Southern Arkansas University Online Master of Business Administration (MBA)

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• MBA - Agri-Business
• MBA - Business Leadership
• MBA - Data Analytics
• MBA - Social Entrepreneurship
• MBA - Supply Chain Management

By Bernd Geels Reviewed By Jocelyn Blore

Updated October 23, 2025

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Southern Arkansas University (SAU) is a comprehensive regional public university originally founded as the Third District Agricultural School in 1909. The school became the four-year college Southern State College in 1951 and became SAU in 1976.

Today, SAU offers both traditional and unique academic programs designed to prepare tomorrow’s leaders through a combination of education, scholarship, and service. SAU’s academic programs incorporate the university’s core values in which education creates productive lives, advances knowledge, honors human dignity, sustains an informed, participatory citizenry, and serves as a crucial foundation for a democratic society.

The SAU Rankin College of Business MBA program offers an online master of business administration (MBA) program with six specializations: agri-business, business leadership, data analytics, social entrepreneurship, supply chain management, and a general MBA program. The SAU MBA program is one of the most affordable programs in Arkansas.

SAU, located in Magnolia, Arkansas, is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The SAU MBA program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

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What to Expect from SAU Online MBA Programs

Admission Requirements: To be offered unconditional admission, applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree, in any discipline, in which they maintained a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0-point scale. Conditional admission may be offered, provided an applicant’s undergraduate GPA was at least 2.2. The conditional status designation will be removed when a student 1) has earned a minimum of 12 credits of graduate credit at SAU with a 3.0 GPA, 2) has earned no grade lower than a “C”, and 3) has not had more than one course with a grade of “C”.

Acceptance to the SAU School of Graduate Studies does not automatically lead to concurrent acceptance into the SAU MBA program. Applicants must submit a complete online admission application, an application fee, and official transcripts from all colleges/universities previously attended. Applicants must be in good standing with the last academic institution they attended in order to be eligible for admission to SAU.

State Restrictions: SAU welcomes students from a variety of backgrounds such as international applicants and military personnel.

International applicants fulfill requirements similar to domestic students but must also complete additional requirements. International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency via an exam unless they completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited school within the United States. Test scores may not be more than two years old. Additional required documentation includes proof of financial support, an evaluation of foreign academic credentials completed by an approved evaluation provider, and immigration related documents. The evaluation must include a “course-by-course” analysis and also list the student’s GPA.

SAU welcomes military and veteran students to complete its academic programs. The SAU Veterans Resource Office assists students with a variety of resources such as VA education benefits, military tuition assistance, scholarships, and more. Applicants submit a complete online application, an application fee, and military transcripts. Full details on how military and related students may apply to the MBA program can be found on the SAU website.

Other students, such as transfer student,s are welcome to apply to SAU programs. Details on admission procedures for other student categories can be found on the SAU website.

Study Plan: Students can complete these MBA degrees in as little as 24 months. Students interested in completing their program of study part-time or over an extended time period should contact a student services representative to verify current SAU policy regarding degree study planning.

MBA Curriculum: The SAU MBA curriculum is designed primarily for graduates of bachelor of business administration programs. However, recipients of a bachelor’s degree of any background can complete the MBA program provided they complete a 24-credit-hour prerequisite program. Prerequisite coursework consists of six credits of principles of accounting or three credits of an accounting survey course, three credits of business finance or financial management, three credits of statistics, three credits of marketing principles, three credits of microeconomics, and three hours of organizational theory and behavior or principles of management.

Students complete somewhere between 30 and 34 credits depending on which program they choose. All students must complete a series of seven core courses that total 21 credits. Core courses cover the following topics: accounting for decision making; managerial finance; strategic planning and analysis; human behavior in organizations; business analytics; strategic marketing; and enterprise resource planning.

Degree tracks require completion of emphasis courses, electives courses or a combination of both. As noted below, some degree tracks also require completion of additional core courses beyond the seven courses mentioned above. A listing of required courses specific to each degree track appears below.

• MBA – General Program Curriculum: Students may choose from a large collection of courses to fulfill their required six credits of elective coursework. A full listing of available courses can be found here. Unlike the other tracks, general program students must also complete a core course in managerial economics.
• MBA – Agri-Business Curriculum: Students complete a total of 12 credits of emphasis coursework by completing four courses in the following topics: agricultural markets and prices; international trade of agricultural products; agricultural policies; and management of agriculture production.
• MBA – Business Leadership Curriculum: Students complete an additional core course in managerial economics as well as emphasis courses in leadership development and a leadership action project course. Students additionally complete three credits of elective coursework by choosing one of the following course topics: creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship; project management; information systems analysis; research project; and an international studies and field experience course.
• MBA – Data Analytics Curriculum: Students complete an additional core course in managerial economics. Students complete nine credits of elective coursework by completing three courses from the following topics: data visualization; information systems analysis; research project; big data; data mining; machine learning; international business; supply chain management; and international studies and field experience.
• MBA – Social Entrepreneurship Curriculum: Students complete an additional core course in managerial economics. Students complete a total of six credits of emphasis coursework by completing courses in social entrepreneurship as well as either a field experience in social entrepreneurship or a professional project course. Finally, students complete six credits of emphasis elective coursework. Students complete one three credit course from the following topics: social activism and public administration; planning, grant-writing, and implementation; professional project; and a special topics course. Students complete their remaining three credits by completing one of the following social entrepreneurship course topics: project management; creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship; issues in environmental economics; international business; sustainable SCM practices; special topics in social enterprise; and international studies and field experience.
• MBA – Supply Chain Management (SCM) Curriculum: Students complete additional core courses in managerial economics and supply chain management. Students complete a total of six credits of elective coursework by choosing two of the following course topics: ​​information systems analysis; international business; international studies and field experience; project management; supply chain sourcing; supply chain security; supply chain industry 4.0 technologies; sustainable SCM practices; special topics in supply chain management; field experience in supply chain management; and an SCM focused research project.

Online Experience: All SAU online MBA degree programs are offered fully online. There are no on-campus coursework or other participation requirements to complete this program. SAU’s online learning delivery model is designed to open its programs to more students, enabling more individuals to enroll, study, and graduate. Questions regarding online learning resources and needs may be directed to the SAU Office of Online Learning.

On-Site Requirements: As noted above, the MBA degree program is offered fully online. There are no on-campus requirements.

Paying for the SAU Online MBA Degree Programs

The tuition figures for the online MBA degree programs are listed in the tables below. Prospective students should carefully review the tuition information and contact SAU for additional support with applications and any questions they may have. SAU offers out-of-state tuition waivers to students from Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas who opt to live in university housing or reside in a bordering Texas county or Louisiana parish.

The SAU website hosts a page dedicated specifically to graduate student financial resources. Individuals can find information on a range of topics including student loan application procedures, financial forms, types of financial resources such as scholarships, grants, and graduate assistantships, cost of attendance, and more.

Many students ultimately use a combination of resources to finance their education. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a ubiquitous form that often serves as the primary application used to determine eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid. The FAFSA is issued annually, and universities generally provide robust support to help students understand and complete it. Financial aid eligibility determinations generated by the FAFSA and other applications are often generated based on a number of factors, such as academic achievement, talent, financial need, and family background.

Students from certain backgrounds may be eligible for additional financial assistance. Examples of such backgrounds include military personnel, first-generation students, and those with significant obstacles in their family and personal backgrounds. Such assistance may originate from a variety of sources. All prospective graduate students are advised to thoroughly research the SAU website to guide them in formulating their strategy for financing their education.

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].