MBA 101: Which MBA Program Fits You Best?

A Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) provides students firsthand experience in a business market that would otherwise not be delivered in a traditional bachelor’s degree program. The graduate degree gives those willing to pursue extended schooling a smoother transition into careers in business, accounting, marketing, and more.

The additional degree offers a more in-depth education in how businesses are operated and the management behind a successful corporation. According to a study by Santa Clara University, an MBA is considered a top priority for employee-seeking organizations in the business world—over 90% of Fortune 100 companies reported having MBA graduates as employees.

Courses in an MBA program may cover topics similar to those of a traditional bachelor’s degree in business, but the pace, depth, and complexity are elevated to prepare students to integrate immediately into high-profile organizations.

“One of the things I learned during [school at Southeastern] was, first of all, how well prepared I was going into industry, how well prepared Southeastern had made me,” said Dr. Tara Lopez, Dean of the College of Business at Southeastern and a two-degree alumna from the university.

Southeastern offers three MBA options to suit any type of student. Those options include the traditional MBA, the Executive MBA and a 100% online MBA.

A traditional MBA offers the complete experience for students seeking to advance their professional prowess and opportunities. The Southeastern MBA program has three concentrations: Business Administration, Managing Innovation and Technology and Accounting and Financial Analysis. Each concentration caters to a Southeastern student’s specific interests while providing the necessary knowledge to build upon a previous bachelor’s degree.

Offering the most flexibility, the traditional route includes 21 hours of required courses ranging from managerial economics to business policy and strategy. The remaining nine hours of required courses are open for electives in that student’s desired concentration. For example, a student with an accounting degree can transition into an MBA with a concentration in Business Administration to broaden their skill set.

The executive master’s in business administration is designed for practicing managers and executives and taught by highly qualified Southeastern faculty. This degree’s curriculum is designed for active professionals, with all courses taking place on Saturdays. This MBA allows current professionals to seek a graduate degree while still allotting time for their career. The EMBA program also has three concentrations:

• Accounting and finance
• Business Administration
• Health Care Management

The curricula of each concentration are nearly identical to the traditional MBA Southeastern offers, but with the knowledge that students have outside responsibilities. Not only does this program meet exclusively on Saturdays, but it’s also a hybrid option, with 60% of coursework delivered face-to-face and 40% online.

“I teach in a conversational way,” said Dr. John Poteet, an adjunct professor in the EMBA program at Southeastern. “I always tell my students you should learn as much from your cohorts as you do from me.”

The last of the three options for an MBA at Southeastern is the 100% online option. If you’re a recent graduate from Southeastern or an alumnus within the field, this option fits both molds at your own pace. 

Also known as the Managing Innovation and Technology (MITech) MBA, this program focuses on managerial decision-making, including strategic planning and resource allocation influenced by technology. Students will study courses in accounting, management, finance, and statistics while studying cybersecurity policy and software management topics. 

Classes are available for this degree in August, October, January, March, and May, offering flexible and accessible opportunities for students seeking a fully online curriculum.

An MBA from Southeastern places a student in an elite group of Lion alumni that will connect them to the job market best fit for the skill set they offer. Attorneys, Engineers, Bankers, Computer Scientists and more capture just a fraction of the professions represented by the MBA programs at Southeastern.

Most notably, former Southeastern President Dr. John Crain graduated with an MBA in 1984 from the same university he spent 23 years serving. After Dr. Crain graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA from Southeastern, he joined the faculty. He served as department head, provost, vice president of academic affairs, and eventually President of the university. In his 14-year tenure, Dr. Crain carried Southeastern out of financial crises, natural disasters and a global pandemic. He is a homegrown academic who both studied at and served the university that provided him the opportunity to succeed.

Southeastern’s 2024 Young Alumna of the Year, Janice Ezegbunam, is another established graduate who used her MBA to become a Technical Expert Consultant at Deloitte, one of the Big Four accounting firms.

Peyton LeSaicherre graduated with a degree in Marketing and followed it with an MITech MBA degree. Peyton now works as a Marketing Operations Lead at DSLA Mortgage, where she worked during her MBA program.

“The online program is a lot more flexible and easier for students who are also working full time, which is what I was doing,” LeSaicherre said. “So I knew that was a selling point for me.”

Southeastern’s MBA programs offer options for every type of student who comes to Hammond. Whether that be the traditional route, more accustomed to your undergraduate scheduling, or you’re an established employee in the field that wants a leg up on the competition, Southeastern is prepared to offer you the education, experience and commitment to help you get there.

For more information on all Southeastern’s Business Administration graduate programs, please visit our MBA website.