Online Dual-Degree MBA Programs
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An online master’s of business administration (MBA) program paired with a second degree requires a significant commitment of time and dedication. Even so, the skills and knowledge obtained from these programs can prepare graduates for leadership roles with higher salaries and greater opportunities. Luckily, there are many types of dual-degree MBA programs offered by universities online, which provide working professionals flexibility and the ability to complete the degrees in less time, often with a cost-saving component.
So what dual-degree MBA programs are offered online? Many dual-degree MBA programs are designed to prepare working professionals with the knowledge and expertise required to fill higher-level positions in specific industries, such as engineering, finance, healthcare, law, and legal services, among others. Some popular dual-degree MBA programs are paired with master of legal studies (MLS), master of jurisprudence (MJ), and master of science (MS) in various disciplines, including finance, health administration, nursing, or engineering.
Dual-degree MBA programs are typically divided into two sections to support skills required for positions in specialized fields. One section will consist of core MBA courses and electives to explore key business concepts and business management fundamentals. The second portion will consist of classes related to the second degree and may include the opportunity for students to prepare a capstone project or take an accreditation test for their specific field. Within dual-degree programs, universities will also often allow students to pursue a focus track or concentration as part of one or both of their degrees. However, application and graduation requirements and courses may vary widely from one school to another.
Innovative online dual-degree MBA programs, like those mentioned in the following profiles, may offer 100 percent online curricula, which provide tremendous flexibility advantages for students. This is possible because advances in recent instructional technology now offer an online educational experience equivalent to, and in many ways better than, instruction on campus, yet unconstrained by distance or time.
One of the single biggest advantages of pursuing an online dual-degree program is the money it can save students in the long run. Many colleges design dual-degree programs that can be completed in a shorter period than if the degrees were pursued separately, which can save students money. And even should online tuition rates be identical to those on campus, online programs can present more cost-effective alternatives to on-campus programs because of savings on costs like relocation, childcare, and transportation.
The following guide presents nine dual MBA programs, most of which are offered entirely online.
Featured Online Dual Degree MBA Programs
Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business offers two online dual degrees in conjunction with its master of business administration (MBA) program including:
- MBA/master of science (MS) – Industrial Engineering
- MBA/master of science (MSE) – Electrical Engineering
Each of the programs allows students to further specialize in whichever areas of electrical or industrial engineering are the most interesting to them. Both programs require 56 credits each and include a combination of courses from the MBA and respective MSE and MS programs. Each MBA portion of each dual degree requires a capstone course, while the MSE program requires a comprehensive test.
The curriculum of the MBA/MS in industrial engineering program includes courses such as advanced simulating stochastic systems; applied deterministic operations research; design engineering experiments; operations and supply management; information systems engineering; and reliability engineering, among others.
Courses in the MBA/MSE program include advanced silicon processing; artificial neural computation systems; digital systems and circuits; ethical issues for managers; managerial accounting; nuclear reactor theory and design; and fast computing electromagnetics.
| Location: Tempe, Arizona |
| Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC) |
| Format: Online |
| Expected Time to Completion: Three years |
Johns Hopkins University offers a 65-credit online master of business administration (MBA) and a master of science in nursing (MSN) in healthcare organizational leadership. While most of the coursework for this dual-degree program is online, some MBA courses may require a residency component. This dual degree can be completed in 65 credits with 504 total clinical hours.
The program can last from three to six years, depending on students’ full or part-time status. Students must hold a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree from an accredited college or university and a current nursing license to apply.
The MSN healthcare organizational leadership track coursework and practica can be tailored to focus on management and administration, information technology, health policy, or case and population management.
Students may be awarded scholarships and grants based on financial need and merit. Loans and part-time employment on campus may also be used to help pay education expenses. Many of these positions are funded through the Federal Work-Study Program.
| Location: Baltimore, Maryland |
| Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) |
| Format: Online, with some on-campus immersions |
| Expected Time to Completion: Three to six years |
The Widener University School of Business offers its master of business administration (MBA) as part of an online dual degree with a master of jurisprudence (MJ) in corporate and business law in cooperation with the Widener University Delaware Law Graduate and Compliance Programs.
The dual MJ/MBA degree reduces the total credits required from 62 to 48, allowing the degree to be earned in two-and-a-half years. The curriculum includes courses such as leading organizations and people; introduction to law; information systems and data analytics; compliance programs: a legal & practical skills approach; risk management & auditing; ethics and compliance fundamentals & the profession; strategic financial management; and corporate deviance.
Students pursuing the MJ/MBA dual degree do not need a GMAT to apply, though they are expected to maintain sufficient academic progress in their MJ studies. A bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 grade point average is required. The dual program begins in fall, spring, or summer.
| Location: Chester, Pennsylvania |
| Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE); Compliance Certification Board (CCB); Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) |
| Format: Online |
| Expected Time to Completion: Two-and-a-half years |
The Colangelo College of Business (CCOB) at Grand Canyon University (GCU) has blended its MBA and master of science in leadership (MSL) programs into an online dual master’s degree program that allows students to accelerate their learning. Both degrees that naturally complement each other prepare students to pursue positions in business leadership and shape the future of business management.
During the coursework for this MS/MBA dual degree program, students will examine different leadership styles and gain confidence in their own leadership skills. The practical and ethical leadership skills they will acquire are immediately applicable to their current career. Skills they will develop in this program include ethical problem-solving, critical thinking and analysis, and data interpretation.
The 66-credit curriculum includes courses such as an introduction to graduate studies in the college of business; operations management; strategic management; servant leadership; leadership and innovation; coaching, mentoring, and leadership development; organizational development and change; and global leadership.
Grand Canyon University also offers an MSN-MBA dual degree in a hybrid format. Most courses in this nursing MBA program are online so students can finish their coursework when it’s right for them. Clinical, practicum, and immersion hours are completed locally. The dual MBA/MSN program comprises 74 credits and includes courses such as strategic management; operations management; translational research and population health management; organizational leadership and informatics; and introduction to advanced registered nursing.
| Location: Phoenix, Arizona |
| Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP); Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) |
| Format: Online |
| Expected Time to Completion: Three years |
Carlow University’s dual master of science in nursing in education and leadership and master of business administration (MSN/MBA) program uniquely provides students with the business acumen, advanced nursing management skills, and administrative expertise they need for creating organizational change while effectively advocating for their patients and colleagues. Designed for working nurses who wish to advance their careers in management and administrative roles, this dual degree requires 22 courses comprising 60 credits. Additionally, this dual program provides students with two nursing concentrations in education and leadership as well as the added value of core MBA courses.
The curriculum includes courses such as advances in IT management; strategic analysis; management organization & change; healthcare project management; organizational leadership; health promotion in families and communities; health policy and healthcare economics; ethical and legal healthcare issues; and quality and data analytics.
Applicants to the program must have a bachelor of science in nursing, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, official copies of all undergraduate and graduate college transcripts, a personal essay, a current resume, two recommendation letters, and an RN license.
| Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE); Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) |
| Format: Online |
| Expected Time to Completion: Three years |
At Benedictine University’s online Dual MSN/MBA program students must be accepted into both degree programs. They will first complete the MSN degree, nurse executive leader concentration, and then begin the courses for the MBA degree. Upon completion, they will earn two diplomas. The program requires just 23 courses, as opposed to the 26 courses that would be required if students would take each degree separately.
This 69-credit program includes courses such as health promotion and interprofessional collaboration; ethical and culturally competent healthcare professional; evidence-based nursing practice: research and process improvement; healthcare policy and advocacy; quality improvement & safety in healthcare systems; building effective communication and relationships; professionalism and executive career development; operations management; and global strategic management.
Benedictine also has a dual online MBA/MPH program that aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become leaders in public health. This 64-credit program includes courses such as health behavior theory; introduction to public health; introduction to biostatistics; introduction to epidemiology & research methods; research methods in public health; project management; and global strategic management.
| Location: Lisle, Illinois |
| Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) |
| Format: Online |
| Expected Time to Completion: MBA/MPH (three-and-a-half years); MSN/MBA (four years) |
The Pennsylvania Western University designed its online dual master of science in nursing (MSN) and master of business administration (MBA) degree to prepare working nurse professionals for business leadership in medical settings. The MBA portion of this dual-degree program provides nurse leaders with business knowledge to support a wide range of positions, such as chief nurse officer or healthcare administrator, and to prepare those in healthcare-related entrepreneurial ventures.
This MSN/MBA dual-degree program is 100 percent online and can be completed in two and a half years or less. Among MSN courses in the dual-degree program, the nursing administration role practicum requires students to spend 150 hours with a preceptor and under the guidance of faculty to work on a capstone project. Notably, MSN alumni can complete an MBA with only 24 additional credits.
Students are also prepared to take certification exams from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE). No GMAT scores are required to apply. Applicants must have an unencumbered RN license.
| Location: California, Clarion, and Edinboro, Pennsylvania |
| Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE); Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP); Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) |
| Format: Online |
| Expected Time to Completion: Two-and-a-half years |
Liberty University designed its online master of science in nursing (MSN) and master of business administration (MBA) dual degree to offer the full content of both the MS in nursing and the MBA for professionals who need to apply critical executive business practices to the healthcare field.
With the online MSN/MBA dual degree, students learn to balance medical costs, economic factors of healthcare, strategy-shaping regulations, and important ethical considerations to ensure high efficiency and effective use of medical resources.
The 60-credit MSN/MBA program is 100 percent online with no required on-campus intensives and no thesis requirement. Students may also transfer up to 50 percent of credits of the degree total for the dual-degree program, which is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
The curriculum includes courses such as health policy & ethics; nursing theory & advanced practice; managing population health; nursing issues, informatics & technology; financial & resource management for nurse leaders; strategic marketing management; managerial finance; organizational design & structure; and global economic environment.
| Location: Lynchburg, Virginia |
| Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) |
| Format: Online |
| Expected Time to Completion: Two-and-a-half years |
Trident University International offers a 64-credit-hour online master of business administration (MBA) and master of science in health administration (MHSA) dual-degree program. It is designed to develop leaders with the skills to handle the complexity of the healthcare ecosystem. Students who pursue the dual degree will attain the ability to apply foundational theories and principles of health administration practically, and will also be able to identify ethical dilemmas and legal issues within the context of healthcare administration and propose suitable resolutions and business plans upon completing the program.
Trident University is a 100 percent online university designed for adult learners, specifically those with military experience. For the dual MBA/MHSA program students must complete eight MBA required courses, seven MSHA required courses, and a course to complete their dual-degree capstone. No GMAT scores are required to apply.
| Location: Cypress, California |
| Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC) |
| Format: Online |
| Expected Time to Completion: Four years |
Professors to Know from Schools with Online Dual-Degree MBA Programs
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Stephen Friedman, JD Widener University
Stephen E. Friedman is the associate dean for academic affairs and professor of law at Widener University’s Delaware Law School. Prior to teaching, Friedman was an associate on the trial team of the Philadelphia law firm of Dechert, Price & Rhoads. He joined the Widener faculty in 1998 and teaches classes on contracts, sales and leases, arbitration, and secured transactions. He became the associate dean for academic affairs in 2014.
On the school’s faculty profile page, Friedman said that making a difference in his students’ lives and helping them succeed inspires him to teach. Friedman received a bachelor of arts (BA) summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Yale University and a JD degree cum laude from Harvard Law School. -
Nicole Mollenkopf, PharmD, MBA Johns Hopkins University
Dr. Nicole Mollenkopf is a course coordinator and lecturer at Johns Hopkins University for its master of science in nursing (MSN). She teaches courses on clinical pharmacology for the program. Mollenkopf’s practice specialties are medication-use safety and pediatrics. She served as a medication safety officer for pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins Hospital from 2006 to 2014, working closely with healthcare staff to improve medication safety in the children’s center.
She also served as the postgraduate year two medication-use safety residency director from 2011 to 2014. During her time there, she successfully led numerous interdisciplinary quality and safety projects that improved care for pediatric patients. Her primary research focus is the use of Lean Sigma methodologies as well as technology to improve the quality and safety of the medication-use process. Mollenkopf completed her doctorate of pharmacy degree at the Temple University School of Pharmacy and MBA in medical services management at the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business.
