Master of Business Administration
Chart a course to career success with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Oakland University. Whether enrolled in OU’s on campus or 100% online MBA program, you’ll acquire the knowledge to confidently meet the challenges of today’s global economy through case studies, action-based projects and engaging discussions with leading professors, and researchers, executive guest speakers and fellow students.
Request Program InformationCourse REQUIREMENTS
*** EFFECTIVE FALL 2024 - MBA PROGRAM is 36 credit hours (no prerequisites) ***
The Master of Business Administration at Oakland University’s School of Business Administration prepares graduates for demanding careers in private, public or non-profit organizations by integrating global understanding, entrepreneurial thinking and business fundamentals with key items for any manager’s success, such as the importance of managing information and information resources effectively using scarce resources and understanding human behavior.
Oakland University’s MBA will put you on the path to leadership and managerial roles. Oakland emphasizes all the functional areas of business in a case-based and action-based learning environment.
Students can select from on-campus evening courses, online classes or take both based on availability and their schedule.
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Graduate Business Programs
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*** EFFECTIVE FALL 2024 - MBA PROGRAM is 36 credit hours (no prerequisites) ***
The Online MBA from Oakland University offers students access to the same quality curriculum and faculty as the on-campus program with the flexibility to complete coursework anywhere, anytime, at your own pace.
Through expert-led courses, real-world practice and robust discussions with faculty and peers, you’ll perfect the skills and strategies necessary to successfully tackle business challenges with sharp insight and executive-level understanding. You’ll graduate well-equipped with technological expertise, savvy business know-how, critical cross-functional knowledge, and strong leadership and communication skills.
Nearly all of Oakland University’s business faculty members are full-time professors, subject matter experts and leading researchers in their respective fields. Leaders in the industry participate as part-time instructors, guest lecturers and speakers who bring relevant real-world experience to augment your learning.
Engineering Management
The Master of Science in engineering management degree is offered by the School of Engineering and Computer Science in cooperation with the School of Business Administration. The program is intended for students with a bachelor’s degree in any field of engineering (industrial and systems, mechanical, electrical, civil, etc.) and has as its goal the provision of the tools and skills necessary for making sound management decisions in industry and business while retaining one’s commitment to a specialized engineering field of endeavor. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering technology, information technology or related fields will be considered for admission, but they may be required to take one or more preparatory courses in engineering. See the Engineering Management page in the graduate catalog for more information and program requirements.
Safety Management
The Online Master of Science in Safety Management degree was developed through a cooperative effort between the School of Health Sciences and the School of Business Administration at Oakland University. This master’s degree program focuses on the business aspects of safety management in the workplace and combines an effective balance of core MBA coursework with application of these business skills to safety-related case studies in risk assessment, loss control, risk management, and safety program planning, administration and management. See the Safety Management page in the graduate catalog for more information and program requirements.
The requirements for admission to the MBA program include:
- A bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a regionally accredited undergraduate institution
- The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)*
For information on program prerequisites, see the catalog.
* MBA applicants may request to waive the GMAT requirement.
MBA applicants may request to waive the GMAT requirement. To be eligible for the waiver, applicants must meet one of the following criteria:
- Earned a master’s degree or higher with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0
- Has an acceptable score on the GRE, LSAT, or MCAT entrance exam
- Earned a bachelor’s degree with an overall GPA of at least 3.0 from an AACSB-accredited business school
- Earned a bachelor’s degree in any major with an overall GPA of at least 3.2 from a regionally accredited program
- Completed a business-related certification such as CPA, CFA, CFP or FRM
- Has at least 3 years of relevant professional work experience and an undergraduate overall GPA of at least 2.75
- Has completed at least 3 years of service in the US armed services
The GMAT/GRE waiver is integrated into the application, so if you believe you qualify, select this option.
The application process requires submission of the following:
- Online Application for Admission from the Graduate School
- Curriculum Vitae or Resumé - uploaded after online application is submitted
- Two email addresses for individuals who will write your recommendations - added after online application is submitted
- Official transcripts from all previous colleges and universities attended sent to OU
- Official GMAT scores sent to OU*
International students who have not earned a baccalaureate degree from a U.S. college or university or at least 24 credits from a U.S school, will have additional application requirements:
- A transcript evaluation (for transcripts from a college or university outside of the United States)
- TOEFL Exam Scores (for non-native English speakers unless they have a baccalaureate degree from a U.S. college or university or at least 24 credits from a U.S. school)
*MBA applicants may request to waive the GMAT requirement.
Applications for Fall semester must be received by April 1st.
2023-24 on-campus and online MBA Graduates Career Outcomes
Oakland University MBA graduates are well-equipped to meet the challenges of today’s global economy with technological expertise, savvy business know-how, cross-functional knowledge and strong communication skills.
Employment
80% Employed at start of program
95.7% Employed before or within 4 month of graduation
4.3% Seeking Employment
72.9% Graduates with new employer, new title at existing employer or salary increase greater than 10%
Employment Location
82.9% Michigan
5.7% Remote
With 1.4% in each of the following states:
1.4% Illinois
1.4% Minnesota
1.4% Missouri
1.4% Texas
1.4% England
4.3% Still looking
Employment information is based on a 97.2% Knowledge Rate. Knowledge Rate is reliable and verifiable outcome information from survey responses, social media mining and departmental records for students who graduated with an on-campus or online MBA from the School of Business Administration 2023-24.
Salary
$62,281 Average salary at start of the MBA program
$77,509 Average salary after completing the MBA program
Job Source
41.2% OU facilitated
20.6% Personal network
23.5% Online resource
8.8% Seeking employment
5.9% Other / Unknown job source
Salary and Job Source information is based on a 47.2% Survey Response Rate from students who graduated with an on-campus or online MBA from the School of Business Administration 2023-24.
Alumni Testimonials
Determination drives Bailey Kehrig’s success. Living with hearing loss since early elementary school encouraged Kehrig, MBA ’22, to embrace opportunity. This driving force led Kehrig to earn her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, complete several internships and launch a full-time professional career. Earning her MBA at OU further empowered Kehrig’s career advancement with a promotion to manager.
With his OU MBA in hand, William Vultaggio, MBA ’19, relaunched his career in a new direction, successfully shifting from health care benefits and sales to a leadership and development role in the automotive industry.
“The relationships the OU Business School h as with industries and employers is amazing,” he said, crediting the OU MBA education as well as the network he built with OU staff, faculty and fellow MBA students.
As an MBA student, Shreyas Gavit, MBA ’20, took first place in an national case study competition, putting his skills to the test against more than 1,100 students from 300 institutions across the county in an intensive three-month immersive program. Gavit credits the lessons he learned in his OU MBA courses in helping him succeed.
“The skills I gained during my MBA program helped me with storytelling and selling the product to the judges with a beautiful demo video, which is what impressed the judges the most,” he said. “This experience was so valuable because of the amazing people I met, from my teammates to my adviser to multiple professionals.”
Many people ask: What’s the difference between an MBA and Executive MBA program? They want to know which MBA program is best for them. The answer depends on your professional experience, your career goals and your schedule.
Oakland’s traditional MBA and Executive MBA programs offer a rigorous, business-foundation centered curriculum accredited by AACSB-International. The two programs are delivered in different formats, require different levels of commitment, and serve different career levels and aspirations.
Overview
- Traditional MBA: A graduate program emphasizing all the functional areas of business in case- and action-based learning environment for professionals seeking managerial roles.
- Executive MBA: A premier graduate business program designed exclusively for experienced professionals aspiring to lead from an executive prospective.
Schedule
- Traditional MBA: Students select classes for each term. Students can select from on-campus evening courses, online classes or take both based on availability and their schedule. On-campus classes meet 1 night per week, 6:30 – 9 p.m., Monday – Thursday.
- Executive MBA: Cohort structure. Classes meet alternating Fridays 3 – 8 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Total Credits
- Traditional MBA: Effective Fall 2024, 36 credits hours with no prerequisites. May be 45 credits with a concentration, which depends on prior academic preparation.
- Executive MBA: 39 credit hours.
Average Professional Work Experience
- Traditional MBA: ~ 3-5 years
- Executive MBA: ~ 14 years
Program Length
- Traditional MBA: 12 months to 6 years. Pace determined by student (Full-time students can complete the program in 4 semesters taking 9 credits each semester.)
- Executive MBA: 21 months, including two-month summer break
Concentrations / Focus
- Traditional MBA: Variety of concentrations available allows student to customize program to meet their goals.
- Executive MBA: Program focused on business essentials, leadership, professional development and global understanding
Tuition
- Traditional MBA: The MBA program follows standard graduate tuition rates outlined by Student Financial Services. Books and additional expenses are not included.
- Executive MBA: The Executive MBA program follows an all-inclusive cost structure outlined by Student Financial Services. A tuition deposit is due when accepting admission, and five additional payments are due at the beginning of each term. The program cost is fully inclusive of all course registrations, textbooks, electronic resources, course materials, and required special events or workshops. Meals and snacks are also included during regular sessions and special events.
Visit Student Financial Services for more information on Cost of Attendance and other Financial Services.
School of Business Administration
School of Business Administration