UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has redesigned its highly ranked online MBA into a new program that is more flexible for adult learners, the University announced today (Sept. 12).
The new Penn State online MBA is being led by the internationally ranked Smeal College of Business and will be offered online through Penn State World Campus.
Applications are being accepted now through June 1, 2017, and the first courses will be offered in Penn State’s fall 2017 semester. The degree consists of 48 credits and can be completed at a pace that is convenient for the student.
For the first time, the online MBA will offer concentrations to help students sharpen their skillsets specific to their career goals. The first 39 credits will focus on a general management curriculum, after which students will choose from among the seven concentration areas to complete the remaining credits of the degree.
The concentrations are in accounting foundations, advanced accounting, business analytics, finance, general management, project management, and supply chain management. Additional concentrations are in development.
In addition to Smeal, business faculty members from The Sam and Irene Black School of Business at Penn State Behrend, The School of Graduate Studies at Penn State Great Valley, and the Penn State Harrisburg School of Business Administration will also teach in the program.
“In partnership with colleagues around Penn State, we are excited to take a leadership role in the launch and ongoing administration of the new online MBA,” said Charles H. Whiteman, John and Becky Surma Dean of Smeal. “This program provides new opportunities for students to personalize their educational experiences. It also complements our growing portfolio of professional graduate programs at Smeal, including the University Park residential MBA, the Philadelphia-based executive MBA, and a suite of discipline-specific online programs in areas such as supply chain management and business analytics.”
The new online MBA replaces the one that has been offered since 2002 and has graduated almost 1,000 students. U.S. News and World Report ranked it among its top 10 best online MBAs in 2015 and 2016.
Students in the new online MBA will be required to attend a five-day residency at Penn State's University Park campus at the beginning of their first semester. The residency will include an orientation to the program, training sessions, and networking opportunities with fellow students and faculty.
“It is absolutely critical for Penn State to regularly evaluate and update its academic programs, especially professional master’s degrees, where it is imperative to maintain a high-quality, rigorous learning experience while keeping pace with industry trends and new developments in the field to ensure that our graduates are prepared for successful careers,” said Craig Weidemann, vice president for outreach and vice provost for online education at Penn State. “Our business faculty have worked diligently to provide an online MBA to business professionals who want a high-quality Penn State degree but who need the flexibility of the online experience.”
Visit the Penn State World Campus website to learn more about the Penn State online MBA.