Follow
As the business industry continues growing and changing, more and more professionals find themselves looking for MBA programs in Maryland and other states.
An MBA, or a Master in Business Administration, is a degree that will help you reach and even exceed your career goals. While some colleges offer a more general type of MBA program, others give you the chance of choosing a concentration or specialty to go along with your degree. The top programs in the state also offer classes that you can take online or on campus to earn your degree and hybrid programs that let you take both types of classes.
Bowie State University
Bowie State University is one of the oldest historically black colleges operating in the United States today and is a great choice for those looking for MBA programs in Maryland. Founded in 1865, the college opened for business at a time when most schools in the nation did not admit black students. Some its notable alumni from over the years include Grammy winning singer Toni Braxton and multiple politicians who went on to great fame. Located just outside of the town of Bowie in Prince George County, the college has a beautiful campus that spreads across more than 350 acres. Bowie State now offers more than 50 programs for students at all levels of study.
Master of Business Administration
Unlike other colleges that have a strict application deadline in place, Bowie State University has a rolling admissions policy. This lets you apply and enroll in one of its graduate programs whenever a new session starts until waiting until the fall semester to start classes. Its Master of Business Administration ranks as one of the top MBA degree programs in Maryland because the university offers so many opportunities for students. Though most students complete the program in two years, some students spend more or less time in the program. They have the chance to join an honors society that is only open to MBA students and sign up for internships and other programs that let them gain more practical working experience. Though Bowie State requires that students take some specific classes, the university also gives you the freedom to take courses in other disciplines that will count towards your required electives.
Accreditation
The Accreditation Council for Business School Programs (ACBSP)
Contact
14000 Jericho Park Rd.
Bowie, MD 20715
(301) 860-4000
Program Website
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Anyone who lives near a military air base may know the name Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The first branch of this college opened at a small air base in Cincinnati and served as a training school for pilots that let them get certified and begin flying faster. The school then added new programs that trained the mechanics who worked on those plans. As the Cincinnati school saw its enrollment grow, the founders decided to open regional campuses in locations all across the country. Though there are a handful of campuses in the United States today, ERAU also has an active and thriving Worldwide or online campus too.
MBA-Aviation
As Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is an aeronautical school, its MBA program focuses more on engineering, technology and the aeronautical industry as a whole. The MBA-Aviation program, or Master of Business Administration in Aviation, is an accredited program that requires students take 33 credits of courses. You can choose a specialization in public administration, international business, accounting, information technology, finance or marketing. The degree is available online through the university’s Worldwide campus and on its individual campuses too. Students entering the program will generally need an undergraduate degree in business or have a transcript that shows they took prerequisite courses in business and management. You will take 21 credits of required courses like international business administration, advanced aviation economics and managerial accounting for decision making. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University also requires that MBA students take 12 credits of electives or specialization courses and complete a senior capstone course. As far as MBA programs in Maryland go, the one at Embry-Riddle flies high.
Accreditation
The Accreditation Council for Business School Programs (ACBSP)
Contact
21795-B North Shangri-La Drive
Lexington Park, MD 20653
(301) 863-8776
patuxentriver@erau.edu
Program Website
Hood College
Hood College has an affiliation with the United Church of Christ, which opened the private college in 1893 to meet the needs of local female students who could not attend classes at traditional men only campuses in the state. Unlike other colleges for women that offered practical courses designed to help them become better wives and mothers, Hood College offered degrees from its early days and provided women with training that allowed them to launch their careers. Hood College eventually admitted male students during the 1970s but required that those men live off its campus. The college now has residence halls available for both men and women.
MBA
The MBA program available through Hood College focuses on interactive learning and up to date information. Professors in each classroom introduce students to new topics and changes occurring in the field at any given moment to ensure that they have all the knowledge needed when they leave and go to work. The college pairs each new student with an academic adviser to ensure that students take the right classes every semester and that they fulfill all the requirements necessary for graduation. While Hood College does not require that students take one of the standardized tests before enrolling, it does ask that students complete the online application and submit an official college transcript. Similar to applying to most MBA programs in Maryland, you must also write an essay of up to 300 words that describes your goals and what you hope to get out of the program. The college may request a resume and two letters of recommendation as well.
Accreditation
The Accreditation Council for Business School Programs (ACBSP)
Contact
401 Rosemont Ave.
Frederick, MD 21701
(301) 696-3600
Gurzick@hood.edu
Program Website
Kaplan University-Hagerstown
Kaplan University started life as The American Institute of Commerce, which opened in 1937 and later became Quest College. Kaplan, Inc. later purchased the school and added all associated schools and campuses to its chain of for-profit colleges. Kaplan now operates 14 campuses in states like Wisconsin, Maine, Maryland and Indiana. Those campuses generally feature smaller classrooms in business and industrial complexes. Most students know Kaplan for its online programs though. Kaplan is one of several for-profit college companies that offer classes at all major levels through an online system. Kaplan has accreditation from both regional and specialty organizations.
Master of Business Administration
Online MBA degree programs in Maryland give you the option of taking as many or as few classes as you want each semester. Kaplan University offers a Master of Business Administration that you can start nearly any month. Instead of making you wait months for the new session to start, Kaplan often lets students start a new MBA session each month. The Hagerstown campus in Maryland offers six concentrations that go along with the MBA program. You can select a concentration in project management, marketing, human resources, health care management, information technology or finance. This program is available on the Hagerstown campus and online, but some students take a combination of classes online and on that campus. Kaplan requires that students take 60 credits of core courses and 16 credits within their concentrations. Though the university lets students earn a general MBA with no concentration, all MBA students must complete a capstone course.
Accreditation
The Accreditation Council for Business School Programs (ACBSP)
Contact
18618 Crestwood Dr.
Hagerstown, MD 21742
(301) 766-3600
Strayer University
Strayer University is a for-profit chain of colleges that competes directly with Kaplan University and similar chains. Founded by a man named Dr. Strayer in 1892, the first school opened as a business and training school in Baltimore. This small school grew so rapidly around the turn of the 20th century that it began opening campuses in other cities. Strayer now has campuses in nearly 80 cities across the country and has more than 40,000 students enrolled in its classes. Though some of its campuses are fairly popular in local areas, the majority of its students take classes online.
Master of Business Administration
When you enroll in Strayer University, you have the option of earning your Master of Business Administration either online or on a local campus. This chain operates campuses in Anne Arundel, White Marsh, Rockville, Owings Mills and a campus in Prince George County. It ranks as one of the best MBA degree programs in Maryland because the university offers 12 different concentrations. Those concentrations include professional studies, management, accounting, health service administration, public administration, global management, finance, marketing, human resource management, project management, IT security management and acquisition. If you have an interest outside of one of these concentrations, Strayer encourages you to speak with your adviser and get help building a major and program of study based around your needs. Strayer also lets you take some classes on campus and take other classes online to complete your degree around your own schedule and still take all the classes required for graduating.
Executive MBA
A problem that some students encounter when signing up for MBA classes is that some campuses have a residency component that requires they take some classes on campus or even live on campus for a short period of time every year. The Executive MBA program at Strayer University gives you more flexibility. Also known as the Jack Welch Master of Business Administration, professional businessman Jack Welch actually designed this program himself from the ground up. It gives students the chance to work with and learn from real executives working in various industries and to become stronger and more effective leaders. The Executive MBA is an entirely online program that teaches you practical skills that you can use in the coming days, weeks and years. Though students may finish the program in two or even three years, going full time can help you finish your MBA in less than two years without missing a single day of work.
Accreditation
The Accreditation Council for Business School Programs (ACBSP)
Contact
1520 Jabez Run
Suite 100
Millersville, MD 21108
(410) 923-4500
annearundel@strayer.edu
Program Website
If you find yourself constantly overlooked for promotions or struggling to find a job that pays what you are worth, now might be a good time to go back to school and better yourself. The top MBA degree programs in Maryland let you get an advanced degree right after college or after taking some time off to work in the business field.
