Penn State | Online
Program Summary
Nationally Ranked
The Penn State online MBA is led by the Smeal College of Business and is AACSB-accredited. To enhance our course offerings, and to provide expertise in various areas of business specialization, world-renowned faculty from the Black School of Business, Penn State Behrend; The School of Graduate Professional Studies, Great Valley; and Penn State Harrisburg School of Business Administration will also be teaching various courses within this program.
The Redesigned Penn State Online MBA: Greater Flexibility, More Choice
When it comes to selecting an MBA program, you want a quality education that fits your needs. The Penn State Online MBA, led by the internationally ranked Smeal College of Business, is designed to offer you an experience customized to fit your busy lifestyle and career goals while delivering a world-class education.
This AACSB–accredited MBA incorporates a focus on business strategies, collaborative teamwork, strategic leadership, and an integrative and interactive curriculum across all functional areas of business. You will be able to concentrate on the functional areas in which you want to specialize while working at a pace that works for you.
Your Online MBA Curriculum
The 48-credit Online MBA includes 39 core credits and 9 credits of concentration course work. The core course work will prepare you to become a more effective business professional by exposing you to the principles and practices essential to modern management: accounting, economics, data analysis, ethics, communications, human resources, finance, marketing, leadership, supply chain, strategy, innovation, and digital transformation. In addition to learning in individual courses, you can develop skills that will be integrated throughout the Online MBA curriculum, including business analytics, problem solving, influencing others, critical thinking, and cross-functional business savvy.
The program provides opportunities for you to apply your knowledge to solving real-world business problems. Graduates should possess a strong foundation of understanding how businesses operate, how to integrate knowledge across functional areas, how to work effectively in high-performing teams, and how to lead and manage strategically for the future.
Five-Day Residency
A defining component of our program is the five-day residency held at University Park, Pennsylvania, at the start of the program. This opportunity allows you to get a jump-start on earning credit towards your degree. Designed to acquaint you with aspects of the program in a face-to-face environment, the residency provides an opportunity to meet your instructors and student peers, immerse yourself in a team performance class while earning credit, and attend workshops covering student advising services, career management, stress management, alumni relations and networking, time management, and online technology.
Keynote speakers will share their expertise and facilitate engaging conversations focused on the translation of your Online MBA degree to the real-world environment. You will also have an opportunity to connect with the Penn State community through campus tours and events.
Customize Your Education with a Concentration
Penn State's comprehensive list of Online MBA concentrations was developed to address skill gaps in today’s competitive business environment. These concentrations allow you to customize your education while gaining highly marketable skills that are in demand right now. As a student, you can select from the following 9-credit concentrations:
- accounting foundations
- advanced accounting
- business analytics
- corporate innovation and entrepreneurship
- finance
- general management
- human resource management
- marketing analytics
- project management
- supply chain management
Each concentration allows you to sharpen skill sets specific to your career aspirations. If you are seeking a broader business education, the General Management track might be right for you.
Student Support and Career Services
You will have access to an array of resources as a Penn State student. The Online MBA program team consists of expert full-time faculty, a top-ranked Penn State World Campus Technical Support team, experienced career advisers, and highly qualified administrative staff. The team provides personal assistance and advice in regard to your academic plan and career goals throughout your time as a Penn State student. You will receive the same educational support resources that our on-campus students receive in their MBA program.
Information for Military and Veterans
Are you a member of the military, a veteran, or a military spouse? Please visit our military website for additional information regarding financial aid, transfer credits, or application instructions.