Roanoke is now accepting applications for its new online Master of Business Administration program, the college’s first fully online graduate degree program.
Students will have the flexibility to start the asynchronous 24-month program in either August or January, beginning this fall with the enrollment of its first cohort. The online Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and was approved by Roanoke College faculty in November.
The online MBA program was built on the success of Roanoke’s accelerated MBA program, which launched in 2023. Students in the online program will take five courses each year — two in the fall, two in the spring and one in the summer — and will be able to focus on one class at a time through the program’s seven-week course modules. Through these courses, students will develop in-depth knowledge of various pillars of business, including accounting, leadership, ethics, economics, management, marketing, finance and data analysis.
“This program offers flexibility for mid-career professionals along with the personal connection and mentoring that are hallmarks of a Roanoke College education,” said Kathy Wolfe, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college.
Betsy Parkins, professor of practice and director of the online MBA program, said the program is designed to bring the Roanoke College experience online, where professor will offer virtual office hours. Some will also offer weekly virtual coffee chats, where students can drop in to ask questions and meet their classmates. Parkins said they also plan to build mini cohorts within each cohort to allow students the option to meet with one another, talk about their classes and make connections within the program.
“A lot of online programs are really impersonal,” she said. “You get the work done without ever meeting your professor, and you have no idea who’s also in the class. We don't want that to be the experience at Roanoke.”
As a part of the online MBA program, students will have the option to participate in workshops that complement the courses they’re taking. For students who have been in the workforce a while and are looking to be promoted, these workshops will help develop the softer side of leadership skills, Parkins said.
“Our faculty understand that students have different needs when they’re working and going to school at the same time, and they’re dedicated to meeting those needs,” she said.
Parkins developed the program with Sharon Gibbs, associate professor; Allie Kassens, John S. Shannon Professor of Economics and dean of the School of Business, Economics, & Analytics; and Michelle Hagadorn, professor and assistant dean of the School of Business, Economics, & Analytics.
There is no Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) requirement for the online MBA program at Roanoke. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from any academic background. The application fee of $75 is waived for Roanoke College alumni, and through August 2026, the application fee is waived for everyone.
For more information, visit the online MBA webpage or contact Parkins at parkins@roanoke.edu.
Quote
Attribution
Text here