Stackable Certificate Pathway to the Online MBA

Do you want to increase your business knowledge, but are not sure you want to take on a full master’s program? Our stackable certificate pathway may be right for you: build your degree one step at a time. Start by completing one certificate program at a pace that works for you. If you are motivated to continue, complete the other certificate program.  

Should you decide at any point that you want to earn your MBA degree, you can apply for the MBA program and work with your advisor to ensure that you complete the full set of capstone requirements. Upon graduation, your transcript will indicate certificate completion as well as the MBA degree. 

Pathway to the Online MBA

Certificate infographic
Step 1:
Obtain both the Financial Management and the Leadership and Management Certificate.
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Step 2:
Complete the capstone requirements.

CURRICULUM

All courses are 100% online.

Financial Management Certificate: 10 Credit Hours

  • Analytics for Decision Making (2 Credit Hours)
  • Managerial Economics (2 Credit Hours)
  • Managerial Accounting for Decision Making (2 Credit Hours)
  • Financial Accounting for Decision Making (2 Credit Hours)
  • Managerial Finance (2 CREDIT HOURS)

Leadership and Management Certificate: 10 Credit Hours

  • Leadership and Managerial Assessment (2 Credit Hours)
  • Law & Ethics (2 Credit Hours)
  • Human Resource Management (2 Credit Hours)
  • Globalization & Technology Strategy (2 Credit Hours)
  • Marketing Management (2 Credit Hours)

Capstone Requirements for Online MBA: 16-17 Credit Hours

  • Operations, Service & Supply Chain Management (2 Credit Hours)
  • Global Conditions & Macroeconomics Policy (2 Credit Hours)
  • Business Strategy (3 Credit Hours)
  • 3 Elective Courses (3 Credit Hours each; option to choose a concentration)
  • Business Professional Development (1 Credit Hour; optional for students with 2+ years career work experience)
Quality Matters Certification

All courses in the certificate programs are Quality Matters Certified; the QM review process has assured that each course meets QM rigorous standards of quality.

Other than the elective courses, the Capstone Requirements courses are also QM certified.

Certificate Program Admissions Requirements

Note that the admissions requirements for both certificate programs is simplified: they DO NOT include several requirements that are standard for MBA program applications, such as a GMAT/GRE score, letters of recommendation, and the statement of goals and objectives.

Requirements include:

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university for unconditional admission
  • Minimum 3.000 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000 point scale for unconditional admission
  • Official transcript(s)
  • English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning one of the following:
    • Minimum 550 TOEFL PBT score (paper-based version)
    • Minimum 79 TOEFL IBT score (Internet-based version)
    • Minimum 77 MELAB score
    • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
    • Minimum 58 PTE score

Tuition

Courses in this program cost $830 per credit hour; $10 surcharge per credit hour for non-Ohio residents.

Approximate costs:

  • Financial Management Certificate: $8,300
  • Leadership and Management Certificate: $8,300
  • Set of Capstone Requirements: $13,280 plus fees

Request Information

Contact us to learn more about our master's degrees and graduate offerings.

Request more information 

Roberto Chavez
Graduate Programs Director
rechavez@kent.edu

Cathy L. Z. DuBois, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Graduate and Online Programs
cdubois@kent.edu

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