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There are a handful of MBA programs in Arizona that offer students a variety of concentrations, which means students of all interests who want to further their business career should be able to find an appropriate program. An MBA is widely considered one of the best ways to advance one’s career into the management level at business, and it’s also considered a vital option for starting one’s own business or becoming an entrepreneur or part of a start-up organization. The majority of the MBA schools in Arizona are in the Phoenix area and its surrounding cities, but most of the programs also feature online options, so students anywhere in the state can enroll.
DeVry University
Keller Graduate School of Management
With several campuses around the country, DeVry University has a student body of over 60,000. The university allows students to earn their degrees online, at the campus, or through a combination of both. The school was originally founded as the DeForest Training School in 1931 and became DeVry University in the early 2000s. Students in Arizona may attend campuses in Phoenix, as well as nearby Glendale and Mesa. Students who aren’t within commuting distance may consider programs that are offered online. The university’s business and management school is called the Keller Graduate School of Management, which was originally a day program and eventually transitioned toward an evening school designed for adult learning.
Master’s – Business Administration
DeVry regards its MBA program as one that can help a student advance his or her career. The curriculum covers a variety of essential business topics like business enterprise integration and corporate management practices, which means a student will have the knowledge necessary to work at a high level in business. Other basic topics covered by the program include analysis, teamwork, and communication, which ensures students have a wide array of business knowledge to offer a future employer. Students will also be very prepared to take on a role as an entrepreneur to create their own company. Students may choose to specialize in an area like Marketing, Health Services, or Public Administration, or they may focus upon a generalized degree. The university describes its MBA as one that can be tailored to suit the student’s interests and help ensure the student will be able to find a job in an area that interests him or her.
Master’s – Business Administration with a Specialization in Accounting
Given through DeVry’s Keller Graduate School of Management, the MBA program offers a variety of concentrations including accounting. Students who are interested in becoming a Certified Public Accountant would benefit from DeVry’s program as it’s designed with the intent of helping students pass the CPA Exam. The program features something called the Becker Professional Education program which is an integrated learning option that helps students specifically prepare for the exam. DeVry suggests that students who have an interest in quantitative reasoning and problem solving, as well as an interest in logic, may benefit from the program. They reveal that employment in the industry is supposed to grow at a swift rate in the next decade, which means that finding employment will be easier than expected. Some of the areas where graduates can work after school include Asset Management, Compliance, and Financial Reporting and Planning. Potential jobs are also available in Forensics and Fraud Examination, as well as Risk Management.
Accreditations
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association
- The Accreditation Council for Business School Programs (ACBSP)
Contact
DeVry University
2149 West Dunlap Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85021
Phone: (602) 749-4500
Email: admissions@devry.edu
Glendale Center
Mesa Center
Phoenix Campus
Grand Canyon University
Colangelo College of Business
Founded originally in the late 1940s as a non-profit liberal arts college, Grand Canyon University transitioned to a for-profit Christian University in the early 2000s. The school provides on-campus degrees, as well as degrees for students who want to get their education online. As such, they have students who don’t live in Arizona taking classes online. The campus in Arizona recently underwent a $150 million upgrade that included new buildings like an aquatics center, a promenade, and an entertainment area for student gatherings. In addition, the college started expanding its campus a few years later with the intent of creating additional classrooms, as well as a fitness and recreation center.
Master of Business Administration
The school describes an MBA degree as one that’s very coveted for students who wish to enter into a business career. The school suggests that many students recently graduated from undergraduate school often head directly into an MBA program so as to gain an edge over other graduates who don’t have the same level of education. The program offers a broad approach to business and offers a curriculum that includes classes on marketing, finance, and leadership. In addition, students may choose to enter an MBA program at Grand Canyon University with a specialization in an area like Accounting, Finance, or Leadership, or they may choose to focus on the standard general program. One of the most important principles learned by students in the program is the idea of transformational leadership as it applies to standard business practices. The school says it seeks to develop an entrepreneurial spirit in students which will enhance what the student is able to accomplish after graduation.
Executive Master of Business Administration
Students who are already in the work force and can’t commit to a traditional schedule for their MBA may want to look at the Executive Master of Business Administration, which is designed to help students advance their career without having to put their job on hold. The degree requires a minimum of 39 completed semester credits. Many students of different backgrounds may choose to enter Grand Canyon University’s program as the prerequisites allow for many types of bachelor’s degrees as a requirement for entry. The program not only admits bachelor’s degree holders from United States-based institutions, but it also allows international students to enter the program. As a program that’s offered 100 percent online, this means that students in any area of the country may enter the program, which is valuable for students living in a remote area or who aren’t near another school that offers an MBA or professional business program.
Accreditations
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Contact
Grand Canyon University
3300 West Camelback Road
Phoenix, AZ 85017
Phone: (602) 639-7500
Email: ccb@gcu.edu
Program Website
Northcentral University
School of Business and Technology
Established recently in 1996, Northcentral University is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. There are around 10,000 students who are enrolled for classes. The school offers a variety of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees and the majority of students enrolled are at the postgraduate level. A great many students enrolled for classes take them through distance learning options. The school’s mascot is the roadrunner. The school is accredited by a variety of accrediting bodies including the Committee on National Security Systems and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
Master of Business Administration
The school describes its MBA program as one that teaches students to conquer and solve “real-world” business issues in a global economy. The program requires students complete thirty credits and features faculty mentors who all hold doctoral degrees, as well as experience in their respective fields. The MBA program is an interesting environment because it offers students a 1:1 faculty to student ratio. The program is designed as a self-motivated learning experience as there are no group assignments. This design means that students are responsible for their own success and aren’t dependent upon other students. One of the interesting features of the program is the final business simulation where students are tested on standard business procedures. The school describes its final capstone project as an “immersive simulation” which enhances the knowledge gained in the program and allows students to put the information they’ve gained to immediate use in a simulation environment.
Accreditations
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Contact
Northcentral University
10000 E. University Drive
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
Phone: (866) 776-0331
Email: admissions@ncu.edu
Program Website
University of Phoenix
School of Business
The University of Phoenix is headquartered in Arizona, but it counts students from all over the world. The admissions policy is designed as open-enrollment, and students are only required to have a GED or equivalent to gain admission to its undergraduate programs. In addition to its main facility in Phoenix, the university offers over 100 local campuses so that students in other states can attend classes. The school counts nearly a quarter of a million students enrolled, and was established in 1976. When the school was founded, it had just eight students at its Phoenix campus, but it started expanding ot areas like San Jose, California in the early 1980s.
Master of Business Administration (plus concentrations)
The University of Phoenix’s MBA program requires 36 to 54 credit hours, depending upon the concentration and goals of the student. The core curriculum of 36 credit hours includes general education on areas like management, business law, and organizational leadership. Then, students can specialize further with their degree and take 15 credits of electives that will lead to a concentration at the end of the program of study. Concentrations available for students include Accounting, Health Care Management, Human Resource Management, Project Management, Energy Management, Global Management, Marketing, and Technology Management. Upon graduation, students are meant to be prepared to solve problems systematically, understand how diversity can strengthen business, and use technology to enjoy a competitive advantage in a global environment. The university describes today’s business environment as one that’s rapidly changing. The MBA degree is offered as one that will help students develop the necessary managerial skills to understand how to accommodate the evolution of modern business.
Accreditations
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Contact
University of Phoenix
4615 East Elwood Street
Phoenix, AZ 85040
Phone: (866) 766-0766
Email: admissions@phoenix.edu
Northwest Learning Center
Phoenix Main Campus
West Valley Learning Center
River Road Learning Center
Southern Arizona Campus
Yuma Learning Center
For students of all different educational backgrounds, an MBA is an appropriate stepping-stone for moving up the business ladder and for moving into business from another industry. Recently graduated students of business who want an immediate edge over other applicants in the workforce will find MBA programs a valuable experience. In addition, future students who are already in the workforce and want to move into management will want to consider how an MBA degree may give them the educational experience needed to get their resume to the top of the pile. There are a variety of MBA programs in Arizona that will help students gain the experience they need to understand today’s advanced business concepts.
