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When one looks to major business rankings, North Dakota ranks #28 on Chief Executive’s 2019 list of Best and Worst States for Business, #23 on the Forbes 2018 list of Best States for Business, and #41 on U.S. News and World Report’s Best States for Business Environment. A middle-ranking state whose status is currently in limbo due to a shrinking oil-based energy economy, North Dakota (ND) is eighth in the nation for labor supply, 11th for business costs, and the cost of doing business is 4.9 percent below the national average, according to Forbes.
Key industries in North Dakota include agriculture, oil, tourism, coal gasification, and renewable energy. Although North Dakota does not have any Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the state, major business influences include Amazon, John Deere, ComDel Innovation, MBI Energy Services, Bobcat, Microsoft, and Steffes. For those interested in bringing business to North Dakota, the state is currently offering to subsidize above-average salaries in hard-to-fill positions, in addition to income tax exemptions for those bringing tourism or primary sector businesses, property tax exemptions for agriculture, and tax incentives for those rehabbing or developing property in certain areas of the state.
For busy professionals who wish to connect to the business community without having to relocate or quit their current job, pursuing an online MBA from a North Dakota-based university can be an excellent networking decision. Online MBAs allow students the flexibility to gain the high-level leadership, analytical, and decision-making skills to shift careers, grow in one’s current career, or make a resume more attractive within their current schedules and lives. Online MBAs also give students the opportunity to learn from the same professors who teach on-campus courses, and connect with other students earning their MBAs online as well.
Keep reading to learn more about online MBA programs offered by Universities in the state of North Dakota, the opportunity to blend on-campus and online learning in a hybrid format, and the professors behind the online learning experience.
Featured Online MBA Programs in North Dakota
The online MBA offered through the College of Business and Public Administration at the University of North Dakota is designed to give graduates the tools they need to switch careers, advance in their current career, or broaden their responsibilities.
Students enrolled in the 43-credit program can pursue a general MBA or have the option to choose between one of four concentrations in business analytics, government and business, international business, or social entrepreneurship. Coursework in the UND MBA includes instruction in organization leadership and ethics, econometrics, and strategic supply chain management.
This particular online program is synchronous, requiring online students to attend live classes which are generally scheduled in the evening (7-10 pm CST). GMAT scores are required to apply. Waivers may be available to those with a 3.25 GPA and three years of full time work experience, a 3.0 GPA with eight years of full time work experience, or a graduate degree with a 3.0 GPA.
| Location: Grand Forks, North Dakota |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) |
| Expected Time to Completion: Two or more years |
| Estimated Tuition: $516.76 per credit-hour |
The online MBA from the Gary Tharaldson School of Business at the University of Mary prepares graduates for ethical servant leadership through the infusion of Christian, Catholic, and Benedectine Values to business practice.
Prospective students can choose between seven MBA specializations, including business operations, catholic philanthropy, healthcare, human resources management, project management, public administration, and virtuous leadership. Coursework in the 36-credit program includes business research and writing, leadership and management theory, ethics, and marketing. Students interested in dual degrees can also pursue a joint MBA/MSN program online through the University of Mary.
| Location: Bismark, North Dakota |
| Accreditation: International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 15 months or more |
| Estimated Tuition: $520 per credit-hour |
Hybrid MBA Programs in North Dakota
Hybrid programs are those that combine online learning and on-campus learning, and may be the best option for those who want to benefit from the flexibility of online courses without sacrificing the benefits of networking in person. Hybrid programs may be most accessible for professionals who are living in close proximity to a university campus, or have the ability to travel on occasion.
In North Dakota, the Gary Tharaldson School of Business at the University of Mary offers courses both on-campus and online. If it suits their lives and schedules, students enrolled in the online program can choose to take some of their courses on-campus in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks AFB, or Watford City. The University of Mary also has on-campus offerings in Billings, MT, or Fort Riley, KS.
