B-School Search
Arizona is hot—and not only because it’s in the desert. Listed by Forbes, Chief Executive, and the U.S. News and World Report as a top state for business, the Grand Canyon State is on the rise. Arizona has some of the best economic growth statistics in the U.S., including employment growth projections twice as high as the national average.
Key industries in Arizona include advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defense, bioscience, healthcare, technology, and innovation. Advanced business services in the financial sector are also beginning to boom. Nearly 9 percent of Arizona residents find work in finance—a 22 percent growth from 2010. Major business players in Arizona include GoDaddy, Infusionsoft, Caterpillar, Wells Fargo, and Intel.
For those looking to get ahead of the state’s upcoming growth, an online MBA is a great option. The online MBA was created in response to the needs of busy working professionals who want more competitive applications after their undergraduate work. They can add managerial expertise or even move into another sector. Students enrolled in this type of program can learn about business from professors based in Arizona without having to relocate, quit their jobs, or adhere to rigid school schedules.
Many institutions in Arizona offer accredited online MBA programs that are of equal quality as their on-campus counterparts. With the option to take classes when and where the student wishes, these MBA programs are designed to be flexible and fit into the schedules of busy working professionals. Most online MBA programs also allow students to focus their education on a certain aspect of business and can be completed in around two years of full-time study.
Continue reading to learn more about online MBA in programs in Arizona and the inspiring professors who take students through the process of becoming better managers and leaders.
Featured Online MBA Programs in Arizona
The online MBA offered by ASU’s W.P Carey School of Business is ranked in the top five online MBAs by the U.S. News and World Report. A two-course-at-a-time curriculum with only one required campus visit, the nearly 100 percent online ASU-MBA is designed for busy professionals who are looking for a flexible way to advance their careers. Coursework in the 49-credit program includes financial performance reporting, operations and supply management, ethical issues for managers, and strategic management.
ASU also offers dual degree programs in electrical and industrial engineering. The MBA and master of science (MS) in industrial engineering and the MBA and master of science (MSE) in electrical engineering are both 56-credit programs designed to help engineers to maintain contemporary expertise while building managerial skills. The electrical engineering program offers five tracks in electric power and energy systems; electronic and mixed-signal circuit design; electromagnetics, antennas, and microwave circuits; signal processing and communications; and solid-state electronics.
All programs require the submission of GMAT scores. The MBA and MBA/MSE require a 3.0 undergraduate GPA for admission, and the MBA/MS program requires a minimum 3.2 GPA. While only one year of professional work experience is required for the MBA/MSE program, two are preferred.
| Location: Tempe, AZ |
| Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) |
| Tuition: $1,215 per credit for the MBA; $17,010 per year for the joint degrees |
| Program length: 21 months for the MBA; three years for the joint degrees |
Offering a blend of quality and convenience, the 100 percent online MBA at the UA Eller College of Management is designed to help working professionals improve work performance and advance careers. Students enrolled in the 45-unit program can choose between six concentrations including entrepreneurship, healthcare, finance, management and organizations, management information systems privacy and security, and marketing.
Students must complete 14 core courses and 17 units of electives. Coursework includes operations management, managing ethics in organizations, global social entrepreneurship, financial accounting, and information security in the public and private sectors.
The GMAT is required for admission to the program. GMAT waivers are available for doctoral degree holders, veterans and active military personnel with a 3.0 GPA, Peace Corps volunteers who have completed service, and those with a 3.5 GPA in a STEM undergraduate degree. To be considered for admission, applicants must have a minimum of two to three years of experience. Students considered for admission will need to complete an interview via telephone or video chat.
| Location: Tucson, AZ |
| Accreditation: AACSB International |
| Tuition: $45,000 for the entire program |
| Program length: 14 months to four years |
This online MBA degree takes a Christian worldview. The program is offered through the Colangelo College of Business and designed to help working professionals who don’t have time to study for the GMAT to gain acceptance into an MBA program to rise into leadership positions.
In addition to a general 46-credit MBA, students can choose to pursue a 54-credit degree with one of the following emphases: accounting, cybersecurity, finance, health systems management, leadership, marketing, project management, sports business, and strategic human resource management.
GCU also offers a 66-credit dual MBA and master of science in leadership designed to prepare students for shaping the future of business management. Coursework in programs includes leadership and organizations, applied business probability and statistics, managerial accounting, and marketing management.
No GMAT is required to apply to GCU, and despite having a Christian worldview, applicants do not need to be religiously affiliated to apply.
| Location: Phoenix, AZ |
| Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) |
| Tuition: $575 per credit |
| Program length: 24 months for the traditional track; 29 months for the emphasis track |
Hybrid MBA Programs in Arizona
Hybrid MBA programs are ideal for students living in Arizona who wish to connect in person with professors, classmates, and the business network available in the state. Hybrid programs often maintain the flexibility of online degree programs by delivering all didactic coursework asynchronously online and require in-person requirements in compressed timelines (orientations, intensive classes, two to three-day residences, etc.) At the time of this writing, there are no universities that offer hybrid programs. However, Northcentral University and Ottawa University offer entirely online programs with the option to visit campus.