An Opportunity to Lead: The Value of an MBA
Introduction and Benefits of an MBA
Attaining a Master of Business Administration Degree from The University of Texas at Arlington is a way to level up your professional career. With an MBA students develop an understanding of multiple pieces of an organization.
Students typically pursue an MBA because they want to advance to the next level in their career. An MBA allows students to move from a skill-based position to a leadership role. “In business you never have all the answers, but you have tools to pursue something that you may think works as a solution,” said James Brown, a Graduate Recruiter at the College of Business.
According to the Harvard Business Review, graduates often land positions that place them on an accelerated path of leadership; an MBA degree can set you apart during the hiring process from fellow applicants.
Becoming a leader requires a different skillset including advanced communication, strategic thinking and planning abilities, or maximizing personnel potential. An MBA degree develops these diverse skills to find solutions in any situation or industry. “You start to understand the bigger picture of how organizations work.” said James.
The MBA program at UTA allows students to learn and utilize these tools in a social setting. You will gain valuable insight and knowledge from your professors and classmates who have experience in different industries, creating a unique classroom dynamic.
U.S. News & World Report stated, “There is no other degree that provides the launching pad to many different possibilities to chart your next career destiny.”
Recently, the College of Business’s Part-Time MBA was nationally ranked # 60 out of 269 in 2024 on the list of top graduate schools by U.S. News & World Report.
Insider Perspective
I spoke to Scott Elbert, Director of Undergraduate Advising, about UTA’s MBA degree. He highlighted the different ways students could earn the degree and how it is still extremely valuable in today’s workforce.
Scott spoke about the relevancy of the degree and skills you can expect to learn, “I think an MBA is still extremely relevant. Generally speaking, people look at the MBA as your general business degree, a jack of all trades. The MBA gives students a blend of soft skills including sales and negotiations; gaining the ability to analyze data and finance spreadsheets for accounting. You get a great mix of all those different skills that will prepare you to go into a number of different roles.”
UTA’s MBA degree offers students 13 different concentrations allowing for specialization. Students can also earn a graduate certificate after the completion of certain courses; maximizing their marketability while completing their MBA.
College of Business Opportunities
UTA’s College of Business is proud to offer several formats to the MBA including online, flexible, and cohort options for students who want to further their education.The Flexible MBA is offered on the main campus in Arlington and allows students to complete coursework at their own pace. This option allows for the most concentrations, giving students the option to truly customize their MBA experience. Courses are taught in-person, online and hybrid allowing students the most flexibility to choose how and where they learn.
The Online MBA offers a convenient path for those who may not be able to attend in-person classes. Every course is completed 100% online asynchronously giving students the power to choose the pace of completion. The course content is self-directed as long as the student completes the assigned work and meets the requirements by the end of the course. Students have five electives to choose from in this degree plan with a concentration in management.
The Cohort MBA is offered at the UTA Fort Worth campus, which is structured as a hybrid model. During this program, students will complete classes online during the week, and meet for in-person classes on weekends. Each class is sequential with accelerated 5- and 10-week courses allowing students to focus on one course at a time. Through this option, students will be completing courses in a team-based learning approach offering built-in career networking.
With a variety of different options, UTA’s College of Business helps students attain an MBA no matter their schedule. Our faculty and staff are committed to providing top-tier education and support during your path to your career goals. To learn more about the MBA program and find information about courses and enrollment, visit Business Administration - MASTER'S (MBA) - Academic Programs - The University of Texas at Arlington (uta.edu).