The Best Accelerated MBA Programs Available in Seattle

When you need to earn your MBA in less than two years, some schools offer the opportunity to take an accelerated MBA path. These programs typically require full-time attendance but have been designed to be completed in twelve to eighteen months. Over the past few years, accelerated MBA programs have grown in popularity, offering MBA students who already have a background in business a chance to deepen their knowledge and skills in a relatively fast manner.

For MBA candidates living in Seattle, there are two primary accelerated MBA options.

Albers School of Business and Economics – Seattle University

The Albers School of Business and Economics offers a unique one-year MBA program for non-business majors called the Bridge MBA. This accelerated 12-month program prepares MBA students to enter into the business world with limited work experience. The degree requires students to complete 48 credits including 14 three-credit courses and a six-credit capstone. The profile of a Bridge MBA student is an average GMAT score of 539, a 3.34 average undergraduate GPA and 1.7 years of work experience.

The curriculum is designed to teach candidates the business skills they need along while offering co-curricular activities to enhance their education in different themes: Language of Business, Analytical Process, Decision Making and Integration. Some of the courses that Bridge MBA students will complete include:

• Legal Aspects of Business
• Financial Management
• Project Management
• Business Strategy

Of the program, former student Lauren Fleming said, “Choosing to do the Bridge MBA was one of the best decisions I ever made. The cohort style of this program gave me a sense of community and helped me build my leadership skills. The small class sizes, group projects, and co-curricular activities provided me with the business knowledge and experience necessary to secure a job at a global Fortune 125 company. I was worried that a 12-month program wouldn’t prepare me to make the transition into the business world—but it most definitely did.”

Foster School of Business – University of Washington

The Technology Management MBA at the Foster School of Business is an accelerated work-compatible program, designed for professionals who have a passion for innovation. MBA students can complete this program in as little as 18 months and, from there, launch a company or completely transform their career path. The average cost of the TMBA is $81,200 for the full 18 months with classes starting every January.

The TMBA class size is fairly small with just 77 students in each program. On average, MBA students have 11 years of work experience and 48 percent of those students have work experience as engineers or IT professionals. They’re typically 35-years old, and almost half work for tech companies.

Former student Terrell Ormson said of the program, “By being a cohort-driven program, students get to know each other well over the course of 18 months and feel very comfortable contributing to classroom discussions. We have students from a large variety of companies and industries, which enhances learning from multiple perspectives and increases our professional network.”

As for the curriculum, students can expect agile technology-focused course content. Classes typically dive deeply into technology companies, products and innovations and the courses are grounded in executive management, strategy, leadership principles, theories and frameworks. Some of the classes include topics such as:

• Strategy Management of Technology Innovation
• Entrepreneurship
• Marketing of New Products and Innovations

There’s also an opportunity for TMBA students to expand their learning in a global environment with an international study tour. On this tour, MBA students travel around the world to places such as Peru and China to meet with a range of technology companies from General Electric to BMW.

The other accelerated MBA program offered at Foster is the Global Executive MBA, which lasts 12 months. This one-year degree starts mid-June each year and is designed for individuals with strong international experience. One of the main differences of the GEMBA is the class profile. The cohorts are comprised of 80-90 percent international participants, which means it’s most attractive for managers seeking an opportunity to study alongside other global leaders or those wishing for a career overseas.

The curriculum for the GEMBA is designed to teach students how to conduct business in a complex global environment. Classes include:

• • Global Strategy
  • Professional Communication
  • Operations Management
  • Global Business Forum
  • International Finance

 

Of the program, former grad Zhi Juan Wang said, “Compared to other global MBA programs, UW Foster GEMBA has a higher international mix; learning and networking with my global classmates is invaluable in my line of work.”

regions: Seattle

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