Online MBA

Curriculum Structure

CORE COURSES

CAPSTONE COURSE

ELECTIVES

NOTE: Students with under two years of full-time professional work experience at the time of enrollment will be required to complete a 1-credit hour professional development course, making the program a total of 37 credit hours. Those with two or more years of experience at time of enrollment will not be required to complete a professional development course, making the program a total of 36 credit hours.

WEBINARS

There are five proficiency webinars required prior to taking specific courses in the curriculum. Each webinar is estimated to take eight hours to complete, depending on background. They must be completed before the start of the corresponding course and must be passed at the 75% rate or higher.

The webinar topics are in the following subject areas:

• Accounting - completed prior to ACCT 63037
• Spreadsheets - completed prior to ACCT 63037
• Finance - completed prior to FIN 66060
• Statistics - completed prior to MIS 64005
• Economics - completed prior to the first Economics course taken, either ECON 62021 or ECON 62022

Cost of Webinars

There is a separate fee for the webinars which come in an 18-month subscription. The subscription is comparable in cost to that of books and supplies for one course.

COURSE SEQUENCING

Courses can be taken in the order which you choose, apart from the following courses with prerequisites:

• In order to take ACCT 63038, you must have first taken ACCT 63037 as a prerequisite. 
• In order to take MIS 64041, you must have first taken MIS 64005 as a prerequisite.
• In order to take FIN 66060, you must have first taken ACCT 63037 and MIS 64005 as prerequisites.

OPTIONAL CONCENTRATIONS

• International Business
• Supply Chain Management

PROGRAM SUMMARY

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Admissions

APPLICATION DEADLINES

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Ready to begin taking courses, but you cannot meet the deadline with all of your application materials? Ask us about the option to apply as a Graduate, Non-Degree Seeking student. Only a $15 fee, transcripts and your résumé are required.

You can take up to 12 credit hours as a Non-Degree Seeking student, and that would give you more time to gather all materials for the Online MBA application to enroll the following semester.

The courses taken as a Non-Degree Seeking student would count toward the MBA once you are admitted.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

There are specific requirements in order to be considered for admission to the Online MBA Program in the College of Business Administration.

Transcripts

Official transcripts of academic records must be obtained from colleges, universities and professional schools you have attended outside of Kent State University. Unofficial transcripts can be uploaded and used for an admission decision, but official copies from your university will need to be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies before you can enroll. 

RESUME

Applicants are required to submit a resume, which includes work experience and educational background. Include any licenses, training or other professional development experience on your resume.

GMAT or GRE Scores

The GMAT or GRE is required of all applicants. Only tests taken within the past five years are considered valid. In the case of multiple tests, the highest score will be used.

You should plan to take the exam at least one month before the application deadline. Although you will receive your score the day of your exam, allow ten days for your score to arrive at Kent State University.

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Full-time and Online MBA

Tuition, Fees and Financial Assistance

In your research you will find Kent State offers a best-value MBA Program compared with several other universities with Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation, the top credential for business schools.

Full-time Program:

Per credit hour cost for full-time, master of business programs:

Ohio resident: $485

Nonresident: $827

Note: there is a $600 per semester program fee for the full-time MBA program.

Full-time enrollment cost per semester:

Ohio resident: $5,326

Nonresident: $9,084

Financial assistance available:

Merit-based scholarships

Merit-based Graduate Assistantships   

Loans and Work Study (domestic students only)

Student Financial Aid Office

Employer Tuition Reimbursement (applicants should check with their employer to see if this benefit is offered)

Online MBA Program:

Tuition $830 per credit hour, regardless of state or country of residency

The Online MBA program is 36 credit hours, making the total tuition cost under $30,000.Based on current courses, an estimate per course for books and supplies is $150. There is a separate fee for the webinars which come in an 18-month subscription. The subscription is comparable in cost to that of books and supplies for one course.

Note: there was a previous $270 per semester fee that will no longer be in place.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Educational Background

Do I need an undergraduate degree in a business area to get the MBA?

No. A bachelor's degree in the area of business is not required; however, to be considered for the program, applicants must possess a bachelor's degree. It can be from any subject area. The MBA is one of the more flexible graduate professional degrees and accepts undergraduate majors from all areas: business, physical sciences, humanities, engineering, social sciences and many others.

If my degree is in another subject, will I have trouble with the MBA coursework?

As part of the MBA program, commercial webinars are required in the areas where students have traditionally had challenges: accounting/spreadsheets, statistics, finance and economics. Each webinar needs to be completed prior to taking each course. The webinars are self-paced, can be repeated and will serve as a resource for the entirety of your program.

In addition, courses in the MBA program are carefully sequenced and build on each other, so by following prerequisites, those with non-business undergraduate degrees have been able to successfully complete the degree.

Is the MBA a heavily quantitative degree?

There is considerable math in the MBA program, but like the other coursework, it is sequenced and courses build on each other. Most students, even those with prior math fears, find that the system of using mathematic processes to real applied life examples helps to strengthen these skills and builds confidence. 

What math skills do I need to have to start the program?

Students should have a good proficiency with algebra. Some exposure to intuitive calculus is helpful, but the subject can also be learned while in the program. 

Program Academic Details

Is the GMAT or GRE a requirement in all cases?

Yes, for several reasons. One is that our level of accreditation requires an instrument to be used to compare all applicants, and we use GMAT or GRE for that purpose. Students are admitted who have good general ability in the skills tested so they will be able to keep up in the courses without frustration.

Additionally, preparing for the GMAT or GRE helps the prospective student to review and sharpen math skills from earlier courses and experiences. We also use GMAT or GRE as a diagnostic tool to see where your strengths lie. Writing, intuitive reasoning, quantitative and verbal skills are measured.

What are the major differences between the Online and Executive MBA programs?

While both are designed for the working professional, the Online program offers flexibility and the opportunity for the student to go at his or her own pace. Students have the option of taking electives in the same subject area and adding a concentration to the degree.  

The Executive MBA program, designed for the more experienced professional, delivers courses to a cohort group that starts the program together and stays together during the duration through graduation. The corporate EMBA meets once per month in-person on Saturdays and Sundays supplemented with online content during weeks between the in-person sessions. No concentration areas are possible for this degree. Additional features of the EMBA program are beginning and ending residencies and an international business experience. There are also cost differences between the two programs. 

Because of the very different structures of the two programs, students are not able to switch from one to another without losing credit hours or possibly repeating courses. If both degrees interest you, please meet with a program representative for each to help you fully understand the differences and make the best decision.

Program Administrative Details

When does the Online MBA program begin?

This flexible program can be started any semester: fall, spring or summer. The deadlines are usually about six weeks before the start of the intended term.

What happens if I have to stop the program for work or family issues?

In cases where the student will be out more than 12 months, a formal Leave of Absence request will be required in order to keep the student active in the university system.

Completing the Degree

How long do I have to complete the Online MBA Program?

The maximum length of time to complete any Master’s degree at Kent State is six years, although most students finish the program in two to three years. When the Leave of Absence form is completed, that time does not count toward the six-year limit.

How many courses should I take each semester?

While this will differ for each person, most students take one or two courses each 8-week session and two courses in summer.

What happens if I am transferred before I finish the program?

The process of transferring courses is much more restrictive at the graduate level than it may have been at the undergraduate level. As soon as you are aware of a possible move or transfer, contact your academic advisor so you can work out a strategy to finish. With the online format, this is significantly less of a problem than in the past.

PAYING FOR MY DEGREE

I have tuition benefits from my employer; How is that handled by the Bursar's OfficE?

Kent State has deferred billing for those with tuition benefits. A form is submitted each semester with the student/employee’s information and confirmation by your benefits office that you are eligible for such a program. Find more details about employer tuition assistance and the form.

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