Online Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program

Master of Business Administration

Offered By: Colangelo College of Business

An Accredited Online MBA Program in as Little as 24 Months²

A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a graduate level degree awarded to students with an advanced knowledge of business. MBA program candidates cultivate skills in leadership with a focus on courses such as accounting, finance, economics and marketing.

There are many reasons to pursue this online MBA program with Grand Canyon University (GCU):

If you choose an MBA program without an emphasis.

All MBA courses are offered 100% online.

Choose from a variety of emphases to further focus your studies.

Get More Information

Accreditation From ACBSP

ACBSP Accreditation logo

GCU’s no-emphasis MBA program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), which speaks to the quality and excellence of research, teaching and student outcomes for this program.

TOTAL PROGRAM CREDITS & COURSE LENGTH:
Total Credits: 46
Online: 8 weeks
[More Info]
TRANSFER CREDITS:
Up to 12 credits or 1/3 of the total program requirements in transfer (whichever is less)
PROGRAM TUITION RATE:
Online: $655 per credit
[Tuition, Fees and Financial Aid]

Cost of Attendance

 

Female MBA degree graduate smiling and hugging dad at GCU commencement

Benefits of Earning Your MBA Online

The online MBA with no GMAT required offers a path for deepening your understanding of the business knowledge, skills and processes that fuel success. In this MBA program, you can enhance these skills:

  • Servant leadership
  • Effective communication
  • Ethical decision-making
  • Critical thinking and analysis
  • Productive networking

This master’s in business administration program is designed with a broad range of business fields in mind. As an MBA candidate, you can develop transferable skills that can apply to any industry.

Future business leaders and executives will focus on leadership development, operations management and organizational growth. GCU filters these content areas through the lens of ethical decision-making and critical thinking with a Christian worldview. GCU is an accredited, private university. For more information on the accreditation of our business programs, visit our Colangelo College of Business accreditation page.

The Value of GCU’s Online MBA Program for Business Leaders

Business leaders are often expected to have an MBA. According to the Graduate Management Admission Council, 93% of all employers surveyed expected to hire MBA graduates in 2021.1 A Master of Business Administration program can also open doors to future executives who are pursuing networking opportunities. According to the Graduate Management Admission Council, 87% of employers indicated they were confident business schools would prepare students for success in their business.1

Explore Various Business Sectors in GCU’s Online Master of Business Administration

With our online MBA program, you do not have to choose between your career and your education. GCU is a modern school that embraces a 21st century style of learning. Complete your MBA degree courses online and take part in small group discussions in a diverse, online classroom. This affordable degree requires 34 to 46 credits, depending upon your undergraduate background. Most of the MBA online classes are eight weeks long.

While in your online MBA program, you can gain insight and knowledge about various business sectors. These include:

  • Leadership in organizations
  • Practices in accounting
  • Principles of finance
  • Applied probability and statistics in business
  • Management for marketing
  • Accounting management
  • Management for operations

You will also study quantitative tools and techniques, managerial finance, strategic management and economics. The coursework includes individual and group projects, case studies, theories and applications. Some of these include:

  • Sustainability in the global marketplace
  • Behaviors and techniques of efficient operations
  • The use of economic data for smart decision-making
  • Asset evaluation

GCU’s Colangelo College of Business provides a distinct lens from which you can learn and develop as a business professional. Core principles emphasized within the college include:

  • Business as a force for good: Elevating humanity through business done right, through conscious capitalism.
  • Free markets and purpose for prosperity: Higher purpose of business and a stakeholder orientation for long-term success.
  • Business as ministry: Approach business through a Christian perspective; love, care and support your team, because everybody matters.

Specialized MBA Degree Options Focused on Your Interests

At GCU, our online MBA program offers a variety of emphases to help you specialize in a particular area of business. These emphases range from accounting and finance to healthcare systems and sports management. Our MBA programs can prepare you for a career in a variety of industries by helping you foster an entrepreneurial spirit and gain effective leadership skills. What you learn in class each week can be applied in your workplace the next day.

Admission Requirements

Admission into GCU’s MBA program requires an undergraduate degree from an accredited, GCU-approved college, university or program with a GPA of 2.8 or higher. If that requirement cannot be met, you may still be eligible through either the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Learn more about GCU's graduate admission requirements.

The master’s degree in business administration program at GCU can enhance a broad range of marketable skills. Many working professionals may want to get started on an MBA degree online, but lack the time to study for the GMAT. The Colangelo College of Business addresses this issue by inviting you to apply for the MBA program, with no GMAT required.

Career Opportunities for MBA Program Graduates

The MBA is a respected degree that increases the capabilities and credibility of job applicants. You may decide to pursue your master’s degree in business administration shortly after graduating from a bachelor’s program. You may also decide to apply when it becomes apparent that having an MBA may be a path toward pursuing a career as an executive or manager.

Some examples of career paths that can stem from an MBA degree may include:

  • General and operations manager
  • Chief executive
  • Business operations specialist
  • Sales manager
  • Administrative services manager

93%

Percentage of employers that planned to hire MBA graduates in 2023.1

87%

Percentage of employers that are confident graduate business schools prepare students for success1

MBA Degree FAQs

Read through our frequently asked questions to learn more about completing a Master of Business Administration program and earning your MBA.

A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a graduate degree that helps you develop skills in leadership, financial principles, economics, accounting and management. Because these skills are valued across a wide range of industries, an MBA is a degree that is highly sought-after by business professionals, like yourself, looking to advance your career and become highly valued by employers.

Unsure if an online MBA is right for you? Explore our other business degrees, including our bachelor of business degrees and Master of Science in Leadership (MSL).

If you are looking to take the next step in your career or move into a leadership position, you may want to consider online MBA programs. Earning an online MBA degree can help you take your career to the next level by providing you with the necessary skills to lead an organization as an executive, entrepreneur, director, manager or business leader.

The online MBA programs at GCU emphasize servant leadership with ethical reasoning as a guide for decision-making.

A Master of Business Administration is a highly versatile degree and desirable among professionals who want to upgrade their leadership and management strategy. After completing an online MBA program, you may find a career in the following roles:

  • Industrial production manager
  • Compensation and benefits manager
  • Human resources manager
  • Training and development manager
  • Social and community service manager
  • Personal service manager
  • Human resources specialist
  • Project management specialist
  • Compensation, benefits and job analysis specialist
  • Postsecondary business teacher

Upon evaluation of transcripts, students with business-oriented undergraduate degrees may waive all MBA fundamental courses and earn their MBA online or on campus in as little as 18 months. Browse our online MBA programs to see a full list of required courses to graduate.

Online MBA options provide a flexible and convenient education opportunity for students to earn their degrees. These programs still deliver the same caliber of education as traditional programs, but rather in a format that may be more suitable to adult learners with various commitments. If you’re seeking to earn your MBA in a way that may more accommodate your lifestyle, while still earning a quality education, consider enrolling in an online program.

Yes, an MBA is a master’s degree with a specific academic focus in business administration. These master’s degrees provide you with fundamental business knowledge and an all-encompassing overview of various sectors of business, such as accounting, finance and marketing. An MBA degree can be a great option for those looking to gain advanced knowledge of the business field and potentially further their career.

An MBA is a type of master’s degree, but choosing between a master’s and an MBA degree is purely up to your interests and where you wish to go in your career. A master’s degree can give you advanced knowledge into everyday professional skills that are needed in any workplace, while an MBA is best suited for those who wish to enter a business profession in areas such as finance or leadership.

Many online MBA programs require the same curriculum and academic study as their on-campus counterparts. Not only does an online MBA have value, online MBA programs provide more flexibility and convenience, giving you the opportunity to earn your degree from anywhere.

An MBA itself is a specialized graduate degree that focuses on all aspects of business. Just like any other master’s degree, an online MBA requires dedication and self-discipline to complete. Online MBA programs do not give you the same social interaction of a physical classroom, but still come with the same benefit of accomplishing a higher education degree.

1 Graduate Management Admission Council. (2023). Corporate Recruiters Survey. Retrieved May 13, 2024.

2 This applies to an MBA without an emphasis.

Course List

Major:
46 credits
Degree Requirements:
46 credits

Fundamentals

Fundamental courses prepare students for the curricular content they will encounter within this MBA program. Upon evaluation of their transcripts, students with business-oriented undergraduate degrees may waive all MBA fundamental courses. All students will undergo transcript evaluations. If they have earned grades of C or better in equivalent course content, students with non-business undergraduate degrees may have the option to waive one or more of the following fundamental courses associated with their chosen MBA program.

Course Description

This course is designed for students who are preparing for more advanced coursework in business but who have not had accounting in undergraduate work. Topics covered include the principles and practices of financial accounting, including the fundamentals of revenue recognition, the components of the balance sheet, and financial statement analysis. ?The course explores accounting theories using publicly traded companies and case studies.

Course Description

This course is designed for individuals who are preparing for more advanced coursework in accounting and is designed for students who have not had finance in undergraduate work. Topics covered include financial analysis, financial planning, asset evaluation, capital structure, and working capital management.

Course Description

The purpose of this course is to prepare students in mathematical, probability, and statistical concepts for their upcoming studies in quantitative methods. The course is intended for those students who have not had any prior statistical education, although students who have had statistics should also consider taking the course as a refresher.

Core Courses

Course Description

This course is designed to prepare students for the graduate learning experience at Grand Canyon University. Students have opportunities to develop and strengthen the skills necessary to succeed as graduate students in the College of Business. Emphasis is placed on utilizing the tools for graduate success.

Course Description

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the College of Business, key concepts of leadership, and an overview of how the science of organizational behavior contributes to effective leaders and managers.

Course Description

This course introduces microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts that are relevant to contemporary business. Emphasis is placed on using economic data for business decision-making.

Course Description

This course is a study in the quantitative tools and techniques used to model business functions and applications. Emphasis is placed on how to set up models, and how to interpret and apply their results. Prerequisite: SYM-506.

Course Description

Management of the marketing function, market environmental analysis, and marketing planning, strategy, and control are fundamentals of marketing management. The course examines the marketing process, marketing research, product development innovation and diffusion, pricing strategy, distribution value drain, advertising and promotion, and strategic marketing issues. Emphasis is placed on case study analysis and current academic research with a marketing plan as a significant curriculum component.

Course Description

This course covers managerial accounting concepts and procedures for internal reporting, including the study of cost behavior, cost systems, budgeting, and performance evaluation. Coursework includes case studies, group projects, and class discussion. Prerequisite: ACC-502.

Course Description

Operations Management examines managerial concepts and strategies relating to the management of operations in both manufacturing and service environments. Emphasis is placed on methods to streamline and drive inefficiencies out of a firm’s internal processes to build a highly efficient organization. The course also focuses on external processes by examining ways to achieve greater supply chain integration with suppliers and customers. Quantitative and qualitative methods and tools are introduced and applied. Prerequisite: SYM-506.

Course Description

This course discusses elements of business financial decisions, including financial forecasting and development of proformas, management of working capital, capital budgeting, capital structure, and raising funds in capital markets. Prerequisite: FIN-504.

Course Description

This capstone course focuses on preparing and conducting a strategic analysis of a selected publicly traded firm to produce actionable intelligence used to formulate recommendations to promote the creation of a value-adding strategy. Based on the results of their strategic analysis, students are then required to prepare the framework of a strategic plan that creates significant value for the selected firm. Prerequisites: MGT-605, MKT-607, ACC-650, and FIN-650.

  • GCU cannot and will not promise job placement, a job, graduate school placement, transfer of GCU program credits to another institution, promotion, salary, or salary increase. Please see the Career Services Policy in the University Policy Handbook.
  • Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
  • Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change

Program Locations

GCU Online Student


Pursue a next-generation education with an online degree from Grand Canyon University. Earn your degree with convenience and flexibility with online courses that let you study anytime, anywhere.

GCU Evening Student


Grand Canyon University’s evening programs cater to the demands of working professionals who prefer an in-person learning environment. Our night classes meet just once per week and offer the interaction and discussion of a typical college classroom.