Meredith College

What you'll study

All MBA students complete 15 credit hours of core MBA courses and 18 credit hours of flex courses (total 33 credit hours). Concentration structures are completed within the 33-credit framework:

• General MBA — core 15 credit hours plus 18 credit hours of flex courses to broaden business knowledge.
• Business Analytics concentration — core 15 credit hours, nine credit hours of business analytics electives and nine credit hours of flex courses. Students learn to apply descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive analytics and to present data clearly using visualization and reporting techniques.
• Innovative Management concentration — core 15 credit hours, nine credit hours of innovative management electives and nine credit hours of flex courses. The concentration targets skills for driving innovation within an employing organization and advancing in management roles.
• Project Management concentration — core 15 credit hours, nine credit hours of project management electives and nine credit hours of flex courses. Coursework covers project definition and planning, cost/quality/delivery improvements, negotiation, conflict management, and use of performance metrics to measure project success.
• Accelerated (4+1) MBA — Meredith undergraduates may enter an accelerated pathway to complete the MBA in one additional year after their bachelor’s degree by starting graduate coursework as undergraduates; students should enroll by junior year to follow the five-year plan and finish the MBA in two semesters plus two summer sessions.

Entry requirements

No GMAT score is required. Admissions review can require foundation courses depending on prior transcripts. Meredith accepts a range of graduate competencies in lieu of standardized test scores, including four years of professional work experience, military experience, and CPA certification.

Career prospects

The program positions graduates for leadership and specialist roles across industries. Employer relationships and alumni placements cited include Coca-Cola, Burt’s Bees, AT&T, Bank of America, Biogen, LabCorp, Red Hat, WakeMed, Wells Fargo and others.

• General MBA — potential roles: financial analyst, chief financial officer, project manager, senior software engineer, marketing director; reported average salary: $97,000.
• Business Analytics — potential roles: data analyst, analytics manager, business intelligence analyst, financial analyst; reported average salary: $87,000.
• Innovative Management — potential roles: strategy consultant, operations manager, business analyst; reported average salary: $70,000.
• Project Management — potential roles: project manager, senior project manager, product engineer, director of operations; reported average salary: $90,000.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

Meredith describes the MBA as one of the more affordable options in the region and notes availability of graduate scholarships and graduate business scholarships. Career planning and internship opportunities are available to support early-career students, and the Office of Career Planning provides lifelong career support. Additional student resources include a Business Advisory Board, study abroad options, and faculty and staff support.