Online MBA Curriculum
Flexibility and Versatility: Complete Your MBA Online at Your Own Pace
The Carlson Online MBA curriculum offers a perfect blend of business fundamentals and specialized industry electives, empowering students to customize their education and expand their skill set according to their career interests.
You have the flexibility to complete your 52-credit Online MBA degree at your own pace, in as little as 2 years. With multiple course delivery options, the program can be tailored to your unique career needs.
Courses follow a structured academic semester schedule - fall, spring, and summer.
Enriching on-campus experiences complement the Online MBA program, fostering stronger ties to the Minneapolis-St. Paul business community and building valuable professional connections.
What you'll learn
Students start the Online MBA program with a recommended sequence of core courses followed by elective course offerings tailored to help you broaden your skill set in the areas of business that are important to you.
To help you envision your path to an MBA, we've mapped out three of the most common degree completion timelines. These are three examples of possible approaches to completing your MBA degree. You have the power to complete your degree on your timeline, with limited in-person coursework, or with a specialization that matches your career goals. The flexibility offered by the Carlson School empowers students to map degree paths that are as individual as they are.
Year 1
Spring
- Strategic Management (3 credits)
- Financial Accounting (3 credits)
- Managerial Econ (2 credits)
Summer
- Financial Mgmt (3 credits)
- Marketing Mgmt (3 credits)
Fall
- Data Analysis & Stats (3 credits)
- Supply Chain & Operations (3 credits)
- Competing in Data-Driven Age (2 credits)
Year 2
Spring
- Organizational Behavior (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Summer
- May Residency Program (2 credits)
- Business Ethics (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Fall
- Elective (4 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
- Global Enrichment Program (4 credits)
Year 3
Spring
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Year 1
Fall Semester
- Strategic Management (3 credits)
- Financial Accounting (3 credits)
Spring Semester
- Data Analysis & Stats (3 credits)
- Organizational Behavior (2 credits)
Summer Semester
- Financial Management (3 credits)
- Marketing Management (3 credits)
Year 2
Fall Semester
- Supply Chain & Operations (3 credits)
- Competing in Data-Driven Age (2 credits)
Spring Semester
- Managerial Econ (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Summer Semester
- May Residency Program (2 credits)
- Business Ethics (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Year 3
Fall Semester
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Spring Semester
- Global Enrichment Program (4 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Summer Semester
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Year 1
Summer Semester
- Strategic Management (3 credits)
- Financial Accounting (3 credits)
Fall Semester
- Data Analysis & Stats (3 credits)
- Competing in Data-Driven Age (2 credits)
Spring Semester
- Financial Management (3 credits)
- Organizational Behavior (2 credits)
Year 2
Summer Semester
- May Residency Program (2 credits)
- Marketing Management (3 credits)
Fall Semester
- Supply Chain & Operations (3 credits)
- Managerial Econ (2 credits)
Spring Semester
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Year 3
Summer Semester
- Business Ethics (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Fall Semester
- Global Enrichment Program (4 credits)
Spring Semester
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Year 4
Summer Semester
- Elective (2 credits)
Fall Semester
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Spring Semester
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Year 1
Spring
- Strategic Management (3 credits)
- Financial Accounting (3 credits)
- Managerial Econ (2 credits)
Summer
- Financial Mgmt (3 credits)
- Marketing Mgmt (3 credits)
Fall
- Data Analysis & Stats (3 credits)
- Supply Chain & Operations (3 credits)
- Competing in Data-Driven Age (2 credits)
Year 2
Spring
- Organizational Behavior (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Summer
- May Residency Program (2 credits)
- Business Ethics (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Fall
- Elective (4 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
- Global Enrichment Program (4 credits)
Year 3
Spring
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Year 1
Fall Semester
- Strategic Management (3 credits)
- Financial Accounting (3 credits)
Spring Semester
- Data Analysis & Stats (3 credits)
- Organizational Behavior (2 credits)
Summer Semester
- Financial Management (3 credits)
- Marketing Management (3 credits)
Year 2
Fall Semester
- Supply Chain & Operations (3 credits)
- Competing in Data-Driven Age (2 credits)
Spring Semester
- Managerial Econ (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Summer Semester
- May Residency Program (2 credits)
- Business Ethics (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Year 3
Fall Semester
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Spring Semester
- Global Enrichment Program (4 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Summer Semester
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Year 1
Summer Semester
- Strategic Management (3 credits)
- Financial Accounting (3 credits)
Fall Semester
- Data Analysis & Stats (3 credits)
- Competing in Data-Driven Age (2 credits)
Spring Semester
- Financial Management (3 credits)
- Organizational Behavior (2 credits)
Year 2
Summer Semester
- May Residency Program (2 credits)
- Marketing Management (3 credits)
Fall Semester
- Supply Chain & Operations (3 credits)
- Managerial Econ (2 credits)
Spring Semester
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Year 3
Summer Semester
- Business Ethics (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Fall Semester
- Global Enrichment Program (4 credits)
Spring Semester
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Year 4
Summer Semester
- Elective (2 credits)
Fall Semester
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Spring Semester
- Elective (2 credits)
- Elective (2 credits)
Program Support
Students in the Online MBA will have full access to Carlson MBA support and resources.
The Carlson School offers flexible academic advising through phone, video conferencing, and email. Students also have access to a comprehensive degree planning resources website hosted in the Canvas learning management system.
Online MBA students are given priority registration appointment times during their enrollment in the MBA programs.
How you'll learn
Online MBA courses are delivered through a Learning Management System called Canvas. Most Carlson online courses are asynchronous, having no set meeting pattern, just specific deadlines. Courses could have some student-selected meeting times to work on group projects. Instructors will provide students with various video lectures, assignments, readings, cases, activities, etc., to complete. While there may be specific windows within which assignments are due, there is not a specified class time that all students are required to log in to attend.
Exams and group projects are also all online with opportunities for synchronous connection. Candidates can also still elect to take in-person weekday or weekend courses if their schedule allows.