Master of Business Administration

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Master of Business Administration

Build the skills to lead. The WMU MBA combines real-world projects with today’s business best practices and technology so you can make an impact from day one.
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Statistics

100%

of MBA graduates felt their education and experiences as a student at WMU prepared them for their profession

—2024-25 Career Outcomes Report
Explore the data

Hybrid

program format

$100,000+

median starting salary for MBA graduates working full time

—2024-25 Career Outcomes Report
Explore the data

Earn your MBA

The WMU MBA program is designed for working professionals and offers you maximum flexibility, in-demand coursework, credit for experience and a valuable network of professional contacts. Choose from online and in-person course formats to find the perfect fit for your lifestyle while becoming an indispensable leader in any industry through business cases, simulations and hands-on projects with real companies. And you’ll have the support you need with award-winning faculty who actively mentor you and small class sizes to advance your skills and career. 

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What will you learn in the MBA program?

  • In-demand skills employers are looking for, including leadership, problem solving, strategic management, negotiation and technical fluency.
  • A thorough grounding in core functional areas of business: accountancy, business information systems, finance, management and marketing.
  • Immersive experiences working on teams and leading project teams in your courses, with ample opportunity to refine your approach to motivating team members and communicating in a business environment.
  • A diverse knowledge base that will help you stand out, including global business, sustainability, AI, operational efficiency, change management and many others. 
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Customize your degree

As an MBA student, you have the chance to tailor your degree to your interests, creating a path where you want to go in your career. Through elective courses, you can customize the MBA program so it’s your perfect fit. 

  • You can earn an additional graduate certificate in business analytics, cybersecurity, food marketing or supply chain management through electives. Just make sure to apply to both the MBA program and the graduate certificate you are pursuing.
  • You can study topics in business ranging from process management, to business law, to trade and global strategic management. You also can earn credit for a significant, relevant work project at your current organization. 
  • And you can take upper-level classes in other colleges in order to focus your skills in complementary areas like healthcare and wellness, organizational leadership, public administration, communications, sports management, computer science, cybersecurity, the arts and many others. 

Quote

The Haworth College of Business is an environment that encourages personal and professional growth. The inclusive culture, supportive faculty and diverse student body have broadened my perspectives and prepared me for a global career.

—Nilani Kariappa

Flexible format and credit for experience

Three grad students seated at a table interacting

Flexible format and credit for experience

As an MBA student, you’ll get maximum flexibility while also having the quality and rigor of an AACSB-accredited degree. The flexible program format allows you to attend classes online or in person to suit your learning and lifestyle needs. The program also offers credit for past work experience and significant current work projects, allowing you to sharpen your skills and shorten your timeline to graduation. 

MBA program prerequisite requirements

MBA candidates must either have completed an undergraduate business degree or an equivalent course that provides foundational business knowledge.  

Do you want to pursue an MBA but don’t have a business degree? For those without a business degree, WMU offers the MBA Essentials Workshop, which covers core concepts in accountancy, data analytics, economics and finance. The workshop satisfies all MBA program prerequisite requirements and is held multiple times throughout the year. 

Steps to apply

To apply to WMU’s Master of Business Administration program, start your application, which will include: 

  • A resume or curriculum vitae
  • GMAT or GRE score unless this has been waived (You may receive a waiver with three years of professional experience)
  • Official transcript from the institution where you received your undergraduate degree, as well as a transcript from the institution(s) where any additional graduate level courses or degrees have been taken or completed
  • Evidence of English language proficiency for international students
Complete your application

Find out what’s next with a Master of Business Administration degree

Executive and leadership roles in multiple industries are what’s in store for you with an MBA degree from WMU. Program alumni work in all settings from Fortune 500 companies, to startups, to nonprofits. WMU Haworth graduates thrive as leaders and are sought out for positions and promotions. 

The WMU MBA degree helps graduates qualify for positions with a greater scope of responsibility and leads to increased compensation. In fact, WMU has a $100,000+ median starting salary for MBA graduates working full time.

Vice president

Recent graduates of the WMU MBA program hold roles as vice presidents in a variety of industries, including product management, sales, supply chain and more. The degree helps you take on roles overseeing strategy for organizations.

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Executive leader

WMU MBA graduates are key parts of the leadership teams at many companies. Spanning accounting, manufacturing, business development, analysis and global engagement, MBA graduates are serving in key roles in many fields.

Students seated in a classroom with a laptop.

Manager

Managerial roles are one of the areas where WMU MBA graduates most commonly land. Whether managing projects, portfolios, brands, services, systems or people, the degree gives you an edge in rising to the role of manager.

See where students and alumni are making an impact

Headshot of Dhyan Bopanna standing in the courtyard of schneider hall

Brewing up global business

MBA student Dhyan Bopanna is gaining a dual perspective of business at Western Michigan University’s Haworth College of Business. From Coorg, India, Bopanna is preparing to become a leader who can build something meaningful and make a global impact.

Tanya Thompson stands inside The Aroma Labs' Kalamazoo location on the downtown mall.

Building a business, one degree at a time

WMU Haworth graduate Tanya Thompson proves grit and education can transform a hobby into a thriving seven-location business.

Frequently asked questions about the MBA degree

The MBA program does not have a cohort structure, and the benefit of that is that the program can be self-paced, with most students working full time finishing the program in two to three years. Since the majority of MBA students are working full time, the program offers flexibility so that you can maintain a schedule that works for you. 

Yes, the MBA program holds its courses synchronously in a hybrid format where you can attend online at a set time or in person. The entire degree can be taken online, yet you still have the advantage of meeting with your classmates and professor as a group. Evening courses make the program ideal for working professionals, too.

Yes, you can pursue the program on a part-time basis, and advising appointments will help you determine the best schedule for you.

To apply to WMU’s Master of Business Administration program, you will need: 

  • A resume or curriculum vitae
  • GMAT or GRE score unless this has been waived (You may receive a waiver with three years of professional experience)
  • Official transcript from the institution where you received your undergraduate degree, as well as a transcript from the institution(s) where any additional graduate level courses or degrees have been taken or completed
  • Evidence of English language proficiency for international students

The MBA program is challenging and rigorous. WMU is invested in access to higher education for all students, and program advisors are here to support your success in being admitted to the program and achieving your career goals during the program and upon graduation.

Start your application

Yes, unless you have three years of professional experience, which most WMU MBA students do. If you have three years of work experience, you can receive a waiver for the GMAT exam. Contact Renuka Phillips, director of graduate programs, to learn more about GMAT waivers.

MBA candidates must either have completed an undergraduate business degree or an equivalent course that provides foundational business knowledge. For those without a business degree, WMU offers the MBA Essentials Workshop which covers core concepts in accountancy, data analytics, economics and finance, satisfying all MBA program prerequisite requirements. 

The WMU MBA program has rolling admission, which means you can apply at any time of the year and enter the program in any semester. Just make sure your application is completed two full weeks before the semester you plan to start.

Yes! WMU Haworth offers select scholarships for the MBA program. Learn more about Haworth College of Business scholarships. Once you're admitted, you can search and apply for available awards through WMU's Scholarship Universe tool. You'll just need your WMU ID to log in. 

For assistantships, positions in the Haworth College of Business are listed on Handshake.

Yes, the MBA program will evaluate your past professional experience, as well as current workplace projects for credit. You may be able to earn up to six credits toward your MBA through past professional experience and current large-scale projects where you can apply your learning from the program.

There is no specific order for your MBA courses, which gives you flexibility when you register each semester. But MBA 6007: Strategic Management should be taken at the very end of the program since it functions as a capstone experience. 

Many things make the MBA program unique, but one of the most notable benefits is the professional network you will build. Your classmates will come from different industries and different countries with professional experience that directly applies to class projects and discussion. And you’ll get to pair peer connections with faculty relationships. MBA faculty all have professional experience and academic research (featured in top journals) that they bring into the classroom. They are the experts who lead you through courses but also the eventual friends who will mentor you today and in the future. 

Questions? Get in touch!

Questions? Get in touch!

WMU Haworth is here to help you get answers to questions, find resources and become the best professional you can be. 

Email Renuka Phillips, director of graduate programs

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MBA students in the hallway of Schneider Hall