Online Master’s in Business Administration
Earn Your MBA Online
No GRE or GMAT Scores Required to Apply
Learn to Lead in Modern Business
MBA@American is the online Master of Business Administration (MBA) program delivered by American University’s Kogod School of Business. MBA@American is designed for mid-career professionals who want to learn strategic management and communication skills that will help them advance into leadership roles.
The Kogod School of Business takes an inclusive and forward-thinking approach to business education, prioritizing diversity and recognizing that 21st century development requires a global perspective. The curriculum focuses on foundational business practices and takes advantage of Kogod’s Washington, D.C. location by giving students the opportunity to create new connections within our nation’s capital during in-person immersions.
A Top-Ranked Online MBA
The following rankings represent the global respect and recognition our online MBA program has solidified in today’s hyperconnected business world.
#7 for Marketing
U.S. News & World Report recognizes our program as the No. 7 best online MBA, with a well-rounded business education and a concentration in marketing in 2020.1
#12 for General Management
Our online MBA program produces managers who drive their businesses forward. U.S. News & World Report ranks us as the No. 12 online MBA for general management in 2020.2
#19 Worldwide
Secure your position as an international leader by earning your degree from the online MBA program ranked No. 19 worldwide by QS World University Rankings.3
#20 in the U.S.
The Princeton Review ranks our online MBA program No. 20 in the United States based on career outcomes, technological infrastructure, and academic rigor, among other factors.4
AACSB Accredited
American University’s Kogod School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). AACSB accreditation is known worldwide as the longest-standing, most recognized form of specialized and professional accreditation an institution and its business programs can earn.
A Curriculum at the Intersection of Business and Politics
The online MBA program prepares students to apply leadership and financial analysis skills to help businesses operate more effectively across a wide range of industries. The curriculum features in-person immersions, during which students learn from leading experts in business capitals around the world, and the opportunity to select electives that personalize learning toward career goals.
Most students complete the program on a 24-month course sequence, but the program can also be completed on a 12-month, 15-month, or 18-month track.
Program Requirements
48 credits to complete
13 core courses
2 elective courses
2 in-person immersions
Core Courses
- Business Fundamentals
- Business Law, Ethics, and Governance
- Financial Accounting
- Managerial Economics and Corporate Strategy
- Financial Management
- Managerial Accounting and Operations Management
- Management of Organizations and Human Capital
- Manager in the International Economy
- Applied Managerial Statistics
- Management Information Systems
- Strategic Thinking for Decisions
- Marketing Management
- Strategic Decision Making
Course Spotlight: Business Fundamentals
To emerge as a leader in your field, you need to first have a solid understanding of core business principles. You will take Business Fundamentals as the first course in the online MBA curriculum, where you will learn to think critically about all aspects of business and develop a strong foundation before diving further into advanced concepts in your core courses.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- develop a simple business plan by integrating qualitative and quantitative information
- understand time value of money concepts, cost concepts, and break-even analysis
- understand financial statements
- understand drivers of demand and supply as well as product pricing techniques
- perform foundational statistical analyses using Excel
- prepare baseline budgets and pro forma financial statements
Advanced Standing
Students with exceptional professional experience and an existing understanding of the skills covered in the Business Fundamentals course may be considered for Advanced Standing.
If you apply to the program and are granted Advanced Standing, you will not take the Business Fundamentals course. Instead, you will take an additional elective of your choosing, totaling 9 elective credits.
You will be notified if you meet the requirements for Advanced Standing once your application is reviewed.
Focus Areas
Students can choose from six pre-designed focus areas of study or create their own by selecting electives that best suit their goals. Focus areas include:
Business Analytics
Through the business analytics focus area, students gain data analysis skills to solve a variety of business challenges and help them make data-driven decisions. Courses include Business Insights Through Analytics, Predictive Analytics, Business Intelligence, and Database and Big Data.
Finance
Students in the finance focus area will study how organizations make investments and manage risk in an ever-changing economy. Courses include Fraud Examination and Litigation Support, International Finance, and Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management.
Consulting
Students in this focus area study a wide range of consulting topics and learn problem-solving methods involving research and analysis. This focus area combines analytics and management courses, such as Management Consulting Practices and Methodologies, Business Intelligence, and Integrated Marketing Communication.
Cybersecurity
In this focus area, students look at cybersecurity through a management lens, focusing on strategies to prepare for, prevent, detect, and respond to cybersecurity attacks. Courses such as Cybersecurity Risk Management, Database and Big Data, and Cybersecurity Governance are designed in coordination with the Kogod Cybersecurity Governance Center (KCGC).
Marketing
The marketing focus area explores strategies and tools for creating marketing campaigns, helping students advance their knowledge of brand management, advertising account management, sales promotion, media planning, and market research. Courses include Brand Strategy, Integrated Marketing Communication, and Business Intelligence.
Legal Studies
Business professionals need core legal knowledge to make confident business decisions. The legal studies focus area helps students develop an understanding of the US legal system and legal terminology. Students will learn how to effectively apply the law when dealing with contracts, negotiations, transactions, and other business procedures.
Analytics Certificate
You will have the option to pursue an Analytics Certificate in addition to your MBA degree for no additional cost or time to complete. The certificate is designed to prepare you to predict behaviors and make sound business decisions using data analysis. In addition to your 12 core MBA courses and two immersions, you will complete three analytics electives:
- Business Insights through Analytics
- Predictive Analytics
- Business Intelligence or Database and Big Data
In-Person Immersions
The curriculum includes two in-person immersions that allow students to solve business challenges with real companies. Each year, at least one of these sessions takes place in Washington, D.C., where students collaborate with peers in group projects, network with D.C. professionals and faculty, and explore the nation's capital. Immersions are also hosted in international cities such as Beijing, Madrid, and Brussels that provide students with new perspectives on how different cultures conduct business.
Earn an MBA that Aligns with Your Career Goals
Request information to learn more about our specialized focus areas.
Test Your Business Ideas with Kogod’s Entrepreneurship Incubator
The entrepreneurship incubator serves as a think tank space on the AU campus where you can develop your ideas into business models and eventually successful revenue-generating ventures. As an online student, you will have access to the on-campus incubator space and its resources if you live nearby or when you visit campus.
During pitch days and competitions, you have the opportunity to vet your business ideas and gain insight on everything from strategic consulting to branding. You will gain experience giving 30-second elevator pitches and formal investor presentations that showcase your ideas to outside investors, influencers, and other entrepreneurs.
In addition to pitch days and competitions, you can also utilize the incubator to network, participate in workshops, and hear from guest speakers.
Faculty Spotlight
Online MBA students learn from the same experienced Kogod faculty who teach on campus. Made up of entrepreneurs, CEOs, educators, executives, and board members of Fortune 500 companies, our faculty are dedicated to lending support and remaining accessible to their students.
Sarah McCue
Adjunct Professorial Lecturer
Sarah is a well-known advocate for the innovative use of information and communication technology in developing countries.
Résumé Highlights
- Chairperson of A Nobel Campaign, encouraging awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to the founders of the Internet
- Founder of BluWorld, providing opportunities to youth in developing countries
- Founder of Women with 2020 Vision, empowering women through online mentoring
- Former senior advisor to the United Nations International Trade Centre
Focus Areas: international business, international consulting
Thomas Kohn
Professorial Lecturer
Thomas is a three-time CEO—two for-profits and one nonprofit—who has worked with companies on issues of strategy, fundraising, messaging, business development, and more.
Résumé Highlights
- Co-founded and was CEO of e-billing company Transactis, which was eventually sold to Mastercard in 2019
- CEO of Bid4Assets, which conducted auctions of high-value, distressed assets for the U.S., state, and local governments
- Executive vice president of digital for Cygnus Business Media, helping to transform this primarily print publication company coming out of bankruptcy into a digital one and lead to a sale of the company
- Created the e-commerce division of USATODAY.com—creating a new $20 million revenue stream for parent company Gannett—and eventually led all revenue generation for the Internet division
Focus Areas: entrepreneurship, consulting, strategy
Allan Mink
Adjunct Professorial Lecturer
Allan focuses on analyzing trends in government needs and identifying differentiated technologies or approaches to create winning strategies for his clients.
Résumé Highlights
- Managing director for Systems Spirit, a boutique consulting team influential in connecting technology firms with the needs of the Department of Defense (DoD)
- Former vice president of Defense and Intelligence for Unisys Corporation
- Former COO/CTO of the Systems and Software Consortium
- Advisory board member of the MIT Enterprise Forum, which informs, advises, and coaches technology entrepreneurs to start and grow firms with world-changing impact
Focus Areas: IT, consulting, entrepreneurship
Applying to MBA@American
Candidates must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university to apply. GMAT and GRE scores are not required. To complete the application, you must submit the following:
- Online application
- Application fee
- Personal statement
- Résumé
- Letters of recommendation
- Transcripts
- Test scores (optional)
Application Deadlines
The MBA program has four start dates throughout the year. Kogod accepts applications on a rolling basis.
| Program Start Date | Priority Application Deadline | Final Application Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| April 2021 | January 25, 2021 | February 22, 2021 |
| July 2021 | April 26, 2021 | May 24, 2021 |
| October 2021 | July 26, 2021 | August 23, 2021 |
Get Started
Gain a competitive advantage in business by learning new perspectives and enhancing your strategic thinking skills.
Class Profile
MBA@American students bring a wide range of perspectives and experiences to the classroom.5 The Kogod School of Business is proud to encourage these viewpoints in an inclusive learning environment. Kogod offers students personalized support—giving them access to career resources, alumni events, and one-on-one mentorship from professors.
52%
Male
48%
Female
48%
Minority Students6
7%
Military Members
Where Can MBA@American Connections Get You?
Your classmates and online MBA alumni are located across the world with connections to top U.S. and international corporations. This network is in addition to the larger AU and Kogod alumni bases that you will join when you graduate. No matter where you live and what industry you work in, our alumni are available to help you reach your career goals.
20,000+ Kogod Alumni
130,000+ AU Alumni
The map displays states of residence for all students enrolled in the MBA program since the inception of the online program, including: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington, DC, and West Virginia.
The Value of an MBA
Earning an MBA continues to prove a wise decision for professionals pursuing fulfilling careers. In 2018, the Graduate Management Admission Council conducted their annual Corporate Recruiters Survey Report that shows:
85%U.S. employers who reported in 2018 that they plan to hire recent MBA graduates.7