Program Format

The University of Utah’s MBA Online program defies conventional expectations of online learning. Our students learn through content specifically designed by our in-house, online development team for a digital platform. Students engage and connect with their faculty and peers in online forms, web conferences, weekly live webinars, and an array of resources. Content is available 24/7 and from anywhere with an internet connection, so students truly gain an MBA experience on their terms.

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Your Guide to Thriving Online

The online learning experience offers unique opportunities and a few bespoke challenges. Fortunately, you can minimize obstacles, leverage online advantages, and skip some of the trial and error by learning from others. That’s why we created a guide featuring advice, insights, and practical strategies from the experts: successful MBA Online students.

Program Flexibility

The University of Utah’s MBA Online is specifically designed to provide world-class education with the flexibility to meet students’ ever-changing needs. But earning your MBA Online doesn’t mean you need to miss out on the on-campus experience. See how some of our students utilized our options in program flexibility below.

Select a mix of on-campus or online courses

Combine the benefits of online flexibility and face-to-face learning as your needs evolve, as well as gain access to the network of Professional MBA students.

Transition to on-campus courses if necessary

If scheduling and availability change, students with shifting needs can seamlessly switch to in-person courses without having to transfer to another institution or interrupt their education.

Adjust your course load or take a leave of absence

Reduce your course load as needed, take time off (up to 1 year for temporary work assignments, military commitments, etc.), or maximize employer reimbursement programs by extending the program up to four years.

Schedule

Students take two classes at a time and can finish in 24 months. We offer opportunities to start your degree in Spring (January), Summer (May), or Fall (August). Students will be given short breaks between semesters and during major holidays. 1.5 credit courses last 5 weeks and 3 credit courses last 10 weeks. Schedule is subject to change based  on instructor availability and other factors.

Year One

  • Business Communication
  • Data Analysis
  • Financial Accounting
  • Financial Management
  • Information Technology
  • Managerial Economics
  • Managing and Leading
  • Marketing Management
  • Operations Management
  • On-Campus Residency (Optional)

Year Two

  • Competitive Strategy
  • Business Ethics
  • Managerial Accounting
  • 18 Elective Credits

Curriculum

The University of Utah MBA Online program believes in the power of knowledge. Our core curriculum lays a strong foundation for every business discipline. Elective courses expand on that foundation to personalize and tailor your learning experience.

The program consists of 48 credits: 30 credit hours of core coursework and 18 hours of elective coursework. The core classes satisfy the prerequisites for all elective classes. Take a look at the learning outcomes you will achieve in the courses below.

Core Courses

Business Communication
1.5 credit hours

  • Improve business communication and writing skills
  • Master persuasion, ethical speaking, and writing to a global business audience
  • Practice oral communication skills in a variety of settings, from informal coaching sessions to large, formal presentations

Business Ethics
1.5 credit hours

  • Learn how to recognize ethical quandaries in business and how to apply a unique and effective framework for moral reasoning to complex business issues
  • Develop a general management perspective that includes an ability to formulate, analyze, and defend decisions in ethical terms
  • Critically examine your ethics and test them in conversation with your peers

Competitive Strategy
3 credit hours

  • Evaluate the industry environment and learn strategies to leverage a firm’s competitive advantage by utilizing its core skills and capabilities
  • Gain an understanding of industry dynamics and identify valuable skills, resources, capabilities, technology strategy, and trade-offs among various business-level strategies
  • Gain an understanding of corporate strategy, vertical integration, diversification, and globalization strategies

Data Analysis
1.5 credit hours

  • Enhance productivity and proficiency in Excel for business application
  • Understand how Excel features and tools (e.g., pivot tables) can be used in business data analysis
  • Use Analysis ToolPak in Excel and interpret the outputs for business application

Financial Accounting
3 credit hours

  • Learn the language of business that public enterprises use to communicate their economic transactions to external decision-makers, such as stock investors or creditors
  • Read, analyze, and understand U.S. financial statements, including Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) or statements prepared under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
  • Understand financial reporting regulations and which regulatory and enforcement institutions are involved in the process of preparing and reporting corporate financial information

Financial Management
3 credit hours

  • Develop an understanding of the data accumulation and allocation processes and illustrate the proper application of accounting data in solving managerial problems

Information Technology
1.5 credit hours

  • Gain fundamental knowledge in information technology, established and emerging, and its exciting business applications
  • Learn about key issues surrounding the investment, evaluation, use, and management of information technology
  • Analyze best practices of information technology utilization, implementation, or management in different sectors

Managerial Accounting
3 credit hours

  • Develop an understanding of the data accumulation and allocation processes to illustrate the proper application of these accounting data in solving managerial problems
  • Gain exposure to strategic implications and limitations of accounting systems and data
  • Gain skills in cost estimation, pricing and product mix decision, activity-based costing, and measuring opportunity costs for decision-making
  • Understand firm internal accounting systems and how they integrate with problems confronting managers in the areas of finance, accounting, marketing, operations management, and human resources

Managerial Economics
3 credit hours

  • Learn fundamental principles of economics from a managerial perspective
  • Gain an understanding of market supply and demand, production and cost analysis, consumer theory, marketing structure analysis, banking systems, and macroeconomics

Managing and Leading in Organizations
3 credit hours

  • Learn human behavior concepts and principles needed to create high-performance workplaces
  • Enhance personal leadership effectiveness through self-assessment, feedback, and studying practices of exemplary leaders
  • Discuss topics like motivation, power and influence, group behavior and teams, decision making, conflict and collaboration, organization design, culture, and leading change

Marketing Management
3 credit hours

  • Learn marketing management and strategy concepts, as well as their implementation and control
  • Apply these concepts to marketing decisions through case analyses and simulations
  • Understand market assessment, segmentation, target marketing, positioning, differentiation, branding, budgeting, customer lifetime value analysis, product pricing, distribution, and promotional strategies

Operations Management
3 credit hours

  • Understand the process by which any firm (e.g., a hospital) transforms raw materials (e.g., sick patients) into finished goods (e.g., cured patients)
  • Develop a framework for analyzing business process flows within and across firms
  • Gain an in-depth understanding of the management of supply chains, capacity, inventory, quality, and product design

Elective Courses

  • Advanced Excel and Access Techniques

  • Business Tax Strategies

  • Business Valuation and Analysis

  • IT Risks and Controls

  • Reading and Interpreting Financial Statements

  • Strategic Cost Management

  • Value & Management Accounting

  • Lassonde Venture Programs

  • Venture Capital

  • Advanced Corporate Finance

  • Cases in Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis

  • Excel for the Finance Professionals

  • Financial Applications of Statistical Models

  • Financial Modeling

  • Fixed Income Investing

  • Introduction to Financial Programming

  • Investment and Portfolio Management

  • Practical Application of Statistical Models

  • Private Equity Buyouts

  • VBA for Accounting & Finance

To lead in today’s business climate, you must understand the nuances of foreign business dynamics and culture. For those interested in gaining a global perspective, the MBA Online program offers an optional international trip elective that gives students a knowledge and understanding of the international business environment and provides students the opportunity to experience firsthand how business is conducted abroad.

The first part of the course will be in-class lectures and activities meant to expose you to current issues in international business, issues relating specifically to the country we will be traveling, and how international business works in the real world.

In the final part of the course, your classroom experience is put to the test with a one-week international business learning trip. You will participate in a mix of executive and expert presentations and company site visits, exposing you to various business perspectives in the context of the country you are visiting.

Previous international trip destinations:

  • Mexico City, Mexico (2024)
  • Lisbon, Portugal (2023)
  • Barcelona, Spain (2022)
  • Johannesburg, South Africa (2019)
  • Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2018)
  • Shanghai, China (2017)
  • Seoul, South Korea (2015 and 2016)
  • Beijing & Tianjin, China (2013 and 2014)
  • Buenos Aires, Argentina (2012)

  • Business Law

  • Change Management

  • Competitive Advantage Through People

  • Decision Making

  • Diversity and Inclusion

  • Employment Law

  • International Management

  • Managing Conflict

  • Profiles of Leadership

  • Strategic Leadership

  • Algorithms for Business Decisions

  • Brand Management

  • Digital Marketing and Analytics

  • Introduction to Business Analytics

  • Machine Learning for Business Applications

  • Marketing Research

  • Text Analytics

  • Advanced SQL for Analytics

  • Analytical Decision Models I

  • Analytical Decision Models II

  • Analysis & Design

  • Building a Lean Enterprise

  • Business Intelligence and Analytics

  • Cloud Computing

  • Collaborative Alliances

  • Cybersecurity Management

  • Data Mining

  • Data Science and Big Data

  • Data Structures and Java

  • Database Theory and Design

  • Data Visualization

  • Data Warehousing

  • Healthcare Operations Management

  • Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

  • Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

  • Networking and Servers

  • Project Management

  • Python Programming

  • Secure Network Operations

  • Statistics and Predictive Analytics

  • Supply Chain Management

  • SQL Intensive

  • Vulnerability Management

  • Web Based Applications

Elective offerings are subject to change; you can contact us to confirm the current availability of any course.

Residency

Residency is an optional, 3-day on-campus experience at the start of the fall semester. It fulfills a 1.5-credit class and is strongly encouraged.

Why Consider Residency?

  • Most top online MBA programs have residencies built into their programs for the immersion, learning, and networking.

  • Students benefit from in-person teamwork activities and leadership training led by top-ranked faculty.

  • Connections forged during the residency are invaluable and provide a support system for students during and after the MBA.

Specialization Opportunities

Customize your degree by adding an online specialization option. Currently, three graduate certificates and one concurrent degree are available. These certifications can be earned in addition to your MBA by focusing 15 MBA electives on certain areas. One core MBA course will also count towards each specialization. Other requirements vary by program. If you’d like to learn more about differentiating your MBA, email our Admissions Advisors at MBAOnline@Utah.edu.

Graduate Certificates

The Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics (GCBA) allows students to gain specialized knowledge in data analytics and management. Obtaining a graduate-level analytics certificate will significantly benefit those seeking to advance their careers in the rapidly growing market for data and analytics professionals. Students enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics may need to attend on-campus courses to complete the certificate.

For more information, please see the Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics website or contact their office at 801-581-7785, MSBAinfo@Eccles.Utah.edu.

This program allows developing leaders in cybersecurity to design, implement, and operate a security program intended to reduce risk of compromise of an organization’s data. Students who obtain this certificate will be better equipped to aid in the design, operation and monitoring of security controls to protect corporate and consumer data in an age of ever-increasing aggression and sophistication on the part of adversaries.

There are four required core courses:

  • IS 6570 Cybersecurity Management (3)
  • IS 6572 Secure Network Operations (3)
  • IS 6573 Vulnerability Management (3)
  • IS 6574 Cybersecurity Risk and Compliance (3)

For more information, please see the Graduate Certificate Cybersecurity Management Website or contact their office: 801-581-7785 or MSISinfo@Eccles.Utah.edu.

The Graduate Certificate in Information Systems (GCIS) allows you to gain a broad background in information systems and more specialized technical knowledge. Some of the available courses include data mining, business intelligence and analytics, software and systems architecture, product and process management, and IT security. Obtaining a graduate-level certificate in IS will provide you with a significant advantage to advance your career in the field of information systems or strengthen your technical proficiency. This 18 credit hour certificate program is designed for maximum flexibility and offers you a wide choice of courses and areas of concentration.

For more information, please go to the Graduate Certificate in Information Systems website or contact their office at 801-581-7785, MSISinfo@Eccles.Utah.edu.

The Graduate Certificate in Operations and Supply Chain Management (GCOSC) allows students to gain specialized knowledge and provides an advantage to those seeking to advance their career or strengthen their proficiency in OSC management. The courses will explore strategic choices for different industries and operational objectives. Students enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Operations and Supply Chain Management may need to attend on-campus courses to complete the certificate.

For more information, please see the Graduate Certificate in Operations and Supply Chain Management website.

Concurrent Degree Programs

The MHA and MBA concurrent degree is in its early stages. To complete this concurrent degree, a schedule will be developed one on one with a MHA Advisor. Similar to all concurrent degrees, you will begin the MHA core courses during your electives in MBA and those courses will count towards both degrees.

If you have any questions about this concurrent degree or the prerequisites please contact their admissions team.

An MSBA degree can be completed concurrently while completing your MBA. When these degrees are completed simultaneously, 18 credit hours of electives from the MBAO course requirements can be waived, allowing the program to be finished 2 semesters earlier while decreasing the cost for your degrees by almost $20,000.

Designed to provide students with the skills necessary to compete in the rapidly growing market for analytics and data science professionals, the MSBA program offers a unique blend of curriculum in both the technical and managerial space.

The Master of Science in Finance requires finance pre-requisites to apply for the program. The MBA core financial management class satisfies this pre-requisite. We recommend you wait until you have completed this course and have a posted grade before applying to the program.

  • Master of Finance courses are full semester. To graduate in the expected timeframe, expect to take three classes at a time during the concurrent portion of your degrees.
  • An additional 2-3 semesters will be required to gain both your MBA and your MSF concurrently.

For information on how to apply and what your schedule could look like, contact an MSF Advisor.

Combine your MBA with an MSIS and gain the skills needed to excel in one of the fastest-growing job sectors in the world. A Master of Science in Information Systems can be completed concurrently while completing your MBA Online. Just like the MBA Online, the MSIS Online can be earned completely online. The MSIS degree can be completed concurrently for only 18 additional credit hours instead of the standard 30 for the stand-alone degree. This adds approximately two semesters onto MBA Online coursework.

ADA Accomodations

The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services, and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability & Access. The CDA will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. Learn More

Center for Disability & Access
Location: Olpin Student Union, room 162
Phone: 801-581-5020

Application Fee Waiver

We understand that the application fee can be a barrier to entry for some students so we are offering an application fee waiver for a limited time.

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