Flex MBA

At the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business, we're redefining the MBA experience to meet the evolving demands of today's professionals. 

Our newly reimagined 33-credit Flex MBA degree allows you to tailor your education to achieve your bigger goals. The program combines 18 credits of required Core courses, 6 credits of required Electives, and 9 credits of specialized Certificate coursework. Certificate coursework allows you to specialize in Analytics and Information Management (STEM), Entrepreneurship, Executive Leadership, Finance (STEM), or Supply Chain Management (STEM).

Flexible Course Formats for Working Professionals

The new Flex M.B.A. program offers students a seamless path to dual credentials – an M.B.A. degree and a specialized Certificate. All courses are available online and in hybrid formats. Students will work closely with their Student Success Coach to make informed choices that work best for the schedule and career goals.

Course Formats

  • Core Courses: Available online and hybrid every term (fall, spring, summer)
  • Elective Courses: Offered online and hybrid two terms per year
  • Certificate Courses: Available online and/or hybrid one or two terms per year

Course Delivery

  • Online courses are offered asynchronously (work at your own pace with deadlines, no set class times)
  • Hybrid courses meet on campus roughly every other week in the evening with asynchronous coursework on the alternating weeks. 
  • MGMT-599 Strategic Management Capstone requires students to attend an in-person kick-off meeting with hybrid and synchronous online classes

With the Flex MBA, you’ll gain the skills, leadership experience, and professional network needed to accelerate your career—on a schedule that works for you.

Program Information

The 33-credit Flex MBA is comprised of 18 credits of required Core courses, 6 credits of required Electives, and 9 credits of Certificate coursework. You can tailor your education by selecting from certificates in Analytics and Information Management, Entrepreneurship, Executive Leadership, Finance, and Supply Chain Management in addition to your MBA.

Degree

Master's

School

Palumbo-Donahue School of Business

Duration

4-6 Semesters

Required Credit Hours

33

Modality

Online
Hybrid
Hyflex

MORE IN THIS PROGRAM

Curriculum: Required Core and Elective Courses

View the Course Descriptions
The 33-credit Flex MBA is comprised of:
  • 18 credits of required Core courses
  • 6 credits of required Elective courses
  • 9 credits of Certificate courses
  • ACCT 515 — Accounting for Decision Makers (3 credits)
  • BUBA 510 — Analytics for Managerial Decision Making (3 credits)
  • FINC 530 — Finance for Managers (3 credits)
  • MKTG 522 — Marketing in the Digital Age (3 credits)
  • MGMT 518 — Business Foundations: Ethics, Sustainability, Law (3 credits)
  • MGMT 599 — Strategic Management Capstone (3 credits)
Pick Two:
  • ECON 520 — Economic Analysis for Business (3 credits - Required for FINC Certificate)
  • ENTR 602 — The Entrepreneurial Manager (3 credits - Required for ENTR & EL Certificates)
  • ENTR 676 — Sustainable Product Design & Innovation (3 credits)
  • GRBU 628 — Project Management (3 credits)
  • ISYS 611 — IT Ecosystems, Risk and Compliance (3 credits - Required for AIM Certificate)
  • MGMT 620 — Managing Innovation and Change (3 credits - Required for EL Certificate)
  • SCMG 610 — The Hidden Engine: How Supply Chains Drive Everything (3 credits - Required for SCM Certificate)

Certificate Options

View the Course Descriptions
  • ISYS 610—Analytics & Information Management (3 Credits)
  • ISYS 612—Data Querying (3 Credits)
  • ISYS 620—Predictive Analytics with Machine Learning (3 Credits) or ISYS 622—Behavioral Analytics (3 Credits)
  • ENTR 601—Ideation Adventure (3 Credits)
  • ENTR 603—Financing, Venture Capital & the Law (3 Credits)
  • ENTR 605—Entrepreneurship Pitch Experience (3 Credits)
  • MGMT 605—Leadership & Motivation for Executives (3 Credits)
  • MGMT 608—The Executive Environment (3 Credits)
  • MGMT 619— Budgeting and Finance for Leaders (3 Credits)
  • ACCT 615—Financial Statement Analysis (3 Credits)
  • FINC 613—Corporate Finance (3 Credits)
  • FINC 617—Financial Markets & Institutions (3 Credits)
  • SCMG 612 — Technology for Supply Chain Success (3 credits)
  • SCMG 616 — Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (3 credits)
  • SCMG 624 — Leadership in Supply Management (3 credits)

Key Features of the Flex MBA:

Flexible Learning Options: Students can choose between hybrid and online formats to accommodate their schedules.

Customized Curriculum: Elective courses and embedded certificates at no additional cost allow students to tailor their education.

Online Resource Modules: Ungraded modules are available to students to strengthen their skills in accounting, economics, finance, and statistics. 

Accelerated Completion: A streamlined 33-credit structure enables students to finish in as few as four semesters.

Industry-Relevant Learning: Courses emphasize real-world applications with executive guest speakers, case studies, and hands-on business scenarios.

Enhanced Career Support: Students gain access to career workshops, networking events, and professional development resources.

Accreditation

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) awarded Duquesne's undergraduate and graduate Schools of Business its full accreditation. The AACSB accreditation is recognized as a global mark of distinction. Less than 6 percent of the world's more than 1,200 business schools have passed the rigorous review necessary to earn the honor.

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Accredited Logo

Learning Outcomes

Ethical Competency
Learners will be able to recognize ethical dilemmas in an organizational context and apply ethical decision-making frameworks to business decisions.

  • Identify an ethical dilemma.
  • Apply ethical decision-making frameworks to create an ethically defensible solution for business problems.

Sustainability Perspective
Learners will recognize and apply sustainability principles to strategic decisions as a means for competitive differentiation.
  • Recognize and consider the social, environmental and economic impact of strategic decisions on an organization and society.
  • Apply sustainability principles to business decisions resulting in greater efficiency, innovation, and competitive advantage.

Problem Solving
Learners will demonstrate an ability to analyze complex situations, analyze information and evaluate alternatives from different perspectives to develop solutions for business problems and to seize innovative opportunities.
  • Identify and frame business problems and opportunities.
  • Synthesize quantitative and qualitative data to support decisions.
  • Strategically evaluate complex situations to set goals and design functionally integrative plans to move an organization forward.

Management and Leadership Skills
Learners will gain innovative managerial and leadership skills to motivate, lead and inspire employees and teams to create positive organizational change in a global business environment.

  • Demonstrate managerial skills to motivate people to achieve goals and embrace new opportunities.
  • Work effectively as a team.
  • Effectively communicate managerial recommendations through both written and verbal communications.

Cultural Intelligence
Learners will possess the skills to manage effectively in a global business environment.
  • Apply global business theories and related market-entry strategies to business decisions.
  • Demonstrate cultural intelligence in order to bridge cross-national differences in business perspectives and practices.