The decision to seek a master of business administration degree is an important one for professionals who want to take on more senior and involved leadership roles in their chosen field. The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s MBA degree online offers a powerful mixture of flexibility and high-quality professors and coursework that’s available across the country.
However, choosing to work toward an MBA isn’t the only major decision that comes with this degree. To maximize the return on investment, students should seriously consider a specialization within their MBA program as well. Focusing on a specific industry or market allows students to develop more specific skills and educate themselves about issues that may be pressing in a field like health services or management information systems.
The concentrations of the UAB online MBA program
UAB offers four concentrations that can help students become more prepared to lead in their chosen industries and gain the most relevant and specific knowledge and skills possible. Specific concentrations involve nine additional course hours, meaning three classes, while a general track involves an additional six hours, or two classes.
Online MBA, finance concentration
The finance concentration is an excellent choice for professionals currently involved in or interested in roles ranging from personal finance advising and management to CFO positions at multinational companies. Students can choose the elective courses that make the most sense for their needs, no matter what area of finance they choose to focus on. The electives are also an opportunity to expand horizons and learn about new topics, leading to a more well-rounded education.
The elective options for the finance concentration of the online MBA degree program include:
● Portfolio Theory and Construction, focusing on practical and abstract concepts central to this task.
● Mergers and Acquisitions, an in-depth review of these important, complicated business processes.
● Financial Risk Analysis and Management, targeting risk factors like interest rates, exchange rates and commodity prices.
● Treasury Management, looking at financial statements and working capital analysis, financial policy and similarly vital topics.
Online MBA, management information systems concentration
A focus on management information systems, closely related to the information technology industry, is a prudent decision for business leaders who rose on the technical side of the ranks or otherwise work closely in this space. An MBA with this concentration helps bridge the gap between technology and management and can be the first step toward positions like Chief Technology Officer and/or director of an entire IT department.
Elective options for this concentration include:
● Information Security Management, targeting modern, relevant security issues and how businesses can best prevent and address them, as well as effectively recover from a successful breach.
● Social Media and Virtual Communities in Business, this class gives students the tools to use social media to their advantage, for individual roles and to benefit their companies as a whole.
● Web Analytics, this course provides a practical education about collecting and deriving useful insight from a variety of effective metrics, with an end focus on retaining customers.
● Introduction to Business Intelligence, providing a foundation for using systems like data warehousing and business performance management to improve operational outcomes.
Online MBA, marketing concentration
The marketing concentration equips students who want to seek more senior positions in the marketing world, moving beyond work on individual projects to focus on data analysis, leading market research and other impactful work. Students may go on to lead project teams or entire marketing divisions with the knowledge they gain in this program.
Elective options for this concentration of the online MBA degree include:
● Marketing Analysis and Decision Making, helping students develop a strong grasp on topics like customer value and marketing performance metrics.
● Applied Marketing Research, this course covers marketing research, from defining the problem to analyzing data and presenting that analysis to business leaders.
● Directed Study, a chance to take on specific, individualized topics.
● Health Care Marketing, an overview of the unique industry specifics and the role of care organizations as it pertains to customers in a B2B environment.
Online MBA, health services concentration
The health services concentration allows students in the specialized, highly regulated world of health care to work toward moving into leadership roles such as facility and health system executive positions, as well as managing and leading a variety of specific business concerns.
Course options in this MBA online program concentration include:
● Health Care Marketing, an overview of the unique industry specifics and the role of care organizations as it pertains to customers in a B2B environment.
● Leadership, a course concentrated on project activities to help learners understand individual strengths and weaknesses as a basis for improving leadership abilities.
● Health Economics Outline, this class helps students look at health care from a resource use perspective and apply classic economic principles to the modern world of health care.
● Health Care Innovation, an opportunity to focus on relevant, individualized topics in the realm of health care innovation.
Taking the next step
UAB’s approach to the MBA online program means students get a specialized education in a variety of fields. With dedicated, full-time staff, fully asynchronous learning at students’ own pace and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation, the entire educational experience is designed with excellence in mind. To learn more about furthering your education, reach out to an advisor today.
Recommended Readings:
Top Apps for Team Collaboration
Accreditation and Why it Matters for an Online MBA Program
Sources:
1. https://businessdegrees.uab.edu/business-administration-degree-masters/
2. https://businessdegrees.uab.edu/course-descriptions-mba/