Professional MBA

Hone your vast potential with a Professional Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Duquesne University. Gain the hands-on expertise and networks necessary to thrive in a competitive global environment with this flexible MBA for working professionals, accredited by AACSB and ranked in the top 3 programs in the region according to the U.S. News and World Report.

Balance your learning experience with your professional commitments through our convenient Professional MBA program structure:

  • Complete the program fully online or with a mix of online and evening classes
  • Start in a fall, spring or summer semester with the option to complete the program in as few as 4 semesters.

STEM-Designated Option

A STEM-designated MBA highlights your technical skills and competence in a data-driven business world.

Available On-Campus or 100% Online

This MBA for working professionals provides a variety of course plans to suit your demanding schedule. Each experience-focused course in the Professional MBA program can be taken online* or in the evening on the Duquesne University campus near downtown Pittsburgh.

Students who require or prefer a primarily in-person class schedule are advised to start in the fall semester.

* Most online courses can be completed asynchronously, but the capstone course includes multiple synchronous virtual events.

Program Information

Our Professional MBA program includes integrative coursework and experiential learning projects with industry professionals and world-renowned scholars to prepare you for a lifetime of success and advancement.

Program Type

Major

Degree

Master's

School

Palumbo-Donahue School of Business

Duration

2-year

Required Credit Hours

36-42

More in this Program

Join our Difference Making MBA Program

  • Connect theory and practice to create effective change. Our program includes a leadership cornerstone experience, signature courses, a streamlined functional core and a capstone project that tackles strategic challenges for a real client. Integrative coursework and experiential learning projects with industry professionals and world-renowned scholars prepare you for a lifetime of success and advancement.

  • Gain skills to recognize and solve business problems from an ethics perspective and lead with integrity. Grounded in the Spiritan tradition, our graduates will "do the right thing" when solving business problems and become leaders with integrity who will inspire their organizations. You will learn that being the best in the world-in any field or endeavor-requires being the best for the world. Our philosophy is that responsible, ethical leadership in business not only enhances the bottom line, but also creates a better society for all.
  • Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset and envision new ways of accomplishing goals. You will be challenged to make decisions that require innovative thinking and calculated risks. Most importantly, you will be able to recognize and seize outstanding opportunities to solve problems and create value.

  • Apply sustainability principles in business decisions to drive efficiency, innovation and competitive advantage. Increasingly, the deep application of sustainability principles is both a necessity and a competitive differentiator. We want all our graduates to view sustainability as a key for long-term business survival and that firms can help create healthy ethical, social, economic, and environmental ecosystems in ways that improve their growth prospects and reduce their costs. Our courses are aligned with the Principles for Responsible Management Education, a UN-backed initiative to advance sustainable social, environmental and economic value in business education.

  • Lead effectively in a complex global environment characterized by diverse perspectives, values and business practices. Our goal is to prepare you to become a business leader with the ability to succeed anywhere in the world. Your professors will have rich international experiences to share, and you will meet talented students from all over the world. Throughout the curriculum, you will be asked to address global business issues designed to manage risk, bridge cultural differences and understand international markets.

  • Acquire the skills needed to build effective teams, motivate people and create innovative organizational change. Through interaction with C-suite executives, you will gain innovative managerial and leadership skills. These skills are honed through individualized assessments and career practicums with industry leaders addressing the core competencies relevant to the current business climate.

From Our Alumni

"Being a mother, pharmacist, leader in professional organizations, and MBA graduate, I aim to continue my journey of uniting individuals from various professions and backgrounds and educating future leaders."

Janetta Bekman MBA '22, Senior Medical Outcomes & Science Liaison for AbbVie

Certificates

Within the Professional MBA program, you can expand your career-specific skills with certificates.

A business student raises her hand in class.

Analytics and Information Management Certificate

Demonstrate your analytical skills and earn an in-demand credential.

Learn More
A business student smiles in class.

Entrepreneurship Certificate

Your entrepreneurial mindset will set you apart in the eyes of employers and investors.

Learn More
Two business students cross Rockwell Hall's skywalk.

Executive Leadership Certificate

Learn to lead with vision and a strategic-mindset.

Learn More
A business student studies outside.

Finance Certificate

Gain skills in financial analysis that will give you the knowledge to take the next steps in your career.

Learn More
Two business students study outside.

Supply Chain Management Certificate

Make a difference in your organization with a STEM MBA.

Learn More

Joint Degrees

Specialize your degree with the courses that match your career aspirations. Use Duquesne's opportunities for credit sharing between programs to pursue a joint degree alongside your MBA, such as a JD, PharmD or MA in Communication, to obtain two graduate degrees at once.

Curriculum

View the Course Descriptions
The Professional MBA consists of 36 credits of required Core courses and 6 credits of Fundamental courses. Fundamental courses may be waived if you have taken equivalent coursework within the past five years and have earned a B- or better
  • ACCT 501 Accounting Fundamentals (1.5 credits)
  • STAT 501 Statistics Fundamentals (1.5 credits)
  • ECON 501 Economics Fundamentals (1.5 credits)
  • FINC 501 Finance Fundamentals (1.5 credits)
  • GRBU 503 Managerial Decision Tools (1.5 credits)
  • MGMT 513 Managing People for Sustained Competitive Advantage (1.5 credits)
  • STAT 510 Applied Statistics (3 Credits)
  • ACCT 515 Accounting for Decision Makers (3 Credits)
  • ECON 520 Managerial Economics (3 Credits)
  • ISYS 525 Managing Information (1.5 credits)
  • SCMG 527 Supply Chain and Operations Management (1.5 credits)
  • MGMT 523 Applied Business Ethics (1.5 credits)
  • BLAW 529 Business Legal Environment (1.5 credits)
  • FINC 530 Financial Management (3 Credits)
  • MKTG 535 Marketing Management (3 Credits)
  • MGMT 531 Strategic Sustainability and Models (3 Credits)
  • MGMT 533 Global Business (1.5 credits)
  • MGMT 545 Executive Insights (3 Credits)
  • MGMT 540 Strategy and Implementation (3 Credits)
  • MGMT 548 Capstone Project (3 Credits)

Professional MBA FAQs

The Professional MBA can be completed 100% online. Even in its online format, the Capstone course (MGMT 548) will have several synchronous virtual requirements during the semester.
The Professional MBA Curriculum Guide illustrates when each course meets on campus, as well as the semester when an online format is available.
Fundamental courses may be required in the areas of financial accounting, microeconomics, statistics, and finance. The online fundamental courses are offered each semester and provide a strong foundation for the related classes in the core curriculum. You may waive the fundamental courses if you have taken equivalent coursework in your undergraduate or other graduate studies, and have graduated within the past five years earning a B- or better in the respective course. When your application is reviewed for admission, the admissions committee will make the determination as to whether you qualify for a waiver for specific fundamental courses.
You may start the Professional MBA in the fall (late August), spring (mid-January) or summer (mid-May) semesters.
You may pursue the program part-time or full-time. If you pursue the program part-time, you may complete the program in as little as 6-7 semesters (2-2 ½ years) depending on the need for fundamental courses. As a full-time student, you may complete the program in 4-5 semesters (less than two years) depending on the need for fundamental courses.
You can earn a STEM-designated Professional MBA in just 10.5 additional credits by adding a certificate in Analytics and Information Management, Supply Chain Management, or Finance to your program of study. For an additional 9 credits, you can complete a certificate in Entrepreneurship. For an additional 7.5 credits, you can complete a certificate in Executive Leadership. 
Yes, Duquesne University offers Corporate Tuition Deferment, a program whereby tuition payments are deferred until after grades are posted. To qualify, each semester you must pay a $35 processing fee and submit a letter on company letterhead from your human resources department to Student Accounts. The tuition balance must be paid in full by the due date, regardless of whether you have received reimbursement from your employer. Should your employment status change or your employer cancel authorization of the student's reimbursement, you are still responsible for payment. Any portion of the tuition and fees not covered by your employer must be paid by the payment due date.
Courses that are three (3) credit hours will meet for the duration of the full semester (15 weeks for spring and fall semesters or 12 weeks for the summer semester). Courses that are 1.5 credit hours will meet for the first half or second half of the semester (7 weeks for fall and spring semesters and 6 weeks for the summer semester).

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

Upon graduation: 
  1. Learners will be able to recognize ethical dilemmas in an organizational context and apply ethical decision-making frameworks to business decisions. Learners are able to: 
    • Identify an ethical dilemma.
    • Apply ethical decision-making frameworks to create an ethically defensible solution for business problems.

  2. Learners will recognize and apply sustainability principles to strategic decisions as a means for competitive differentiation. Learners are able to:
    • 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.

  3. 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. Learners are able to: 
    • 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.

  4. 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. Learners can: 
    • 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.

  5. Learners will possess the skills to manage effectively in a global business environment. Learners can: 
    • 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.