College of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Master of Business Administration
Course Delivery
100% online
Total Credits
37
Approximate Program Cost
$30,700
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Potential to waive GMAT/GRE!
Program Overview
The online Master of Business Administration degree is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB).
The modular, eight-week course structure allows you to enroll in any semester and study at your own pace. The online MBA offers a case-based curriculum, a flexible schedule, academic advisors who are always willing to help, access to an MBA career coach, digital career services offerings, and an online speaker series. The online MBA offers access to a full range of resources also offered to in-person graduate students.
U.S. News Rankings:
Kent State’s Online MBA program, offered by the College of Business Administration, boasts two placements in the Best Online Programs rankings. Kent State’s Online MBA with a concentration in business analytics ranked No. 25 in the nation in the U.S. News 2021 Online MBA specialty ranking, and the overall Online MBA program ranked No. 126 in the country among all higher education institutions. Read more.
Princeton Review:
Kent State’s Online MBA program, offered by the College of Business Administration, is ranked #26 among the Top 50 Online MBA Programs for 2021 by The Princeton Review.
Accreditation: The online MBA is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).
Quality Matters Program Design and Recognized Courses:
Quality MattersTM (QM) Recognition via the peer review process means that an online course has met rigorous, research-based standards for quality online course design.
Kent State University is proud to announce that the College of Business Administration has both QM Recognized Courses and QM Program Design. Learn more.
Online Concentrations: The online MBA program includes two optional concentrations:
Business Analytics
The Business Analytics concentration allows students to gain the technical, analytical, communication, decision-making and leadership skills needed to glean useful information from data to make strategic decisions.
International Business
The International Business concentration allows students to specialize their degree with courses in accounting, marketing, finance and strategy with an international focus. Study abroad options are possible, with no language skills required.
Dual Degrees: The online MBA offers four dual degree options:
MBA/MA Translation
Designed for linguists and students with a sufficient level of proficiency in a foreign language who wish to integrate a graduate business education with advanced translation training. By combining the practices and language of business, students can pursue language-based careers in the private, public and governmental sectors.
MBA/MSN
Designed for experienced nurses whose career goals include assuming middle or executive management positions in health services agencies or in health-related companies, or who are interested in starting their own business. It combines the strengths of advanced nursing preparation with the practical management knowledge needed to develop significant leadership capabilities.
MLIS/MBA
Designed for managers of large libraries and information centers. Individuals in these positions need knowledge pertaining to planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling. Advanced education to obtain knowledge and learn skills related to these management functions enables students to take advantage of career opportunities both in library settings and other information settings, both in the profit and nonprofit sectors.
MBA/MA Communication Studies
The dual degree with the Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies is designed for students and professionals whose career goals focus on communication, particularly global communication, and provides direction and leadership in economic and business development processes.
Program Structure
Online MBA Program Structure
- 37 minimum credit hours
- Study abroad opportunity available—fulfills some of the program’s required elective credits
- Courses are in 8-week modules—students can start the program and always find the beginning-level courses
- Students can go at their own pace—full-time students can complete the program in as little as 12 months, but can also be spread out up to a period of six years. Most students complete the program in 24 to 27 months
- Ability to enroll in the online MBA program any semester—this program admits year-round, during fall, spring and summer semesters
- For the full-time options: Admission to the full-time Master of Business Administration program is in the fall semester only
- Kent Campus (full-time) or online (full- or part-time)
Graduation Requirements
The College of Business Administration will permit the waiving of M.B.A coursework if supported by the appropriate and recent undergraduate coursework. The waiver of each specific course will be determined by the relevant academic department (Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management and Information Systems and Marketing and Entrepreneurship). Students may graduate with the M.B.A. degree with fewer than 37 total credit hours but no fewer than 30 total credit hours.
Online Dual Degree Program Structure
- 56 to 61 required credits depending on chosen online dual degree
Admissions Requirements
- 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)
- GMAT or GRE scores
- Résumé
- Goal statement
- Two letters of recommendation
- 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
- Minimum 110 Duolingo English Test score
* Pending faculty approval, GMAT/GRE can be waived by exception by meeting the following waiver criteria:
- Cumulative GPA of 3.2 or greater in a bachelor's degree, or an awarded graduate degree.
- Completed two quantitative courses, such as advanced algebra, statistics, or the equivalent with grades of "B" (3.0) or higher.
- Two or more years of full-time study in a degree-granting program in the United States and successful completion of English, communication, and writing intensive courses (International applicants).
Admission to the full-time M.B.A. degree is in the fall semester only.
For more information about graduate admissions, please visit the Graduate Studies admission website. For more information on international admission, visit the Office of Global Education’s admission website.
Important Dates
Courses
Courses for the online MBA cover a core of practical and theoretical business knowledge essential for managers and leaders. Topics include financial and managerial accounting, managerial economics, macroeconomic policy, law and ethics, operations and supply chain management, analytics, leadership, professional development, marketing management, and business strategy. Students may select either a 9-credit concentration or 9 credits worth of electives distributed across any of the three available concentrations.
Quality Matters Recognized Courses:
Quality MattersTM (QM) Recognition via the peer review process means that a course has met rigorous, research-based standards for quality online course design. Kent State University is proud to announce that the following College of Business Administration courses are QM-Recognized.
Dual Degree Courses
MBA/MA in Translation
Students pursuing the MBA/MA dual degree will complete a minimum of 61 total credit hours of coursework designed to prepare them for a management role in a global business context. Students will augment their core MBA classes with coursework that covers multilingual documents, theories of translation and interpretation, and software and computer terminology in multilingual contexts. Students will also select a language specific concentration—available languages are Arabic, French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish—and complete five additional concentration courses in translation practice; literary and cultural translation; commercial, legal and diplomatic translation; scientific, technical and medial translation; and a case study course in their chosen language.
MBA/MLIS
Students pursuing the MBA/MLIS dual degree will complete a minimum of 61 total credit hours of coursework designed to prepare them for a management role in an information organization. Topics of study include information landscape, information organization, information ecology, and information institutions and professions in addition to the core business topics outlined above. Students in this combined program will select 18-21 credits of business administration or library and information science electives, and they will also complete both a 3-credit internship and a 1-credit master’s portfolio.
MBA/MSN
Students pursuing the MBA/MSN dual degree will complete 25 total courses (58 total credit hours) comprised of informatics, policy, theory and clinical skills associated with nursing practice and business fundamentals that include operations, supply chain management, leadership, business strategy, marketing, human resources and more. Included among these are four culminating requirement courses—two seminar courses (4 credit hours) and two courses (4 credit hours) of practicum experience.
Tuition and Fees
| Ohio Residents | Out of State/International* | ||||
| Per Credit Hour | Per 2-Credit Course | Program Cost | Per Credit Hour | Per 2-Credit Course | Program Cost |
| $830 | $1,660 | Approximate Cost: $30,700 | $840 | $1,680 | Approximate Cost: $31,000 |
This program also requires a $600/semester program fee (part-time student fee $270 – less than 9 credit hours and summer term).
An additional Distance Learning fee for all students enrolled in a distance learning course is $12 per credit hour. Program tuition and costs are estimated and subject to change.
A webinar fee is also charged, covering 18-month subscriptions consisting of five self-paced instructional webinars each. The webinar topics are in the following subject areas:
- Accounting—completed prior to ACCT 63037 and MIS 64005
- 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
Actual tuition costs may vary based on a student’s chosen academic plan. For a complete listing of tuition rates for approved online programs please contact the One Stop for Student Services at 330-672-6000, or via our website Contact Us link.
The total program costs are estimates and are not final or binding. Program costs are based on standard fees, but fees may vary based on the actual classes taken. Kent State University disclaims any liability arising from the use of or reliance upon these program cost estimates by any person. Program costs are subject to change without notice.
*Out-of-state/International tuition includes a surcharge of $10 per credit hour for all students enrolled in an online program.