Let your passion for personal and professional change fuel your MBA.

If you are wondering how you will apply the knowledge gained in this program to your current role or future career, wonder no more! In our online MBA program, we designed a series of student-centered assignments that provide meaningful and consistent opportunities to apply course concepts to a specific area of interest.

To begin the Cardinal Choice Assignment, you will first select a focal area: Career, Industry, or Issue. This is based on whether you want to focus on enhancing knowledge for a current role, future career advancement, change and innovation in a specific industry, or a broader fundamental issue you want to solve for your organization, the community or society at large.

The focus/track you choose will subsequently influence your learning path by:

Apply to our Online MBA program today and learn how you can set your degree apart from the rest!

Watch this video to learn even more about the Cardinal Choice Assignment!

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What will you gain in UofL's online MBA?

Develop Specialized Expertise

Prepare to stand out in today’s competitive business landscape with focused expertise, gained through an online graduate certificate or innovative electives. Graduate with your MBA and a business certificate, earned at no extra time or cost.

• Business Certificate Opportunities

  Complete a certificate in a focused business area or mix-and-match courses from certificate areas to fit your business interests.

  • Distilled Spirits Business – enhance your broad-based knowledge needed to manage business operations in the distilled spirits industry, including finance, operations, branding, and more.
  • Family Business Management & Advising – Gain the essential education needed to effectively navigate the unique nuances, opportunities, and challenges of family businesses—as well as support success and continuity.
  • Franchise Management – learn critical insights and practical knowledge needed to acquire, run, and grow a franchise business.
  • Horse Racing Industry Business – develop broad-based knowledge in the industry areas of crisis management planning, business ethics, sports and wagering analytics, leadership strategy, regulations, and industry nuances.
  • Managerial Analytics – gain knowledge and skills in rapidly-developing and in-demand areas including business analytics, artificial intelligence, blockchain, spreadsheet modeling, storytelling through data, and more—all with a business management focus.

  NOTE: Certificate courses without prerequisites may be taken individually as part of the 9 required elective hours.

• Innovative Electives

  Innovative Electives

  Complete your 9 elective hours by choosing from a selection of courses across various key business areas. Electives are offered in the Spring semester.

  • Other electives are available on-campus across various disciplines. Online students are welcome to take seated electives, if desired.
  • One-day on-campus professional development (PD) courses are available in inclusive leadership, crisis management, negotiation, and business etiquette. Complete three PD courses and earn 1.5 credit hours of electives.

Expand Your Mindset

10-Day Business Study Trip (Optional)

Experience business firsthand during an optional 10-day study trip, included in the cost of the program.* During this hands-on learning experience, you will gain exposure to a variety of companies, industries, and business cultures through a mix of business visits, and immersion activities. You will also have the opportunity to expand your network by traveling with fellow UofL MBA students from the online, professional, full-time, and innovation programs, as well as College of Business faculty members. Trips occur in May, and could include both international and domestic options such as a San Francisco, New York City, Boston, and more. Examples of past international options include but are not limited to Argentina, Chile, China, Croatia, India, Romania, South Africa, and Taiwan. Note: Alternate non-travel course section must be taken if study trip is not undertaken.

* MBA program charge includes the cost of the trip minus airfare, most dinners, and personal incidentals. No refunds or discounts are applied if the student selects not to travel.

Advance Your Career

UofL’s online MBA prepares you with the proven business knowledge needed to seek new positions and opportunities across a variety of industries, increase your earning potential, broaden your understanding of leadership best practices, and take your career in business to the next level.

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Steps to Apply

1. Complete online application
2. Submit $65 non-refundable application fee
3. Submit official transcripts from all colleges attended
4. Submit GMAT waiver—currently available to all applicants
5. Check for scholarships

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Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution*
• Minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale)
• 2 Letters of recommendation
• Professional resume
• Personal statement

If transcripts cannot be sent electronically (preferred) please mail to:
College of Business, MBA Office
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY 40292
mba@louisville.edu

Complete application packet and waiver requests will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Candidates will be notified with a decision within 3-5 business days.

*See the Graduate School Transfer of Credit Policy for more information.

International Applicants – Additional Requirements

• WES or ECE formal transcript evaluation – if you studied outside of the United States, you are required to submit your academic records for a formal evaluation (visit www.wes.org or www.ece.org for more information)
• TOEFL scores – score of 79 and higher on the internet-based test required; scores must be 2 years old or less at the time of application

For more information on the admission and application process, please contact contact our Online Learning Enrollment Counselors at 800.871.8635 or online@louisville.edu.

The online MBA is a 45 credit hour program that requires 36 credit hours in core courses and 9 credit hours in electives. You can use your electives to earn a certificate in a specialized business area or select from a variety of innovative courses available across various disciplines.

Delphi Certified Courses:

1. Delphi Certified courses align with design practices that are based on the national Quality Matters standards. When you take a Delphi Certified course, you can expect to see a logical user interface, clear instructions for expected tasks, and opportunities for you to communicate with your peers and instructor as the course progresses. All core online MBA courses (not including electives) have earned the Delphi Certified designation.
2. Delphi Certified courses have been internally reviewed for alignment with national Quality Matters standards. All core online MBA courses (not including electives) have earned the Delphi Certified designation.

MBA Statistics Prework Module – Required for all admitted students

All admitted online MBA students will complete an asynchronous 5-week Statistics Prework Module (non-credit, no cost) that is designed to ensure you're up-to-speed on statistical foundations, and prepare you for success in the program. This module will be offered prior to the start of your first online MBA course.

Online Certificate Options

• Franchise Management
• Distilled Spirits Business
• Managerial Analytics
• Horse Racing Industry Business
• Family Business Management & Advising

NOTE: Certificate courses without pre-requisities may be taken individually as part of the 9 required elective hours.

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Sample Elective Course Descriptions

Elective courses offered are subject to change and vary based on semester. Elective courses are offered in the Spring semesters, taken 2 at a time and are 1.5 credit hours a piece.

Managing in the Future
2035: Managing in a Post Pandemic World. Imagine living in a time when the very foundations of the world are being upended by one single event, COVID-19. An event so powerful that it has literally touched every single human on the planet. How does one prepare to manage and lead in this new world? What would you read? What new skills would you need to learn and what beliefs would should leave behind? Whom will trust when there is so much uncertainty about the future, and the efficacy of sources of information? What questions will you ask when the world of “Black Mirror, Black Lives Matter, Black Swans, Machine Learning, AI Nationalism, CRISPR, Climate Change, Aging, & Social Media all converge? This course is designed for the curious mind; to help you your way into a new way of seeing the future. You will be challenged to reach beyond your comfort zone in a journey to discover new emerging broad social, political, economic, technological, and environmental trends and events that will impact your effectiveness as a manager in a post pandemic world.

Supply Chain Management
This course will focus on various supply chain strategies including push versus pull strategies, efficiency versus flexibility strategies, and outsourcing versus insourcing. Execution of these strategies will be studied through case analysis and readings. The course will also focus on key supply chain performance metrics.

Transitions: Military to Civilian
C4 Leadership is The Military Transition to C-Suite; Command, Control, Communications and Culture. The MBA680 is Comparison in Military Acumen and Corporate Business Acumen for those students transitioning from the Military looking for a competitive edge in the Corporate Business Environment. A career in the Military is like no other and moving into the Business World could be a Culture Shock. Transition from the Military Leadership and Culture is multifactorial challenge and best approached as a process. Students will be introduced to an overview of the different Corporate Business Models, Corporate Strategies, Corporate Leadership Models, and Organizational Culture models within today's Business Climate. Students also will learn about navigating the business structure and evaluating the differences between Military Leadership, Culture, Strategy and Business Leadership, through Interviews and Case Studies of Various Business Disciplines. The course challenges the students to apply practical experience in recognizing what information is important, sifting it for relevance, and employing the knowledge for the competitive benefit in the Business Community.

Advanced Business Analytics
The volume of data generated every day continues to grow exponentially. Being able to mine the available data for information is now a fundamental skill sought by organizations. This course challenges and teaches students how to use powerful statistical tools (e.g. SAS and SPSS) to handle data that come in a variety of forms and sizes in more complex, less structured business situations. Students will participate in extensive hands-on work solving realistic business problems. This course may guide students with handling advanced regression analysis that deals with real-life models and interaction variables, time series analysis, and topics such as path modeling. After taking this course, students should: (1) Approach business problems data-analytically; (2) Think systematically whether and how data can help make better-informed decisions; (3) Be able to interact competently with business analytical tools; and (4) Have a hands-on experience mining data. A review of necessary statistical concepts will be provided as needed.

Advanced Brand Management
This course will cover the principles and practices of developing, managing a sustaining brand value. Course material will cover internal and external brand management initiatives including revitalizing, repositioning and extending brands. Case studies will be utilized to illustrate practical applications of the course topics.

Advanced Leadership
This course examines different models of leadership and provides practical advice and guidance, with particular emphasis placed on organizational culture, structure, diversity, communication, and stakeholder management. The goal of this course is to increase your capacity to effect organizational change and motivate others.

Artificial Intelligence
This course focuses on analytical databases. Analytical databases are databases designed and used for decision support/business intelligence and analytical purposes. The course will provide an overview of business intelligence, including architecture, tools, and methodologies. The course provides a heavy hands-on exposure to topics such as data warehouse design, implementation, and use.

Blockchain
The purpose of this course is to explore Blockchain concepts and how to apply them in a wide range of real business scenarios and explore unique, challenge-based business scenarios using design-thinking methodology.

Business in Eastern Europe
The course aims to explain phenomenon of business in Eastern Europe through economic, cultural, historical, and other perspectives. It will introduce concepts, approaches, strategies, and tactics employed by international and local companies working in this region. Both successful and those who failed. The course consists of lectures, discussions, case studies, individual and group work. Extra materials include market potential and other valuable data.

Design Thinking
Design thinking is a flexible framework or system for applying the discipline of Human-Centered Design - applying empathy to create opportunities or solutions that resolve consumer problems. A Design Thinking approach establishes a methodology and a unifying language for how organizational disciplines interact and collaborate applying creativity, leading to better and faster solutions (innovation).

Equine Race & Sports Analytics
A broad overview of the concepts and methods used in sports analytics as well as how to apply them. Key topics include but are not limited to betting systems for horse racing and other sports, data sources, data analytics tools, productivity measurement, and athlete compensation.

Healthcare Strategy
This course is to build upon your existing courses and frameworks to provide the tools necessary for crafting successful strategies for firms operating in the U.S. health sector. As a participant, you will be introduced to the key strategic problems facing the complete set of healthcare organizations and to develop strategic frameworks that can be applied in a variety of settings. This course will explicitly cover recent healthcare changes, including COVID-19 and how those can represent both opportunities and threats for participants in a variety of markets.

Introduction to Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity tools and solutions examines the attack trends in the current landscape for criminals. The course will demonstrate various tools to understand the criticality of risk these trends pose. Students will learn why technology solutions are picked to operate as a business in today's market.

Core Course Descriptions

• Is the business trip required?

  No, although the trip does count as a core and the trip is all-inclusive, outside of incidentals and airfare, so we highly encourage you attend if able. Alternate non-travel course section must be taken if the optional study trip is not undertaken. MBA program charge includes the cost of the trip minus airfare, most dinners, and personal incidentals. No refunds or discounts are applied if the student selects not to travel.

• Am I required to visit campus at any point?

  No, you are not required to visit campus. You are welcome to visit at any time to meet with faculty, admissions team, career services, etc., and to participate in the university-wide commencement ceremony.

• Is there a part-time option?

  No. Our program is cohort based which means you will complete 9 credit hours per semester over 5 semesters. However, the courses themselves are accelerated, so you only ever take 1 course at a time, completing 3 – 4 courses in a semester. We have found that students appreciate the structure of the program (no worries over which class to take and when) and find that the structure helps them stay on course to graduate. Additionally, we manage your enrollment therefore lessening any undue stress of registration concerns.

• Is there an active duty tuition rate?

  Yes, bundled tuition for active-duty service members is $22,500 for all 45 credit hours ($500 per credit hour). GMAT waivers are also available as well as up to 6 credit hours of transfer credit from an AACSB or ACE accredited program.

• Are there scholarship opportunities available?

  Yes! Click here to view the current list of graduate scholarships offered through our College of Business. Please note that scholarships are limited, therefore we encourage you to contact the MBA and Graduate Programs office at 502-852-6440 to discuss your situation.

• What if I need to take a semester off (or am active duty and have to leave on orders)?

  This is not an issue, although we ask that you contact the MBA and Graduate Office and inform them of your situation. As with our on-campus programs, you would rejoin the next cohort and pick up where you left off.

• Is the GMAT required?

  The GMAT is an excellent tool to help you refresh the math concepts you need in any MBA program, therefore, we certainly encourage you to prepare and take it. We do however waive this requirement based on certain criteria (learn more). If you decide to submit the waiver request form, it will be reviewed with your entire packet and you will be notified. In some cases where the GMAT is waived, you may be instructed to www.mbamath.com prior to the program start date.

  Please keep in mind, the UofL MBA program is quantitative, classes are 5-week long, and we want you to be successful; the GMAT is a great preparatory tool for the math required.

  Should you have any concerns regarding the GMAT, we encourage you to contact the MBA and Graduate Admissions Office at 502-852-6440. Note: we will also accept GRE scores.

• I don’t meet any of the conditions for the GMAT waiver, can I still apply for a waiver?

  Yes. The committee will review your waiver request and notify you of the decision.

• What is the process for applying for the GMAT waiver?

  Complete the form as soon as possible at https://business.louisville.edu/graduate-programs-gmat-waiver-request/. Your request will be reviewed along with your completed application packet and you will be notified of the decision.

  Please note: you can gain provisional admission to the program pending GMAT/GRE scores, so it’s encouraged you begin and complete your application outside of those scores as soon as possible.

• How much time should I dedicate to each course per week?

  For each 3 credit hour course, you should plan for around 15-25 hours per week. However, this will vary from individual to individual. For example, if you are knowledgeable and/or have had exposure to the subject matter, it may take less time. This may seem time-intensive, but the online MBA is designed so that you take only 1 course every 5 weeks, deliberately allowing you to hyper-focus on the subject matter of the particular course. Further, all the courses are delivered asynchronously, meaning there are never specific class meeting times. The flexibility of this online structure allows you to work around your schedule and priorities each week to complete assignments, etc., by the deadline.

• Are there any career services available for MBA students?

  Yes! Our College of Business offers career services for life. To learn more, visit our Career Services page.

UofL Online MBA Class Profile: Fall 2021 Cohort

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