Our 2021 rankings of the Top Online MBA Programs in Ohio. For an explanation of ranking criteria, click here.
| Ranking | School | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati |
| 2 | Ohio University | Athens |
| 3 | University of Dayton | Dayton |
| 4 | Kent State University | Kent |
| 5 | Wright State University | Dayton |
The University of Cincinnati (UC) traces its origins to 1819 when both Cincinnati College and the Medical College of Ohio were chartered. In 1870, the City of Cincinnati established the University of Cincinnati, which later absorbed the two predecessor institutions. One of the oldest and largest municipal universities in the country, UC serves nearly 47,000 enrolled in nearly 800 degree, certificate, and minor programs.
UC also houses one of the country’s top three co-op programs. CP students “earn a collective $75 million annually working for about 1,300 international employers via their co-op work placements,” says the school “alternating academic semesters with professional, paid work directly tied to their majors with employers like Apple, Boeing, Disney, Fisher Price, HBO, NASA, Nike, P&G, Toyota and hundreds more.”
UC programs are housed in 11 colleges, UC Blue Ash College, UC Clermont College, and the Graduate School. The Carl H. Lindner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati has been accredited by the AACSB since 1919. The school offers an online MBA program with two options—part time or accelerated. The part-time program can be completed within two years and the accelerated program can be completed in as few as 12 months.
Consisting of 38-48 credit hours, the MBA program helps students develop “strategic leadership and decision-making skills” as well as core skills in accounting, business analytics, economics, finance, information technology, leadership, marketing, and operations management. The Linder Online MBA Program also offers eight online certificate/concentrations including Corporate Taxation, Health Care Administration, Health Care Finance, Health Care Policy and Regulation, Health Care Operations, Individual Taxation, Investment Management, and Marketing. Each certificate/concentration requires 12 credit hours of study.
Other program highlights include research-intensive learning with real-world experiences, opportunities to study abroad, engagement with corporate partners, and career services that connect students and graduates to employers.
Ohio University was established in 1804 as the state’s first university. Serving more than 33,000 students, the school offers 250 academic programs in 20+ colleges and schools.
The College of Business at Ohio University is a Top 15 Public Business School. It offers an AACSB-accredited MBA program that may be completed entirely online. There is no GMAT requirement for admission and students may choose from nine concentrations including Accounting, Business Analytics, Business Venturing & Entrepreneurship, Executive Management, Finance, Health Care, Operations and Supply Chain Management, Strategic Selling & Sales Leadership, and Project Management. Students may also complete an online graduate certificate that will allow them to “upskill in as few as three courses,” says the school. Students may choose more than one certificate and courses can be applied towards the MBA.
Course highlights for the MBA include Accounting for Executives, Advanced Corporate Finance, Applied Business Experience (CAPSIM), Data Analysis for Decision Making, Descriptive Analytics, Operations Management, and Strategic Use of Information Systems. In the CAPSIM course, “students will work in teams and apply course material to complete a simulated business experience.” In the simulation, each team runs a fictitious firm.
Students “will define a business problem to address, assess the organization and its context, suggest solutions, and deliver an action plan for implementing the solution. Teams compete with one another in a dynamic industry environment.” The CAPSIM course “provides an opportunity to apply many of the concepts learned throughout the program.”
The MBA program at Ohio University may be completed in just two years, full-time.
University of Dayton (UD) was founded in 1850 by the Society of Mary (Marianists) as St. Mary's School for Boys. The school opened in a frame building with just 14 students. Known at various times as St. Mary's School, St. Mary's Institute, and St. Mary's College, the school assumed its present identity in 1920. Today, the University of Dayton sits on nearly 400 acres and the school is recognized as a top-tier national research university rooted in the Catholic tradition.
Serving nearly 11,700 undergraduate, graduate, and law students and more than 120,000 living alumni worldwide, UD houses five colleges and schools including the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Schools of Business Administration, Education and Health Sciences, Engineering, and Law.
The School of Business Administration offers an MBA program known as the MBA@Dayton. This AACSB-accredited program offers concentrations in Business Analytics and Marketing. Students choosing either option will complete three elective courses instead of two (for a total of nine credits). This will add three credits to the course of study.
Several pathways are available including Accelerated, One-Year and Foundational. The One-Year MBA path allows students to advance their careers sooner, for less of a financial investment, by completing the program in a shorter amount of time. Students will take 13-14 courses (30-31.5 credits), along with two immersions in just 12 months. Immersions are collaborative learning experiences that provide opportunities to learn from influential business leaders, engage in group workshops, and network with peers.
The Accelerated MBA is designed for business professionals who have eight or more years of full-time work experience. Students complete fewer foundation courses, allowing them to advance their careers faster and for less of a financial investment. The program consists of 14-19 courses (31.5-39 credits) and two immersions and it may be completed in 15-18 months.
The Foundational MBA is designed for professionals who need to build a comprehensive foundation in the fundamentals of business. Students will take 18-22 courses (36-45 credits) and two immersions in 18-24 months.
Graduates of all programs will have the skills needed to advance into any leadership role in their current industry, transition into a different industry, or move from a small business or nonprofit organization to a more corporate environment.
As part of the UD School of Business, the MBA@Dayton is AACSB accredited.
Kent State University was founded in 1910 as a teacher-training school. Today, the school consists of an eight-campus system that serves more than 36,000 students enrolled in more than 340 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Programs are offered in dozens of colleges, departments, and schools.
The College of Business Administration at Kent State University offers an online MBA that blends classroom instruction, experiential learning and optional education abroad experiences. Project-based courses for this 37 credit hour program are delivered in eight-week modules and two optional concentrations are available: Business Analytics and International Business. Of the 37 credit hours, 24 hours are core courses, nine are electives, and the Capstone is three credits. A one-credit Professional Development course is part of the program and an optional study abroad course can fulfill three out of the nine elective credits.
Course highlights for the AACSB-accredited Kent State Online MBA include Analytics for Decision Making, Business Strategy (Capstone), Global Technology Strategy, Global Conditions and Macroeconomics Policy, Law and Ethics, Leadership and Managerial Assessment, and Operations, Service and Supply Chain Management.
Other program benefits include access to a career coach, Career Services, and academic advisors, and the option to enroll year-round in the fall, spring and summer semesters.
Prior work experience or a business-related degree are not required for admission to the program and students can complete the Kent State Online MBA in as few as 12 months.
Wright State University opened in September 1964 with 3,203 registered students and 55 faculty members. Today, this public research university serves 12,000 students annually enrolled in 276 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and professional degree programs in six colleges and three schools. The Raj Soin College of Business offers an MBA that can be completed online, on campus or a combination of the two (hybrid).
The program offers 10 concentrations including Business Economics, Finance, Health Care Management, Interdisciplinary Business, International Business, Investments, Management, Innovation, and Change, Marketing, New Venture Creation, and Project Management. In addition to taking core courses such as Economics for Managers, Financial Analysis and Decision Making, International Business, Leadership and Ethics and Strategic Cost Management, students will take the Capstone Course Developing and Implementing Competitive Strategies, worth three credits.
Depending on the student’s academic background, the AACSB-accredited Wright Online MBA will require 33-46.5 credit hours of study to graduate.
