Online MBA

Accounting

Business leaders who understand the intricacies of accounting are in high demand across all industries. When you tailor your MBA with an accounting specialization, you’ll learn to interpret accounting information, tackle complex accounting problems, and effectively communicate financial details with organizational leaders and stakeholders. This specialization prepares you for a variety of challenging and rewarding career paths, including auditing, accounting, and management. 

Accounting Specialization Courses (12 credits)

If you choose the accounting specialization, you’ll choose from classes such as: 

Business Intelligence

Modern business runs on information, and a company’s success is dependent on how data is collected and analyzed. Business Intelligence (BI) systems combine operational data with analytical tools to present complex and competitive information for planning and decision making. In this specialization, you’ll discover how to use business intelligence systems to make business decisions and understand the capabilities of an organization, future market directions, regulatory environment, and the actions of competitors.

Business Intelligence Specialization Courses (12 credits)

Sample classes may include: 

Commodities

Commodities play an essential role within our global economies as well as our day-to-day lives. Our MBA with a specialization in commodities will help you gain a deeper understanding of commodity markets and learn the fundamentals of investing, risk management, trading, supply chain management, global economics, and more. You’ll learn from industry experts at the J.P. Morgan Center for Commodities, a leading institution at the intersection of business and education in the broad agriculture, metals, minerals, and energy commodity sectors.

Commodities Specialization Courses (12 credits)

If you are interested in earning your MBA with a commodities specialization, sample class options may include: 

Entrepreneurship

To build a successful business, it’s essential to have advanced knowledge of a variety of business functions. When you choose to complete your MBA with an entrepreneurship specialization, you’ll discover how to build and sustain your business with courses that get into the nitty-gritty of business plans, legal issues, venture capitalists, web development, and more. This area of interest also gives you access to dozens of networking opportunities, including an annual business plan competition, internships, discussions with local entrepreneurs, and connections with new ventures.

Entrepreneurship Specialization Courses (12 credits)

Earn your MBA with an entrepreneurship specialization with such classes as: 

Finance

Finance is at the core of every business, and it’s essential for business leaders and executives to have a thorough understanding of the financial aspects of their organization in order to be successful. When you earn your MBA with a finance specialization, you’ll develop comprehensive skills in a variety of areas including corporate, investments, and financial institutions. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of essential financial topics such as forecasting, derivatives, risk management, and firm evaluation.

Finance Specialization Courses (12 credits)

Information Systems

In today’s increasingly digital business environment, organizations are in need of innovative leaders who know how to harness the power of technology for business. Our information systems MBA specialization focuses on the intersection of technology and business strategy to prepare you for a career in tech leadership. You’ll learn how to analyze data and better manage business processes with technology through hands-on coursework and cutting-edge IT software.

Information Systems Specialization Courses (12 credits)

• Four ISMG 6000 or higher courses, including topics in:
  • Database Management Systems
  • Information Systems Strategy
  • Analysis, Modeling, and Design
  • IT Project Management 

Management

Across all industries, businesses need energetic leaders and effective problem-solvers who can develop successful teams and discover new ways to drive business forward. When you specialize your MBA degree in management, you’ll build expertise in the fundamental aspects of leadership that you need to excel as a manager in any organization. Through this specialization, you will develop key managerial skills in project management, negotiation, sustainability, business ethics, organizational change management, and more.

Marketing

Companies are continuing to evolve and discover new ways to interact with consumers, and it’s vital for business leaders to know what it takes to build authentic, long-term connections between an organization and its customers. Our MBA with a marketing specialization gives you deeper insight into how to build a brand, engage consumers, and lead successful marketing teams. Throughout your marketing specialization courses, you’ll gain a better understanding of effective marketing strategies and hone your skills in digital marketing, marketing research, consumer behavior, and more. 

Marketing Specialization Courses (12 credits)

To complete your MBA with a marketing specialization, you’ll select four MKTG 6000 level or higher courses, including topics such as: 

• Marketing Strategy
• Market Research Analytics
• Consumer Intelligence: Psychology and Behavior
• CRM, Big Data, and Marketing Metrics
• Digital Media Marketing - Tools and Analytics
• Marketing Internship (by petition only) 

Sustainable Business

More than ever, companies around the world need to focus on finding sustainable ways to lead business into the future. Our MBA with a specialization in managing for sustainability provides an in-depth exploration of corporate social responsibility, sustainable business practices, and sustainability as a competitive advantage. Throughout your sustainability courses, you’ll gain valuable insight into how to create business strategies that reduce operating costs, open up new markets, increase customer loyalty, improve financial performance, and make a positive impact on a global scale.

Sustainable Business Specialization Courses (12 credits)

Sample classes may include:

Risk Management and Insurance

Risk management is a crucial aspect of every successful business. With half of the industry’s workforce retiring within the next decade, companies are in need of talented professionals who can effectively manage risk to enhance firm value. When you earn an MBA with a specialization in risk management and insurance, you’ll learn how to identify liabilities and mitigate risk in corporate settings as well as how to introduce insurance products for personal and commercial use.

Risk Management and Insurance Specialization Courses (12 credits)

Sample classes may include:

Plus two electives from an approved list of courses, including topics in:

• Practical Enterprise Risk Management
• Strategic Risk Management
• Financial Modeling
• Global Risk Management
• Life and Health Insurance
• Entrepreneurial Financial Management
• Global Climate Change 

General MBA Track

If your career goals aren’t aligned with one of our MBA specializations or you’d prefer to choose your own electives, you have the option to customize your business administration degree to match your unique interests. Your general MBA program gives you the ability to choose electives from different areas of business such as marketing, finance, management, IT, entrepreneurship, and more. Your general MBA will help you gain a deeper understanding of how various business functions work together and prepare you for leadership roles within any organization.

No Specialization (12 credits)

If you prefer to choose your own electives rather than selecting one of our specializations, you can tailor your degree to your interests with a variety of electives in accounting, entrepreneurship, management, marketing, and more. You’ll complete your degree by selecting four electives from our Graduate Business electives. 

To graduate with your MBA, you’ll be required to complete a total of 45 credit hours (15 courses). Our courses are optimized for online learning, allowing you to focus on one course at a time and build on the skills you learn throughout your degree program. Our flexible start dates in the fall, spring, and summer semesters allow you to begin working toward your master’s in business administration as soon as you’re ready.  

Our business administration curriculum is designed to equip you with the in-demand skills and practical experience you need to build a successful business career, whether you’re ready to step into a senior- or executive-level role or you’re planning ahead for the next steps in your career. Many of our students choose to complete their degree on a part-time basis while continuing to work full-time. We allow students to take up to five years to complete their degree, but part-time students typically complete their degree as quickly as 36 months.

The MBA program from the CU Denver Business School is offered 100% online, which means you will never be required to attend classes in-person and you will have the flexibility to complete your degree from anywhere. When you join CU Denver, you’ll have the opportunity to connect and collaborate with classmates from Colorado as well as throughout the United States and the world. Our asynchronous courses and innovative online learning technologies give you access to the best education that the University of Colorado Denver has to offer at the time and place that’s right for you. You’ll be able to share ideas with your classmates, collaborate on projects, and connect directly with faculty through Canvas, our easy-to-use remote learning platform. 

When you join CU Denver, you will work with our Business School Graduate Advising team who provide support to you through your journey.

The Graduate Advising Team can:

• Help show you how to register for online courses  
• Work with you to clarify your academic and professional goals  
• Address any challenges you encounter throughout your degree  
• Connect you with university services and resources to help you reach your goals
   

From helping you stay on track with classes to connecting you with academic and career resources, we offer the support and encouragement you need to make it to graduation and enjoy your journey along the way.