Carlow University Online MBA, Executive MBA & Dual MBA-MSN

• Dual MSN-MBA
• Dual MSW-MBA
• Executive MBA
• MBA - Fraud and Forensics
• MBA - Healthcare Management
• MBA - Human Resources Management
• MBA - Leadership and Management
• MBA - Project Management

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By Sara Navratil Reviewed By Jocelyn Blore

Updated January 15, 2024

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For the 2023-2024 academic year, we have 118 schools in our BSchools.org database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.

Carlow University offers several online master of business administration (MBA) degree pathways to meet the needs of varying business professionals. The traditional online MBA program offers a choice of five specializations, including project management, fraud and forensics, healthcare management, human resource management, and leadership and management.

Students choose one of these specializations and can complete the degree in 15 to 24 months. Start dates land in January, May, and August.

Those interested in a dual MBA have two choices. A master of science in nursing pathway (MSN-MBA) earns graduates an MSN in education and leadership along with an MBA. A master of social work pathway (MSW-MBA) earns graduates an MSW in direct practice or macro practice, plus an MBA. The direct care specialization prepares social workers to treat individuals and families in trauma-focused care. The macro practice specialization prepares graduates to serve populations in the areas of advocacy and social justice, affecting change organizationally and publicly.

Notably, there are two entry points for the online MSW-MBA: one for those who already hold a bachelor of science in social work (advanced standing) and one for those who have some other type of bachelor’s degree. The dual degrees include clinical sessions or residencies local to the student.

Finally, Carlow University offers an executive MBA (E-MBA) to business professionals with at least five years of full-time business-related work experience. This accelerated program is completed in just 40 weeks and offers entry points in October and January as a cohort.

The MBA programs are accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE). Additionally, the MSN program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the MSW program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

Carlow University is a Catholic university, seeking to follow the tenets of the Sisters of Mercy. The core value of mercy flows through interactions with students and faculty as well as throughout the curricula for the programs. The business program curricula have ethics interwoven throughout, leading to graduates who value leadership with justice and mercy. The MSN and MSW programs also seek to prepare compassionate, ethical, responsible leaders who serve others with mercy, practicality, reflection, and understanding.

Carlow University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

What to Expect from Carlow University Online MBA Programs

Admission Requirements: All applicants should have a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher to apply. No GRE or GMAT is required. Interested professionals must have at least two to three years of work experience for the MBA and dual MBA degree pathways. The E-MBA requires at least five years of professional business-related work experience.

Application materials include official transcripts, a personal essay, a current resume or CV, two letters of recommendation, and a bachelor’s degree. Applicants to the MSW-MBA program may hold a bachelor of science in social work or an unrelated bachelor’s degree. This will affect the number of credits required.

Study Plan: The online Carlow MBA with five specializations can be completed in 15 to 24 months. Students have varying completion options which add to the flexibility of the program. The dual MSN-MBA degree can be completed in 24 months, while the dual MSW-MBA degree can be completed in about three years (depending on the point of entry). Start dates for these programs land in January, May, and August each year.

The executive MBA is an accelerated program designed to be completed in 40 weeks. Students who need more time can apply to the traditional MBA instead. This is a cohort model beginning in October and January each year.

Courses for all programs are 100 percent online and typically last eight weeks, with local clinical sessions for MSN and MSW students.

Carlow Online MBA Curriculum: The traditional Carlow online MBA with five specializations comprises 36 credits. Core courses may include business writing; advances in IT management; strategic analysis; decision-making; management organization and change; marketing management; business analytics; economics; and financial analysis and planning.

• Project Management Specialty Courses: Project management I – introduction; project management II – agile; project management III capstone
• Fraud and Forensics Specialty Courses: White-collar crime; fraud prevention and ethics; legal elements of fraud
• Healthcare Management Specialty Courses: Three of the following: healthcare project management; leadership styles; healthcare ethics and policy; fiscal management
• Human Resources Management Specialty Courses: Strategic human resources management; employment law; capstone experience – human resource management
• Leadership and Management Specialty Courses: Three specialty courses listed from any of the specializations above, also including the course healthcare innovation and quality

Dual MSN-MBA Curriculum: The dual MSN-MBA program comprises 60 credits including all courses for the completion of the MSN in education and leadership plus the 18 credits of MBA courses (some courses overlap between the MSN and MBA).

Courses for the MSN portion may include organizational leadership; health promotion in families and communities; key concepts in pathophysiology, pharmacology, and physical assessment for nurse educators and leaders; ethical and legal healthcare issues; quality and data analytics; evidence-based quality improvement (EBQI) and intervention research; foundations: nurse as educator; evaluation and measurement and healthcare; education internship capstone; and nursing leadership internship capstone.

Dual MSW-MBA Curriculum: The dual MSW-MBA program comprises 72 credits for those with advanced standing who hold a BSW and 87 credits for the traditional MSW pathway. Core courses for both the direct practice and macro practice specializations for advanced standing students may include multi-dimensional assessment and methods; mental health: the art of diagnosis; applied research program evaluation; strength-based leadership; complex trauma; MSW field placement II-III; MSW field seminar II-III; advanced practice colloquium (direct or macro); and MSW colloquium: ethics.

Traditional pathway students also take foundations of generalist practice; social welfare and public policy; human behavior in the social environment; cultural awareness; communities, organizations, and groups: theory and praxis; generalist field placement; and generalist field seminar.

Direct practice students also take the courses complex trauma and treatment approaches in direct practice. Macro practice students also take the courses advocacy for social justice and grant writing and organizational management.

Executive MBA Curriculum: The dual MSW-MBA program comprises 30 credits. Courses include business writing; advances in IT management; strategic analysis; decision-making; management organization and change; marketing management; business analytics; strategic HR management; financial analysis and planning; and project management II – agile.

Online Experience: Courses for the online MBA and dual degrees are delivered asynchronously through the CelticOnline Learning Management System (LMS). This web-based platform allows for course delivery and collaboration. Carlow University faculty value relationships with students and make it a priority to connect with their students individually to offer support and encouragement.

Students also have access to various student services including academic advising and coaching, individual and group tutoring, faculty office hours, 24/7 technical support, mental health services, and more.

On-Site Requirements: There are no on-site requirements for the MBA, E-MBA, MSN-MBA, or MSW-MBA degree programs. Clinicals are completed locally to the student for the MSN and MSW portions of the programs.

Paying for Carlow University Online MBA Programs

The online MBA, executive MBA, and dual degree program tuition numbers are listed in the tables below, and do not include fees. Interested students should contact the Carlow University graduate admissions department for cost clarifications and updates.

Carlow University graduate students may be eligible for unsubsidized federal Stafford Loans and Graduate PLUS loans by applying through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students are also encouraged to check with their employers about a tuition reimbursement program or discounts. Alternatively, students may seek outside funding opportunities such as organizational or community funding.

Sara Navratil

Writer

Sara Navratil is a freelance writer and a Certified Canfield Success Principles Trainer. She's the owner of Sara Liza Life, a company dedicated to helping people rewrite their lives. She enjoys researching and writing about entrepreneurial and general business topics, and providing detailed information on online MBA programs. When not working she likes to read, bake, and spend time with her family.