Our 2020 list of the Top 20 Online MBA Programs in the South. We define the South as Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas. For an explanation of our ranking criteria, click here.
| Ranking | School | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | North Carolina |
| 2 | University of Florida | Florida |
| 3 | Auburn University | Alabama |
| 4 | North Carolina State University | North Carolina |
| 5 | Florida State University | Florida |
| 6 | The Georgia WebMBA | Georgia |
| 7 | University of South Florida | Florida |
| 8 | University of Mississippi | Mississippi |
| 9 | Louisiana State University | Louisiana |
| 10 | Florida International University | Florida |
| 11 | Mississippi State University | Mississippi |
| 12 | West Virginia University | West Virginia |
| 13 | University of Miami | Florida |
| 14 | Arkansas State University | Arkansas |
| 15 | Florida Atlantic University | Florida |
| 16 | East Carolina University | North Carolina |
| 17 | University of Memphis | Tennessee |
| 18 | Clemson University | South Carolina |
| 19 | Western Kentucky University | Kentucky |
| 20 | University of North Alabama | Alabama |
In 1795, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill) became the only public university to award degrees in the 18th century. The School of Commerce was established in 1919 and is known today as Kenan-Flagler Business School. With more than 37,000 graduates working in all states and 80 countries, UNC Kenan-Flagler is considered one of the nation’s top business schools.
The online MBA program at UNC (MBA@UNC) is one of the most recognized and established in the country. The 66 credit hour program allows students to interact with faculty weekly using a face-to-face online platform. Two important components of the program are the MBA@UNC Global Immersions and quarterly three-day immersions. Students are required to attend at least two Global Immersions, which may take them to major business centers around the world such as London, Johannesburg, Singapore, Istanbul, and others.
MBA@UNC students may select from eight concentrations including Corporate Finance, Entrepreneurship, Global Supply Chain Management, Investment Management, Marketing, Sustainable Enterprise, Management Consulting, and Data Analytics and Decision Making. In addition, students may participate in several other programs to gain additional hands-on business and international experience. Optional programs include Student Teams Achieving Results (STAR), the Exchange Program, and Doing Business In (DBI).
STAR students "students learn by doing as they take on the role of consultants to real companies,” says the school, while the Exchange Program “allows MBA@UNC students to study at another top-ranked business school in countries across the globe." Doing Business In (DBI) "gives students an opportunity to study abroad at an MBA exchange partner school."
With four annual start dates, the MBA@UNC can completed in as few as 18 months or as many as 36, depending on the students schedule and other commitments. The program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
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.
Auburn University was chartered in 1856 as East Alabama Male College—a Methodist institution. Beginning with EAMC, the school has had four official names: Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama, Alabama Polytechnic Institute, and Auburn University. Classes were first held for 80 students with a faculty of six in 1859. Today, the school serves approximately 29,776 students enrolled in 140 programs within 13 colleges and schools.
The Raymond J. Harbert College of Business, which has grown an impressive 50% over the last seven years, offers a video-based Distance MBA that may be completed in 2.5 years, part-time. The 36 credit hour program offers an optional three-day orientation at the beginning of the program and a three-day on campus residency on the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday before graduation. Otherwise, all coursework for the program is delivered through the University's online student learning platform CANVAS.
Students use CANVAS to view lectures, work with team members on group assignments, ask questions and hold discussions with professors and classmates, submit homework, and access course materials. The lock-step curriculum allows online students to watch the exact same lectures, take the same tests, and communicate with the same professors as on-campus students.
Students can live-stream classes or choose to watch at the time most convenient for them. Courses are taken at the student’s own pace, with most online students taking one or two classes each semester. The curriculum includes a mix of core business classes and business electives and the final semester includes the Capstone Course, where groups of MBA students provide consultation to a number of real businesses on various topics.
In addition to optional concentrations in Finance, Marketing, Management, Information Systems, Supply Chain, Business Analytics and Human Resource Management, this AACSB-accredited program offers dual degrees (MBA/MS) in Finance, Information Systems, and Industrial and Systems Engineering. Graduate research assistantships, which are awarded annually, are also available.
North Carolina State University (NC State) held its first classes in the fall of 1889 with 72 students, six faculty members and one building. Today, NC State is the largest of the 16 higher-education institutions in the University of North Carolina system, with over 2,000 faculty members, an administrative and support staff of more than 5,500, and a current enrollment of nearly 25,000 undergraduates and 9,000 graduate students from across the state and around the world. Through its 11 colleges, North Carolina State University offers more than 100 undergraduate programs, 100+ master’s programs, 60+ doctoral programs, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program.
The school’s most popular majors are Engineering; Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences; and Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs.
Founded in 1992 and serving more than 3,500 students, Poole College of Management at NC State offers a 40 credit hour Professional Online MBA that has six “Depth Areas” comprised of the same functional area options as concentrations, but with fewer credit hours required to graduate. Known as the “Jenkins MBA,” areas for the program include Biosciences Management, Entrepreneurship & Technology Commercialization, Financial Management, Innovation Management, Marketing Management, and Supply Chain Management. This AACSB-accredited program also offers the opportunity to earn Decision Analytics or SAP Certification. SAP is the world's largest enterprise applications software company, with a wide range of software used by more than 38,000 firms in over 120 countries.
Students in the Jenkins Online MBA program may choose the Accelerated Path, which takes as few as 21 months to complete, or the Flexible Path, which allows students to complete their degree in as little as 21 months or up to six years. Both pathways allow students to interact with one another and instructors through WolfWare, NC State’s online learning management system featuring educational tools such as Moodle, email, streaming video files, discussion boards (message boards, instant messaging, etc.), and telephone conferencing.
The Jenkins Online MBA requires two three-day residencies on NC State’s main campus in Raleigh. In addition, students are encouraged to complete an optional International Immersion that lasts for seven to eight days. Per the school, “the focus of the trip is to provide global business and cultural awareness skills.” For 2019, travel experiences include France: MBA, Art & Science of Negotiation in Paris and Germany: MBA, Innovation & Marketing Systems in Munich.
Study abroad trips take place during the Spring and Summer semesters, (usually mid-March or mid-May).
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.
Established in 2001, the Georgia WebMBA is jointly offered by seven University System of Georgia Schools including Augusta University, Columbus State University, Georgia College & State University, Georgia Southern University, Kennesaw State University, University of West Georgia, and Valdosta State University.
Designed for professionals who want to earn their MBA without the restrictions of set class times and locations, the program requires just one onsite two-day orientation in Atlanta. After this, all required activities are exclusively online. However, Georgia WebMBA students have access to the same services as participants in other Coles MBA Programs, including career services, on-campus events, and networking opportunities.
This AACSB-accredited program relies primarily on virtual team-based learning. This unique cohort structure “promotes efficient student interactions, peer-to-peer learning, and long-lasting relationships,” says the school. Course highlights include Global & International Business, Entrepreneurship, Managerial Decision Analysis, Strategic Marketing, Management Information Systems, and Human Behavior in Organization, to name a few.
Georgia WebMBA students have the option to complete the program in five consecutive semesters within a year and a half. This accelerated option allows students to begin the program in January or August and complete two online courses each term. Otherwise, the program typically takes around 20 months to complete.
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.
Chartered on February 24, 1844, University of Mississippi (Ole Miss or UM) is Mississippi's flagship university. The school opened its doors in 1848 to just 80 students. For the next 23 years, UM was Mississippi’s only public institution of higher learning, and for 110 years, it was the state’s only comprehensive university. Today, UM serves more than 24,000 students enrolled in hundreds of programs in 15 academic divisions including a major medical school, nationally recognized schools of accountancy, law and pharmacy, and the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, renowned for a blend of academic rigor, experiential learning, and opportunities for community action.
The School of Business Administration at the University of Mississippi offers a 36 credit hour Online Professional MBA that can be completed in as few as two years. The program “employs a fully supported online learning system integrated with features such as video conferencing, interactive discussions and similar collaborative technologies necessary for effective online instruction,” says the school. Course titles range from Managerial Accounting and Organizational Behavior to Contemporary Business Analysis and Mobilizing Technology.
The Ole Miss Online MBA is AACSB-accredited.
Louisiana State University (LSU) is the highest rated public university in Louisiana. The school is known for graduating students that leave LSU with zero debt and the chance to earn, on average, $12,000 more than those graduating from other universities.
The E.J. Ourso College of Business at Louisiana State University (LSU) is home to the Flores Online MBA Program. This AACSB-accredited MBA is designed for professionals with at least five years of work experience and it offers six start dates annually. Students in the program are required to take 14 courses (42 credit hours) and they may choose elective courses to create a focus. A few options include Negotiation, Persuasion and Influence, and Seminar in New Developments in Business Administration.
There are no residency requirements for the LSU Flores Online MBA and students may complete the program in as few as 18 months.
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.
Mississippi State University is a comprehensive, doctoral degree-granting institution that holds the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching’s designation as a Doctoral/Extensive institution. As the state’s leading research university, the school serves 22,000 students enrolled in hundreds of programs across five colleges.
The College of Business at Mississippi State University offers a 30 credit hour fully online MBA and a 33 credit hour online MBA with a focus in Project Management. Online MBA courses emphasize Management, Marketing, Finance, Economics, Business Information Systems, and Quantitative Analysis. Both AACSB-accredited programs offer enrollment in fall, spring, or summer and they typically take two years to complete. However, students who have completed all undergraduate prerequisites can finish either program in as few as 18 months. Prerequisite courses are also available online.
West Virginia University’s research classification is R1: Doctoral Universities—the highest research activity as described by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Founded in 1867, this public, land-grant institution serves close to 30,000 students across the entire WVU system, which consists of Morgantown, WVU Tech, and Potomac State College. Around 139 undergraduate majors and 239 graduate majors are offered in more than a dozen colleges and schools.
The John Chambers College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University offers an online hybrid MBA that takes two years to complete. The asynchronous program consists of 48 credit hours of study and it has two start dates each year including August and January. Four in-person residencies are required throughout the program, including three residencies in Morgantown, West Virginia and the fourth in Washington, D.C. During these 3-4 day residencies held in the fall and spring semesters, students will interact with faculty, engage in hands-on experiential learning, and network with peers.
During the final semester, students will participate in the mock venture capital fair held in Morgantown, WV. They will work with teammates to navigate through a simulation and pitch their business's needs to mock VCs. This project is part of the Integrated Global Business course. Other course highlights include Export Management, Management Information Systems, Negotiation Strategy, Personal Financial Planning, and Strategic Communications.
Students will also complete Executive Project 1 & 2, which provides the opportunity to develop and demonstrate project management skills through the preparation and presentation of a full and complete project/business implementation plan. Students may choose from several unique specializations including Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination, Energy Finance, or Integrated Marketing Communications. To enhance the degree, “Bolt On” Certificates are available in Business Data Analytics, Business Cybersecurity Management or Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination.
The AACSB-accredited Chambers College of Business and Economics at WVU also offers a Military Online MBA, Dual JD Online MBA, Dual PharmD Online MBA, and the Dual MS Nursing Online MBA.
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.
Arkansas State University developed from an agricultural school founded on April 1, 1909 by Act 100 of the 37th Arkansas General Assembly. It was created as one of four Arkansas high schools to teach agriculture, horticulture, and the art of textile manufacturing. Today, with 14,085 students, the university grants bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees through its various colleges.
The Neil Griffin College of Business at Arkansas State University houses the Department of Management and Marketing, which offers an online MBA program that requires 36 to 39 credit hours to complete. Two concentrations are available including Finance and Supply Chain Management, which offers” in-depth coverage of the core components of the supply chain functions of business as they relate to firms operating in a dynamic global business environment,” says the school. Students in both concentrations have the option to complete an internship worth three credit hours or one directed independent study.
The MBA curriculum provides a “leading-edge curriculum” that emphasizes “leadership/values, international business, the latest technology, decision tools, and social responsibility/ethics facilitated by action-based learning.” Considered a “serious trademark” of the Neil Griffin Online MBA, the same faculty members that teach and mentor the College of Business’ on-campus courses are the instructors for the online program.
The AACSB-accredited Online MBA program at Arkansas State University takes just two years to complete.
Established in 1961, Florida Atlantic University (FAU) officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 30,000 students across six campuses located along the southeast Florida coast. More than 170 degree programs are offered in 10 colleges.
The Executive Graduate Programs Office in the College of Business offers a 23-month online MBA with no GMAT/GRE requirement. The program has no residency or international residency requirements, and it is designed for individuals with undergraduate degrees in any discipline. However, four years of work experience is required to be admitted to the program.
FAU Online MBA features include a 100% asynchronous format, allowing students to access courses at any time and from any location, with an internet connection, a 40-46 credit curriculum, a team-based cohort format, and VIP Concierge Service and Support. The program also contains the same curriculum and is taught by the same professors as the campus-based programs. Students will learn and engage with faculty and peers through recorded online lectures, presentations, discussion and chats.
The AACSB-accredited FAU MBA program was recently ranked #1 in Florida and #5 in the United States in terms of a student’s return on investment (ROI), with one of the nation’s highest average salary-to-debt ratios after getting an MBA. Programs start in May, August, and January.
East Carolina University (ECU) was established in 1907. The school held its first classes in 1909, opening its doors to just 174 students. Today the school serves approximately 28,650 students enrolled more than 100 undergraduate degree programs, more than 70 master's degree programs, two intermediate programs, and over 60 graduate certificate programs through 11 colleges and schools. In addition, more than 100 online degree and certificate programs are available, along with 13 research doctoral programs and six first professional programs (AuD, DMD, DNP, DPT, EdD, MD). ECU holds the distinction of being classified among the Doctoral/Research Universities by the Carnegie Foundation.
The College of Business at East Carolina University (COB at ECU) offers an AACSB-accredited MBA program that may be completed entirely online or in hybrid format. There are no residency requirements for the 100% online MBA and students can create a schedule that works with theirs, with the support and guidance of a dedicated advisor. Student set their own pace throughout the program – taking between one to five courses each semester. Students can take a semester or more off if needed, and courses may be taken in any order, provided prerequisites are met.
The customizable ECU MBA is designed for both business and non-business undergraduates. The degree is “completely self-contained, requiring no prerequisite business experience or coursework,” says the school. The program consists of a maximum of 18 courses, or 54 semester hours, and “provides an engaging and flexible education in the theory and practice of business management – exposing students to a range of subjects,” including accounting, finance, economics, information systems, marketing, operations management, strategy, and supply chain management. Courses are divided into three categories including seven foundation courses, eight common body of knowledge courses, and three electives/graduate certificate courses.
Students can choose from more than 30 different electives to customize their MBA experience to their career goals or opt for one of 12 COB-affiliated graduate certificates to satisfy the elective requirement. Most certificates require four or five courses, which will add one or two additional courses to the program. Certificates are designed to provide students “with meaningful insight into the issues of a specific industry from colleges or departments both inside and outside the College of Business.”
Certificates are awarded from the respective colleges or departments in conjunction with the degree and successful completion of a certificate is reflected on the graduate’s transcript.
University of Memphis was founded in 1912 as West Tennessee State Normal School. The school serves more than 22,000 students enrolled in 17 bachelor’s degree programs in more than 250 areas of study, master’s degrees in 54 subjects, doctoral degrees in 26 disciplines, education specialist degree in two areas, a Juris Doctor, and graduate certificate programs in 44 areas of study. Programs are offered in 13 colleges and schools.
The Fogelman College of Business and Economics (FCBE) at University of Memphis offers six different tracks to earn an MBA, including the Online Professional MBA. This 33 credit hour program consists of a 30-credit core and one three credit hour elective course. Course highlights include Corporate Governance and Business Ethics, Creativity and Innovation, Global Strategic Marketing, Information Systems in the Global Enterprise, and Seminar in Leadership. There are no prerequisites for the core curriculum and students can take three required courses, Law, Ethics, and Corporate Governance, Leadership and Team-Building, and Creativity and Innovation, as a three-day, on-campus, residency course. Courses are scheduled on a rotating basis in the weeks before the beginning of a semester.
Other program highlights include 24/7 learning from synchronous and asynchronous instruction by “globally-renowned faculty” and no concentration requirements. The FCBE Online MBA Program is AACSB-accredited.
Founded in 1889, Clemson University is a public, land-grant research university that serves nearly 26,000 students making it the second-largest university in South Carolina. More than 160 majors and minors, along with 120+ graduate degree programs are offered in 10 colleges and schools.
In Fall 2019, the College of Business at Clemson University launched an online MBA program for candidates with 2+ years of work experience. This part-time, AACSB-accredited program for working professionals “utilizes the same corporate MBA curriculum and faculty and is designed to accelerate careers into areas of management and executive leadership,” says the school. The flexible format allows students to “select the class structure that best fits their schedule and learning style - and change it anytime during the semester.” This means, students can “join a live class through video conferencing,” allowing them to “participate fully and ask questions at any time.”
Other program highlights include extensive resources in career planning, networking, seminars, conferences, and short-term study abroad opportunities in places such as Paris, the UK, and Rome.
On March 21, 1906, the Kentucky General Assembly approved legislation to establish two teacher training institutions, or "normal schools," in the state. A locating commission chose Bowling Green to be the site of one, and the Western Kentucky State Normal School was created. Today, Western Kentucky University (WKU) serves 18,000 students enrolled in more than 170 undergraduate areas of study and over 125 graduate programs in five colleges and Mahurin Honors College.
WKU’s Gordon Ford College of Business (GFCB) offers an online MBA program that can be completed in as few as 12 months. The program consists of seven 3-credit hour core MBA classes and three electives. Courses for the program are offered as bi-terms (eight weeks) and there are two bi-terms in the spring and fall semesters. Many students take one course each bi-term (the equivalent of two classes per traditional semester), but students can finish within 12 months if they begin the program in the fall semester, taking two courses every bi-term. However, students may take up to five years to complete the program.
Course highlights include Advanced Managerial Finance, Business Analysis and Research Methods, IT and Business Analytics, Microeconomic Theory, Strategic Business Concepts & Applications, and Strategic Decision Making. In addition to offering courses in in-demand areas of business, the WKU MBA offers the unique opportunity to add a Graduate Certificate in Business Sustainability.
The 12-hour certificate includes Survey of Business Sustainability Issues, Sustainability, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship, Sustainability Marketing, and Sustainable Business Operations. All courses are three credits, online, and bi-term. Western Kentucky University’s AACSB-accredited MBA is the first in the state to offer a Graduate Certificate in Business Sustainability.
University of North Alabama (UNA) has been in existence for more than 185 years. The school serves 7,500 students enrolled in 100+ undergraduate and graduate degrees offered at the historic Florence, Alabama campus.
The College of Business at UNA has two online MBA options—a regular MBA with the opportunity to specialize in one of nine concentrations and an Executive MBA (EMBA) for individuals with significant business experience who want to improve their leadership and management skills. Both programs are also delivered in hybrid format.
The EMBA requires at least five years of work history demonstrating increasing responsibility and professional or entrepreneurial positions. There are no GMAT/GRE requirements for the program and it consists of 34 credit hours. The regular online MBA requires professional experiences or the GMAT/GRE.
Concentrations for the 34 credit hour regular MBA program include Accounting, ERP Systems Using SAP, Finance, Global Business, Health Care Management, Human Resource Management, Information Systems, Project Management, and Sales and New Business Development. The AACSB- and ACBSP-accredited UNA Online MBA also allows students to build their own MBA by choosing three electives in lieu of a concentration.
UNA EMBA students have the opportunity to study abroad in China through partnerships with Pepsons Education Consulting Co. Ltd. in Suzhou and IUC Global Corporation in Taipei. Instructional materials for the study abroad program are available in Chinese and English.
