The state of Arizona has long been a popular place for retirees and people looking to escape the winters and cold weather found elsewhere in the country. For all of the companies to support the increased influx of citizens, the companies are seeing similar growth. The quality of education in Arizona is another strong characteristic, and their colleges and universities are widely known for high quality and affordable costs.
As such, for people interested in completing an MBA degree to better prepare themselves for future advancement potential, the schools of Arizona are definitely worth considering.
Within Arizona is Arizona State University, which recently ranked #2 on the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Programs. This is quite an honor because their annual list of best schools of every category is a coveted list to make it on.
Also in Arizona is the University of Phoenix, a pioneer in online education programs, and currently has more than 200 locations all over. The universal name recognition and wide range of degree programs available make it popular to degree seeking individuals everywhere.
There has been an increased number of applicants to MBA programs this year, as detailed on mba.com, and the expected trend is for that to continue. The number of younger applicants has also increased, and the amount of previous work experience has also gone down. This increased application pool for MBA programs has also lead them to offer an increased selection of concentrations and options to remain competitive against other top business schools fighting for the best of the applicants.
The MBA can be pursued by people with work experience, and also executive degrees are available for current executives that are interested in advancing in their careers. Below is a list of Arizona online MBA degrees, including both traditional and executive format.
Master of Business Administration - Arizona State University – This highly acclaimed degree program claims a very high 92% completion rate, which is excellent for a two-year program. The 48 credit hour curriculum is delivered completely online. It is made up of 13 courses, and is only taking one course at any one time. It uses the cohort method of instruction, where groups of incoming students are formed into groups that complete the entire degree program as a team. For those looking to specialize into a particular field within the MBA, the Arizona State University also offers several areas of emphasis to enable students to develop their skills of interest. The choices are:
- International Business
- Supply Chain Management
In addition, they offer dual degree options, which enable students to use electives from programs to combine for concurrent completion of the requirements for two degrees. These options involve merging the MBA degree with Master of Legal Studies, Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, and Master of Science in Industrial Engineering.
Global Master of Business Administration - Thunderbird School of Global Management – The principal focus of this graduate business degree is the global component of the business world. By addressing global management, cross-cultural communications, global political economy, and regional business environments, the students will be more informed and aware of the larger business climate.
The curriculum is divided into three main functions:
- World Business
- International Studies
- Cross-Cultural and English Business Communications
For current working professionals interested in future leadership positions in multi-national businesses or to international growth and expansion, this degree provides insight and training like few others.
The program includes two one-week international seminars where the peers in the cohort attend an international study together to experience some of the international elements the program addresses.
Master of Business Administration - Grand Canyon University – By developing skills focused around change management practices, graduates will be well prepared to enter the business environment and bring about real improvement and change with their knowledge. This online program develops all aspects of the students’ comfort with theories and practices related to the businesses they are in. These subjects include:
By gaining a deeper understanding of all elements of business, each graduate will be ready for the advanced positions of leadership they are interested in.
Master of Business Administration - University of Phoenix – Unique elements of the online degree available from this school are the flexible scheduling, continuous enrollment, and their university-wide academic social network. For students entering this program, 30% have it completed within 18 months. They offer a wide variety of specializations within this MBA to enable students to customize their degree program to their individual career aspirations.
- Energy Management
- Global Management
- Health Care Management
- Human Resource Management
- Project Management
- Technology Management
The school has developed virtual organizations in order to provide opportunities for students to analyze problems and improve their leadership and managerial decision making and critical thinking skills.
Online Executive MBA
Executive Master of Business Administration-US - Thunderbird School of Global Management – This program expands the expertise of current working executives with a global business education to prepare them for advance positions of leadership. The online format is designed for these professionals in particular to provide them the opportunity to maintain current employment while pursuing the degree.
The 49 credit hour program will incorporate all facets of the global business community, from a United States perspective. They have another option for a European perspective for those interested in the business world from a European angle. As a part of the requirements for this degree is an international overseas experience that will allow for application of the theories and tools acquired through classroom instruction. The program lasts 20 months, and upon completion, graduates will find they can take their executive-level experiences and be prepared for promotion.
In order to maintain their constant focus on technology and innovation, each student of this program is provided with an iPad3 that is preloaded with all course content and materials. This commitment to modern technology continues through all coursework.
Executive Master of Business Administration - Grand Canyon University – This program is designed around Ken Blanchard’s globally successful leadership principles. It is intended for current executives across the business spectrum. It can be completed in one year, and includes three, four-day residencies to develop intensive leadership training.
The cohort program they institute groups together incoming students who then work together towards degree completion through the entire program. This has been an effective way for online programs to simulate the kind of interpersonal skill development typically associated with a physical classroom setting.
Following Ken Blanchard’s leadership principles, the program is divided into three modules:
- Leading Self
- Leading Others
- Leading Organizations
This program requires at least five years of previous leadership experience before entering this executive degree program, and that can come from any industry, not just business.