Rockhurst University Online MBA | Helzberg School of Management

• Online MBA - Business Administration
• Online MBA - Business Intelligence
• Online MBA - Change Management
• Online MBA - CPA Pathway for Accounting
• Online MBA - Data Science
• Online MBA - Data Strategy & Leadership
• Online MBA - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Online MBA - Finance & Accounting
• Online MBA - Health Analytics
• Online MBA - Health Care Management
• Online MBA - Nonprofit Administration
• Online MBA - Organizational Leadership

By Bernd Geels, Sara Navratil Reviewed By Jocelyn Blore

Updated September 2, 2025

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The Helzberg School of Management at Rockhurst University (RU) offers a 100 percent online master of business administration (MBA) program with a general track or one of eleven online concentrations: business intelligence; change management; data science; CPA pathway for accounting; data strategy and leadership; diversity, equity and inclusion; finance & accounting; health analytics; health care management; nonprofit administration; and organizational leadership. The degree can be completed in as little as one year through an accelerated pathway or about two years on a part-time basis.

The Rockhurst University online MBA program offers small class sizes, fully online courses, and one-on-one interaction with faculty members. Courses run in eight-week terms and include videos of live classes, screen sharing, discussion boards, case studies, a capstone project, and more.

RU has a Jesuit heritage, preparing students to become ethical business leaders who change the world around them for the better. The university also follows the seven classical liberal arts avenues of inquiry including:

• Philosophical
• Historical
• Artistic
• Literary
• Scientific causal
• Scientific relational
• Theological

Graduates of the Rockhurst MBA program may go on to general business management positions or those related specifically to their concentration. These may include management consultant, medical and health services manager, business operations manager, business intelligence manager, business analytics manager, business analyst, hospital administrator, and project manager.

Rockhurst University is accredited through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The MBA program and its concentrations are accredited through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). Rockhurst University is located in Kansas City, Missouri.

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What to Expect from the Rockhurst University Online MBA

Admission Requirements: Prospective students must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Those who have not earned a bachelor’s degree in business will likely need to take several prerequisite courses. The GMAT is required, and Rockhurst will accept the GRE. A GMAT waiver is available to qualified applicants. Specific parameters apply.

No work experience is necessary. Applicants must submit an online application, electronic official transcripts, and GMAT/GRE test scores. Proof of English language proficiency also is required, if applicable.

Study Plan: The Rockhurst University online MBA includes courses that last eight weeks each. The program can be completed in as little as one year on an accelerated pathway. Most students complete the online MBA in about two years on a part-time basis.

Students in the general track take 30 credits while those taking a concentration complete 32 credits. Those without a prior business degree may need to take several prerequisite courses. No campus visits are required. A capstone project is included to gain real-world experience through a project.

MBA Curriculum: The Rockhurst University Helzberg MBA program features something called a stackable MBA. In the Helzberg Stackable MBA program students customize their studies in alignment with their needs and career aspirations. Students stack two certificates with the foundational business administration certificate to create a full MBA degree program. This different degree conceptualization arose out of the influence of the university’s Jesuit tradition as well as active participation of university faculty committed to serving their students as best as possible.

Students design their MBA degree by deciding which certificates they will complete. Students are allowed to complete their certificate programs simultaneously or one at a time. Accessibility guides curriculum design and offerings. Classes may be offered online, asynchronously, and in the evenings.

Some students may be required to take prerequisite courses. Such courses may include undergraduate accounting or principles of accounting, undergraduate statistics, pre-calculus, undergraduate finance, and undergraduate marketing. The Helzberg School of Management offers these courses as either eight-week courses or one-day courses. The principles of accounting course covers financial and managerial accounting, and the essentials of economics course covers macro and microeconomics. Students can take these courses through Rockhurst University or transfer them from another institution once completed. In addition, the prerequisite courses can be taken in tandem with online MBA courses.

All students must complete the business administration certificate. Coursework for this certificate includes business intelligence; competitive analysis; financial strategy and decision making; organizational behavior; and marketing strategy. Students may also need to take a course in financial analysis, though this requirement may be substituted with another course for students who had an undergraduate major in accounting or who have commensurate experience. The business administration certificate also requires a Jesuit core values course. Students choose from four options to complete this additional course: leaders for others; spirituality and values in leadership; ethical leadership; and corporate social responsibility.

Those pursuing the general MBA then take six credits of electives. Those pursuing a concentration choose ten credits of coursework. A listing of concentration courses appears below. The business intelligence, data science, data strategy and leadership, and health analytics concentrations are all STEM certified programs.

• Business Intelligence Concentration Courses: Students must take courses in applied data mining; data visualization; and analytics and strategy. They must also choose either web and social media analytics or dashboard creation and implementation.
• Change Management Concentration Courses: Students take courses in managerial communications; organizational change; innovation; and conflict management and negotiation. Students also complete one elective from the following course options: global markets (study abroad); global business issues (study abroad); corporate social responsibility; organizational development & consulting; quality improvement processes for management; problem-solving & root cause analysis; crisis management; developing leaders in organizations; and corporate law for management.
• CPA Pathway for Accounting Concentration Courses: Students take courses in advanced auditing; data analytics and auditing; advanced tax; data analytics and tax research/analysis; and advanced financial reporting. In addition students complete a capstone course in the topic of auditing or taxes.
• Data Strategy and Leadership Concentration Courses: Students take courses in performance metrics and dashboards; analytics and strategy; social justice and responsibility in analytics; organizational change; and managerial communications.
• Data Science Concentration Courses: Students take courses in applied data mining; predictive models; text mining; and big data analytics. They then choose one elective from the following courses: business intelligence; data visualization; forecasting and time series econometrics; statistics and machine learning; and social justice and responsibility in analytics.
• Justice, Belonging and Community Change Concentration Courses: Students take courses in justice, belonging, and community for our common world; developing an Ignatian approach to listening within difficult dialogues on identity; justice & belonging in organizational change; and a capstone course.
• Finance and Accounting Concentration Courses: Students may take any combination of 6000-level accounting or finance courses to accrue their required 10 credit hours. A complete listing of eligible courses is available online.
• Health Analytics Concentration Courses: Students take courses in business intelligence; data visualization; social justice and responsibility in analytics; health care systems; quality improvement in health care; and health information technology.
• Healthcare Management Concentration Courses: Students take courses in healthcare systems; medical practice management; health policy; healthcare information technology; and quality improvement in healthcare.
• Nonprofit Administration Concentration Courses: Students take courses in nonprofit governance and executive leadership; resource development for social impact; and program planning and evaluation. Students then complete two electives from the following options: marketing communications for nonprofits in the digital age; charitable giving and relationship management seminar; corporate social responsibility; conflict management & negotiation; HR and managing people; innovation; and organizational change.
• Organizational Leadership Concentration Courses: Students take courses in leadership; managerial communications; and developing leadership in organizations. This concentration empowers students to acquire knowledge in areas that align with their individual career goals. To that end, students choose a concentration within this program. Concentration options include interdisciplinary, healthcare and human resources.

Online Experience: The online MBA courses are delivered through the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS). Course delivery may include discussion boards, recordings of live, in-class sessions, screen sharing, assignments, case studies, real-world projects, and assessments.

Courses are mostly asynchronous with live web conferencing at times. Online MBA students have access to a wealth of support services, including academic advising, tutoring and writing help through the Learning Center, student success coaches, financial aid resources, mental health counseling, disability resources, career development resources, and alumni networking.

On-Site Requirements: The Rockhurst University online MBA program is 100 percent online with no campus visits. An MBA capstone course may require collaboration with a physical business entity.

Paying for the Rockhurst University Online MBA

The Rockhurst online MBA costs are listed in the tables below. Interested students should contact the RU Helzberg School of Management for complete costs and options.

Rockhurst University online MBA students may qualify for unsubsidized graduate student loans in accordance with the FAFSA. Prospective students can inquire with the RU Admissions Office. Employers may also offer tuition reimbursement programs and students may wish to seek funding from other outside organizations.

Bernd Geels

Writer

Bernd Geels is a Berlin, Germany-based freelance writer and artist. He holds an undergraduate degree in atmospheric science and two graduate degrees. He completed his most recent graduate degree in international environmental studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in 2011. He is interested in healthcare, climate change, marine conservation, indigenous science and refugee issues. You can reach him directly at [email protected].

Sara Navratil

Writer

Sara Navratil is a freelance writer and a Certified Canfield Success Principles Trainer. She's the owner of Sara Liza Life, a company dedicated to helping people rewrite their lives. She enjoys researching and writing about entrepreneurial and general business topics, and providing detailed information on online MBA programs. When not working she likes to read, bake, and spend time with her family.