MBA in International Business
B-School Search
Master’s in business administration (MBA) programs are designed to help candidates think big, and finding an MBA program with an international focus can make them to think even bigger. A program with a global scope makes sense in a climate of global commerce, where advances in technology make it possible to communicate with just about anyone, anywhere, at anytime.
An MBA with an international focus can teach a business professional the useful skills to adapt, communicate, stay organized, and remain focused on commerce, transcending differences in background, culture, and nationality. It can also help a student understand the bigger picture of the modern business world by teaching how minor cultural differences and larger national policy decisions impact business relationships. As with other MBA concentrations, this degree may help open doors for future mid- to upper-level management positions by providing knowledge of finances and investments, marketing, and administration—some of the many facets underlying modern business practices.
An MBA with a global business perspective also can qualify students for a wide range of employment opportunities. Graduates of MBA programs with an international focus may find careers in different countries, coordinating international programs at company headquarters, as management consultants, risk analysts, foreign business development directors, or in other executive positions at multinational corporations.
Modern MBA programs boast a variety of delivery options beyond learning theory in-classroom, reading case studies, and converting currency. Some programs allow people to travel to other countries to study, or include communications with international educators, business leaders, or other professionals. In addition, many MBA programs are offered partially or fully online through distance learning. Distance learning has advantages for professionals already working full-time by providing flexibility in scheduling and consequently, no need to physically relocate to enroll.
Read on to explore online MBAs in international business, including details about coursework, tuition, and three exceptional professors.
| Featured International Business Programs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M International University | Online MBA - International Banking and Finance | View Full Profile |
| Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | Online MBA in International Business | View Full Profile |
| Pepperdine University | Online MBA - Global Business | View Full Profile |
| Southern New Hampshire University | Online MBA In International Business | View Full Profile |
| Eastern Washington University | Online MBA - International Business | View Full Profile |
| University of Wisconsin - Parkside | MBA - Global Management | View Full Profile |
Featured Online MBAs in International Business
The MBA program through the D’Amore-McKim School of Business consists of 13 core courses and five electives, for a total of 50 credits. The core courses provide a general foundation in business and finance. If someone wants a larger overview of current topics, electives can be selected from eight concentrations including healthcare, marketing, and sustainability. The international management concentration helps people develop multinational skills such as branding, supply chain management, social entrepreneurship, innovation, marketing, competitive advantages, and cultural differences. The program at NU is offered on-campus and online, and provides international residency options.
| Location: Boston, MA |
| Time to Completion: Two years |
| Tuition: $1,560/credit-hour |
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Villanova University’s School of Business provides an online MBA with a concentration in international business. To apply for admissions, candidates must submit official transcripts from a completed bachelor’s degree, a resume, two essays, two letters of recommendation, and GRE or GMAT test scores.
VU’s online MBA provides instruction in analyzing and leveraging data; strategic marketing management; performance measurement and reporting fundamentals; corporate finance; business operations in the 21st century; and team leadership and group dynamics. Additionally, the international business concentration features electives such as global marketing; international business management; and international finance, among others.
| Location: Villanova, PA |
| Tuition: $1,409/credit |
| Time to completion: Two years |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business |
Purdue Global offers an online MBA program with a concentration in global business. To apply for admission, candidates must submit proof of a GPA of 2.5 or greater in a completed bachelor’s degree program. No GRE or GMAT scores are required.
Purdue Global’s online MBA program features instruction in business perspectives; business communications; business analytics; financial accounting principles and analysis; measurement and decision-making; strategic human resource management; marketing management; economics for global decision-makers; financial management; designing, improving, and implementing processes; managing the value chain; strategic management; ethics in business and society; leadership strategies for a changing world; and an MBA capstone. The concentration courses include training in how varying sociopolitical and legal frameworks within countries impact their business environments.
| Location: Indianapolis, IN |
| Tuition: $485/credit |
| Time to completion: Two years |
| Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) |
Strayer University provides a wealth of online MBA programs, including a concentration in global management. To apply for this unique program, candidates must submit proof of having completed a bachelor’s degree with at least a 2.5 GPA. No GRE or GMAT test scores are required.
Strayer’s online MBA programs offers courses such as financial accounting for managers; leadership and organizational behavior; strategic management; business communications; managerial economics and globalization; financial management; business statistics; law, ethics, and corporate governance; and marketing management. The global management concentration adds instruction in global business management; global strategy; and global marketing management.
| Location: Washington D.C. |
| Tuition: $597/credit |
| Time to completion: Two years |
| Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) |
Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business offers several online MBA programs, including a concentration in global business. Applicants must submit one essay, a resume, GRE or GMAT test scores, and official transcripts from a bachelor’s degree. Test score waivers are available for students who qualify.
Pepperdine University’s online MBA program comprises core instruction in behavior in organizations; quantitative analyses for business operations; accounting information and control systems; prices, profit and market economy; financial management of the firm; and marketing management. The global business concentration has additional courses in global capital markets and institutions; global brand management; and a global business intensive.
| Location: Malibu, CA |
| Tuition: $1,920/credit |
| Time to completion: Two years or more |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) |
The Queens University of Charlotte McColl School of Business provides a flexible online MBA in global business management, which emphasizes Hugh McColl’s three C’s of leadership: competence, character, and commitment to community. Admissions requirements include a resume, letters of recommendation, GRE or GMAT scores (waiver available), and official transcripts.
This 36-credit program includes instruction in economics for managers, strategic planning and implementation, managerial accounting, marketing management, managing in a global context, and three of the following: international financial management, global business strategy, international experience, and cross-cultural management.
| Location: Charlotte, NC |
| Tuition: $1,165/credit |
| Time to completion: Two years |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business |
SNHU’s MBA in international business discusses global commerce topics within cultural, political, social, and economic contexts, and provides overviews of different international organizations and trade policies. Classes cover marketing strategies for multinationals, international trade, multinational corporate environments, research strategies, and data analysis. The online program is designed for busy professionals interested in leadership positions who need flexible scheduling of courses to increase their cultural awareness and expand their worldview.
| Location: Manchester, NH |
| Tuition: $1,881 per three-credit class; $627 per credit-hour |
| Time to Completion: 12-15 months |
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This private non-profit Jesuit research university offers a 36-hour MBA program which can be completed online. Students can select from a variety of focus areas, including accounting, health care management, operations management, enterprise resource planning, and international business. The international business focus teaches students globalization topics such as buying and selling, learning about cultural differences, and global statistics. Accompanied by a Jesuit focus on ethics, social responsibility, and technology-enhanced management skills, the University of Scranton MBA program shares management and leadership strategies for individuals, departments, and entire organizations. A dual degree MBA/master’s in health administration is also available.
| Location: Scranton, PA |
| Tuition: $965/credit |
| Time to Completion: One to four years |
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The Carson School of Business’ MBA with a concentration in international business teaches students strategies for marketing different products for different cultures, communicating, and best practices for research and making effective decisions. The program also helps students to consider the role that political, economic, and cultural conditions can have on commerce. The program is available on campus or online, and provides opportunity for a 10-day, school-sponsored tour of China and South Korea as part of the program’s coursework. Along with cultural attractions, students learn about commerce and investment markets first-hand. The program can range from 36 to 52 credits, depending on how much foundational work is required.
| Location: Pullman, WA |
| Time to Completion: 22 to 29 months |
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The professional MBA program includes an international business specialization which is recommended for people who want to travel or work in other countries. The 48-credit program includes 30 hours of core courses, three hours of international courses, and 12 additional credits for international-related courses. Courses for the international business specialization include accounting, marketing, trade finance and management, and international negotiations. The program is available at the main Denver or South Denver campuses, online, or in a hybrid format. Students also have the opportunity to take courses abroad, with choices for coursework including risk management and insurance in London, leadership and entrepreneurship in Ireland, and sustainability in Denmark. A dual degree MBA/master’s in healthcare administration is also available.
| Location: Denver, Colorado |
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The school’s 36-credit MBA through the Nathan M. Bisk College of Business includes a specialization in international business, which provides a global perspective of the different theories of business knowledge and customer challenges. In addition to reading international business case studies, students are asked to create their own curriculum, discuss how to negotiate in different cultures, and how to prepare a business for international expansion. This fully online program stresses leadership and decision-making. It also teaches methods to determine competitive advantages in domestic and foreign markets.
| Location: Melbourne, FL | Time to Completion: Two years |
| Tuition: (Based on nine credit-hours/semester)
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This 30-credit hour program designed for convenience and affordability provides insight into global business. Texas A&M’s online MBA in international business is available on-campus or online. The school encourages international students to enroll, with the goal of increasing insight through peer-group diversity. Available online concentrations include management, international business, international banking and finance, and international trade and logistics. The eLearning online experience includes video conferencing, independent student projects, and research.
| Location: Laredo, TX | Time to Completion: Two years |
| Tuition: (Based on nine credit-hours/semester)
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The UNL offers a variety of on-campus, online, or hybrid courses for MBA students. The 48-credit online program offers 10 three-credit core MBA classes, nine hours of electives, and nine hours of concentration electives which include marketing, supply chain management, and international business. The international business specialty includes topics such as multinational financial analysis, leadership in a global context, directed reading and marketing, and globalization. Online courses may include weekly assignments, exams, webinars, and telephone conferences.
| Location: Lincoln, NE |
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| Online Tuition: $630/credit-hour; $1,890/course |
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This 43-credit interdisciplinary program provides an overview of the skills required to succeed in business, including planning, organizing, operating, and controlling. Students learn problem-solving, decision-making, pursuing appropriate courses of action, and strategies to improve communication and analysis. The program is available online, and includes real-time weekly sessions with an instructor. Along with the traditional MBA, students can choose an international business concentration that focuses on global business practices. The UND also offers students the opportunity to study abroad or take classes through the BI Norwegian Business School. BI’s program includes a variety of executive- and management-level courses in culture, finance, and business.
| Location: Grand Forks, ND |
| Time to Completion: Two years (seven years max to complete the degree) |
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Professors to Know from Schools with Online MBAs
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Sean Valentine, DBA, University of North Dakota
Dr. Valentine is a professor of management at UND and an adjunct professor at the University of Wyoming, focusing on the role of business ethics in the workforce, human resource management, and organizational behavior. His research and educational background includes best practice consulting, military experience, and an MBA and bachelor’s degree in hotel, restaurant, and tourism management.
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Jacqueline R. Mayfield, PhD, Texas A&M
Dr. Mayfield teaches courses in business strategy, organizational behavior, business management, and human resources and leadership. She has been teaching at Texas A&M since 1995, where she was named “Teacher of the Year” three times in the A.R. Sanchez School of Business. She also serves as a co-editor of the International Journal of Business Communication and provides management training and development programs for various clients around the country.
She received an MBA with a marketing focus in 1979, plus a master of arts in teaching and a PhD in business administration. -
Charles Bryant, PhD, Florida Institute of Technology
Dr. Bryant has studied international business and finance topics extensively, including international strategy, international business, global finance, entrepreneurship, regionalization, and globalization. His research includes work on the impact of corruption, entrepreneurship, and human capital on a nation’s globalization goals. He has served as consultant to a variety of multinational corporations over more than a decade.
Admissions Requirements - Online MBA Programs
Every MBA program in international business has different admission requirements. Some common requirements derived from the programs above include:
- A bachelor’s degree that includes a satisfactory GPA and a focus on business, finance, statistics, math, or economics
- A certain GMAT score, which can sometimes be waived if a candidate has other graduate-level or higher academic credentials
- Some professional experience in a business/financial field
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for non-native speakers of English
- Personal statement of goals and objectives
- Letters of recommendation
- Completion of certain pre-requisite business and finance courses or an abridged overview for candidates with non-business backgrounds
Accreditation
An MBA from an accredited academic program means students are receiving an education that adheres to established standards for quality, vital subjects, and current knowledge areas. For institutions or programs, the accreditation process may include campus visits or student and faculty surveys, as well as examinations of a school’s graduation rate, career placement (i.e., student outcomes), industry involvement, and alumni support. To keep accreditation current, each institution or program must engage in an intermittent renewal process. Accreditation for business programs is done by two major accrediting bodies.
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) focuses on promoting and improving programs in business administration, management, and related courses such as operations, human resources, and real estate. The AACSB recognizes the importance of faculty research and providing students with solid knowledge foundations. Of the 799 schools in 53 territories with AACSB accreditation, most are larger programs with a strong institutional focus.
The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) also works to accredit business programs in higher education. This newer organization focuses on tangible learning outcomes and quality improvement, especially as workforce demands change. There are about 2,983 ACBSP accredited programs worldwide.