Minnesota Carlson Professional MBA
Turn Your MBA Into Real Career Momentum
The Professional MBA program at Minnesota Carlson will help you accelerate your career by building your network and sharpening your business acumen. This program, accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, is led by expert faculty who bring real-world experience to the classroom. It was built with insight from employers and alumni to ensure you build the real-world, practical skills you need to advance your career.
The five pillars of our newly refreshed curriculum reflect current market trends and are designed to address key critical needs: leadership development, durable interpersonal and problem-solving skills, AI and technology management, transformative signature experiences and role and industry-based specializations.
An MBA Designed for Working Professionals
Earn an MBA on your terms. With evening, weekend, and online courses available, you have the flexibility to fit classes into your busy life. We offer multiple course formats, and most classes are offered on weekday evenings and online. Select classes are offered in condensed format on three Fridays or three Saturdays.
An MBA Designed for Working Professionals
Earn an MBA on your terms. With evening, weekend, and online courses available, you have the flexibility to fit classes into your busy life. We offer multiple course formats, and most classes are offered on weekday evenings and online. Select classes are offered in condensed format on three Fridays or three Saturdays.
Discover A Flexible MBA with a Customizable Curriculum
Throughout the Professional MBA program, you will complete a curriculum designed to deliver a broad understanding of the business enterprise and focused knowledge of key functional areas. In addition to required courses, you will supplement your program of study with electives to become more skilled in subjects that align with your interests and professional goals. Career-focused MBA specializations are also available to customize your degree further.
An Investment in Your Future
Minnesota Carlson's Professional MBA program provides the advanced knowledge and hands-on experience you need to pursue new opportunities and long-term career growth. The program is 52 credits, with a tuition cost of $1,797 per credit.
Scholarships
Professional MBA applicants can be considered for 15% merit-based scholarships. A limited number of 50% merit-based scholarships are also available.** Visit our program scholarships page to learn more.
Balancing Work, Life and Your MBA
The Professional MBA is designed for working professionals who want to advance their careers into leadership positions through applied and experiential learning. Our evening class schedule, flexible pacing options and supportive community make it possible to earn your MBA while maintaining your professional momentum and personal commitments. The Professional MBA can be completed in-person or online with 3 required in-person residencies.
Weekly Time Commitment by Course Load
| Pace | Courses/Semester | Hours/Week | Time to Degree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 1 course | 8-10 hours | 4 years |
| Standard | 2 courses | 15-18 hours | 2.5-3 years |
| Accelerated | 3 courses | 22-25 hours | 2 years |
Most students choose the standard pace. You can adjust your pace each semester based on work demands.
Sample Weekly Schedule (2 Courses)
| Day | MBA Activities |
|---|---|
| Monday | Pre-class readings and preparation (2 hrs) |
| Tuesday | Evening class 6:00-9:00 PM (3 hrs) |
| Wednesday | Assignment work and readings (2 hrs) |
| Thursday | Evening class 6:00-9:00 PM (3 hrs) |
| Friday | Light review or free evening |
| Weekend | Group project work, larger assignments (4-5 hrs total) |
Career Support That Extends Beyond the Classroom
An infrastructure designed around working professionals.
At Carlson, career growth is not treated as separate from the MBA experience. Whether you are pursuing advancement within your current organization, exploring a pivot or expanding your strategic leadership capability, Carlson’s approach is intentionally designed around the realities of working professionals balancing demanding careers, evolving goals and full personal lives.
Throughout the program and well beyond graduation, you’ll work closely with advisors, career coaches, faculty, alumni and peers to strengthen your leadership capability, expand your network and connect classroom learning directly to long-term career growth.
Support includes:
- Personalized career coaching
- Employer and networking opportunities
- Experiential learning projects
- Leadership development resources
- Lifelong access to career support
Become a Leader in Your Field
The expertise you gain in our Professional MBA program can help you open doors to new leadership opportunities. Employment in business and financial occupations is expected to grow faster than the national average through 2032, and the median annual wage for this occupation group is nearly 66% higher than the median for all occupations.1
Whether you want to enter a new field or pursue leadership or management roles in your current industry, Carlson can help you get there. From the class of 2025, 51% of graduates earned a promotion or switched companies/roles/industries.2
average salary increase within 4 months of graduation2
median salary for Professional MBA graduates2
Residencies as Career Accelerators
Build relationships as a catalyst to career growth.
The Professional MBA includes three intentional in-person residencies designed to strengthen your leadership capability, deepen professional relationships and expand your long-term career network.
You will complete at least one Campus Residency offered by Minnesota Carlson Graduate Programs and Carlson Business Career Center. Campus Residencies are immersive, high-impact experiences held over 3 days on campus. They build community while blending professionally relevant learning through industry engagement, skill development and experiential activities.
Through immersive experiences with peers, faculty, alumni and industry leaders, you’ll engage in collaborative problem-solving, applied learning and meaningful community-building that extends beyond the classroom.
For working professionals balancing demanding careers and competing priorities, these residencies create intentional space to step back, build lasting connections and gain the confidence and perspective that often accelerate long-term professional growth.
Admissions Details and Application Deadlines
Minnesota Carlson's Professional MBA program offers a streamlined online application. In addition, GRE/GMAT scores are optional. There is no minimum GPA requirement, and our application fee is $75, with a waiver available for active-duty U.S. military service members. You can explore other requirements below.
Admissions Requirements Overview
The following materials are required to apply to the Professional MBA degree program:
- Unofficial transcripts from all universities/colleges where coursework has been completed (official transcripts required upon acceptance of admission to the program)
- Personal statement essay
- Proof of English language proficiency***
- Two years of full-time work experience
- Two professional recommendations
- Video essay
- Current resume
Application Deadlines
| Application Deadlines | Spring (January Start) | Fall (September Start) |
|---|---|---|
| Preferred Deadline | October 15 | May 15 |
| Priority Deadline | November 15 | June 15 |
| Final Deadline | December 15 | July 15 |
Employees from our corporate partner organizations are automatically eligible for a 15% tuition discount for select Minnesota Carlson programs, including Professional MBA. In addition, degree-seeking students who are U.S. military members or veterans are eligible for a 15% military discount.*
"I chose to attain my MBA for their high-quality educators and the experience that the program offered. When researching different programs, the U of M was at the top of my list and I was ecstatic when I was accepted into the program."
Stay Connected
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Sources and Disclaimers
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Financial Analysts.
- The University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management. Part-Time and Online Master of Business Administration Employment Report 2025.
*Carlson scholarships and discounts are not transferable to other degree programs and may not be "stacked" with other University of Minnesota/Carlson scholarships, discounts or reduced tuition programs such as Regents Tuition Benefit Program or Senior Citizen Education Program (SCEP).
**A scholarship essay is required to be eligible for a 15% or 50% scholarship.
***All applicants are required to demonstrate English language proficiency through academic transcripts/mark sheets or an English language test.