Online No GMAT MBA Programs - No Entrance Exam Required

For aspiring entrepreneurs, executives, or others working in private business, earning a master of business administration (MBA) is an important step in their careers. MBA programs, which often last two years, can have a beneficial long-term impact on one’s salary prospects. In fact, Brandman University (now UMass Global) noted that graduates of top MBA programs could earn approximately $2.4 million in base pay and bonuses over a 20-year career, and up to $8 million for those retiring after 40 years.

Of course, pursuing an MBA can be grueling; the coursework is difficult, and students may need to travel to a campus for classes multiple times each week, forcing them to make personal and professional sacrifices while they study. To accommodate workers who wish to keep their jobs while they study, a growing number of business students are choosing to complete an online MBA program. Flexible, distance-based MBA options can accommodate people living in rural regions or people with unbreakable familial or professional commitments. Not surprisingly, students in online programs must be highly self-motivated and able to keep to a tight schedule without much direct oversight. Furthermore, without a classroom atmosphere, online MBA programs require students to work with the virtual support of peers and professors.

One of the common impediments to enrolling in an MBA program is the test score requirement. The GMAT is widely considered one of the most difficult standardized entrance exams, and many students, especially those who don’t excel at the test-taking process, may rather avoid taking it altogether.

This is not to say that all applicants will be exempt from taking the GMAT for certain programs. While the programs in this guide do not require GMAT scores, there are some programs which offer GMAT waivers for students who meet specific criteria; for example, students who apply to the MBA program at Missouri State University do not need to submit GMAT scores if they meet all of the following criteria:

  • Earned a 3.25 cumulative GPA
  • Admitted to or have graduated from a Missouri State COB in the past five years or graduated with a business degree from an AACSB-accredited school in the past five years
  • Completed a minimum of 80 hours at the time of application
  • Meet all English proficiency requirements

Similar criteria exist for the MBA program at East Carolina University; specifically, applicants are exempt from submitting GMAT scores by meeting one or more of the following requirements:

  • If they have completed an advanced degree, which required an entrance exam (GRE, LSAT, etc.)
  • If they have completed seven years of full-time professional experience and earned an overall GPA of 2.7 or greater
  • If they have been inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma
  • If they are a graduate of ECU’s Honors College.

Overall, anyone who aspires to complete an MBA but is wary of taking the GMAT (or submitting their current scores) is encouraged to consider one of the programs below that does not require GMAT scores. The following outlines several online MBA programs that accept applicants without GMAT scores, as well as a handful of professors who are renowned in their field.

Featured Online MBA Programs with No GMAT Required

Professors to Know in Online MBA Programs

A great number of dedicated educators teach at schools that offer online MBA programs, including the following renowned business school professors known for their talent and skill:

  • Julia Higgs, PhD Florida Atlantic University

    Dr. Julia Higgs is a professor within the School of Accounting at Florida Atlantic University’s School of Business, where she teaches courses on auditing and financial accounting. Her research interests include audit fees, sampling, work/life issues for auditors, audit quality, and government auditing and compliance. She has presented at both the 2014 and 2015 AAA Audit Midyear Meetings, and her work has been featured in a number of publications, including Behavioral Research in Accounting, Review of Accounting, and the Journal of Information Systems.

  • Frank Smith, PhD Colorado State University

    Dr. Frank Smith is a clinical professor and a director of the graduate programs within the School of Business at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. Dr. Smith’s research includes work on exchange traded funds, market valuation, market efficiency, and options financial modeling. He has published sixteen articles in seven years as a professor, including topics ranging from the efficiency of exchange traded funds versus mutual funds, as well as financial distress and bankruptcy. He has won several prestigious awards for research and teaching, and he also has experience consulting for both regional banks and nationally recognized nonprofit organizations.

Becca Brewer, MEd
Becca Brewer, MEd
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.