Kogod School of Business

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Online MBA

When is the next deadline?
Start Your Application
SPRING START
International Student Deadline

Oct 15, 2024
Closed
SPRING START
Round 3

Dec 1, 2024
EXTENDED DEADLINE for Domestic Applicants

At a Glance

Elevate your career with American University’s Kogod School of Business online MBA program. Our rigorous curriculum develops essential leadership skills, from decision-making to team management, for emerging professionals. Join our community of driven professionals and take the first step towards a brighter future today.

45 Credits
Online

Kogod's online MBA program provides critical business skills needed to excel in the interconnected global marketplace.

15 Months
Degree completed

No need to stress about sticking to a rigid 24-month course sequence! We offer flexibility with options to complete the program on a 12-month, 15-month, or 18-month track. 

Top ranked
Online MBA by QS

Kogod always prioritizes student outcomes—both during and after your program. QS ranked our online MBA #3 for classroom experience, #7 for employability, and #16 overall in North America.

Why an MBA at Kogod?

Learn to Lead in Modern Business

The online Master of Business Administration (MBA) program delivered by American University’s Kogod School of Business 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, DC, location by allowing students to create new connections within our nation’s capital during in-person immersions.

A Curriculum at the Intersection of Business and Policy

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.

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, DC. Students collaborate with peers in group projects, network with DC professionals and faculty, and explore the nation’s capital. Immersions are also hosted at the Airlie Conference Center in Warrenton, VA where American University has been certified by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to provide instruction, and in international cities such as Beijing, Madrid, and Brussels, which provide students with new perspectives on how different cultures conduct business.  

 

 

Our Approach to Learning

Practice Makes Perfect

Throughout the online program, students will have the opportunity to gain real-life experience working for a DC-based company that aligns with their career goals. Working virtually as pro-bono consultants, students develop close relationships with local companies to help them grow and adapt to changing markets—all while building key skills that will give them a leg up in the job market.

This past spring and summer, groups of students worked alongside six growing small businesses in the DC area through the Kogod in Practice initiative to help these companies solve real business problems. Learn more about their experience in the initiative and how they produced results for their clients in our article here.

 

Uplifting Diverse Perspectives and Voices

Lasting success depends on the diverse connections we make. Kogod's Online MBA students bring a wide range of perspectives and experiences to the classroom. The Kogod School of Business is proud to encourage these viewpoints in an inclusive learning environment.

The Kogod School of Business offers students personalized support—giving them access to career resources, alumni events, and one-on-one mentorship from professors.

Online MBA diversity

The data in the graph above represents all students enrolled in the program between 2017-2021. The circle graph shows the percentage breakdown of race: 41% White/Caucasian, 33% Black or African American, 11% Hispanic, 8% Asian, 5% Two or More Races, 2% Unknown, 0.2% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and 0.1% American Indian or Alaska Native.

 

Focus Areas

Students can choose from seven 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.

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.

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.

Entrepreneurship

Students in this focus area develop the entrepreneurial mindset needed to lead businesses of all sizes that create meaningful change in the world. Exploring course topics such as innovation, social entrepreneurship, and startup operations, students gain access to Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship resources—and have the opportunity to prepare new venture ideas to apply to the AU Entrepreneurship Incubator.

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.

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.

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.

In-Person Immersions
Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Venture Capitalist?

Students in Kogod’s online MBA program headed to Nairobi, Kenya to experience the life of a high-stakes investor.

Read more

Class Profile

48%
Women
59%
US Minorities*
29
Average Age
37%
International Students
3.16
Average GPA

* Black = Black or African American; Hispanic = Hispanic/American or Latino; AIAN = American Indian or Alaska Native; NHPI = Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.

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Meet with Taylor, An Online MBA Graduate!

Taylor chose American University because of its diversity, tailored MBA program, and top 50 ranking. Being around like-minded individuals with the same goals was a driving force for her. After researching top-ranked MBA programs, she knew AU was the school for her. 

Careers & Outcomes

Our graduates have found professional success in a wide range of industries that span the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Six months after graduation, 94 percent of our students report they are either fully employed, in graduate school, or both.

Our alumni have found careers as:

Financial Manager

Financial managers are responsible for planning for the long-term financial health of public or private organizations. On a daily basis, they produce financial reports, direct investments, and develop financial management strategies.

  • The job outlook for financial managers is projected to grow 15 percent from 2019 to 2029.
  • The median annual salary for financial managers in 2020 was $134,180.

Human Resources Manager

HR managers plan, direct, and coordinate all of the administrative roles of an organization. This includes recruiting, interviewing, and hiring new staff as well as working with top-level executives on long-term hiring plans.

  • The job outlook for HR managers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2019 to 2029.
  • The median annual salary for HR managers in 2020 was $121,220.

Management Analyst

Management analysts advise companies on how to increase efficiency, reduce costs of operations, and increase their profits. They typically work for large consulting organizations or can also be employed in-house.

  • The job outlook for management analysts is projected to grow 11 percent from 2019 to 2029.
  • The median annual salary for management analysts in 2020 was $87,660.

Marketing Manager

Marketing managers lead strategies that increase interest in their organization’s products or services. This involves estimating demand, analyzing the existing market, and discovering new markets to generate sales.

  • The job outlook for marketing managers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2019 to 2029.
  • The median annual salary for marketing managers in 2020 was $133,460.

Operations Manager

Operations managers oversee general company operations, including developing policies, planning how materials and human resources are used, and leading the implementation and execution of projects.

  • The job outlook for operations managers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2019 to 2029.
  • The median annual salary for operations managers in 2020 was $103,650.

Recent employers include:

  • ABC News GMA
  • Accenture
  • Air National Guard
  • Amazon
  • American Airlines
  • AT&T
  • Boeing
  • Cigna
  • Citibank
  • Coca-Cola
  • Comcast
  • Conde Nast
  • Department of Defense
  • Deutsche Bank
  • Dewitt Properties
  • ESPN
  • ExxonMobil
  • Fidelity Investments
  • Ford Motor Company
  • Frito-Lay
  • GEICO
  • General Electric
  • H&R Block
  • Johnson & Johnson
  • JPMorgan Chase
  • Lockheed Martin
  • L’Oreal USA
  • Mars Inc.
  • Morgan Stanley
  • National Security Agency
  • National Weather Service
  • NBCUniversal
  • Nestle
  • Pfizer
  • SONY
  • The Walt Disney Company
  • Time Inc.
  • United States Military
  • Warner Bros.
  • Wells Fargo
  • Williams-Sonoma Inc.

Recent MBA News

November 7, 2024
Kogod School of Business Named Fifth in the US and 12th in the World in Corporate Knights’ Better World MBA Rankings

These top rankings reflect Kogod’s mission to build a more sustainable world through business.

September 12, 2024
The Business of Government, and Why DC is the Place for Strategic Changemakers

Kogod School of Business alumni bring innovative business insights to the heart of Washington, DC,...

August 22, 2024
Building Sustainable Relationships Through Finance

How Kogod School of Business student Nekesa Schutte is shaping the future of wealth management...

August 8, 2024
Banking on Transferrable Skills

Kogod School of Business MBA student Kael Lopes combines his previous experience with his open mind...

July 31, 2024
Passion Meets Purpose for Three Kogod Alums

Three Kogod alums share stories of career transformation—and prove that where you start your career...

October 16, 2023
Kogod Alum Credits Incubator Program with Career’s Beginnings

Metaintro cofounder Lacey Kaelani discusses how the Kogod School of Business prepared her for a...

Upcoming MBA Events

Dec
6
How to Build a Graduate School Application Webinar

Applying to graduate school can be confusing. Let us help! Join our Kogod Graduate Admissions team for an informational overview covering application deadlines, requirements, and timelines. This will be a live session and attendees are welcome to ask questions during the program. Register Now

11 a.m. to Noon ET

4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20016

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