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Although Hawaii is experiencing a lull in some business areas, it is booming in tourism and that is a good sign for schools offering MBA degree programs in Hawaii. Honolulu is the hub of this industry, but there are jobs available in hospitality management and marketing all over the islands. The opportunities that exist for MBA degree holders in this industry are many, and salaries are high. With employers like Hilton and Sheraton, as well as medical centers, financial organizations and others, MBAs in Hawaii can expect to earn a median salary of $80,000 or more.
There are some on-campus MBA programs available in Hawaii, but the on-line programs outnumber them. If you are fortunate enough to live in the climate and beauty of Hawaii, you might profit from the flexibility of one of the online offerings.
Argosy University-Hawaii
Graduate School of Business and Management
This school began in 2001 as a merger of three schools: The American Schools of Professional Psychology, the University of Sarasota and the Medical Institute of Minnesota. The for-profit school, owned by the Educational Management Corporation, has 28 campuses and an online component. It contains the College of Undergraduate Studies, the College of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, the Colleges of Education and of Business, The College of Health Sciences, a law school and an art institute. Not all degrees are available on-campus, but many students earn their degrees online, or in a blended format. Programs offered through the school range from associate to doctoral degrees.
MBA
This is a 13-month, 30-credit program. The cost for the program is listed as $24, 665 plus $850 in books and supplies, but the average student debt upon graduation is $35,777 plus books. That means most students take longer to get their degrees. The school offers a fast-track which can be completed in 12 months of full-time study. There are 10 core courses in the program but no electives are offered. The required classes include Managerial Accounting; Financial Management; Management Decision Making Models; Marketing Planning and Strategy; Perspectives in Change Leadership; a Capstone Experience in Integration and Strategy; Operations Management; Human Resources Management and Talent Development, Managerial Application of Technology and General Business: Exploration and Evaluation of Culture and Economics.
Argosy also offers a Doctor of Business Administration. This 60-credit program focuses on research and practical aspects of business, not theory. The online degree is sometimes referred to as the “Professional Research Doctor’s Degree.” If you pursue this degree, you must take a minimum of five research courses. The specializations offered include accounting; management, marketing, international business or a customized personal concentration program.
Accreditations
• Western Association of Colleges and Schools
• ACBSP
Contact
Graduate School of Business and Management
Argosy University
1001 Bishop Street #400
Honolulu, HI, 96813
1-800-377-0617
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
College of Business
This school began in 1925 as a program of the Embry-Riddle Corporation which sold aircraft and provided airmail service. Later, the business would become American Airlines. The school has the #1-rated undergraduate program of aerospace engineering and the only program of Global Security and Intelligence Studies in the country. Although there are some residential campuses, most of the degrees are awarded through online programs. There is an emphasis on serving the military community, and the school is located at Hickam Air Force Base.
MBA in Aviation
This business degree is intended for people who want to work in the aviation or other flight-related industries. If you have an MS in Management or an MS in Project Management from the school, you may opt to complete this program by transferring 15 credit hours. The MBA in Aviation is 36 credit-hours including 21 hours of required courses, nine-to-twelve hours of electives chosen from a prescribed list, and nine-to-twelve credit hours of free electives. You must have previous knowledge in management; accounting methods; finance, quantitative methods; marketing and economics, or you may enroll in BUSW 500, which is a foundations of business course. The core classes include Business Research; Finance; Advanced Aviation Economics and others. If you want to specialize your degree, you may choose from concentrations in accounting; finance; leadership; IT; marketing; international business or public administration.
Accreditations
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• ACBSP
Contact
College of Business
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
900 Hangar Ave., Hangar 2
Building 2060, Rm 11
Honolulu, HI, 96813
1-800-522-6787
worldwide@rav.edu
University of Phoenix Hawaii
School of Business
This university was founded in 1976 by John Sperling. The University of Phoenix is the largest private university in North America. The school has partnered with some of the largest corporations in the U.S. for corporate training, but that also allows it to offer unique job opportunities to students. Students may attend online or on campus. On-campus programs require that students attend classes once a week at night or on weekends. There are also some daytime courses offered. You will also be asked to meet with your “learning team” once a week. Classes average 15 students. If you earn your degree through the University of Phoenix, you will have an academic advisor as well as someone to advise you financially about payment options for the school. The business school offers two associate degrees, four bachelor’s degrees with 12 concentration options and eight master’s programs with nine concentrations along with three doctoral programs
MBA
The University of Phoenix business programs are meant to teach several skills that are vital to business. The focus is on creativity for idea development, analytical thinking, communication skills and planning. This program, offered on-campus or online, contains 36 to 54 hours. The 36 hours are in the MBA core. Classes include: Management; Human Capital Management; Business Law, Organizational Leadership; Economics; Accounting; Applied Business Research and Statistics; Operational Management; Corporate Finance; Marketing and Strategic Planning and Implementation. After that, you can specialize your degree with up to 15 more credit hours in nine concentration areas. The website says the program is intended to be completed in 72 months, but the graduation rate at that pace is 36 percent, so most students take longer.
Accreditations
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• ACBSP
Contact
School of Business
University of Phoenix
745 Fort Street Mall. Ste. 2000
Honolulu, HI, 96813
866-766-0766
The Hawaiian climate and the beauty of the area make it a Mecca for tourists and a hotbed for the hospitality industry. With the high compensation rate for management positions in hospitality and other positions, earning your degree through one of these MBA degree programs in Hawaii could give you an opportunity for a lucrative and challenging career in business.
