Dig into the fundamentals of an MBA program by looking at the learning objectives of its core courses. You'll learn about both the tangible and soft skills gained in MBA programs, along with the learning methods used to build those skills.
A Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree can be your gateway to career advancement across industries. But what skills will you develop in an MBA program, and how can you apply them at work?
MBA programs are broadly applicable, providing a set number of foundational classes to bring you up to speed on the principles of business. Most programs also include a hands-on capstone course that provides practical experience through a final project or practicum. Online programs can be self-paced, offering the most flexibility for students who are also invested full-time in their careers. They can help you apply your new knowledge and skills at work so you can immediately see the benefits of your education.
MBA Programs That Are Designed to Move You Forward
Most MBA programs develop skills in the essentials: data analysis, business leadership, marketing, financial management, customer relations, and operations management. If you’re already working in a business environment, you’ll likely see opportunities to improve processes or analyze data in a new way based on what you’re learning in class, and by the time you graduate, you’ll have hands-on experience to grow your career. MBA programs are also great launch points for learners who want to move into business leadership or start a business of their own.
Business operations skills you can develop in an MBA program
- Make business decisions based on the economic environment
- Create strategies informed by the context of international business
- Use spreadsheets to model and analyze data for business decisions
- Analyze data and solve business problems using statistical techniques
- Leverage AI, data analysis techniques, and new technology to inform your decisions
Financial skills you can develop in an MBA program
- Assess your business’s assets, balancing financing and financial planning
- Read, analyze, and interpret financial and managerial accounting data
Soft skills you can develop in an MBA program
- Understand and shape your personal leadership style and brand
- Motivate employees, improving job performance, retention, and well-being
- Use communication skills and critical thinking to solve problems and resolve conflict
How You Build Skills in an MBA Program
- You learn alongside students from diverse industries who bring unique perspectives and backgrounds to the classroom.
Your peers help you see into other sectors and industries, explore other job possibilities, and even build a network of professional references that may be invaluable to a future job search.
- You bring your experience and expertise into the program, learning where you may have gaps in knowledge and skills.
Knowing where you need to stretch can help you focus your coursework on what’s missing. It also works the other way around, where you may have opportunities to use a classroom project to solve a problem at work or start building a business plan for the future.
- You complete relevant, applicable assignments that can help you build a portfolio of experience for job applications.
ODU’s MBA program immerses you in a capstone course that’s hands-on, focusing on aligning internal business functions—operations, finance, accounting, marketing, and more—with the company’s external environment to ensure goals are met.
- Your professors prioritize hands-on learning and teach real-world skills.
At ODU, they’re also involved in and informed by the latest research, balancing rigor and relevance to ensure you graduate ready to move forward.
The MBA through ODUGlobal
ODU’s online Master of Business Administration covers all of the functional areas of a business through flexible, eight-week courses. It’s designed to give you the flexibility to move forward in your career by choosing a pace that fits your life, with full-time and part-time options. The AACSB-accredited MBA program requires no business prerequisites to apply, and most students can finish the program in as few as four semesters.
