While European business schools are starting to offer more two-year MBA programs, the number of one-year programs in the United States continues to grow. Before highlighting some of the top US-based one-year MBA programs, let’s talk about why you might consider this type of degree.
In a one-year MBA program, you have the residential aspect of a traditional two-year program while completing your degree faster, after which you can get back out into the workforce quickly. One-year programs target applicants with set career goals or an undergraduate business background to build on those existing skills. Some have prerequisites of prior business degrees or graduate-level education. For example, the one-year MBA program at Kellogg builds on students’ business background to help accelerate their current career path, with requirements in marketing, operations, statistics, and economics. Meanwhile, industry-focused one-year MBAs, such as Cornell Johnson’s Tech MBA and NYU Stern’s Fashion & Luxury MBA, were developed to help students enter a targeted workforce more quickly.
Although one-year MBA programs can help you reenter the workforce faster, at a lower cost, and with less salary loss, their accelerated pace eliminates the opportunity for a summer internship—which is available through a traditional two-year program. Most one-year programs incorporate significant industry interaction and experiential learning through projects and in-term internships. However, summer internships can be helpful when making a large career switch or if you want to try out a new industry before deciding on a post-MBA career path. So, if you are looking to make a significant career change, a summer internship is probably an important component in your plan, and therefore a one-year MBA program might not be the best choice for you.
General One-Year MBA Programs
General one-year MBA programs target students with a profile similar to that of two-year program students, with an average of four to five years of work experience.
Northwestern Kellogg’s One-Year MBA Program starts in June, and you will take three to five courses in the summer. In September, you’ll join the second-year class of the two-year program as you take electives and work toward your goals. Kellogg’s program is not an accelerated course, as you are required to have prior coursework in statistics, economics, marketing, and operations within the prior ten years. Many students have undergraduate business degrees; however, this is not required. You’ll have access to more than 200 electives and the same majors and pathways as the two-year MBA students. In addition, the Management Science MBA major qualifies as a STEM-designated field of study.
Duke Fuqua’s Accelerated Daytime MBA is a ten-month program that begins in July with a month of “orientation and immersion.” The academic year is organized into four six-week terms, during which you are assigned to a cohort of five to six students. During your time at Fuqua, you can take advantage of experiential and global opportunities. The program requires you to have either a Master of Management Studies or a Master of Quantitative Management Studies degree from Fuqua; a Master in Management degree or equivalent from an accredited business school; or a Master of Science in Business Analytics degree from an accredited business school. In addition, the program requires that you have taken specific classes within your prior graduate studies in such areas as marketing, statistics, and data analytics.
Emory Goizueta’s One-Year MBA Program starts with an immersive summer semester that includes core courses, leadership training at Fort Moore, and a Global Experiential Module. In the fall and spring, you will join second-year full-time students for electives and experiences such as Keystone community service and Goizueta Advanced Leadership Academy. The program’s Business Analysis track is STEM certified. On its website, Emory states that the school’s one-year program is ideal for those with at least two years of work experience and clearly defined post-MBA goals that do not require an internship, and for those who have “demonstrated the ability to excel, lead, learn, and grow.”
Specialty One-Year MBA Programs
Specialty one-year MBA programs target students with an average of six to seven years of work experience—slightly older students than a typical two-year program.
Northwestern Kellogg’s MBAi is a joint degree between Kellogg and the McCormick School of Engineering. Its program consists of five quarters and includes a full-time summer internship and optional industry experiences. An undergrad STEM degree and technical work experience are considerations for this degree, which was developed to help individuals become leaders in tech-oriented fields.
Cornell Johnson’s Tech MBA is a one-year, STEM-designated program that begins in May on Cornell’s Ithaca campus. Across three semesters, you will learn through an intensive summer series and participate in experiential learning opportunities such as Product Studio in the fall and Startup, BigCo, or PiTech Studio in the spring. In addition, you can participate in NYC intensives in the areas of finance technology and digital marketing. Johnson expects you to have several years of full-time work experience and knowledge of the tech industry in order to apply to the Tech MBA program.
NYU Stern’s Andre Koo Tech MBA is a one-year, STEM-designated MBA program that begins in May in New York City. The program is built around four major components: Business Core, Technology Core, Stern Solutions (Experiential Learning), and electives. In Stern Solutions, you will work with peers, faculty, and industry-leading companies to solve business problems. In addition, you will participate in IGNITE throughout the program to build job search skills.
NYU Stern’s Fashion & Luxury MBA is designed for students committed to business careers in those fields. This one-year MBA program begins in May and is built around a similar structure to Stern’s Tech MBA, with four major components: Business Core, Fashion & Luxury Core, Stern Solutions (Experiential Learning), and electives. Experiential learning opportunities include NYC and European immersions as well as Fashion & Luxury Solutions projects.
Mid-Career One-Year MBA Programs
Mid-career one-year MBA programs target professionals with 12 to 20 years of experience.
The MIT Sloan Fellows MBA is a STEM-designated, full-time, one-year program. Sloan also offers the Master of Science in Management of Technology and the Master of Science in Management degrees. To be a Fellow, MIT strongly recommends at least ten years of work experience. Starting in the summer, you will begin coursework as well as an in-depth leadership assessment. Throughout your time, you will take advantage of hands-on learning opportunities through Action Learning labs or the MIT Independent Activities Period.
USC Marshall’s International MBA (iMBA) Program consists of 12 months beginning in June and is designed for mid-career professionals with a minimum of six years of full-time work experience (the average is 12 years). The academic year comprises six intense eight-week terms. The iMBA program is internationally diverse and includes an International Business Consulting Project, where you will work with five to six other participants on a four-month consulting experience. The entire program is STEM certified.
Stanford’s MSx Program is an accelerated, STEM-designated master’s program that is not technically an MBA but is often considered alongside other mid-career MBA programs. The MSx program focuses on three curriculum paths—Career Advancement, Entrepreneurship, and Career Change—allowing you to customize the degree to your needs. Professionals in the MSx program have an average of 13 years of work experience, but eight years are required.
As you can see, the number of US-based one-year programs is growing. However, they tend to be focused on those who know what they need from an MBA program. Therefore, be sure to spend some time reflecting on whether one of these programs might be right for you!
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