Eller College of Management Launches One-Year MBA

The accelerated MBA option is designed for professionals with undergraduate business degrees.

In response to the growing number of young professionals who want to earn an advanced degree quickly and return to the workforce, The University of Arizona's Eller College of Management is launching an accelerated, one-year MBA program beginning in 2010.

"With this program, we are joining a small number of elite business schools that offer an accelerated graduate program aimed at those who already have an undergraduate business degree," explains Brent Chrite, director and associate dean of the Eller MBA.

The students will begin their Eller MBA experience with a 10-week intensive session in marketing, operational management, finance, statistics, accounting, and economics. Then they will enter the full-time program, essentially as second-year students, and focus on the elective coursework they need to get ahead in their area of expertise. "It's an approach that minimizes the opportunity costs of pursuing an MBA," Chrite said.

Students in the accelerated program will have access to value-added Eller MBA experiences such as the international trip to an emerging market and a consulting project in an industry of professional interest. The program also allows further specialization through focus areas in sustainable business and alternative energy or healthcare management and policy.

The new accelerated MBA program is one of four MBA options at the Eller College of Management, along with the traditional, two-year program for full-time students seeking an immersive experience; the 18-month evening MBA, which is aimed at working professionals; and the innovative 14-month executive MBA, a program designed for high-level professionals with extensive work experience.