“The Online MBA at the USD Beacom School of Business has been providing working professionals the skills needed to advance their careers since 2007,” said Kathryn Birkeland, Ph.D., assistant dean of the Beacom School of Business. “The quality of the online program has been recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the top programs since 2015.”

The Beacom School of Business MBA program pushes students to excel both in and out of the classroom. The classes are offered in different formats and accommodate diverse learning styles.

The online option provides flexibility for full-time professionals who want to advance in their career or are planning for a career change. Additionally, the highly collaborative classes facilitate networking between graduate students from all over the country, with varied backgrounds and experiences, while creating a connection with USD.

“USD is known for the high-quality interactions between students and faculty. The top-notch faculty deliver courses that are relevant to the needs of working professionals,” said Birkeland. “Students have the option to take courses one at a time or complete the program in as little as 12 months. 

“The academic standards of the faculty and the school are rigorous in terms of student performance while the courses are designed with flexibility for those working full-time,” she continued. “With the online MBA from the USD Beacom School of Business, you can advance in your career or make the leap to another industry, all for less than $17,000.”  

Beacom’s MBA program offers five different specialization options – business analytics, finance, health services administration, marketing, and operations & supply management. Students also have the choice to pursue a fast-track degree by finishing their BBA and MBA concurrently.  

The Princeton Review methodology for ranking the best online MBA programs is comprised of an advisory board including faculty and administrators from top institutions that offer online MBA programs. Per the Princeton Review, their ranking survey evaluates more than 30 categories such as admissions selectivity, graduation and retention rates, faculty training and credentials, technological infrastructure, student indebtedness and career outcomes among many more. The survey for students in online MBA programs adds to the rankings and also evaluates more than 30 items, such as faculty, their fellow students, career preparation, academics, the technology platform, and overall satisfaction with their programs.  

“We recognize and appreciate our rankings. Ranking systems often prize selective admissions for entering students. Our efforts to reduce barriers and expand workforce development, especially in South Dakota, have put downward pressure on our rankings,” said Jewel Goodman Shepherd, Ph.D., associate dean of Beacom graduate programs and associate professor of health services administration. “Our barriers to entry are lower, which impacts our rankings to some degree, however we wear it as a strength. This demonstrates our support of USD’s strategic effort in creating opportunity for all, as well as to better prepare the South Dakotan workforce to serve itself.

“We recognize that prioritizing accessibility highlights certain factors, and these rankings reinforce our commitment to being transparent and responsive to the needs of our students and industry,” she continued. “Currently our program enrollment is almost 50% South Dakotans (and almost two-thirds are from South Dakota and surrounding states), and we are confident in our approach to growing the number of professionals that graduate prepared.”

Learn more about Beacom’s MBA program and specializations online.

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Hanna DeLange
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