A Guide To Online MBA Programs in Oklahoma

When John Steinbeck published The Grapes of Wrath in 1939, he delivered a realist picture of Dust Bowl-era Oklahoma, a place where the sun was severe, crops were scarce, and opportunity was even scarcer. Compounded by the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl calamity destroyed many farms and left hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans unemployed, prompting more than a million Oklahomans to relocate to California.

Steinbeck’s descriptions may endure in the minds of, say, high school English teachers, but contemporary life in the Sooner State is worlds away from his Nobel Prize-winning account. Oil and gas have long dominated its economy, with wind power recently contributing to the state’s energy boom as well. Agricultural manufacturing and bioscience research and development also bolster local economies throughout the state.

Oklahoma is also home to various business schools where aspiring graduate students seek the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. Many offer the same rigorous on-campus curricula through distance learning options that allow students to control their pace of study and learning environment. Online study also means they don’t have to relocate or commute to campus, netting significant savings in the process.

While these online MBA programs may differ in cost, application requirements, and specialization options, each provides students with the chance to acquire an in-depth view of the business world, branch out in new directions, and enhance their career opportunities. In this article covering online MBA programs in Oklahoma, we discuss:

• Which Oklahoma schools offer accredited online MBA programs?

Which Oklahoma schools offer accredited online MBA programs?

The 11 accredited online MBA programs in the Sooner State operate from large public universities, small liberal arts colleges, religious schools, and private research institutions. They offer a generalist approach as well as a wide selection of specializations in the field.

Cameron University

Lawton, OK

School of Graduate and Professional Studies

Cameron University’s business degree programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Cameron MBA students commence study with= core courses in applied business statistics and strategy, managerial finance, marketing, economics, and human and organizational administration. Subsequent electives range from portfolio management to training and development. The program is thesis-optional.

Students who pursue their online MBA here with an undergraduate degree in a non-business field must complete “leveling courses,” which provide an introduction to business administration, economics, and accounting and information systems, among other foundational concepts that lead to graduate-level study. Those who’ve completed a bachelor’s degree in business from a regionally accredited institution may receive a waiver for some or all these requirements.

Mid-America Christian University

Oklahoma City, OK

Adult School of Business Leadership

Online MBA programs at Mid-America Christian University expose students to authentic business practices and issues through case studies developed by faculty and regional business leaders, consistent interaction with active business professionals, and live course content featuring prominent business voices. The objective is to address the gap between academic and real-world business by focusing more on hands-on practice and less on theory.

In addition to a generalist MBA degree designed to teach students interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills, help them master the functional components of business, and deepen their appreciation for cultural, ethical, and responsible practices in a global industry, Mid-America offers online MBA programs that specialize in:

• Certified public accountant (CPA) accounting
• Healthcare administration
• Human resources
• International business
• Management accounting

Oklahoma Baptist University

Shawnee, OK

Graduate College

As its name suggests, Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) teaches its MBA from a Biblical perspective emphasizing ethics, integrity, and real-world experience. The school’s ACBSP-accredited program offers a transformational leadership specialization designed to accommodate working professionals looking to advance their business credentials without taking time away from their careers.

The program’s interdisciplinary curriculum covers 33 credit hours of systems theory, sociology, psychology, and cultural anthropology, as well as business fundamentals in the areas of economics, information technology, management, marketing, financial accountability, ethics, business law, and leadership. Full-time students can complete their degree in under two years; part-time students typically take longer.

Oklahoma Christian University

Oklahoma City, OK

Graduate School of Business

Since opening its doors in 1950, Oklahoma Christian University (OC) has grown to serve over 2,200 students of all faith backgrounds and traditions with the mission to transform lives for Christian faith, scholarship, and service. Today, the school maintains its distinct purpose through an array of undergraduate and graduate programs, including an online MBA that offers a generalist track as well as the following specializations:

• Accounting
• Educational leadership
• Finance
• Human resources
• Health services management
• International business
• Leadership and organizational development
• Marketing
• Project management

While anyone with an accredited bachelor’s degree can apply, those holding undergraduate degrees in a non-business field may need to complete prep MBA courses or “leveling work” to gain the foundational knowledge to master graduate-level business concepts.

Students with undergraduate degrees in business and no deficiencies in the program’s undergraduate requirements may enroll directly into OC’s online generalist MBA program, consisting of nine core business courses and three electives courses. Alternatively, they may specialize by taking the nine core business courses and three “track” courses. In all, the program requires 36-48 hours, depending on a student’s specialization and prior study of foundational courses.

Oklahoma City University

Oklahoma City, OK

Meinders School of Business

Oklahoma City University describes its mission as one that’s “committed to producing graduates who think critically and innovatively, communicate effectively, and use their knowledge and talents to make a local and global impact.” Today, the school’s student-focused online and on-campus learning environments engage more than 1,700 undergraduate students and 600 graduate students across

Online MBA programs at the school hold accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and operate within two specialized, part-time tracks: leadership and leadership in healthcare administration. Leadership MBA courses mix traditional business topics with a leadership emphasis through team-building, managerial decision-making, and organizational behavior. In the online leadership MBA in healthcare administration, students complete courses focused on healthcare practices while building their business management competencies. Both options consist of 36 credits and take as little as two years to complete.

Oklahoma State University Main Campus

Stillwater, OK

Spears School of Business

Of the extensive assortment of online master’s programs available at Oklahoma State University (OSU), the school’s online MBA program stands out for its #40 rank on U.S. News and World Report’s 2020 list of the best online MBA programs. The 33-credit-hour, part-time program offers a general MBA track as well as specialized study in:

• Business sustainability
• Data science and business analytics
• Energy business
• Entrepreneurship
• Finance and investment banking
• Human resources management
• Information assurance
• Marketing analytics
• Nonprofit management

The foundation of OSU’S online MBA takes shape through “super” and “functional” core courses that span organizational theory, business and corporate strategy, ethics, project management, and financial reporting, among other advanced topics. In addition to the core classes, students in specialized tracks complete prescribed supplemental courses to receive the concentration qualification. Generalist students, in contrast, take electives.

Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK

Chesapeake Energy School of Business

Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OKWU) is a four-year private Christian university of the liberal arts and sciences. The school refers to its campus community as “a place of serious study, honest questions, and critical engagement” and its mission as one that strives “to live out what it means to be a Christ-centered university.”

In addition to providing students a firm foundation of Christian values and ethics, OKWU’s online MBA delivers an advanced understanding of leadership strategies and business trends to develop executive and administrative professionals. Students can complete the 36-credit program in just under a year through an accelerated format that combines asynchronous coursework with weekly, live communication with their instructors and peers. As part of their program, students must complete six credit hours of related coursework in their chosen specialization, which include:

• Human resources management
• Finance
• Marketing
• Organizational leadership
• Nursing management

Oral Roberts University

Tulsa, OK

College of Business

Oral Roberts University (ORU) takes its name from its founder, evangelist Oral Roberts, who established the university in 1963. Today, the school promotes a “whole person education,” a concept geared to help students develop the “spirit, mind, and body to become the person God wants [them] to be.”

ORU’s commitment to educating the whole person is standard throughout its over 150 majors, minors, concentrations, and pre-professional programs, including its ACBSP-accredited online MBA in leadership. Operating with a synchronized cohort model, the 35.5-credit hour program highlights “Spirit-empowered” core courses in competitive business intelligence, global management concepts, and leadership as it applies to accounting and finance, marketing, economics, and organizational behavior. Students can complete their degree in as little as 24 months when enrolled full-time; part-time students will need longer.

Southeastern Oklahoma State University

Durant, OK

John Massey School of Business

Founded in 1909 as a two-year teacher’s college, Southeastern Oklahoma State University (SOSU) offers more than 70 degrees and programs that, as the school notes, help students “develop skills and habits that promote values for career preparation, responsible citizenship, and lifelong learning.”

Each of SOSU’S online accelerated MBA programs is AACSB-accredited, consists of 36 credit hours, letting students earn their degree in as few as 12 months. Core courses emphasize training in the fundamentals of finance, marketing, and strategic management. Students also take specialized online courses providing an in-depth business education in their chosen field, including:

• Accounting
• Aerospace logistics
• Data Analytics
• Entrepreneurship
• Finance
• Healthcare information systems
• Human resources
• Management
• Marketing
• Native American leadership
• Project management
• Safety
• Strategic communication
• Women in leadership

Designed for students with diverse undergraduate backgrounds, SOSU’S online MBA is suitable for business and non-business graduates. Students entering the MBA program with non-business undergraduate degrees may need to complete prerequisite coursework in economics, accounting, finance, data analytics, and other related topics. GMAT and GRE scores are not required.

University of Oklahoma – Norman

Norman, OK

Price College of Business

The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a public research university located just 20 minutes south of Oklahoma City. Home to over 170 academic programs and more than 575 endowed faculty members, it’s also the largest research institution in the state. Currently, the school offers on-campus full-time and professional MBA programs, and hybrid executive MBA programs that emphasize energy and aerospace and defense programs.
OU’s new online MBA option starts in January 2021 and, like the school’s professional MBA, is suited for professionals with ample work experience and skills in their industry. The 36-credit program follows a modular format, with each semester broken into two 8-week modules. Coursework spans core courses focused on the fundamental business knowledge and essential managerial competencies and electives to round out the experience. The program is also self-paced, allowing students to complete their degree in as little as two years to as much as five years.

University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK

Collins College of Business

The University of Tulsa (TU) is a private university and one of the Sooner State’s top research institutions. Since first holding classes in 1894, the school has grown to offer 67 undergraduate and 63 graduate programs, including a range of AACSB-accredited bachelor’s and specialized master’s programs in business-related fields.

TU offers a full-time and part-time on-campus MBA. In addition, the school has an online MBA that’s ideal for distance learners looking for accessible and flexible classes requiring zero on-campus time—and come graduation, entry into an alumni network filled with industry leaders in oil, gas, and healthcare. Students can enroll in the online MBA’s generalist track or tailor their studies to its optional energy specialization. Both options consist of 37 credits and feature 12 elective credits plus a 25-credit core curriculum covering topics like financial management, theories and principles of computer information systems, organizational behavior, international economics, corporate and business strategy, and business issues and ethics.

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