakes. The school maintains a strong commitment to career development for its Online MBA students, with meaningful results that speak volumes.
“93% of full-time MBA students accepted offers in 3 months and 100% in 6 months,” says Erin Revere, assistant director of Freeman’s Career Management Center.
How does the Freeman Business School deliver exceptional student outcomes every year? The answer lies in a highly personalized career development approach rooted in Freeman’s “prepare + connect” philosophy.
The Freeman Approach: Start with Student Goals
Effective career support begins by understanding each student’s unique objectives, and the Freeman School of Business’s Career Management Center centers this approach.
“We start connecting with students at the very beginning,” Revere explains. “I connect with incoming students as soon as they are accepted into the program and learn about where they are and where they want to go in their career.”
While many Online MBA students are earning their degrees with the hope of changing their careers or advancing in their roles, this isn’t true for all students. For example, small business owner Stephen Nutting enrolled in the Tulane Online MBA program with the goal of strengthening his existing businesses.
“The Online MBA is helping me strengthen my businesses and make them as sound as possible,” he shares. “I wanted to increase my knowledge of marketing, finance and business law.”
Other students arrive open to the possibility of many career opportunities. For these individuals, Freeman offers career assessments that match their skills and interests with potential paths across more than 30 different career fields.
“It starts with active listening and then working with them to build a roadmap of where they want to go and a strategy for how to get there,” says Revere.
Create a Digital-First Support System
The Freeman Business School offers a centralized structure where students can access resources in a holistic way without friction.
“We have a great online platform where we hold all of our resources for students,” Revere explains. “It includes information about job searches, about resumé building, career cover letters and also all of our outside platforms are hosted there, so that everything is in one spot.”
The Career Management Center’s website allows students to access all the resources they might need to prepare for interviews, create resumés and cover letters, and explore career options.
“What if you need to prepare for that interview tomorrow?” says Sarah Covert, director of operations and career development at the Career Management Center. “That’s why we have these resources available on-demand for whenever students need them, regardless of time zone.”
The career center also offers workshops and one-on-one coaching sessions through video conferencing, bringing personalized support directly to students regardless of their location.
Build a Team of Expert Coaches with Industry Experience
A key differentiator of Freeman’s Career Management Center is the quality of its career consultants.
“Our career consultants are amazing,” says Covert. “They bring excellent coaching prowess and industry experience.”
When students meet with a career consultant, they have a dedicated, one-on-one conversation so the consultant can understand the student’s background and goals. Then, the student and consultant collaborate on a strategic plan that connects past experience to future goals. The student leaves the meeting with actionable steps.
“I had a one-on-one meeting with career services, and it was very supportive,” said Laura Henley, a Freeman Online MBA student. “We went line by line through my resumé and found how each thing is serving the purpose that I’m trying to fill with my resumé, and discussed what other things I could do to present myself better.”
Freeman’s career consultants also check in regularly to support students and make sure students are on track with their career development plans. They’ll adjust strategies as needed based on changing circumstances or goals.
Beyond planning, consultants also make a point to let students know they have someone in their corner who will celebrate their victories, offer advice after setbacks and provide reassurance during challenging moments.
“It’s helpful to have a sounding board and someone that can talk to you about your career plans,” says Gans Narayanamoorthy, the Faculty Director of the Tulane Online MBA. “The most successful people in the business world all had some kind of formal or informal career coach.”
Provide Career-Long Support — Even after Graduation
Unlike many programs where career support ends at graduation, Freeman continues to support alumni well past commencement.
“Graduates will come back and speak to me after they graduate, if they’re looking to move on to something else, or they’re struggling in a certain spot in the job they’re in,” Revere explains.
“We don’t just help students get jobs — we help prepare them for a lifelong career management,” says Carla Coury, executive director of the Career Management Center.
Why continue to dedicate budget to alumni? The simple answer is that you don’t stop being important to Freeman just because you’ve graduated, and this long-term relationship building creates lasting value for alumni and strengthens their connection to the Freeman community.
Career Services Are Worth the Investment
As online education grows and becomes more competitive, business schools must innovate their career services to meet changing student needs and employment landscapes. Freeman’s Career Management Center demonstrates that personalized coaching produces exceptional student outcomes.
For business school administrators looking to strengthen their own career services programs, Freeman provides a model: allocate resources to build strong career centers with skilled coaches who understand both traditional and digital career development strategies. And, integrate career readiness throughout the curriculum rather than treating it as a separate function.
The most successful online MBA programs, like the Tulane Online MBA, fulfil a promise to truly prepare students for professional success in a complex, competitive business world.
About the Online MBA at the Freeman School of Business at Tulane University
The Freeman School of Business at Tulane University offers an AACSB-accredited Online Master of Business Administration (MBA) and other MBA options based in Louisiana. The Online MBA program builds core competencies in accounting, data analytics, finance, marketing and operations, and also allows for in-depth exploration in your areas of interest. While a concentration is not required as part of the 46 required credits, you may pursue up to two of the following: Business Analytics, Finance or Marketing.
The program is designed to meet the needs of professionals from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds. Regardless of your desired concentration or industry, you’ll graduate with a comprehensive understanding of business and managerial concepts and the practical skills to make informed business decisions and lead in your organization.
In the 2024 U.S. News & World Report rankings, Freeman climbed 19 spots among the nation’s top MBA programs. This is one of the biggest year-over-year changes among ranked programs and reflects Freeman’s continued commitment to excellence and innovation in business education. The momentum continued with the school moving up an additional eight spots in 2025 to No. 54.
Download a program brochure or start your application for the Online Master of Business Administration.
Get the Online MBA Program Brochure
To download a program brochure and learn more about the Online Master of Business Administration offered by the A. B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University, please fill out the form. You can also get in touch with an enrollment specialist directly by calling us at 504-226-8311.