Online MBA — Master of Business Administration

Ready to earn a credential that will set you apart in the business world? Consider an online Master of Business Administration. Many of today’s employers favor candidates with MBAs and the skills that come with this advanced degree. Whether you’re interested in taking your current career to a management level, switching industries, or preparing to launch a new venture of your own, earning an online MBA can prepare you for new and exciting business opportunities that call for advanced expertise.

• What is it?
• What Careers Can I Do with an Online Business Administration Degrees?
• Is an Online MBA Taken Seriously?
• Is an Online MBA Worth It?
• Curriculum and Degree Requirements
• Mission and Goals
• Tuition
• Admission Requirements
• Accreditation
• Faculty

What is it?

An MBA degree online is a Master of Business Administration program offered in a convenient online format. Many students pursuing a graduate business degree already work full time and need the flexibility online learning offers. Otherwise, an Master of Business Administration online is much the same as a traditional master’s degree in business administration. The program teaches the skills needed for advanced management and leadership roles in business, including:

• Managerial decision making
• Team building
• Communications
• Project management
• Business analytics
• Corporate governance
• Business technology management
• Change management
• And more

Typically, MBA programs feature core business coursework in disciplines such as economics, finance, marketing, managerial accounting, and human resources. In this online MBA, you’ll build on your undergraduate learning and professional experience while preparing to tackle advanced business challenges. In most cases, students also select a concentration in an area relevant to their goals—such as entrepreneurship or project management—or an industry, such as healthcare administration. 

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What Careers Can I Do with an Online Business Administration Degrees?

With an online MBA, you’ll be equipped to pursue career advancement to management and leadership roles. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, management occupations are projected to add over half a million new jobs over the next decade. For top executive positions and other opportunities, today’s employers often look for candidates with an MBA. That’s because leaders need advanced and specialized expertise to make strategic decisions in today’s increasingly complex business world. Especially in large or global organizations, an MBA could offer a professional edge. 

In addition, earning an Online MBA may be necessary for a management analyst career. Businesses consult analysts when they need to solve challenges or boost efficiency and profits. According to the BLS, this occupation should grow 14 percent over the next decade—much faster than average. And finally, earning an online MBA could help you build the skills you need to launch your own business. If you have an idea for a new venture but need to equip yourself with the necessary expertise and connections to make your vision a reality, business school could be the ideal next step.

Pursue the rewarding challenges of organizational oversight in career roles such as the following:

• Project Manager
• Management Analyst
• Performance Management Analyst
• Organizational Development Consultant

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Is an Online MBA Taken Seriously?

Many students wonder if online MBA programs are as credible as traditional programs. The short answer is that it depends. An online MBA from a respected, accredited business school will be taken seriously in the business world and can help you achieve your professional goals. On the other hand, an online degree from an unknown or less-reputable school may not offer the same value. Some students have bad experiences with programs like this. 

University of the Cumberlands is one of the top MBA schools in the nation—a respected institution that’s been teaching tomorrow’s business leaders for more than 130 years. Our convenient online MBA degree program allows you to stay in your current role while you complete your studies. You can be confident in the rigor and value of your education, and employers will respect your degree and the skills that come with it.

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Is an Online MBA Worth It?

Online MBA programs are growing more common today, giving working professionals a flexible way to advance their skills. But as more candidates pursue this degree, some students wonder if earning an MBA is still a good investment. For many, the expertise and credentials gained from this degree are well worth it. Consider the following advantages of earning an online MBA:

• Career advancement. Many employers prefer candidates with a master’s degree, such as an MBA. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this is especially true for management careers such as financial manager, human resources manager, and training and development manager, along with top executive positions such as chief executive officer (CEO) and other C-suite roles. 
• Higher earnings. Earning an MBA could help you qualify—and make you more competitive—for roles that offer a higher salary. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for management occupations was $102,450, as of 2021.  This was the highest wage of all the major occupational groups. 
• Prepare for bigger opportunities—on your schedule. Earning your MBA online is the ideal way to prepare for new opportunities without disrupting your career. You can learn on a schedule that fits your busy life, while applying what you learn within your current organization.   

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Curriculum and Degree Requirements

As a leader in graduate business education, UC’s Robert W. Plaster Graduate School of Business offers an online MBA designed to prepare you for long-term success. Courses in our MBA program cover a variety of career-applicable topics, including current issues in business, leadership, and management techniques, managerial accounting, and strategic decision making. In addition, choose from the following in-demand concentrations:

• Accounting
• Project Management
• Strategic Management 
• Entrepreneurship 
• Healthcare Administration 
• Marketing

Upon completion of your MBA program online, you will be prepared to apply what you've learned to your current organization or a new business administration position.

Click here for Course Details | Click here for Concentrations 

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Mission and Goals

The mission of the Hutton School of Business and the Plaster Graduate School of Business is to foster academic excellence and student achievement at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students are provided with a strong academic foundation in business, and are prepared to become productive, competent, and ethical professionals. The Hutton School of Business provides a learning environment that is characterized by student-oriented instructional methodologies and the development of leadership and life-long learning skills in its students.

At the Hutton School of Business, the following broad-based goals for students have been developed:

1. Students will acquire the relevant disciplinary knowledge and competencies appropriate to their program of study.
2. Students will acquire effective business-related professional skills.
3. Students will be challenged to assess their personal values and connect them to ethical behaviors appropriate to their intended endeavors.

Based upon these broad-based goals, the Hutton School of Business and the Plaster Graduate School of Business have identified the following general intended student learning outcomes (HSB ISLO) for master’s-level students:

1. Students will be able to demonstrate well-developed case study problem-solving skills.
2. Students will be able to examine the major theories and concepts in the areas of accounting, finance, management, and marketing.
3. Students will be able to integrate their findings from the major theories and concepts in the areas of accounting, finance, management, and marketing to organizational decision making.
4. Students will be able to analyze the opportunities and challenges of legal, social, economic, and global business issues.
5. Students will be able to apply standards of ethical behavior in business to managerial decision making.
6. Students will be able to utilize appropriate technological and quantitative methods and tools to the solution of practical business problems.
7. Students will be able to demonstrate advanced professional business communication skills.
8. 8Students will be able to demonstrate well-developed organizational, leadership, and teamwork skills.
9. Students will be able to integrate theory and practical application across business functional areas for the purpose of strategic analysis, planning, implementation, and control.

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Tuition

Costs for programs of study at University of the Cumberlands are competitive and affordable. Click here to view tuition rates and fees.

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Admission Requirements

Admission to our University is very competitive as well as selective and we review each application by the same standards.

• Application and Application fee
• A completed Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
• Submit official transcripts from all applicable colleges/universities attended; must be received directly from the issuing college or university.
• A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of a 2.5 or above on a 4.0 scale
• Any international course work completed must have official transcript evaluations completed and submitted to the University by the evaluation firm. Evaluations MUST include GPA for admission.
  Approved Evaluation Firms are:
  • World Education Services (WES)
  • Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)
  • International Education Research Foundation (IERF)
  • Educational Perspectives (EP)
  • SpanTran
• Documentation of language fluency for non-native speakers of English, such as a score report from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the 8 International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or a report from Duolingo. This requirement is waived for students who have completed bachelor’s or master’s level coursework in the U.S. at an accredited institution. The minimum acceptable TOEFL or IELTS scores for admission are: 
  • Paper-based TOEFL (PBT) - 550 
  • Internet-based TOEFL (IBT) - 79 
  • IELTS - 6
  • Duolingo - 100

All admissions materials should be submitted to Graduate Admissions:

University of the Cumberlands
Graduate & Online Admissions
649 S. 10th Street Suite C
Williamsburg, KY 40769
Phone 606.539.4390
Toll Free 855.791.7199
Email gradadm@ucumberlands.edu

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Accreditation

Click here to view University of the Cumberlands' accreditation information. 

In addition to the overall institutional accreditation statement above, the Hutton School of Business at University of the Cumberlands has received specialized accreditations for its business programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) located at 11374 Strang Line Road in Lenexa, Kansas, USA. For a list of accredited programs please refer to our IACBE member status page. Please review our Public Disclosure of Student Achievement.

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Faculty

Click here to view a list of the faculty. 

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