Online Business Schools in Colorado (CO)

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With a number four ranking on U.S. News and World Report’s Best States for Business Environment, a number eight ranking on the Forbes 2018 list of Best States for Business, and #12 on Chief Executive’s 2019 list of Best and Worst States for Business, Colorado is high-ranking state in which to do business.

Ranked first for economy by US News and World Report, Colorado is experiencing an influx of venture capital at a rate of 700 percent of the national average and is predicted to have the second-fastest rate of job growth in the nation over the next five years.

Industries like marijuana, agriculture, livestock, tourism, and mineral extraction are soon to be joined by aerospace as key industries in Colorado. Ten Fortune 500 companies have headquarters in Colorado, including DaVista, DISH Network, Molson Coors Brewery, Qurate Retail, Liberty Media, Western Union, Arrow Electronics, Ball Corp., DCP Midstream, and Newmont Mining. With a rate of college attainment at 41 percent of the adult population, the talent pool in Colorado is second only to Massachusetts.

MBA programs based in Colorado can give professionals the insight needed to succeed in local industries and beyond. In an online era, busy professionals who wish to become more competitive in the job market, more effective in their current job, or advance into managerial positions have the opportunity to expand their business skills through online MBA programs.

Most online MBA programs are the same quality as their campus-based counterparts and are designed to fit within the existing lives and busy schedules of working professionals who can’t stop working, or relocate, to continue their business education. Some online MBA programs also offer in-person networking opportunities through on-campus orientations, short-term residencies, or intensives.

Keep reading to learn more about online business schools based in Colorado, the distinguished professors offering students learning opportunities, and hybrid on-campus/online programs for those students who want a best-of-both-worlds learning experience.

Featured Online MBA Programs in Colorado

The online MBA offered through the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver is for professionals who wish to become purpose-driven leaders driving ethical and sustainable businesses. Those enrolled in the [email protected] can choose a generalized MBA track or can opt for a concentration in finance or marketing.

Coursework in the 60-credit-hour program includes leading with integrity, business law and public policy, global business, and entrepreneurship: ideation to creation. Students enrolled in this program are expected to complete two three-day immersions, which are offered on-campus, domestically, and abroad.

While it is preferred that applicants to the [email protected] program have 36 months of full-time work experience, professionals with a minimum of 24 months can apply. GMAT/GRE scores are required for admission, unless an applicant has five or more years of professional full-time work experience. Also, GMAT/GRE waivers may be available to those with a 3.2 undergraduate GPA, an accredited graduate degree, or two or more completed quantitative courses through the Daniels Continuing Education Program with a “B” grade or higher.

Location: Denver, Colorado
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Expected Time to Completion: As few as 21 months
Estimated Tuition: $1,350 per credit-hour

Offered online since 1996, the Graduate School of Business Administration at UCCS provides a high-quality online MBA option accessible to those without a degree in business. Students in the program can choose a general business degree or can opt for an emphasis in one of ten areas: accounting, finance, healthcare administration, innovation management, international business, management, marketing, operations management, project management, or service management.

Coursework in the 36-credit-hour program includes corporate financial management, leading and managing in changing times, marketing strategy, and operations: competing through capabilities. GMAT/GRE scores are required to apply to the UCCS online MBA program. Waivers may be available to those with an advanced degree with a 3.0 GPA; five years of relevant full-time professional work experience and a 3.0 undergraduate GPA; or ten years of work experience with a 2.75 undergraduate GPA. Depending on academic backgrounds, some students may have to complete foundational quantitative coursework.

Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Expected Time to Completion: 18 months to five years
Estimated Tuition: $2,575 per three-credit course (non-resident)

The 100 percent online MBA offered through the Monfort College of Business at the University of Northern Colorado prepares graduates for corporate management in an evolving global marketplace. Those enrolled in the program can choose a general MBA or can take one of two emphases in healthcare administration or human resources management.

Coursework in the 36-credit-hour program includes data analytics and visualization, economics of managerial decisions, advanced international business, and marketing management. Regardless of educational background, students are also expected to complete three free foundational modules in economics, finance, and accounting. GMAT/GRE scores are required to apply to the UNC online MBA program, although waivers may be available to those with a graduate degree, a professional certification (CPA, CFA, PE, or Actuary), those with two continuous years managerial experience plus a 3.0 undergraduate GPA, or those with four years of continuous managerial experience plus an undergraduate GPA above 2.75.

Location: Greeley, Colorado
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Expected Time to Completion: As few as 12 months
Estimated Tuition: $21,492 for the program

The Business School at CU Denver offers a 100 percent online professional MBA that can be taken full- or part-time, and can be customized to fit each individual’s lifestyle and career goals. Students enrolled in the program can choose between five fully online specializations in business intelligence, enterprise technology management, finance, information systems, and managing for sustainability.

Coursework in the 48-credit program includes leadership, information systems, strategic management, accounting, and law and ethics. GMAT/GRE scores are required to apply, but waivers may be available to qualified candidates. Applicants without work experience, and those with a non-business degree are welcome to apply to the program.

Location: Denver, Colorado
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Expected Time to Completion: 16 months to five years
Estimated Tuition: $731 per credit-hour (out-of-state)

Colorado Mesa University’s Department of Business offers a 100 percent online MBA degree program that prepares students for ever-changing business landscapes through rigorous coursework and a practicum project. Students enrolled in CMU’s program can choose between three tracks of study, including a professional track, a management information systems track, and a sports management track.

Coursework in the 36- to 45-credit program includes advanced business law and ethics, operations management, leading organizations, and business strategy. GMAT/GRE scores are required to apply to Colorado Mesa. GMAT/GRE waivers may be available to those with substantial managerial experience. Students with non-business backgrounds may apply to the program but are required to take leveling coursework in accounting, finance, the principles of management and marketing, information technology, and statistics.

Location: Grand Junction, Colorado
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Expected Time to Completion: Two to three years
Estimated Tuition: $500 per credit-hour

The 100 percent online MBA offered by Adams State University is designed for busy professionals who want to advance in their careers without halting their professional or personal lives. Students enrolled in the program can choose between five emphasis areas, including finance, health administration, leadership, public administration, and sport leadership.

Coursework in the 36-credit program includes leadership skills for managers, creating consumer value, managerial economics, and financial analysis. GMAT/GRE scores are required for admission to the program unless a student demonstrates a 3.5 or higher undergraduate GPA. Students must have a 3.0 GPA in the previous 30 credits (undergraduate or graduate) completed in order to apply. Also, foundational coursework in accounting and finance must be completed either before or while enrolled in the MBA program. Depending on GRE score, some students may need to complete an undergraduate course in business quantitative techniques.

Location: Alamosa, Colorado
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Expected Time to Completion: Two years
Estimated Tuition: $420 per credit-hour

The online MBA offered through the Hasan School of Business at CSU Pueblo helps students to understand business from a varied perspective and prepares graduates for positions in high-level management.

Coursework in the 36-credit-hour program includes economics for managers, management policy and strategy, advertising and promotion research, and business ethics and environment. GMAT/GRE scores are required for admission, but waivers may be available and prospective students can contact the MBA director for details. Prospective students without an undergraduate business degree may apply, but are expected to take leveling coursework in accounting, statistics, microeconomics, finance, management, and marketing.

Location: Pueblo, Colorado
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Expected Time to Completion: One to two years
Estimated Tuition: $1,650 per credit-hour

Hybrid MBA Programs in Colorado

Students living close to a college campus who are interested in expanded networking opportunities in their MBA program may want to consider looking into MBA programs that offer a hybrid experience. Most didactic coursework is available online and hybrid programs maintain the flexibility that busy professionals need. By providing on-campus intensives, residencies, and/or orientations, hybrid programs also offer face-to-face networking opportunities with faculty, fellow students, and business professionals in the region. Two programs in Colorado from our list of featured programs offer hybrid on-campus/online programs:

Business Professors to Know in Colorado

  • Melissa Akaka, PhD, MBA - Daniels School of Business

    Dr. Melissa Akaka is an associate professor of marketing in the Daniels School of Business at the University of Denver, where she teaches marketing research, an intro to marketing, customer experience design, and collaborative innovation. Dr. Akaka’s research interests include the co-creation of values in consumer cultures and consumption experiences, collaborative innovation, and entrepreneurship in dynamic service ecosystems.

    Dr. Akaka is a widely cited researcher, with works appearing in peer reviewed journals such as the European Management Journal, Industrial Marketing Management, the Journal of International Marketing, and Service Science. Professionally, Dr. Akaka has been involved in management and marketing since 1997, including serving as the marketing manager for Goodwill Industries of Hawaii for two years.

    Dr. Akaka earned her MBA with an emphasis in marketing and her PhD in international management (marketing)—both from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Additionally, she earned the Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year Award from the Daniels College of Business in 2017.

  • Ying Fan, PhD - University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

    Dr. Ying Fan is the business analysis department chair and an associate professor of operations management in the Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (UCCS). She has taught courses regarding the fundamentals of operations management, managing service operations, and operations research. Dr. Fan’s research interests include service quality, using social media to improve service operations, service recovery, and quality management in international supply chains.

    Dr. Yan is a published scholar with peer reviewed works appearing in academic journals such as the Journal of Service Theory and Practice, the International Journal of Services and Operations Management, and the International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management. Dr. Fan earned her master of management in management science from Beijing University and her PhD in operations management from the University of Western Ontario.

  • Keiko Krahnke, PhD - Monfort College of Business

    Dr. Keiko Krahnke is the department chair and a professor of management in the Monfort College of Business at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), where she teaches ethical leadership and organizational behavior in the online MBA program. Dr. Krahnke’s research interests include human resources, leadership, empathy, and ethics.

    Dr. Krahnke is a published author and scholar. She co-edited and wrote a chapter in a book entitled “Organizing Through Empathy,” and has scholarly works appearing in juried journals including the International Journal of Business and Applied Science, the Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, and the Journal of Business Ethics. Dr. Krahnke earned her master of arts in English and her PhD in human resource development—both from Colorado State University.

    Dr. Krahnke is an awarded professor as well, earning Management Professor of the Year honors from the Monfort College of Business in 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Becca Brewer
Becca Brewer
Writer

Becca Brewer is building a better future on a thriving earth by healing herself into wholeness, divesting from separation, and walking the path of the loving heart. Previously to her journey as an adventurer for a just, meaningful, and regenerative world, Becca was a formally trained sexuality educator with a master of education.