Our 2020 list of the Top 25 Online MBA Programs in the East We define the East as Virginia, Rhode Island, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. For an explanation of ranking criteria, click here.
| Ranking | School | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Maryland | Maryland |
| 2 | Pennsylvania State University | Pennsylvania |
| 3 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | Massachusetts |
| 4 | Syracuse University | New York |
| 5 | George Washington University | District of Columbia |
| 6 | Lehigh University | Pennsylvania |
| 7 | Rutgers University | New Jersey |
| 8 | Villanova University | Pennsylvania |
| 9 | Northeastern University | Massachusetts |
| 10 | Babson College | Massachusetts |
| 11 | Drexel University | Pennsylvania |
| 12 | Temple University | Pennsylvania |
| 13 | The College of William & Mary | Virginia |
| 14 | University of Massachusetts at Lowell | Massachusetts |
| 15 | University of Delaware | Delaware |
| 16 | Quinnipiac University | Connecticut |
| 17 | University of Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania |
| 18 | SUNY Oswego | New York |
| 19 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Massachusetts |
| 20 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| 21 | Rochester Institute of Technology | New York |
| 22 | Stevens Institute of Technology | New Jersey |
| 23 | Liberty University | Virginia |
| 24 | SUNY Polytechnic Institute | New York |
| 25 | Clarkson University | New York |
Founded in 1856, University of Maryland (UMD) is the flagship campus of the University System of Maryland. UMD is the original land-grant institution in the state and it is one of only 62 members of the Association of American Universities, an organization composed of the leading research universities in the United States and Canada.
Serving 41,000 students and employing 14,000 faculty and staff members, University of Maryland has 350,000 alumni including famous graduates such as Co-founder of Google, Sergey Brin, Jim Henson, founder of The Muppets, and Seinfeld co-writer, Larry David.
The school also houses Robert H. Smith School of Business (est. 1920), which offers an AACSB-accredited online MBA program with six career-focused specializations. Options include Accounting, General Track, Finance, Information Systems and Business Analytics, Marketing, and Supply Chain Management. The program is largely asynchronous, which allows students to continue to meet personal and professional obligations during their course of study.
The school says “a small number of live online classes presented via the state-of-the-art video conferencing tool, Adobe Connect, provide the benefit of “attending” class and interacting with professors and peers in real time.” Students will also benefit from audio and video messaging, integrated multimedia, collaborative online workspaces, and career coaching. Smith’s Office of Career Services (OCS) takes students through “a phased approach” to creating their “core career portfolio, complemented with next-level learning and capstone experiences.” This entire career development protocol repeats each year so students can “get what [they] need when [they] need it.”
The UMD Smith Online MBA may be completed in as few as 24 months, while still providing “the same academic rigor and top faculty” as is offered in the campus-based programs.
Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) serves 100,000 students and 17,000 faculty and staff across 24 campuses and in 20 colleges and schools. As Pennsylvania's only land-grant university, Penn State has a broad mission of teaching, research, and public service.
The school houses the Smeal College of Business, which offers 1300+ internship and co-op opportunities annually, 300+ career fairs and corporate recruiting events each year, and a 94% placement rate for MBAs within three months of graduation. The online MBA here is led by the Smeal College of Business, in partnership with Black School of Business, Penn State Behrend; Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies; and Penn State Harrisburg School of Business Administration. This AACSB-accredited program consists of 48 credit hours, which includes 39 General Management credits and nine credits of concentration work.
Core coursework prepares students to become “more effective business professionals,” says the school, “by exposing them to the principles and practices essential to modern management,” including accounting, economics, data analysis, ethics, communications, human resources, finance, marketing, leadership, supply chain, strategy, innovation, and digital transformation.
Concentration options include Accounting Foundations, Advanced Accounting, Business Analytics, Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Finance, General Management, Human Resource Management, Marketing Analytics, Project Management, and Supply Chain Management. The MBA program runs on the Penn State semester System, so in addition to a declaring a concentration, students can take advantage of other Penn State online graduate degree and certificate courses and programs.
At the start of the Penn State Online MBA Program, students must attend a five-day Orientation Residency held at University Park, Pennsylvania. The orientation is designed to “acquaint” students “with aspects of the program in a face-to-face environment.” Students will meet their instructors and student peers, “immerse” in a team performance class while earning credit, and attend workshops covering student advising services, career management, stress management, alumni relations and networking, time management, and online technology.
Other Orientation Residency highlights include Keynote Speakers and the opportunity to “connect with the Penn State community through campus tours end events.”
University of Massachusetts-Amherst (UMass-Amherst) houses the tallest research library on any college campus in the country and the second tallest library in the world. At 28 stories, Du Bois Library is home to thousands of books and other resources on any subject. In addition to Du Bois, UMass houses Isenberg School of Management, which opened its doors in 1947 with just 10 faculty members and 15 students. Today, the school has a faculty of 133 educators and 124 staff-members serving more than 5,300 students.
Isenberg School of Management offers a 45 credit hour online MBA that offers six focus areas including Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Healthcare Administration, Marketing, and Sport Management. Fully accredited by the AACSB, the Isenberg MBA also offers a unique opportunity for students to “try before you buy.” Potential MBA students can take up to two classes before applying to learn why the program is a good fit.
Besides several focus areas and the opportunity to experience the program before committing, students have an additional delivery option available to them. The Blended Option Part-Time MBA allows students to take some classes online and others at a conveniently located satellite campus in Boston, Shrewsbury, or Springfield, Massachusetts.
Founded in 1870, Syracuse University is a private, coeducational, research institution located in the heart of Central New York. Additional centers are located in New York City, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles, and study abroad programs are available in 60 countries throughout the world. Students can choose from more than 200 majors, 100 minors, and 200 advanced degree programs across Syracuse’s 13 academic units.
In addition to offering a large number of degree and study abroad programs, Syracuse University has more than 30 research centers and institutes spanning disciplines from performance, design, fine arts, and humanities to information, health, social sciences, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields.
The Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University offers a 54 credit hour online MBA known as MBA@Syracuse. The program consists of 36 credits of core business courses, 15 credits of specialization-focused electives, and three credits of U.S. and global residencies. Students may choose from six optional specializations including Accounting, Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Marketing Management, or Supply Chain Management.
This AACSB-accredited program combines “live online classes led by Syracuse University faculty, self-paced coursework, and hands-on learning through domestic and international residencies,” says the school. While coursework for the MBA program may be completed entirely online, all students will participate in “three day-long residencies in cities around the world.” The school says that these hands-on experiences are structured like businesses conferences.
Students will listen to local speakers who host “relevant discussions and interactive panels,” meet with classmates for socializing, and engage with professor’s fact-to-face for workshops and networking. For 2019, residencies take place in Hong Kong and Syracuse. Last year, students traveled to Dublin, Ireland to study “the industry-leading innovation” taking place there.
The MBA@Syracuse, including residencies, can be completed in as few as two years.
Founded in 1821 and serving more than 26,000 students, George Washington University (GW) is the largest higher education institution in DC. The school offers hundreds of programs in 14 schools and colleges. In addition to these programs. GW offers more than 100 online programs in 12 areas, including business.
The School of Business at George Washington University offers an Online Traditional or Healthcare MBA that may be completed in just two years and up to five. Both programs require 55.5 total credit hours of study including 28.5 credit hours of core courses and 27 credit hours of elective courses for the Traditional MBA, and 31.5 credit hours of core courses, 12 healthcare electives, and 12 general electives for the Healthcare MBA.
The Healthcare MBA is delivered 100% online (or hybrid) and features specialized electives such as Service Line and Project Management, Managing the Skilled Nursing Facility, and Physician Practice Management. Designed for professionals on the path to becoming Health Care Managers, Administrators, and Executives, the program also offers the option to complete one of seven graduate certificates offered by the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences as part of the curriculum. Clinical Research Administration, Integrative Medicine, and Regulatory Affairs are just a few options.
The Traditional MBA option may be completed 100% online or in hybrid format. The program offers optional concentrations in Consulting, Finance, Global Management, Government Contracts, Information Systems & Technology Management, and Project Management. Students may choose up to two concentrations or they may customize their electives to create their own focus area. Electives may be chosen from the schools of Business, Health Sciences, Public Health, Law, and more. Elective courses may also serve to add a graduate certificate to this Traditional MBA.
The GW Online MBA curriculum also includes Business and Society (a required 1.5 credit on-site residency course in Washington, DC) and a 1.5 credit Information Systems and Technology Management selective course. Students are offered nine opportunities to complete the on-site course, which offers a firsthand look through visits to the Federal Reserve, the US Congress, and the World Bank.
Both AACSB-accredited programs offer three start times (August, January, or May), and optional short-term study abroad opportunities in places such as Denmark, Israel, Mexico, and many others.
Lehigh University is a small, private research university that serves close to 7,000 students. Founded in 1865 by industrial pioneer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Asa Packer, Lehigh University offers more than 100 majors, minors and programs across four colleges.
The College of Business and Economics at Lehigh University offers a 100% online Flex MBA. This 36 credit hour program highlights global business concepts and analysis, cultural intelligence, organizational leadership, sustainability, crisis management resolutions, social consciousness issues, ethical decision-making, and optional business consulting projects. While the program does not offer any concentrations, students may earn a Professional Certificate in Corporate Entrepreneurship in addition to the MBA. The certificate is offered through VENTURESeries, which the school describes as a “one-of-a-kind executive certificate program that focuses squarely on new venture creation.”
Another option, the 45 credit hour MBA & Engineering program, is offered through the College of Business and Economics and the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. This unique program is designed for students with an undergraduate degree in engineering. Classes for the program can be taken both on campus and online. MBA & E concentrations include Chemical Engineering, Manufacturing Systems Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. Upon completion of the MBA & E Program, students receive an MBA degree with a concentration in their chosen area. Both programs are AACSB-accredited.
Chartered in 1766 as all-male Queen's College in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Rutgers is the eighth oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Known as the Birthplace of College Football, Rutgers serves around 70,000 students, making it one of the nation’s largest schools. More than 150 undergraduate programs and over 200 graduate programs of study are offered through 29 schools and colleges.
Rutgers Business School offers an MBA program that is delivered entirely online. Students may attend classes year-round, full or part-time, and they may choose from Fall, Spring, and Summer starting points. Students are “learning in real-time about challenges and solutions that cross disciplines,” says the school. The Rutgers MBA curriculum “focuses on the key areas of business and offers an extensive selection of elective courses that cover every avenue of modern business including marketing, finance, IT, and human resources.”
More than 250 MBA students have the opportunity to travel abroad to satisfy one, three-credit elective requirement. Those who choose the study abroad option will be given the opportunity to meet with top executives and solve real-life international business challenges. There will also be an opportunity to experience cultural activities on the weekends and evenings. Past study abroad destinations include Brazil, China, Panama, South Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey.
Graduates of the AACSB-accredited Rutgers MBA program will learn to “make knowledgeable decisions and become a respected leader, increase their influence by employing management skills to guide their teams and companies, better analyze problems and clearly articulate effective solutions, and expand their network and connect with notable Rutgers alumni, classmates, and faculty.”
Other program highlights include small class sizes, learning tools and tutoring, access to student coaches and advisors, a 169% return on investment, and Focused Learning Modules that allow students to “build expertise” in their career area. Modules include Business Analytics, Digital Marketing, Investments & Private Wealth Management, and Strategic Leadership.
Villanova University is a Roman Catholic institution of higher learning founded by the Order of Saint Augustine in 1842. Serving nearly 11,000 students, the school offers 47 majors, 14 bachelor’s/master’s programs, 24 master’s programs, 42 certificate programs, and PhD programs in Philosophy and Theology,
Villanova School of Business (VSB) offers seven of these majors, three co-majors, and nine minors at the undergraduate level, along with seven master’s programs, a Joint JD/MBA with Villanova School of Law, and a Post-MBA certificate to around 1,740 undergraduates and around 1,070 graduate students. With five academic departments, the school offers an MBA program that boasts a 25% average salary raise for students.
The program is the “very same” program as the on-campus Villanova MBA, says the school. The curriculum includes courses that will expand students’ “essential business knowledge with a focus on innovative and applied concepts, real-world immersion experiences and peer-to-peer learning.” Program highlights include small classes (approximately 20 students per online section), live weekly sessions, and two residency opportunities, which foster “a strong learning community among faculty and students.” Students may also participate in an optional international immersion into an emerging economy.
Students in the VSB Online MBA can begin the 48 credit hour (21 course) program in the fall, spring or summer semester. The curriculum is comprised of fundamental, core, pillar, elective and capstone classes, and students may choose up to two specializations from five areas including Analytics, Finance, International Business, Marketing, and Strategic Management.
Semesters for this AACSB-accredited program are divided into two sessions, each of which is eight weeks in the fall and spring and seven weeks in the summer. Students in the program progress through the curriculum, typically taking one or two courses per session. The VSB Online MBA can completed in just two years.
Northeastern University has campuses in Boston, Charlotte, the San Francisco Bay Area, Vancouver, Seattle, and Toronto—all designed to “expand learning and research opportunities to meet regional and global demand for talent and innovation,” says the school.
Serving more than 5,500 students, Northeastern University’s D'Amore-McKim School of Business offers an AACSB-accredited online MBA program that can be completed 100% online in as few as two years. Coursework for the 50 credit hour program is divided into 13 core courses and five electives. Eight in-demand specialization options are offered including Finance, Healthcare Management, High Technology Management, Innovation Entrepreneurship, International Management, Marketing, Supply Chain Management, and Sustainability.
D'Amore-McKim Online MBA students also have the option to earn a Dual Masters in Finance/MBA by taking "as few as four to seven additional finance electives," says the school. Both the single and dual online programs utilize interactive multimedia tools such as virtual class discussions, and discussion boards, as well as team projects and individual assignments for a well-rounded academic experience.
An optional residency is offered to online MBA students who have (or will have) completed at least three courses (nine credits). The campus-based residency is an intensive one-week course equivalent to a three-credit elective. An International Field Study Residency is offered to online MBA students in good standing who have (or will have) completed the first year core courses (26 credits) with a GPA of 3.0 prior to the start of the field study trip. Recent locations include China, Russia, Greece/Turkey, and Chile/Peru.
Established in 1919, Babson College opened with just 27 students. Today, the school serves more than 2,350 undergraduate and nearly 1,000 graduate students representing more than 80 countries.
The F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson grants highly ranked MBA and MS degrees, as well as Certificates. The school also offers an Executive Education program for professionals looking to grow in today’s rapidly evolving business environment and Babson Global works with corporate, university, government, and foundation partners to advance entrepreneurship education and Entrepreneurial Thought and Action® worldwide.
The F.W Olin MBA has a blended learning option that combines online classes, face-to-face sessions at Babson’s campus in Wellesley, MA, Miami, San Francisco, and Dubai, and virtual collaboration with students from around the world. Students in the program will develop the skills and knowledge needed to “understand how to take action, learn, and build in the ever-changing global business landscape,” says the school.
Students will also learn how to apply “classroom knowledge to real-world business problems in leading organizations of all types and sizes,” before they graduate.
The Olin Online MBA takes just 21 months to complete, full-time. The program is AACSB-accredited.
Founded in 1891 in Philadelphia, Drexel University has three Philadelphia campuses and other regional sites. The school is home to The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University—the nation’s oldest major natural science museum and research organization, and it has international research partnerships including China and Israel.
Drexel Online is one of the oldest and most successful providers of online degree programs in the U.S. Through Drexel Online and the LeBow College of Business, students can earn an online MBA that the school says is a “highly customizable degree” designed to equip students with “problem-solving and leadership skills that can be applied across a variety of different industries.” The 49 credit hour AACSB-accredited program “is organized into four 10-week quarters per year (as opposed to the traditional two semester system), which means you can take more courses in a shorter time period,” says the school. Sample courses include Managing and Leading the Total Enterprise, Leading Dynamic Environments, Corporate Financial Management, Legal Options in Decision Making, and Business Problem Solving.
LeBow Online MBA students may customize their learning experience to their interests and career goals through concentrations, graduate minors, and dual degree programs. All students may take advantage of multiple networking opportunities and residency options, as well as portfolio projects and case simulations. In addition, any of the online business degrees can be paired as a dual degree such as MBA/MS Business Analytics, MBA/MS Sport Management, or MS Business Analytics/MS Sport Management, with shared coursework usually through elective credits.
The Drexel LeBow Online MBA may be completed in few as 18 months or up to five years.
Temple University is a public, four-year research university in Philadelphia. Founded by Russell H. Conwell in 1884, the school’s official motto is “Perseverantia Vincit” or Perseverance Conquers. Serving more than 40,000 students, Temple offers more than 200 programs across 17 colleges and schools.
Fox School of Business at Temple offers a 48 credit hour online MBA program known as the “Fox OMBA.” Students in the program use a combination of “leading-edge virtual technology,” says the school, as well as “HD video presentations, and web conferencing technology to engage in course activities in any environment and at their own pace.” While coursework for the program is available entirely online, students must attend one weeklong residency, which is held at the school’s main campus. Students must also “attend” live weekly classes held through WebEx. This gives students the opportunity to meet classmates and faculty in an environment that allows them to “speak with and see one another.”
Online concentration options for the Fox OMBA include Business Management, Corporate Compliance, Governance and Regulatory Policy, Entrepreneurship, Financial Management, Human Resource Management, Innovation Management, Marketing Management, Sport Business, Strategic Management, Supply Chain Management, and Travel & Tourism. These online concentrations require nine of students’ 12 elective credits. Students in pursuit of a general MBA degree may choose nine credits of any elective course.
Even with a concentration, many FOX OMBA students complete this AACSB-accredited program in as few as 20 months or up to six years, utilizing the schools flexible “hop-on, hop-off curriculum carousel.” Each student can expect to spend approximately 10-20 hours each week on coursework. The program culminates in an Enterprise Consulting Practicum (Capstone), worth three credits.
On February 8, 1693, King William III and Queen Mary II of England signed the charter for a "perpetual College of Divinity, Philosophy, Languages, and other good Arts and Sciences" to be founded in the Virginia Colony. With original plans for the school dating back to 1618—decades before Harvard—W&M is the second-oldest institution of higher learning in America. A 17-year-old George Washington received his surveyor's license through W&M and would later return as its first American chancellor, Thomas Jefferson received his undergraduate education here, as did presidents John Tyler and James Monroe.
The Raymond A. Mason School of Business at W&M offers a 49-credit online MBA program for working professionals. This interdisciplinary program consist of 12 courses. Each course is 7.5 weeks, with just 22 students per course. Students begin the program with the unique Renaissance Manager course.
The course explores “design thinking as an iterative approach to identifying and solving problems, the importance of both deep expertise and broad knowledge, understanding systemic connection as a part of creative problem-solving, how a willingness to experiment promotes a growth mindset, the ability to synthesize new ideas from seemingly unrelated or opposing ideas,” and more, says the school. Other course highlights include Global Managerial Economics, Integrated Technology, Leadership for the 21st Century, Revolutionary Leader Practicum, and Strategy.
Students will attend just one on-campus residency. This Friday thru Sunday event includes speakers, team-building activities and networking functions and students will have the opportunity to “discuss core business topics such as leadership, finance and marketing, as well as current events and global issues.” Students will meet the school’s Executive Partners (EPs), “a select group of retired professionals who volunteer their time as mentors to all Mason School of Business students.” Students can expect to complete the AACSB-accredited Mason Online MBA in just two years.
Founded in 1894, University of Massachusetts at Lowell (UMass Lowell) is a top 200 national public research university serving 18,000 students enrolled in 175+ bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees in six colleges. The Robert J. Manning School of Business offers an online MBA with nine concentrations. Concentrations are optional and include Accounting Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Healthcare, Information Technology, International Business, Managerial Leadership, and Marketing. If a student does not select a concentration, they will earn the General MBA.
The Manning MBA program consists of 12 credit hours of prerequisites (six courses – two credits each – eight weeks), the required advanced core 21 credit hours (seven courses at three credit hours each), and nine credit hours of electives (three courses at three credit hours each) for a total of 42 credit hours. Course highlights include Accounting Information for Management Decisions, Analysis of Customers and Markets, Global Enterprise and Competition, Managing Organization Design and Change, and Strategy Formulation and Implementation.
Courses for this AACSB-accredited program are offered in the fall, spring, and summer semesters. A minimum of nine credits is considered a full-time course load. Full-time students usually complete their degree requirements in two years. Part-time students must complete their degree requirements within five years. Graduates of the program enjoy a high ROI. University of Massachusetts at Lowell ranks 29th in ROI in the nation among public research universities.
University of Delaware (UD) traces its roots to 1743 when a petition by the Presbytery of Lewes expressing the need for an educated clergy led the Rev. Dr. Francis Alison to open a school in New London, Pennsylvania. In addition to being one of the oldest universities in the nation, UD has been named a Best Value School; it has the No. 1 Physical Therapy graduate program in the U.S., and more than 130 patents have been issued and 26 start-ups created through UD research since 2009.
Serving 24,120 students, University of Delaware offers hundreds of programs across eight colleges. The Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics offers an AACSB-accredited MBA that may be completed entirely online in as few as 16 months. A hybrid option is also available. The program has five concentrations including Business Analytics, Finance, Healthcare Management, International Business, and Strategic Leadership. Students in the program may combine multiple concentrations (two or more) to “gain greater flexibility in the job market,” says the school and “stand out from the crowd.”
A customized option is also available for students seeking a concentration in another area. Students who choose this option may tailor the degree by selecting the electives that match their personal career needs. The MBA with one concentration consists of 44 credits, a dual concentration consists of 47 credits, and a triple concentration is 53 credits. All students will take core online MBA courses such as Corporate Strategy, Ethical Issues in Domestic and Global Business Environments, and Managing People, Teams and Organizations.
Other Lerner MBA highlights include intensive, 7-week courses, access to a personal career coach and career workshops, GMAT and fee waivers for qualified applicants, and six start dates per year. Students also benefit from partnerships with JPMorgan Chase, Bloomberg and KPMG, among others, along with a network of 30,000 alumni around the country and across the world.
Quinnipiac University (QU) was founded in 1929 by business professor and politician Samuel W. Tator, under the name Connecticut College of Commerce. The school would later be renamed Junior College of Commerce (JCC) in 1935 and finally, Quinnipiac University in 1951. This private, coeducational university offers more than 110 programs to approximately 7,000 undergraduate and 3,000 graduate, medical and law students. Three campuses are located in Hamden and North Haven, Connecticut, and programs are offered in the College of Arts and Sciences and across eight professional schools.
The School of Business at Quinnipiac University offers a 46 credit hour Online MBA Program that may be completed in as little as 2.5 years. The program allows students to “formulate customized concentrations that focus on specific professional interests,” says the school. Students may create a concentration by choosing electives from six areas including Computer Information Systems, Finance, Health Care Management, International Business, Management, and Marketing. A Health Care Management Track (MBA-HCM) is also available.
The AACSB-accredited QU Online MBA offers three start dates: Fall (late August), Spring (late January), and Summer (late May).
Founded in 1787, the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the United States. This state-related research university, founded as the Pittsburgh Academy in 1787, is one of the 17 founding members of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The school is also home to one of the first federally funded centers for international business and research.
University of Pittsburgh server close to 33,750 students enrolled in 300+ programs across 16 Pittsburgh-campus schools and colleges, numerous centers and institutes, and four regional campuses including Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown, and Titusville. The Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business offers a Professional MBA that can be completed in a hybrid format.
The program requires campus visits two to three weekends a semester. Students will complete coursework online during the week—at their own pace, while working a full-time job. Like the full-time Katz MBA, the Online Professional MBA offers “an integrated core curriculum with a solid foundation in business principles; targeted, industry-focused concentrations and certificates; countless networking, leadership, and career-building opportunities; and an expert faculty made up of innovative thought leaders,” says the school.
Students may choose from specializations including Finance, Management Information Systems, Marketing, Operations, Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Management, and Strategy. Students typically complete Katz’s Online Professional MBA program in three years.
Founded in 1861, State University of New York Oswego (SUNY Oswego) is one of 13 university colleges in the SUNY system. With more than 8,000 students enrolled and more than 81,000, the school offers more than 110 undergraduate majors, minors and graduate programs in four schools.
The School of Business at SUNY Oswego offers a customizable MBA program that can be completed entirely online. Available through the School of Business, the program consists of 36-57 credit hours, including 36 graduate credit hours of core, and elective and elective study, which builds upon a 21-credit-hour foundation of accepted management skills, concepts and principles. The online MBA is “intended to be equally applicable to private, public and governmental sectors of management,” says the school.
Students can also earn a Public Accounting MBA that has online course options, a Health Services Administration MBA that can be completed online or an advanced Certificate in Nursing Home Administration offered 100% online.
SUNY Oswego’s online MBA programs run year-round, including offerings in winter and summer, enabling accelerated degree completion. The AACSB-accredited program can be completed in just two years.
In 2020, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is observing the semi-centennial of the WPI Plan, the university's groundbreaking project-based curriculum that was approved on May 29, 1970. In addition to being project-based, the university’s curriculum is globally engaged “aimed at quality experience and a positive impact for the communities it partners with,” says the school.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute houses Foisie Business School, which offers an MBA for STEM professionals. This unique program “combines WPI’s signature project-based learning approach with a blended, cohort-style format,” says the school. Classes are fully online with two required in-person classes each semester on Friday and/or Saturday during the middle and end of the course. Students begin the program with “a group of like-minded peers, work through the program and projects together, and finish with a ready-made network.”
Graduates of this AACSB-accredited program have gone on to successful careers in business or acceptance into the PhD in Business Administration program at WPI.
Founded in 1871 and serving 17,552 students, West Chester University of Pennsylvania (WCU) is the largest of the 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The school is organized into five colleges offering more than 118 undergraduate, 80+ graduate programs and four doctoral programs in more than 50 fields of study.
The College of Business and Public Management offers an AACSB-accredited MBA that can be completed entirely online. Students may complete one course at a time part-time to complete the program in less than two years or attend full-time and complete the program in less than one year. Online courses are asynchronous, which means there are weekly deadlines and examination windows, but generally no other set time that students need to log into the course.
This means students can complete classwork on their own weekly schedule – around work and family commitments. In some cases, professors may assign students into teams and teams may need to coordinate their work together and therefore be available at a certain time.
West Chester University's online MBA is a 10 course, 30-credit program consisting of courses such as Strategic Cost Management, Global Operations and Supply Chain Management, Components of Effective Leadership, Innovation and Marketing Strategy, and Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation.
All courses are required, and all requirements must be completed within three years. All students will complete a comprehensive exam in their final semester.
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) “was born of an unlikely institutional marriage of an influential cultural association, the Rochester Athenaeum, founded in 1829, and a technical training school, the Mechanics Institute, founded in 1885,” says the school. “The institute adopted the name Rochester Institute of Technology in 1944 and awarded its first bachelor of science degree in 1955.”
Today, the school serves nearly 19,000 students across nine colleges and two degree-granting units. RIT also has partnerships on nearly every continent and overseas campuses located in China, Croatia, Dubai, and Kosovo.
The Saunders School of Business at Rochester Institute of Technology offers an interdisciplinary, accelerated Online Executive MBA (EMBA) that requires just one three-day on-campus orientation. The program offers foundational courses such as Leadership, Accounting and Finance, as well as “distinctive” courses such as Product Commercialization and Technology Management. Classes are delivered via weekly synchronous sessions, “offering high-quality video and audio functionality for optimal interaction.”
Other program highlights include a curriculum that is identical to the on-campus program, with many of the same faculty teaching both formats, a required International Immersion Experience (airfare and lodging is are provided by the program), and the Capstone Consulting Program where students serve as consultants to actual businesses.
Note that the RIT Saunders Online EMBA offers two starts each year (late August and January). Because it is a cohort-based program, “all students enter the program at the same time, take the same classes, and move through the program with their initial cohort,” explains the school. “Some courses will be taken with another cohort (i.e., dual-cohort) and students are assigned to teams at the start of the program and will remain with their team for the duration of the program.”
The RIT Saunders Online EMBA delivers 49 credit hours of study in just 17 months (four semesters) and it is AACSB-accredited.
Stevens Institute of Technology opened in 1870. According the Institute, the school is named for the “distinguished family” known as “America’s First Family of Inventors.” The Stevens family “changed the face of American engineering forever, designing steamboats, locomotives, railroad tracks and a host of other technical innovations that powered a new nation.”
The school began with “a rigorous engineering curriculum leading to the degree of Mechanical Engineer following a course of study firmly grounded both in scientific principles and the humanities.” Today, Stevens Institute offers more than 30 majors organized and delivered by three schools and one college focused on business, engineering & science, the humanities, and systems thinking. The school educates 6,800 undergraduate and graduate students annually, and employs more than 380 faculty.
The School of Business at Stevens Institute of Technology offers a fully online MBA program that “emphasizes the potential of technology, data and analytics, with students learning how to interpret information and use it to make the best decisions for their enterprise.” Students in this 39 credit hour program will collaborate with one another through group projects and presentations, while developing creativity and critical thinking skills “through the incorporation of the latest faculty research in management, analytics, innovation and marketing.”
The Stevens Online MBA also highlights a Field Consulting Program that pairs students with a partner company to help solve a “real problem” or assess a potential opportunity for a partner company. Field Consulting Program projects “span a range of interests, from business process design, supply chain management and technology assessment to market research, innovation adoption and customer relationship management.”
The School of Business at Stevens Institute of Technology is AACSB-accredited.
Founded in 1971, Liberty University is a private, evangelical Christian university that serves more than 100,000 students, including more than 30,000 military and 850 international students. The school offers more than 600 unique programs of study, with many offered both residentially and online.
The School of Business offers a 45 credit hour MBA program that may be completed entirely online. The curriculum builds students’ “existing knowledge and experience” to develop their “critical thinking, leadership, and management skills,” says the school. The program is designed for those seeking to advance in their current position or explore other areas within the field of business administration.
Students have the option to choose the 45 credit hour online MBA with a specialization or the 36 credit hour program with no concentration. More than a dozen specializations are available including American Legal Studies, Criminal Justice Administration, Finance, Healthcare Management, International Business, International Legal Studies, Nonprofit Leadership, Public Administration, and Strategic Media and Digital Content, to name a few.
Students may transfer up to 50% of MBA program credit hours from another institution, courses are eight weeks, and there are eight different start dates each year with no set login times. The Liberty University Online MBA may be completed in two years and it is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Polytechnic Institute or SUNY Poly) was officially formed on March 19, 2014, when the State University of New York Board of Trustees unanimously approved SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher’s recommendation to merge the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) in Albany and the SUNY Institute of Technology (SUNYIT) in Utica. The history of SUNY Poly’s Utica site dates back to 1966.
Today, SUNY Poly serves more than 3,000 students from 20 nations enrolled in more than 30 academic programs in five colleges including Arts + Sciences, Business Management, Engineering, Health Sciences, and Nanoscale Science + Engineering. The AACSB-accredited College of Business Management (CBM) offers a unique MBA in Technology Management that is available 100% online, only.
The program is “designed to prepare students for management and leadership roles in leveraging technologies to develop competitive advantages in business strategies and operations,” says the school. The programs “diverse coursework is grounded in evidence-based management, finance, accounting, and economic principles” and “it incorporates the use of quantitative and qualitative analyses, design-thinking approaches, and robust experiential learning techniques.”
The SUNY Poly Online MBA program accommodates both full-time and part-time students. Full-time students can complete the program in two years. Part-time completion will vary based on total number of credits taken each term.
Graduates of the program are prepared to seek careers in a wide variety of areas such as corporate administrators, business entrepreneurs, industry consultants, and government administrative employees.
Established in 1896, Clarkson University has more than 44,000 alumni, with one in five already working as a CEO, senior executive, or owner of a company. The school serves more than 4,300 students enrolled in 95+ programs in 95+ programs in engineering, business, arts, sciences, education and health professions that lead to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees, and advanced certificates.
The David D. Reh School of Business at Clarkson offers an online MBA program that consists of 14 three-credit courses, of which 10 are core courses and four are electives. Core course highlights Leadership and Organizational Behavior, Corporate Ethical and Social Responsibility, Decision Analysis and Supply Chain Modeling, and Financial and Managerial Accounting for Decision Making. Just a few elective options include China Study, Competing by Design, Fraud and Forensic Accounting, Sports Economics, and Marketing High Technology Products.
The Clarkson Online MBA program offers a number of concentrations, including Global Supply Chain Management, it allows students to take courses part-time or full-time, and students may earn a Dual MBA/MS in Data Analytics by completing five online courses and a capstone project. Clarkson MBA students may also begin the program any term or opt for the hybrid format, with evening classes on Clarkson’s Capital Region Campus in Schenectady, New York.
Students can expect to complete the AACSB-accredited Clarkson Online MBA program in less than two years, even if they haven’t taken a business class.
