What is an MBA Degree?

The broad, practical core curriculum you’ll find in the typical MBA program includes subjects like:

There can be many benefits to earning an MBA, including the potential to apply for higher-level jobs and prepare to pursue career advancement. Aside from adding a new credential to your resume that may catch the eyes of recruiters, you’ll also develop a well-rounded set of technical business and workplace skills, also known as soft skills, which enable you to understand many facets of the business world as well as how corporations function efficiently and effectively.

One appealing quality of an MBA degree that you may not find in a more occupation-specific business degree is the broader approach that it takes to education. MBA programs typically cover a variety of business-related subjects that can help you learn skills that are applicable across a wide range of industries and job types. This may help you prepare to pursue opportunities in related industries or fields.

Here at DeVry, you can pursue a full-time or part-time MBA. Earn your MBA in as little as 12 months on an accelerated schedule (assumes 9 credit hours of prior learning credit and 3 consecutive semesters at an average of 10 credit hours each) or follow a normal schedule and earn your degree in 2 years and 2 months (assumes 7 consecutive semesters at an average of 6 credit hours per semester). Keep in mind that the time it takes to earn your degree varies based on the specialization you choose, and these estimates do not apply to MBA programs completed with a degree specialization. See our Keller Academic Catalog for complete details.

Another way to more completely answer the question what is an MBA degree is to discuss who should pursue an MBA, and why. According to Indeed, common reasons for pursuing an MBA degree include:

At DeVry, MBA program applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution as well as meet grade-point average (GPA) standards or submit acceptable Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test scores. Other requirements may also apply. More specific information can be found on our Graduate Admissions page. 

Core courses in our MBA curriculum cover management theory in business and administrative areas like finance, economics, leadership, technology and marketing, such as:

The core curriculum of a general MBA provides education in a broad skillset intended to help you prepare to pursue job opportunities in nearly any industry. If you want to set your sights on a particular sector or advance within the field you’re currently working in, you can choose an MBA specialization. We offer 10 MBA degree specializations in business, accounting, finance, health and more that can be earned 100% online.

An MBA with a Specialization in Accounting can provide you with the opportunity to build a thorough background in the theory and application of managerial and financial accounting in a business setting. Our online MBA with a Specialization in Accounting can help you gain knowledge and skills in corporate and financial management, directing cross-disciplinary endeavors and integrating functions across the business enterprise and gain practical, corporate-level communication skills. 

Classes in our online MBA with a Specialization in Business Intelligence and Analytics Management are designed to help you effectively oversee and evaluate data using data analytics tools and develop your management expertise in the business analytics space. Coursework and insights from experienced professors are intended to help you prepare to pursue roles in data mining, business intelligence or managing big data. 

Alongside the core business administration skills of the typical MBA curriculum, our MBA with a Specialization in Entrepreneurship focuses on the lifecycle of the new business venture from the initial concept through planning, funding and execution. This program offers you the opportunity to gain insights into successful marketing and exit strategies for small businesses from experienced professors who understand the industry.

Our MBA with a Specialization in Finance is intended to help you sharpen practical managerial skills while gaining hands-on experience in topics like mergers and acquisitions, real estate finance and advanced financial statement analysis. This MBA specialization will also teach you to apply the analytical tools and technology applications used by financial analysts to examine and solve organizational and stakeholder needs. 

Courses in our MBA with a Specialization in Global Supply Chain Management offer the opportunity for you to discover the operations management processes used by high-performing organizations. Our classes are led by experienced faculty and cover a broad range of topics to help you gain a practical and thorough foundation emphasizing global relationships. 

Delving into many of the issues facing today’s healthcare economics and public policy, our MBA with a Specialization in Health Services teaches the fundamentals of insurance and risk management, as well as the evolution of health insurance. Experienced faculty present real-world examples that provide a well-rounded perspective on this dynamic industry. This online MBA program will also allow you to build your skillset by examining legal and ethical considerations in health insurance trends, finance and more.

Helping you to understand the essentials involved in the cultivation of an organization’s people and culture, our online MBA with a Specialization in Human Resources can help you build a strong HR skillset. This MBA specialization will immerse you in areas of HR management that include planning, staffing, developing and rewarding personnel, and help you develop essential presentation and corporate-level communication skills. 

Blending management theory with real-world application, our MBA with a Specialization in Information Systems Management allows you to expand your management and technical competencies in this rapidly-expanding information technology field. The curriculum explores topics like implementing and maintaining computer networks, upgrading information systems and deploying new technologies.

Focusing on building and developing sound marketing plans for today’s economy, our MBA with a Specialization in Marketing can help equip you with next-level business marketing knowledge and relevant skills sought after by employers. Coursework allows you to develop your business administration and management capabilities while focusing on marketing-specific topics such as market segmentation, sales management, search engine optimization, channel distribution and advertising.

High-level project management skills are critical in a modern business environment. Our MBA with a Specialization in Project Management combines the management theory practices of our MBA program with role-specific tools like corporate team building, business analysis competencies and professional communication that can be used in the management of complex and multi-faceted projects. Experienced faculty present the concepts that can prepare you to make a difference in this problem-solving role.

MBA graduates may be prepared to unlock opportunities to develop new skills, pursue senior-level management positions, switch career tracks or start their own businesses.

An MBA may be applied to a broad spectrum of careers in fields that include:

We think so! An MBA program can certainly be worth it if you're interested in pursuing a higher-level business career. An MBA degree may be able to help you pursue more advanced roles and even expand the range of jobs you can consider, depending on the position requirements. An MBA can also teach you leadership skills that may help prepare you for management roles or to pursue a promotion.

When to earn an MBA depends on you and your goals, but many students choose to earn an MBA degree right after earning their bachelor’s degree. Even if you've been in the workforce for a while, there are still benefits to earning an MBA, such as broadening the range of jobs you can apply for, preparing you to pursue advancement, helping you become a more well-rounded professional and teaching you important managerial and business-related skills.