Popular Online MBA Specializations
What is an MBA? – A Master of Business Administration is an advanced two-year degree that is commonly required in high-level business roles. It combines training in communication, accounting, leadership, and economics to educate future business managers and leaders in creative and effective management practices.
Online MBA programs now many exciting and rewarding specializations for the MBA student who wants to obtain a deep grasp of specific business skillsets. The most popular online MBA concentrations include these:
Online Finance MBA (view more)
Learn how to develop and manage internal financial processes, and to leverage external finance markets and organizations. Also learn how to apply financial analytics to business decision making. The curriculum includes:
- Corporate Finance
- Short Term Financial Management
- Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management
Online MBA Supply Chain Management (view more)
Supply chain management is a set of approaches that efficiently integrates the flow of material, finance and information from manufacturers, suppliers and distributors to the customer and then vice versa. Earning an MBA in SCM continues to be a solid option for business leaders looking for a better understanding of the best strategies for effective supply chain and logistics management. The curriculum includes:
- Lean Six Sigma
- Global Logistics Management
- Introduction to Project Management
Online Accounting MBA (view more)
Study how to develop and manage complex budget processes, and employ decision making that is driven by data. Also find out how you properly apply audit and control processes. Demonstrate legal and ethical accounting practices within your organization. The curriculum includes:
- Financial Reporting I
- Financial Reporting II
- Tax Factors in Business Decisions
Online Information Security MBA (view more)
For professionals who want to take a leadership role in addressing complex information security issues that are critical in a global digital economy, earning an MBA in Information Security can be a great fit. With an MBA in Infosec you could come away better equipped to assess risk and develop new strategies for hardening enterprise systems. The curriculum includes:
- Risk Management
Cyberwarfare
Secure Network Design
Online Operations Management MBA (view more)
Most corporations today operate globally. Parts sourced in one part of the world will almost certainly land in another location for the production phase before the final product makes its way to retailers all over the world. Effectively managing that process and controlling costs along the way is critical in today’s global business environment. An MBA in Operations Management can equip you with 21st century strategies for streamlining global business operations. The curriculum includes:
- Quantitative Analysis for Decision Making
- Supply Chain Management
- Economics for Business
Online Leadership Management MBA (view more)
It takes much more than just a fancy job title and a nice office to provide effective corporate leadership. Excellent leadership qualities in the business environment can be learned, but it takes the right type of MBA program to hone those essential leadership skills. This online MBA specialty ensures that you will learn how to be a top notch leader of your company without making costly mistakes. The curriculum includes:
- Communication for Leadership
- Leading Change
- Psychology of Leadership
Online Marketing MBA (view more)
In our increasingly competitive and global marketplace, you as a business leader need to know how to make your company stand out from its competitors. Learn how to evaluate the behavior of consumers, as well as the many challenges and opportunities in international marketing. Also learn how to apply marketing research to improve your decision making. The curriculum includes:
- Promotions Management
- Consumer Behavior
- Brand Management
Online Social Responsibility MBA (view more)
Social Responsibility: It is possible to be in favor of both earning high profits and also maintaining a corporate vision of social responsibility and environmental friendliness. This specialty will provide you with the skills to be a change leader in environmentally aware business practices. The curriculum includes:
- Environmental Issues
- Energy and Society
- Environmental Compliance
Online Entrepreneurship MBA (view more)
An MBA in Entrepreneurship offers the kind of core education in business fundamentals that every business leader needs, and builds on it with the unique blend of concepts it takes to bring innovative ideas from the planning phase to the marketplace. The curriculum includes:
- Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management
- Consulting
- Franchising
Online Data Analytics MBA (view more)
Data analytics applies more and more to the modern world that goes far beyond mere business decisions. Many fields, from engineering to architecture to pharmacology, greatly depend upon data to make important decisions daily. Businesses are also becoming savvier and are more adept at predicting future risks and opportunities through good data analytics. Learn essential data analytics skills with these courses:
- Foundation of Data Analysis
- Fundamentals of Data Mining
- Project Management in Information Technology
Online Healthcare MBA (view more)
Healthcare may not be like any other business, but at the end of the day providers still need to be profitable. It’s a big job managing the needs of patients and staff while also taking care of the bottom line. This makes an MBA a natural fit for leadership roles in healthcare administration. The curriculum includes:
- Healthcare Informatics
- Topics in Health Administration
- Social and Organizational Issues in Healthcare
Online Sports Management MBA (view more)
With pro athletes pulling down numbers that rival what top CEOs earn, team owners have a lot on the line. Pro sports are big business, and an MBA in Sports Management is one path to learning the ins and outs of what it takes to keep the rosters packed with talent and the merch flying off the shelves. The curriculum includes:
- Sports Marketing
- Seminar in Sports Management
- Management of Sports Organizations
Top 10 MBA Considerations
While deciding on the best online MBA program for you, think about these key considerations:
- Academic quality – It should offer the same MBA degree whether the program is taken online or in person.
- Accreditation – All good online MBA programs have accreditation from widely recognized accreditation bodies, such as the AACSB.
- Flexibility options – Does the program offer asynchronous or synchronous classes, or a combination? Your personal and work schedule may require more flexibility, so bear that in mind as you choose your program.
- Concentrations – Does the MBA program offer the concentration that you prefer? Does it offer the types of elective MBA classes that you want to further your career?
- Faculty – Does the faculty have many years of experience in business, and is that business experience recent and in the specialization you are studying?
- Scholarships and fellowships – What type of scholarships and fellowships does the online MBA program offer to help to pay for your education?
- Networking opportunities – A major benefit of an MBA program is the networking opportunities and learning from other students and professors in the classroom. Does the online MBA program offer these opportunities online in chats, bulletin boards and online discussions? Are there in person meetings on the campus during the MBA program?
- Experience – How much work experience in the business field is the university looking for? Some online MBA programs want only very experienced business professionals, as this can lead to a better collaborative learning environment.
- Graduation rate – What percentage of online MBA students complete the program on time, and how many are employed within a year of graduation?
- Admissions – Is it required to take the GMAT or GRE to be admitted? You want to know well in advance if you will need to take one of the standardized tests.
