Kent State’s College of Business and Entrepreneurship is leading the future of business alongside the top business schools in the nation. 

The Princeton Review has ranked the university’s Online MBA program as No. 23 in the “Top 50 Online MBA Programs for 2022,” making it the highest ranked Online MBA program in Ohio. The school was also ranked No. 25 in the nation by U.S. News and World Report for its Online MBA Business Analytics program.

“[The ranking] signifies the quality of the program, and it’s an objective third party that says ‘Your program is excellent.’ That recognition is not given lightly,” said Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Cathy DuBois. 

The Princeton Review’s rating is based on student surveys, career outcomes, academic rigor and affordability, among other factors. 

Kent State’s Online MBA program, which was started in 2017, is more accessible than an in-person curriculum. Students have enough time to work a full-time job outside of their studies. For online business administration graduate student Jennifer Stanley, flexibility is important. 

“The unique part of the Online MBA program is just that. It is all online,” Stanley said. “As an adult, [at] 49 years old that works full time, many other adults and I need to have the option to take online courses. I honestly do not think it would have been possible without this option.” 

The program is focused on fostering leadership potential in students, building critical thinking skills and teaching ethical and sustainable management. As the first and only Online MBA program in the nation to be Quality Matters certified, the program is designed to ensure a fulfilling curriculum with measurable outcomes.

This accomplishment is just a stepping stone for the College of Business and Entrepreneurship. By next year, DuBois hopes the program will be ranked in the top 10.

“The only way you get into the top 50, much less the top 25, is if your students are very satisfied. That is particularly important at Kent State, where we have a ‘students first’ priority,” DuBois said. “If we are meeting the needs of our students well, and that is reflected in the ranking, then it’s a wonderful measure of how well our program is doing.”

Emma MacNiven is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].