Distance education students might not think that their MBA program is very traditional, but the numerous ways available to specialize an MBA online are quite traditional indeed. Many programs offer a large number of concentrations for online students, giving them the ability to add even more value to this popular and often lucrative graduate degree choice. As with virtually all business schools, however, an online program will vary in terms of its concentrations and the availability of different courses and specialization options. For this reason, a great deal of careful research should be conducted as students begin to evaluate a program’s cost, delivery method, curriculum, concentrations, and overall outcomes after graduation.
Specializations: What Options Exist for Graduate-Level Business Students?
Those who are just beginning their pursuit of an online MBA acceptance letter might not be familiar with concentrations in the graduate context. While many programs at the graduate level actually don’t offer specializations, and are considered specialized in and of themselves, the Professional MBA functions more like an undergraduate program in this regard. Students take a core series of classes that focus on management in broad areas: Finance, marketing, accounting, human resources, and even health care. At the same time, most schools also allow students to choose a concentration within the MBA that will see them take between six and 12 elective credits during their time of study. The most popular concentrations currently offered to students are:
Entrepreneurship
The “American Dream” for business students is often to become their own bosses, the head of a fledgling business that does something unique and profitable. The entrepreneurship concentration makes this easier. Students will learn about incorporation, federal tax policies for small businesses, hiring employees, and structuring the management team over time.
Marketing
A marketing concentration creates a specialized candidate who can function not only as a top-level marketer, but also as a top manager within a marketing department. They’ll learn how to evaluate data, motivate their department, and crate fiscally sound marketing campaigns that draw in new customers.
Finance
Corporate finance is the key to making sure a business has the financial resources and physical assets needed to remain competitive. This specialization creates managers who know how to evaluate financial position, profits and costs, investments, and federal policies regulating disclosure and earnings.
Accounting
The accounting specialization turns an MBA into a vastly versatile degree, giving students a great combination of advanced management skills and graduate-level accounting coursework. Graduates can work as senior accountants or as managers within a large accounting organization upon their graduation with this series of specialized courses.
Healthcare
Health organizations increasingly require business-minded managers to can drive up successful outcomes, drive down costs, and keep hospitals afloat in an era of increased focus on affordability and care efficiency. This specialization is perfect for aspiring hospital administrators, executives, and program directors.
Related Resource: Online Business Degrees
Excellent Ways to Turn an Online MBA into a Specialized Asset
According to US News and World Report, students who pursue their MBA online have the same opportunity for content specialization that their offline counterparts have enjoyed since the very beginning of the modern Master of Business Administration program. Whether it’s a traditional field like marketing or accounting, or a more recent concentration like those in healthcare and health policy, graduate students are able to determine the course of both their MBA program and their future career when they make a decision to specialize an MBA online.
