Finding The Right Online MBA For You
With so many amazing online MBA programs available throughout the country—and without location making the decision for you—it can seem nearly impossible to choose which Online MBA degree program is right for you.
With the increasingly available option to customize your degree in a particular area of emphasis—just as most full-time MBA programs offer—students can gain a competitive edge in their field without ever having to leave their house. In addition, the kind of specialization offerings at each program may help students narrow down the perfect Online MBA for them. Whether your looking to gain industry expertise in accounting or entrepreneurship and anything in between, understanding the areas of emphasis and structure of each degree can be a big help when confronted with such a vast number of impressive programs to choose from.
We take a look at most in demand concentrations available at each of the schools in MetroMBA’s new Online metro, finding what sets each program apart and may make it the perfect degree for you.
Fox School of Business – Temple University
At Temple University’s Fox School of Business, accounting is seen as much more than just calculating numbers—at Fox, it’s “the language of business.” It’s also the most popular area of concentration for students pursuing their MBA online.
The Department of Accounting at Fox focuses on an intense study of the field of accounting, providing students with several opportunities to gain “real-world” experience in the discipline. This sort of experience provides a competitive edge no matter what career path accounting students choose to pursue, which both include and go beyond public accounting.
In addition to students who choose to concentrate in accounting, the Online MBA at Fox is already strongly rooted in the accounting discipline, with all students being responsible for taking an accounting course as a key part of the degree and its curriculum.
Hough Graduate School of Business – University of Florida
If you are looking for a flexible degree that can expand your entrepreneurship knowledge, the Hough Graduate School of Business’ Online MBA may be the perfect degree for you. One of the four options in which students can focus their degree, Entrepreneurship skills are a core part of the Hough School’s curriculum.
Students looking for a more immersive or even global entrepreneurship experience can also take the courses for their concentration within just one week on campus in Gainesville, or taken during a one week international study trip. Of course, students who don’t have the ability to take a week off for this purpose may choose to pursue their Entrepreneurship electives online, as with the rest of the core courses of the degree.
Kelley School of Business – Indiana University
Students looking to focus their MBA in finance will find themselves in good company at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. Studying the discipline with the same highly ranked faculty who teach in the full-time MBA program, online students have the chance to round out their degree with electives that particularly focus on the financial applications of their MBA degree.
One reason the study of finance is so popular for online MBA students at Indiana University may be the opportunity to pursue a dual degree, combining their MBA with an online MA in subjects like Finance, Strategic Management, and Business Analytics, among other options. Such an interdisciplinary degree with a strong finance background will give Kelley graduates a competitive edge as they enter the workforce.
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Kenan-Flagler Business School – University of North Carolina
The Online MBA@UNC provides students with a world-class MBA curriculum that allows students to specialize their degree within one of eight special areas. In high demand at UNC is the Management Consulting degree, which prepares students for positions as business consultants.
Even though online programs don’t typically scream “hands on,”the MBA@UNC is build this way, providing consulting students with ample experiential learning and guided practice to gain the necessary leadership and client management skills for success in the consulting field.
Tepper School of Business – Carnegie Mellon University
The Tepper School of Business, ranked as the second best Online MBA by the U.S. News & World Report, is a top MBA for students interested in specializing in Business Analytics.
Students at Tepper have the chance to set their MBA within a particular track, and with the decision to focus on Business Analytics students will be provided with the necessary skills to transform massive amounts of data into usable and analyses to improve the worlds of both business and technology. Graduates from the Business Analytics track at Tepper have accepted jobs from such companies as Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, McKinsey, and more.
W.P. Carey School of Business – Arizona State University
Students looking to specialize their MBA in Supply Chain Management/Logistics may find the perfect degree at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business. With so many of the degree’s core courses centered around logistics- such as ‘Decisions, Market Structure and Games’ or ‘Operations and Supply Management’—MBA students can use their electives to even further customize their degree with courses like ‘Supply Chain Cost/Design Issue, ‘Suppler Management and Negotiations,’ among others.
What Are The Differences Between The World’s Best Online MBA Programs?
Every year, the online MBA becomes an increasingly more attractive option for business school students. With the flexibility to pursue your degree at your own pace and the chance to choose the best MBA program for you without considering location, prospective MBAs can truly make the most of their degree. And though some may be worried about missing out on a traditional classroom experience and the community that comes with it, changing educational technology has made it easier than ever for students to play an important part in their school’s community—without getting out of your pajamas.
The new MetroMBA Online Metro has rounded up some of the best online MBA programs available to students. To help determine which program fits your needs, we take a look at what sets each program apart—and what might just make it the perfect MBA for you.
Fox School of Business — Temple University
The Online MBA Program at Temple University’s Fox School of Business has the distinction of being ranked as the best online MBA in the country, and the best online MBA for veterans, according to U.S. News & World Report. The Online MBA at Fox offers total flexibility for students, with the opportunity to complete the degree within anywhere from 20 months to six years. To help students feel connected with the Fox community, the program offers weekly live web conferencing sessions allowing students to stay connected to faculty and classmates, as well as providing one-and-one career coaching.
The Online MBA at Fox is structured around three required courses that help prepare students for the program, 36 credits that can be completed at the student’s own pace, and a final consulting capstone course that offers total business immersion. The Fox MBA has also been recognized for its benefits for frequent travelers or military members. About 17 percent of students in the most recent class had some form of military experience.
The Fox Online MBA offers a number of areas of study, ranging from HR Management, International Business, Real Estate, Statistical Science, and much more. After completing the program, students on average saw a $30,000-plus salary increase and a median salary of $105,000 three years after graduation.
Hough Graduate School of Business — University of Florida
Although online MBAs tend to be on the rise in recent years, the Hough Graduate School of Business was one of the first business schools to offer a fully accredited online degree—almost twenty years ago. Today, the Financial Times and U.S. News & World Report consistently rank the Hough Online MBA among the top programs in the country.
The Hough Online MBA is the perfect opportunity for students that travel extensively, may move while pursuing their degree, or have a number of weekend commitments. To ensure that students still get face-to-face time with the school’s faculty and classmates, students return to campus once every four months for periodic residencies, allowing them to stay in touch with the community.
The online degree at Hough can be completed in either a two-year or one-year format. Both degrees give students the chance to choose among four areas of focus for their degree: entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, and international. The Hough Online MBA may also be perfect for students looking to immerse themselves in a global business education, as it offers students the chance at a Global Immersion Experience. Students have recently traveled to areas such as Argentina, United Arab Emirates, China, and Ireland.
Kelley School of Business — Indiana University
The Online MBA at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business is made up of 51 credit hours, 39 of which are required courses. The remaining credits can be used towards electives that will help students narrow the focus of their degree in an area such as Business law and ethics, economics, marketing, project management, operations, and more.
Each quarter, Kelley also offers an AGILE course—Accelerating Global Immersion Leadership Education—which frequently partner with top business schools around the globe. Students have recently traveled to such areas as India, Myanmar, South Africa, Botswana and Brazil.
The Kelley Online MBA also stands out because it offers students the chance to earn a dual degree online, pairing their MBA with an online MS in Business Analytics, Global Supply Chain Management, Marketing, Strategic Management, or Entrepreneurship & Innovation.
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Kenan-Flagler Business School — University of North Carolina
The Online MBA at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, better known as the MBA@UNC, may take students anywhere from 18 to 36 months to complete and include nine core courses in foundational business fields, such as economics, introductory finance, business strategy, operations management, and more. Students may also choose from over 30 electives to focus their degree in a particular concentration such as entrepreneurship or management consulting.
The MBA@UNC also requires students to complete two in-person immersions, which may be completed domestically or—for students interested in global business—internationally. Through the Student Teams Achieving Results (STAR) and Doing Business In (DBI) program, students also have the chance to study abroad at an MBA exchange partner school.
The MBA@UNC stands out thanks to its many post-graduate resources thanks to the Career & Leadership team. Replacing traditional on-campus recruiting, a Virtual Company Information Sessions allow executives from a variety of industries throughout the country to communicate with students about the hiring needs of their companies. Alumni can access these resources at any point after their graduation and can also take additional MBA courses as needed for their career development.
Tepper School of Business — Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business offers students a flexible online degree that is completed through a combination of online and on-site experiences throughout a 32 month period. Each week, students will have access to a 70-minute online course that allows them to virtually interact in real time. Throughout the year, they will also be required to attend six “Access Weekends,” held at the university’s various locations throughout the country. The Tepper Online MBA may be the program that provides the most opportunities for in-person contact with classmates and faculty, so students that are interested in more face time as part of their online program may be particularly interested in this degree.
Tepper students are provided with in-depth career coaching and recruitment opportunities. Students will also visit a number of major companies in the country, such as Google, Amazon, JP Morgan, and Microsoft. Within just three months of graduation, roughly 91 percent of students in the Tepper Online MBA program were offered a full-time role.
W.P. Carey School of Business — Arizona State University
The Arizona State University’s Carey School of Business online MBA degree is structured around just one course at a time, each five weeks long. Students are immersed in an inclusive online environment that allows them to interact with classmates through case-based projects.
Carey, in comparison to several other schools noted on this list, is also unique in its option of pursuing a concurrent online degree, such as a Master of Legal Studies, MSE in Electrical Engineering, or MS in Industrial Engineering.
Penn State Online MBA Opens with University Park Campus Residency
Penn State’s newly-revamped Online MBA at the Smeal College of Business kicked off with a five-day residency at Penn’s University Park campus. Eighty-two students from all over the world gathered to prepare themselves for the significant undertaking of the virtual MBA.
Faculty Director, Janet Duck, views this residency as a preview for the challenges students will face in the program.
“Entering into a master’s program is a big transition, as many students have been in the professional arena for six to eight years,” Duck said, “They begin to realize that this is a commitment, this is a dedication, this is a serious next step in their career. The newly redesigned program provides a great support network so that students are well-prepared and continually connected to the resources available to them as Smeal students.”
Throughout the five days, students received a core course overview as well as an outline of possible concentration options. The students were also trained to navigated Penn State’s learning management system, Canvas. The week also included a team performance class with Glen Kreiner, Faculty Chair.
The re-designed website has been carefully orchestrated to provide a very specific experience for MBAs.
According to Duck, “In our new model, we provide the foundational framework for students at the beginning of the program. What smell has brought to the program through the redesign supports Online MBA students from day one, related to networking, career services, work-life balance, and financial aid, as well as insight into the instructional design process. The transition to a Smeal-led program has really allowed us to provide support on so many levels, which begins with the residency experience as University Park.”
The residency gave students the opportunity to meet professors and faculty members in person and develop relationships with their peers. This is an essential part of the Penn State’s Online MBA, as the importance of building a sense of community is often overlooked by online programs.
The Best of Baltimore’s Part-Time MBA Programs
Committing to graduate school can be both exciting and daunting. Earning an MBA gives aspiring industry leaders an undeniable competitive edge, but going back to school full-time can bring other areas of students’ lives to a screeching halt.
Fortunately, many schools offer part-time MBA programs that allow the flexibility to maintain their career and family commitments while still continuing education. Choosing a program that is the right fit is essential to success. That’s why we put together a rundown of the best part-time MBA programs in Baltimore metro.
Carey Business School — Johns Hopkins
The Carey Business School at Johns Hopkins recently expanded its Flexible MBA track to include more online opportunities. Students opting for the Flexible MBA generally complete their 54 credits over the course of three years. An online or online-on-campus hybrid format for students with concentrations in Leading Organizations, Financial Businesses, or Health Care Management. Students pursuing the on-campus option enroll in eight-week sessions that take place Monday through Thursday from 6-9 p.m. in the evening. Carey offers classes on both the Baltimore and Washington DC campuses. Graduates of the Flexible MBA have gone on to hold powerful positions in companies like AT&T, UBS, and World Bank.
Perdue School of Business — Salisbury University
At the Salisbury Perdue School of Business, students can complete their part-time MBA in two years. Perdue offers a 100 percent online program as well as an online-on-campus hybrid. This MBA curriculum includes access to the SAP University Alliance Program, a global network that allows students and faculty to integrate SAP technologies and resources into the classroom. Gaining this technological know-how may give graduates an immediate edge in the marketplace. The program is excellent for students looking to completely shift trades, or aspiring to pursue the business side of an ostensibly unrelated area. Perdue’s MBA does not require that applicants have an undergraduate degree in a business-related field. In fact, Perdue has embraced students with undergraduate degrees in fields like archaeology and art history.
Sellinger School of Business — Loyola University Maryland
The part-time MBA at Sellinger School of Business is designed for students already balancing full jobs. Business school students on this track take their classes in the evenings, after the work-day is finished. Selling offers hybrid and online options for those who cannot consistently make it to campus for their classes. This program is ideal for students who would like to begin their business education on their own time frame, as applicants can enroll at the beginning of any term. Sellinger boasts an emphasis on “reflections, discernment and ethical commitment,” that distinguishes the program from many others.
Merrick School of Business—University of Baltimore
The Merrick School of Business Flexible MBA upholds University of Baltimore’s emphasis on offering programs that let students continue their educations without putting their lives on hold. All of the classes in this program take place in the evening, and 50 percent of the course are offered online. Courses are offered in seven-week terms. Students in this program set their own pace, and those in different time zones are not at a disadvantage, as online courses are offered in an asynchronous format. Students in the Flexible MBA can choose a full-time or part-time course load, without notifying anyone or navigating any administrative channels.
University of Maryland R.H. Smith School of Business
Students earning their MBA through the R.H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland’s part-time program have the benefit of an extremely flexible pace. MBAs can finish their degree in 24 months, 28 months or they can set their own speed and take up to five years. Smith might appeal to those who wish to learn more about the international marketplace, as this MBA program integrates global experiences into the curriculum. Students can choose to attend classes on University of Maryland’s Baltimore, Washington DC, or Rockville/Shady Grove campus. This program was ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Part-time MBAs.”
La Salle School of Business Introduces New Online MBA
In October 2017, La Salle University’s School of Business will officially launch its new Online MBA program. The program is entirely virtual, so students can earn an MBA regardless of their physical location. Courses in the program last eight weeks, with five start dates to choose from each year. Students pursuing the Online MBA can choose from a variety of specializations, such as Business Systems and Analytics, Management, Marketing, Finance and Accounting.
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Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business Online MBA Revealed
The Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business is the latest in an ever-growing list of well-recognized business schools to formally introduce a brand new Online MBA option for business students.
