Put a Renowned MBA on Your Résumé
In order to advance your career, you need to acquire the knowledge and
tools to look at your organization from a strategic perspective. An
AACSB-accredited MBA from a respected institution, such as Penn State,
can teach you the key business concepts from all facets of business to
make you more effective in your current job or even open new employment
opportunities for you.What Makes the Penn State Online MBA Program Different?
- Rich interaction and networking opportunities
- Diverse virtual teams
- Integrated curriculum
- High-quality customer service
- Unique residency experiences
- Taught by faculty experts
Rich Interaction and Networking Opportunities
The Penn State intercollege MBA program (iMBA) engages students and promotes rich interaction between faculty and students. Our program allows for in-depth discussions between team members and with faculty, with the use of web conferencing, online forums, and multimedia. Our students have said that they were pleasantly surprised to find that the level of interaction is even greater than what they might expect to find in a traditional bricks-and-mortar MBA program.Because of this rich interaction, as a student in the program, you would network with professionals from many different industries and geographic locations. These connections are further reinforced during the residencies where you would spend a week in close proximity to fellow students and faculty. We even have an iMBA Alumni Network website to ensure that graduates of the program can continue to network with the individuals in their cohort, or graduates of any cohort, from the more than ten years that Penn State has offered the program.
Diverse Virtual Teams
To mirror how most organizations function in an increasingly global business environment, Penn State’s online MBA uses virtual teams throughout the two-year program. Because teams are assembled so that members have diverse industry and personal perspectives, you can gain valuable insight from others' experiences. With a selective admissions process, you will work with high-caliber students from around the globe, offering networking opportunities with business and industry leaders alike.Integrated Curriculum
Incorporating cutting-edge business strategies and practical business knowledge, the Penn State iMBA curriculum integrates across all functional areas of business — linking management, marketing, finance, accounting, and operations. As a student in the program, you will focus on six business themes derived from the values and concepts found in all areas of high-performance organizations: strategic planning, process management, leadership, customer and market, human resources, and information analysis.High-Quality Customer Service
As an iMBA student, you will have access to an array of resources to support you throughout the program and beyond. Each term, we will order your books and course materials and have them delivered to you as well as complete your registration for all courses. While enrolled in the program, you can contact a program adviser with any questions you may have, or our career services if you are looking for career-planning advice and assistance. As a Penn State student you can even search the online catalog and review databases as if you were sitting at a terminal in any Penn State library.Unique Residency Experiences
Two of the defining components of the Penn State iMBA are the Term 3 and Term 8 residencies. In the Term 3 residency, you will study a prominent U.S. firm by spending a week on-site, analyzing their organizational structure and strategy. In the Term 8 residency, you will participate in a team business simulation held at Penn State University Park in State College, Pennsylvania. These residency experiences put you in consulting and decision-making roles, allowing you to use the skills and tools you have developed in the program to find solutions to real business problems. At the conclusion of the Term 8 residency, you will have the opportunity to walk at commencement with the other Penn State master’s and doctoral candidates.Faculty Experts
The faculty members who teach in the iMBA program are all full-time, Penn State graduate faculty. With more than a century of combined experience in industries from consulting to manufacturing, these respected individuals bring with them a wealth of theoretical knowledge and personal work experience. They have not only proven themselves successful in their industries and in teaching in a traditional classroom environment — they have been specifically trained to teach effectively online as well.Who Should Apply?
Penn State's online MBA degree is designed for professionals who have work experience in a wide variety of fields — business, engineering, health care, technology, and many others — and who seek to position themselves for growth in the global economic environment. The online MBA curriculum is well-suited for people with either business or nonbusiness undergraduate degrees.Career Opportunities for Graduates
Because the online MBA degree offered through Penn State integrates virtual teams and real-world skill sets to prepare you to be an executive-level decision maker in virtually any enterprise, you could be prepared for a number of positions, including:- chief executive officer
- chief financial officer
- chief operations officer
- executive vice president of finance
- vice president of operations
- director of integrated marketing
- IT director
- engagement director
- global controller
