The masters of business administration – the MBA – is the gold standard credential for a career in business. It remains the most sought after post-graduate degree in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
The business world keeps changing, and the higher education community keeps adapting – to the shifting work and family life conditions of students young and old as well as ever evolving technology.
There is an array of ways to earn an MBA in Kentucky from traditional full-time classroom instruction, to evening or weekend-only sessions, to completely online teaching to various hybrid programs.
Following is a list of MBA programs at public and private colleges and universities with details about each to help make the all-important decision of which program to choose.
PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES
Location: Richmond
Type: State comprehensive university
Accreditation: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB)
Base Program Cost: $14,250
Minimum Credit Hours: 30
GMAT Required: 450
Minimum Time Commitment:
18 months
Concentrations/Online Concentrations: General; Accounting; Integrated Communications
Campus Requirements: Some online courses, mostly on campus. Classes meet one night per week 6-8:45.
Why choose this program: Flexible scheduling allows students to take as many or as few courses a semester as they want. Small class sizes foster individual interaction between faculty and students. The state-of-the-art Business and Technology Center provides students with an ideal environment in which to learn.
Location: Frankfort
Type: Public university
Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
Base Program Cost: Not Available
Minimum Credit Hours: 30 hours with a bachelor’s in Business; 42 hours without a Business bachelor’s
GMAT Required: Yes
Minimum Time Commitment: Varies based on schedule preference
Concentrations/Online Concentrations: General; Marketing, Management, and Accounting concentrations begin in Fall 2015
Campus Requirements: On campus classes
Why choose this program: The Master of Business Administration degree programs are designed to prepare strategically thinking business professionals for successful careers in the private and public sectors.
Location: Morehead
Type: State comprehensive university
Accreditation: AACSB accredited
Base Program Cost: $562 per credit hour or $1,686 per course; $16,860 today.
Minimum Credit Hours: 30 semester credit hours
GMAT Required: Yes, but GRE is also accepted.
Minimum Time Commitment: varies
Concentrations/Online Concentrations: General; Health Systems Management track requires 36 semester credit hours.
Campus Requirements: None
Why choose this program: Our MBA program is offered in a 100 percent online environment. Students may complete the program in as little as one year with no residency requirement. Our mission is to provide online educational opportunities in business for degree and course completion. It is designed for individuals seeking to improve their career success and is focused on working managers.
Type: State comprehensive university
Accreditation: AACSB
Base Program Cost: $19,725
Per Credit Hour: $657.50
Minimum Credit Hours: 30
GMAT Required: Yes, but GRE is also accepted.
Minimum Time Commitment: 12 months
Online Concentrations: General; Human Resource Management. Other concentrations in the pipeline.
Campus Requirements: No
Why choose this program: We launched one of the nation’s first 100 percent online MBA programs in 2005 and thus have the depth and breadth of experience to advance the national and international business education needs of today’s student, who need come to Murray only for commencement. All faculty have traditional PhDs, international experience and the mindset that students invest in an MBA to get value for money; they go out of their way to be helpful.
Under a rolling admissions process, students may start in the fall, spring or summer and finish at their own pace, taking a minimum of one graduate course at a time. The Canvas platform we use for instruction provides opportunity for students to network. Murray State’s is one of the commonwealth’s largest MBA programs because it draws students from across the United States and a few from abroad; the majority are from Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Missouri and Illinois.
Location: Highland Heights
Type: State comprehensive university
Accreditation: AACSB
Base Program Cost: In-state: $602 per credit hour; $3,612 per semester for the six- semester program
Minimum Credit Hours: 36 credit hours
GMAT Required: Yes, but GRE is also accepted, with a portfolio approach (i.e. GMAT/GRE score, undergraduate GPA and course transcripts, letters of recommendation, essay, resume) consideration for acceptance.
Minimum Time Commitment: 2-year program; cohort-based; six straight semesters for completion
Concentrations/Online Concentrations: N/A
Campus Requirements: 2 weekday evenings; classes are hybrid: 2/3 are in-class, 1/3 out of class (e.g. online lectures, group work, etc.)
Why choose this program: The MBA from NKU is designed to equip its graduates for success and enhancement in the workplace. Through an integrated curriculum, hybrid courses and small cohort class sizes, students receive all of their education at a location close to home in the Northern Kentucky, Greater Cincinnati Region.
University of Kentucky One-Year Accelerated MBA Program
Location: Lexington
Type: State land grant, research university
Accreditation: AACSB and SACS
Base Program Cost: Tuition: $12,070; plus program fee: $10,662
Minimum Credit Hours: 51 credit hours
GMAT Required: GMAT or GRE can be used. This is waived if the applicant has a professional degree (PharmD, MD, JD) or PhD.
Minimum Time Commitment: 11-month program; June to May
Concentrations/Online Concentrations: General MBA, but a number of certificate programs are available with additional classroom work. No MBA courses are online, but all prerequisites can be completed online.
Campus Requirements: On-campus classes
Why choose this program: Gatton College of Business and Economics’ accelerated option is an intensive, cross-disciplinary, hands-on experience to make graduates world ready for business. The teaching philosophy incorporates core business processes, including marketing, management and finance, as well as more technical courses in quantitative analysis, operations (supply chain) management, global management, and data analysis. It includes corporate-critical areas such as leadership, communication and presentation skills, ethics, and strategic thinking. Some curriculum takes place in interactive corporate-setting learning laboratories through our unique Project Connect team internship program.
University of Kentucky Professional Evening MBA Program
Location: Lexington
Type: State land grant, research university
Accreditation: AACSB and SACS
Base Program Cost: Tuition: $696 per credit hour; plus Program Fee: $1333 per semester
Minimum Credit Hours: 36 credit hours
GMAT Required: GMAT or GRE can be used. This is waived if the applicant has a professional degree (PharmD, MD, JD) or PhD.
Minimum Time Commitment: 2 year or 3 year tracks; Fall and Spring semesters
Concentrations/Online Concentrations: General MBA, but a number of certificate programs are available with additional classroom work. No MBA courses are online, but all prerequisites can be completed online.
Campus Requirements: on campus classes
Why choose this program: Gatton’s Professional Evening track is designed for working professionals looking to succeed in a wide variety of professional contexts: as an individual, a team player, an innovator and problem solver, and a leader within an organization. Anchored by a series of rigorous foundation courses in economics, finance, marketing, management, accounting and information systems, the curriculum seeks to build upon the knowledge a working professional has already attained during their career by enhance their skills, perspective and ability to contribute in the business marketplace.
University of Kentucky/University of Louisville Joint Executive MBA Program
Location: Lexington and Louisville
Type: Public, research universities
Accreditation: AACSB and SACS
Base Program Cost: $67,500 total cost, paid in four equal installments
Minimum Credit Hours: 46
GMAT Required: No
Minimum Time Commitment: 17 months
Concentration: Executive skills for mid-career professional.
Campus Requirements: Classes on campus Fridays/Saturdays – half at UK, half at UofL
Why choose this program: The University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville have partnered to create a first-rate Executive MBA program that will help students advance to the next stages of their professional careers. Designed for mid-level to C-level executives from for-profit, non-profit and government organizations, the UK/UofL Executive MBA presents the leadership skills and hands-on tools needed to propel their careers.
Designed with busy schedules in mind, the joint EMBA program is a cohorted program meeting every other Friday and Saturday over 17 months. The heart of the program allows students to study and network with other up-and-coming business leaders while learning from top-notch faculty at both institutions who are on the cutting edge in their respective fields. We’ve designed this program to bring our best and most experienced faculty together to work collaboratively with an elite set of emerging business talent.
University of Louisville Full-Time MBA
Minimum Credit Hours: 45 or 48 hours (45 for non-internship track, 48 for internship track)
Minimum Time Commitment: 13 months
Why choose this program: The Full-Time MBA is a 13-month accelerated program ideal for recent college graduates and those seeking practical work experience. U.S. News and World Report ranks it the 70th best full-time MBA program in the nation. The competitive paid internship option allows students work experience while offsetting the cost of tuition. The class of 2014 saw an 86 percent job placement rate within one month of graduation. Students attend classes in the evenings while working the internship during the day. An international trip is integrated into the program (excluding airfare) exposing students to businesses and cultures around the world.
GMAT Required: Yes
Campus Requirements: UofL Belknap Campus
University of Louisville Professional (Part-time) MBA
Minimum Credit Hours: 45 hours
Minimum Time Commitment: 20 months
Why choose this program: The Professional MBA is a 20-month program for working professionals with convenient evening or weekend class schedules. U.S. News and World Report ranks it the 69th best professional MBA program in the nation. Its cohort- and team-based learning environment lets students complete the program with the same group from start to finish. Focused electives allow specialization: Choose between Health Sector Management, Marketing, and Business Analytics. An international trip is integrated in the program (excluding airfare) exposing students to businesses and cultures around the world.
GMAT Required: Yes
Campus Requirements: UofL Belknap Campus
University of Louisville Entrepreneurship MBA
Minimum Credit Hours: 48 or 54 (48 for business consulting track, 54 for business plan competition track)
Minimum Time Commitment: 20 months
Why choose this program: The Entrepreneurship MBA was created to give students the skills needed to successfully launch a new business or provide innovative leadership within an existing organization. The Princeton Review ranks it the 22nd best Entrepreneurship MBA program in the nation. Our cohort- and team-based learning environment offers energizing team-building and problem solving experiences. A track is available for students who want to compete in business plan competitions for real start-up capital and business plan feedback. The business consulting track delivers learning experiences to students in real-world environments. An international trip is integrated into the program (excluding airfare) exposing students to businesses and cultures around the world.
GMAT Required: Yes
Campus Requirements: UofL Belknap Campus
Location: Bowling Green
Type: State comprehensive university
Accreditation: AACSB
Base Program Cost: Full-time general MBA is $16,995 tuition for Kentucky residents, $22,803 for non-residents; Professional MBA is $31,710; online MBA is $20,394.
Minimum Credit Hours: 33 hours for full-time general and online MBA, 36 hours for PMBA
GMAT Required: Yes for the full-time and online programs but not for the PMBA program, which requires 5 years of qualifying managerial or professional experience.
Minimum Time Commitment: One year for general MBA; two years for PMBA; 18 months to five years to complete online MBA.
Concentrations: General
Campus Requirements: Yes for full-time general MBA and PMBA.
Why choose this program: WKU has flexibility with three separate programs to meet the diverse needs of today’s students with online, weekend and accelerated-delivery methods. The quality of the programs is reflected in WKU graduates’ scores on the MBA exit exam used nationally. The PMBA ranks in the top 5 percent nationally; the online program ranks in the top 10 percent; and the full-time program ranks in the top 20 percent.
PRIVATE FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES
Location: Louisville
Type: 4-year, private
Accreditation: IACBE
Base Program Cost: $26,160
Per Credit Hour: $545
Minimum Credit Hours: 48
GMAT Required: No
Minimum Time Commitment: 18 months
Concentrations: Accounting, Healthcare Management, Hospitality Management, Marketing
Campus Requirements: no
Why choose this program: The masters in business program at Sullivan University is a career-focused program that enables students to individualize their educational interests. They follow a curriculum designed to develop skills in leadership, team-building, communications, decision-making, critical thinking, analysis, and research techniques. Students have the ability to specialize their education with concentrations in areas such as Accounting, Human Capital, Conflict Management, and others. The program meets the marketplace need for professionals with managerial skills (both qualitative and quantitative) in the problem-solving realm. The commitment is to the student and their career through focused, hands-on education.
PRIVATE NON-PROFIT COLLEGES
Location: Wilmore
Type: Private, Christian, Liberal Arts
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Program Cost: $592 per credit hour
Minimum Credit Hours: 36
GMAT Required: Yes
Time Commitment: 20 months on traditional cohort track; 4+1 programs for bachelor’s and MBA in five years and for MBA Accounting; at-own-pace track available
Campus Requirements: One week at beginning and one week at end of program.
Why choose this program: Asbury is a No. 1-ranked college in the South (2014-15 U.S. News & World Report Regional College Rankings) and there are four different cohort tracks (designed for working professionals down to incoming undergrads). This MBA endeavors to understand and practice business and management from a faith-based perspective. Ethics, values and moral reasoning are inherent in all features of society, and our business institutions are no different. Asbury’s MBA course content emphasizes faith integration and provides a Christian perspective throughout the program.
Location: Louisville
Type: Independent, private, Catholic university
Accreditation: AACSB accredited
Base Program Cost: $32,850; Per Course: $2,250 (beginning Fall 2015); additional costs: $2,000 international trip; $1,100 case fees
Minimum Credit Hours: 48
GMAT Required: Combination of GMAT and Cumulative GPA taken
Time Commitment: Varies based on schedule preference
Concentrations/Online Concentrations: Beginning in Fall 2015: Finance, Health Care Leadership, Marketing, Strategic Consulting, Taxation
Campus Requirements: On campus classes
Why choose this program: Today’s business leaders need expert managers with vision, leadership and a strong sense of ethics. The Bellarmine MBA will advance your career now and provide security for your future. Bellarmine’s world-class MBA is taught by faculty with a combination of professional and academic experience, offering their real-world perspectives on practical business solutions. With Bellarmine’s flexible programs, you can earn your MBA on weeknights or weekends at the same cost as the state schools.
Location: Owensboro
Type: Private, Faith-based
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Base Program Cost: N/A
Per Credit Hour: $500/credit hour
Minimum Credit Hours: 33
GMAT Required: Yes, GRE also accepted
Minimum Time Commitment: 18 months
Campus Requirements: Undergraduate GPA of at least 2.5; completion of pre-requisite courses if not already completed during undergraduate study
Why choose this program: The MBA program is designed to make furthering your education manageable even with the busy schedule of work, family and daily life. This program typically takes about 3 semesters of full-time study to complete. Classes generally meet every other Saturday for 8 weeks for a total of 4 class meetings.
Location: Campbellsville
Type: Private Faith Based
Accreditation: IACBE
Base Program Cost: $16,740
Per Credit Hour: $465
Minimum Credit Hours: 36 hours
GMAT Required: GRE or GMAT required
Minimum Time Commitment: 12 months
Concentrations: Church Management, Healthcare Management, Human Resource Management, Information Technology, International Business, Marketing
Campus Requirements: Campus requirements are the same as online; however, there is an international component which would require a WES evaluation and the TESOL.
Why choose this program: The MBA at Campbellsville University is affordable and customizable. Non-Business students have the opportunity to work through an online primer to gain the knowledge needed to get started. Ethics is the common thread that is woven through the program and an aspect that is desired in today’s global marketplace. It can be completed in two years or as little as one year depending on the student’s graduation goals. The professors are professional and available. The courses are streamlined and student friendly.
Midway College
(Midway University effective July 1, 2015)
Location: Midway MBA program offered online and Fall 2015 at Lexington location
Type: 4-year, private
Accreditation: overall institutional accreditation is from SACSCOC; no specific MBA program accreditation
Base Program Cost: ranges depending on program chosen and credit hour total
Per Credit Hour: $520
Minimum Credit Hours: 30 hours – general MBA; 36 hours – MBA with specialization
GMAT Required: none
Minimum Time Commitment: The general MBA program can be completed in 12 to 15 months or an MBA with specialization can be completed in 18 months.
Concentrations: Three concentrations are offered completely online – Equine Studies, Health Care Administration and Sport Management.
Campus Requirements: None, program can be completed 100% online. In Fall 2015 a weekend MBA program will be offer at our Lexington location and classes will meet two weekends a month
Why choose this program: Midway is a great choice for students looking to earn their graduate degree in business. Our program offers students a high level of personal attention. Our program is affordable with a competitive credit hour tuition rate in the market and we offer many financial options to students. Our faculty support our students in the online learning environment and are responsive to their individualized needs and always available for in person, phone or online chat sessions to answer questions
Program: Master of Science in Business Communication (MSBC) at Spalding University’s School of Business [**Note: Spalding offers a Master of Science in Business Communication (MSBC). According to Spalding officials: “We have learned over the 10-year tenure of this program that the MSBC is much more relevant for many as compared to the MBA depending on the desired career path of the individual.”]
Location: Louisville
Type: Private, Faith-based
Accreditation: SACSCOC
Base Program Cost: $19,800
Per Credit Hour: $600
Minimum Credit Hours: 33
GMAT Required: No
Minimum Time Commitment: 10 months
Concentrations: Organizational Leadership (OL), Nonprofit Administration (NA), Healthcare Management (HM), or Accounting concentrations.
Campus Requirements: all courses can be taken face-to-face or online
Why choose this program: The MSBC curriculum prepares business professionals to communicate within and across disciplines and business functions of their organizations, as well as up and down organizational hierarchies. The role of communication in business decisions is the thread that runs through all courses and links them together. MSBC students have a unique opportunity to develop traditional business competencies while improving their interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills. Each course within the program is developed to incorporate all of these aspects, as well as critical and strategic thinking skills. The result is graduates with strong capabilities in problem solving, prioritizing, making the right/ethical decisions and managing self and others. Employers continually express their desire to have a labor pool with this skillset. Graduates of the MSBC program fulfill this need.
Location: Crestview Hills
Type: Private
Accreditation: SACSCOC and ACBSP
Base Program Cost: $19,695
Per Credit Hour: $505
Minimum Credit Hours: 39
GMAT Required: Yes, if applicant GPA below 2.7
Minimum Time Commitment: 18 months
Campus Requirements: No
Why choose this program: Thomas More College has helped professionals throughout Kentucky and the Greater Cincinnati area earn their Masters of Business Administration degree while maintaining their professional and personal commitments. The Accelerated program, TAP, provides its students with an excellent environment for academic and professional growth. Through the use of the continuing case project, the Thomas More graduate program offers a comprehensive look at decision making from a broad-based perspective. The Masters Project in the Thomas More curriculum allows students to apply business research techniques in a very hands-on approach. Students find that this allows them to establish a critical link between academic theory and business application.
University of Pikeville (UPIKE)
Location: Pikeville
Type: Private
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Base Program Cost: $14,220
Per Credit Hour: $395
Minimum Credit Hours: 36
GMAT Required: No
Minimum Time Commitment: 16 months
Campus Requirements: Yes
Why choose this program: The UPIKE MBA is designed to provide the graduate student with a foundation in business and an opportunity to achieve career goals. The Coleman College of Business at UPIKE welcomes you to embark on a journey of personal and academic growth that will prepare you for a competitive business environment. If you want to accelerate your career, seek opportunities in a new career, or to explore an entrepreneurial dream, the UPIKE MBA is for you. The program is delivered in the evenings and online so that you have the flexibility to earn a degree while you work. A competent and experienced faculty will guide your path so that you will apply classroom knowledge to real world business problems. Enhance your future in 21 months. Contact Dr. Howard V. Roberts, Dean of the Coleman College of Business at [email protected] or visit www.UPIKE.edu for additional information.
Location: Williamsburg
Type: Private, Faith-based
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Base Program Cost: $9,450
Per Credit Hour: $300
Minimum Credit Hours: 30
GMAT Required: Yes
Minimum Time Commitment: 18 months
Concentrations/Online Concentrations: Accounting
Campus Requirements: No
Why choose this program: University of the Cumberlands has been teaching tomorrow’s business leaders for 120 years and preparing students for long-term career success is our top priority. Our MBA program offers support and flexibility for working professionals while also providing students with a rich curriculum with challenging assignments, group projects, online courses and the most current and relevant case studies. Students will have instructors who are experts in their field and advisors who are knowledgeable and accessible, as well as unique networking opportunities and career preparation. n
Debra Gibson Isaacs is a correspondent for The Lane Report. She can be reached at [email protected].
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