Our 2020 rankings of the Top Online MBA Programs in Florida. For an explanation of ranking criteria, click here.
| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Florida | Gainesville |
| 2 | Florida State University | Tallahassee |
| 3 | University of South Florida | St. Petersburg |
| 4 | Florida International University | Miami |
| 5 | University of Miami | Coral Gables |
University of Florida (UF) was founded more than 160 years ago. With 56,565 students (fall 2019), UF is the third largest school in Florida and the eighth largest in the U.S. Students at the school utilize more than 200 research, service and education centers, bureaus and institutes, along with more than a dozen colleges and schools.
In 1999, the Warrington College of Business at University of Florida became one of the first schools to offer a fully accredited, 100% online MBA program. The school says the “innovative 24-month option does not require a single campus visit.” The school has two additional options including an Accelerated Online MBA, that allows students to complete the program in just 16 months, and a “two-year option,” which takes 27 months to complete.
Unlike the 24-month program, the accelerated and “two-year” options are offered in hybrid format. This means students will have to attend an on-campus orientation and visit the campus one weekend every four months (Saturday & Sunday). During these visits, students will take final exams and deliver final presentations.
A concurrent Outreach Engineering Management (OEM) Master’s (OEM/MBA) is also available. This degree option “reduces the amount of time and coursework required for students to obtain both the MBA and the OEM degree from UF."
All online MBA students are encouraged to enroll in UF's MBA Global Immersion Experiences (GIE). Students register for the two-credit course that meets in person and online over the course of the semester and includes a seven to 10-day experience abroad in China, Chile, Dubai and others. The Online MBA programs at UF’s Warrington College of Business are AACSB-accredited.
Founded in 1851, Florida State University (FSU) is the oldest continuous site of higher education in Florida. It is also one of the largest universities in the state serving 41,717 students from every Florida county and 131 countries. With notable alumni such as Burt Reynolds, members of the New York Yankees, and over twenty current and former generals and admirals in the U.S. military, FSU has a network of more than 360,000 alumni from Florida and around the world.
The College of Business at FSU (COB FSU) serves more than 6,000 students enrolled in dozens of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. The school offers two online MBA programs: the Part-Time MBA and the Part-Time MBA with a Real Estate Specialization. The 39 credit hour Part-Time MBA offers a General Track or a specialization in Management Information Systems or Risk Management and Insurance. The program may be completed in two to 2.5 years or seven semesters.
Online MBA students may participate in the Global Business Seminar for Graduate Students, which provides the opportunity to study abroad in Seoul, South Korea at firms such as Samsung Electronics, Hyundai, Kia and LG. The program, which also features several cultural excursions, focuses on the "globalization and sustainability of Korean multinational firms," says the school.
The Part-Time MBA with a Real Estate Specialization also consists of 39 credit hours and features a “rigorous set of elective courses focused on real estate and analysis.” The program, which also offers a study abroad option, may be completed in two to 2.5 years. As part of the FSU College of Business, both the Part-Time MBA and Part-Time MBA-Real Estate are AACSB-accredited.
The University of South Florida serves more than 50,000 students at its institutions in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee. The school is the fourth largest public research university in Florida and one of the largest in the U.S. Students choose from 180 majors and degree programs at the graduate, specialist and doctoral levels, in 14 colleges.
The Kate Tiedemann College of Business at University of South Florida St. Petersburg (KTCOB USFSP) offers an AACSB-accredited MBA Program that may be completed entirely online. “From application to graduation,” says the school “fully online students never have to come to campus if they so choose.” Online courses are taught in “compact” eight-week sessions, which allow part-time students to enroll in one course at a time.
Online MBA students have the option to pursue the Global MBA Track, which requires a Study Abroad Course. Students may opt for one of seven other unique Focus Tracks including Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Healthcare Analytics, or Compliance, Risk and Anti-Money Laundering.
Full-time students can complete the 33 credit hour online MBA in just four semesters if waived from the foundation courses. Part-time students can complete all work within a reasonable time as well – approximately three years.
Recent University of South Florida St. Petersburg MBA graduates are employed at international companies as well as in positions at Florida’s top corporations, including Raymond James, Franklin Templeton, Wells Fargo, Nielsen, and Jabil.
As Miami’s first and only four-year, public research university, Florida International University (FIU) has the highest research classification offered by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university has earned more than $1 billion during the past decade and it operates the world’s only underwater ocean laboratory—Aquarius. Serving more nearly 54,000 students from 142 countries, FIU is also one of the top 10 largest universities in the nation.
More than 250 programs are offered, including popular majors such as Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Psychology; Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies; Social Sciences; and Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs.
The FIU Alvah H. Chapman Jr. Graduate School of Business offers a fully online MBA tailored for busy, working professionals. The program utilizes discussion boards, chat, and email, as well as online e-advising and e-tutoring, and academic coaches. This AACSB-accredited program requires 42 credit hours of study to graduate and students interested in the healthcare industry may choose the Online Healthcare MBA. This program also requires 42 credit hours of study, which may be completed in as few as 18 months.
Students in the Online MBA program nay choose from eight specializations including Business Data Analytics, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Finance, International Business, Leadership, Marketing Channel Strategy, Real Estate, and Strategic Negotiations. Each specialization consists of two courses (out of the 14 total in the program).
In addition selecting a specialization, students will are required to take three Professional Development Seminars (PDS) during the first quarter of the program. Professional Development - Work Preference Indicator Assessment, Professional Development - Presentation Skills Seminar, and Professional Development - Career Services Seminar. An optional two-day MBA residency in Miami is available and highly recommend. The school says that the residency is “is a great opportunity for students to come to our beautiful campus to meet their professors, the program’s administrators, and network with their peers.”
During the 2-Day Residency, we focus on developing soft, career-enhancing skills. Activities include expert speakers on hot topics, case-method analysis, team-building workshop, etiquette luncheon, and networking events. The Residency is included in tuition.
Depending on factors such as whether students attend full- or part-time, prerequisite requirements, and more, the FIU Online MBA may be completed in as few as 18 to 21 months, or 33 months.
Established in 1925, University of Miami (UM) is one of the region’s top research universities. The school serves more than 17,000 students from around the world enrolled in more than 180 majors and programs across 11 schools and colleges.
The School of Business Administration at University of Miami offers an MBA program known as the “UOnline Professional MBA.” The 42 credit hour, AACSB-accredited program is “taught by the same high-caliber faculty members that also teach on-campus,” says the school. The program is also delivered 100% online and it takes 24-48 months to complete.
Several focus areas are available including Accounting Practice, Corporate Finance, and Financial Decision Making. Corporate Finance and Financial Decision Making require an additional five credit hours of study, while Accounting Practice requires an additional nine credit hours.
Though the MBA program is delivered entirely online, students may attend an optional, on campus residency and/or an optional on campus orientation and campus tour. The residency is a “week-long immersion session, during which you will take one full, accelerated course on campus.” The orientation allows students to meet faculty, University staff and fellow classmates before their studies begin.
