This graduate degree is intended for both early-career individuals as well as working professionals who aspire to develop business knowledge and skills for their career growth and success. MBA students bring a diversity of academic and professional experiences, making the classroom a dynamic environment for the exchange of perspectives and ideas. The program is offered both an online and in-person format. The in-person format is available at the Flagstaff campus and in addition to the benefits of an MBA degree, it also offers excellent opportunities, such as credits earned towards the 150-unit CPA licensing requirements. Students who want to pursue other concentration areas, such as Applied Management, acquire communication and leadership skills and have the opportunity to participate in an experiential course where they consult for real clients.
The W.A. Franke College of Business at NAU partners with organizations to offer the custom concentration under our Organizational Partnerships – Online Campus.
Earn your degree alongside your colleagues, right in your own community!
This program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
If you are interested in a career in business, including public accounting, consulting, retail, insurance, general business management, etc., our MBA program may fit your needs. For our early career students it offers excellent opportunities to strengthen your knowledge of business functions while improving leadership, communication and team skills. As you build your portfolio and your resume, you will be given the opportunity to participate in career fairs, networking events, mock interviews, and executive job shadows. Graduates from our program work for top-level firms including Intel, KPMG, Raytheon, Grant Thornton, and Vanguard.
For the working professionals, our online delivery mode offers flexibility and serves your need of balancing work and family responsibility with still keeping an eye on your career and professional growth. Because our online MBA offers a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning, this delivery mode can be used to adapt to your complex schedules.
Our faculty are approachable and interested in your personal development and education. If you have core business knowledge obtained at the undergraduate level, you can complete our MBA in ten months. If you did not study business as an undergraduate, you can complete our program in 18 months or less.
Our accelerated format allows in-person students to finish more quickly compared to many other MBA programs. You begin earning sooner, and limit the out-of-pocket and opportunity cost of your education. If you are a resident of one of 14 western states you will pay in-state tuition. Scholarships, tuition waivers and graduate assistantships are also available. Please visit our website for details.
To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units.
You must additionally complete:
Read the full policy here.
In addition to University Requirements:
| Minimum Units for Completion | 30 |
| Highest Mathematics Required | MAT 119 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required. |
| Additional Fees/Program Fees | Required |
| Progression Plan Link | View Program of Study |
| Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan | Optional |
Purpose Statement
The Northern Arizona University Masters in Business Administration (MBA) program prepares students with the necessary management, consulting, and leadership skills required for a successful career in the global business environment.
Experienced and dedicated faculty and teaching professionals create an invigorating, experiential, and personalized learning experience in a diverse learning environment through lectures, case studies, and partnerships with various organizations. Our graduates will gain deeper knowledge, experience, and understanding in the disciplines of accounting, finance, economics, management, marketing, strategy, and more. Experiential learning opportunities in conjunction with practical classroom instruction will provide each MBA student with the confidence and integrative business skills necessary to successfully manage and lead organizations in today’s dynamic global business environment.
As a result, our MBA program graduates have several ways to advance their careers. Our graduates gain knowledge and understanding that each organization is unique and is comprised of an integrated set of functional activities. This makes our MBA graduates attractive and competitive prospects for advancement into managerial and leadership positions within their current organizations. Furthermore, the skills and experiences acquired through the NAU MBA program will enable our graduates to pivot and change careers or launch a new career, whether here in the United States or abroad. For MBA graduates with a passion for entrepreneurialism, we will prepare them with the foundation of business skills required to successfully pursue their ambitions. Additionally, the NAU MBA experience offers our students extraordinary opportunities to network, build and maintain relationships with their student cohort, faculty, alumni, and very importantly, with industry, business, and community leaders. Through networking and relationship building, our graduates develop connections and professional relationships to support them in advancing their careers. Importantly, our tuition is extremely competitive, providing our graduates with a very attractive return on investment.
In the NAU full-time program, our students are immersed in an accelerated, 30-credit program which is completed in approximately 10 months. This program is offered at our beautiful and scenic campus in Flagstaff, AZ. The in-person program consists of core courses where students come together as a cohort, acquiring fundamental business knowledge and skills required to succeed in today’s highly competitive global business environment. Furthermore, students may select elective courses that align with their individual career aspirations. For example, our accounting concentration affords students the opportunity to earn credits toward the 150-unit CPA licensing requirement. Students who want to pursue other concentration areas, such as Applied Management, acquire both business analytics and leadership skills through consulting engagements with external clients.
Student Learning Outcomes
The MBA experience in the FCB prepares graduates for professional and managerial careers in business organizations. It also provides a foundation for continuing professional and further graduate education. Each MBA will be competent in the general areas of strategic integrative thinking, ethics and social responsibility, global and business environment awareness, professional self-management skills, and communication.
Strategic Integrative Thinking: MBAs should apply integrative frameworks reflecting appropriate functional knowledge to identify issues and problems, generate alternatives, and develop logical solutions for complex business situations. Solutions should be supported by relevant analysis and decision model selection.
Ethics and Social Responsibility: MBAs can demonstrate the ability to identify ethical dilemmas and be able to recognize and evaluate alternative courses of action.
Global and Business Environment Awareness: MBAs are able to apply a global perspective to the business environment and management issues facing enterprises engaged in international operations.
Professional Self-Management Skills: MBAs should display a professional demeanor through confidence, courtesy, appearance, and a proactive approach to work and career. They should build effective working relationships and pursue opportunities for self-improvement by developing networking and feedback resources.
Communication: MBAs can communicate effectively in written and oral formats for a variety of purposes, situations, and audiences. Additionally, students can communicate effectively as both individuals and as part of a group presentation.
The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Admission requirements include the following:
Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
Ready to apply? Begin your application now.
International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
This Master's degree requires 30 - 36 units distributed as follows:
Take the following 30 - 36 units
Core Coursework (21 - 27 units)
Students completing the program through the Organizational Partnership-Global Campus must also complete the following:
Custom Concentration (9 units)
This program is available as an Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan wherein a student may start a master's degree while simultaneously completing their bachelor's degree.
Students enrolled at the Flagstaff campus for both undergraduate and graduate programs are eligible to complete the Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and start a Master of Business Administration at NAU.
Students accepted into the Accelerated Program should complete the same requirements for the graduate degree as defined above.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.
Program fees are established by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR). A program fee has been approved for this program. See program fee details. Program fees are subject to change and updated July 1 for the next academic year.