An MBA in One Year? It’s Doable!

WGU provides a path to three affordable one-year MBA degrees

We may not yet be completely out of the woods, but the vaccines are here, they’re working, and people are getting back to the routines of daily life. COVID-19 literally shut things down and put a lot of things on hold, and that can make prior plans seem outdated or impossible. Going back to school for an MBA, for example, may have sounded great a year-and-a-half ago, but now it feels like the window has closed, new things have come up, and people don’t know whether they want to begin a years-long process toward earning their degree.

But what if it wasn’t a “years-long process”? What if someone could earn an MBA from an accredited university in one year? What if they could do it 100% online for around $9,000 and get an average salary increase of $16,200 upon completion? No one is saying it’s easy, but it’s doable. And at Western Governors University, we’ve come up with a pathway to make doing it as smooth as possible.

In fact, many WGU Tennessee Night Owls have already done it.

Recent data from WGU’s College of Business showed that around 40% of WGU MBA students nationwide were completing their degree programs within 12 months. To further advance WGU’s mission of providing pathways to opportunity – specifically in terms of cost, time, and relevancy – the College of Business is devoting more resources to support students on the one-year track to MBA, MBA Information Technology Management, and MBA Healthcare Management degrees.

What does it mean that our College of Business is “devoting more resources” for students on the one-year MBA track? There are four concrete examples:

• MBA students can expect a featured course plan that will include the length of each course and a session schedule, and that will help them ensure they will complete their coursework in a timely manner for this accelerated MBA. Program Mentors will review a student’s weekly goals to ensure they remain on track to complete their degree in one year or less.
• Available live sessions led by subject matter expert Course Instructors focused on course content, industry-demanded skills, and assessment tips to help students learn and meet their goals.
• Live interaction with a Program Mentor to help students with what to expect with accelerated competency-based learning, discussions regarding goals and life balance, and other pertinent topics to support them in making consistent progress toward completing their online MBA degree.
• Support in students’ online MBA to help them realize their educational and career vision including Writing and Math Center support as needed, career center assistance with achieving career goals, the option to participate in business school student clubs and organizations like the SHRM student chapter or our National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) Club, and alumni services to help them make crucial networking connections. An online MBA doesn’t have to mean that students are alone on their journey.

Unlike other one-year online MBA programs, WGU’s is 100% competency-based and not tied to a pre-existing schedule of class times. Students fulfill all normal requirements to earn an MBA while following WGU’s Course Acceleration Policy. 

WGU’s College of Business programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). Even on the 12-month accelerated path, the course content, rigor, and quality of instruction all remain a priority. Course instructors are aware of a student’s graduation goals and will align course plans to support them in reaching those goals.

With support and resources and regular encouragement, we’ve seen our students thrive. Many of them finish faster than expected, earning their accredited MBA with us in even less than one year. Maybe you’re considering going back to school for an MBA, or maybe you’re a business owner or supervisor. Either way, WGU Tennessee’s one-year MBA track might be a great option for you or your employees. 

It’s a real accomplishment, and it takes hard work and dedication. But it’s doable. More than doable. And we can help.

For more information about the one-year track for WGU’s MBA, MBA Information Technology Management, or MBA Healthcare Management degrees, visit wgu.edu/1yearMBA.