Quick Highlights
- An online MBA at Arkansas State University can take as few as 12 months at about two courses per term, or about 22 months at one course per term.
- Courses run seven weeks in fall and spring and five weeks in summer (seven weeks for some Healthcare Management concentration courses), with multiple start dates each year.
- The 33-credit program totals $17,292 as of 2026 ($524 per credit hour), with fees included.
- The Neil Griffin College of Business is AACSB-accredited, and the MBA requires no GMAT or GRE.
Your calendar is already full of deadlines, family plans and weekend commitments, so before you add a Master of Business Administration (MBA), you need to know how long an MBA will take and where it will fit in your week. The online MBA programs at Arkansas State University (A-State) consist of 33 credits and can be finished in as few as 12 months with a full courseload. How many courses you take each term determines your finish date.
How Long Does an Online MBA Take at Each Pace?
An online MBA at A-State takes about 12 months at two courses per term and about 22 months at one course per term. The program consists of 11 three-credit courses (eight core and three more, concentration-dependent), and the table shows how many terms each pace needs. Six of the eight core courses run in only two of the six terms each year, so missing one can push a course back by three terms.
| Pace | Terms | Approximate length |
|---|---|---|
| Two courses every term | 6 | About 12 months |
| Two courses, then one, alternating | 7 | About 14 months |
| One course, then two, alternating | 8 | About 16 months |
| Conditional admission (one course in each of the first two sessions, then two per term) | 7 | About 14 months |
| One course every term | 11 | About 22 months |
The table above is based on estimates, not A-State figures. The pace and length timelines stem from the MBA – General course list and A-State’s current schedule across six terms a year (Fall 1 and 2, Spring 1 and 2, Summer 1 and 2) and assume you enroll every term. Concentration programs share the eight core courses but differ in the other three. Prerequisites and course order are not modeled; for example, the program page lists ECON 2313, ECON 2323, or MBA 502V and 503V as prerequisites for Managerial Economics. Confirm your sequence with a student engagement specialist.
What Decides Whether You Finish Faster or Slower?
Four levers decide your timeline: how many courses you take each term, which terms you enroll in, how much transfer credit applies and your admission status. Together they explain why two students in the same program may finish months apart.
- Courses per term: More courses per term shortens the timeline, and fewer courses per term lengthens it.
- Terms: Five-week summer courses move faster than the seven-week courses in fall and spring (seven weeks in summer for some Healthcare Management concentration courses). The 12-month pace includes summer, and each term you skip adds time.
- Transfer credit: Up to nine graduate hours may be credited toward a program, and the program director evaluates them, according to A-State’s online FAQs. No course can be older than six years at graduation.
- Admission status: Students admitted conditionally, with a cumulative GPA below 2.75 and a GPA below 3.0 in the last 60 hours, take one course per seven-week session for their first two sessions, which adds time.
Map your busiest weeks first, then place lighter terms there. School district staff can align summer terms with the break, agribusiness managers can plan lighter terms around planting and harvest and bank managers can lighten the weeks around quarter-end close. Multiple start dates each year let you choose the opening that keeps your heaviest work and class weeks apart.
The fastest and slowest paths use the same course list at the same per-credit rate, so a slower pace stretches the calendar without adding courses. Total tuition for the 33-credit online MBA programs is currently $17,292 ($524 per credit hour, fees included). See Is an Online MBA Worth It? for how online MBA costs compare with on-campus programs.
Can You Study Around a Full-Time Job?
Yes, because the courses are 100% online, you can study around a full-time job. Each course ends within weeks, so you complete one subject and move on to the next.
Student Spotlight
April Oliver, online MBA – General graduate and now a financial advisor, said: “I could read my textbook anywhere that I was. I could listen to lectures more than once if I needed to. … That made it doable and manageable. I fit my studies into my everyday life.”
Oliver earned her MBA while working full time, enrolling in spring 2022 and graduating in December 2023, in under two years, so her path shows a longer pace can work around a job. Typical weekly hours depend on the pace you choose, so ask a student engagement specialist for that number before you commit.
When Does the Clock Start?
It starts on your first class day, and the application deadline falls 14 days earlier. Take the 2027 Spring 1 term as an example: for this term, applications and documents are due December 28, 2026, registration closes January 7 and classes start January 11, 2027. The requirements are short:
- A completed online application
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, with official transcripts due by the application deadline
- A 2.5 cumulative GPA, or 2.75 in your last 60 hours
- The $30 application fee
With no GMAT or GRE to schedule, the gap between deciding and applying can be days. Applications stay valid for a year, and you can request a different start term in writing by email, so a decision made this month can become a first class within a few months.
Important note
Tuition, application requirements and program information are current as of 2026, but these can change yearly. Confirm current tuition, deadlines and program details before you apply.
Set a Pace That Matches Your Calendar
Students can complete a 33-credit MBA in as few as 12 months with a full courseload or take fewer courses per term to accommodate a heavier work schedule. The core includes courses such as Accounting for Planning and Control, Managerial Economics and Corporate Financial Management.
A-State offers nine online MBA programs, the MBA – General plus eight concentrations, and each consists of 33 credits, the same tuition and the same 12-month minimum. The eight core courses are the same in each, but the other three differ by concentration, so check their term schedules before you plan your sequence.
Not sure which concentration matches your goals? Compare A-State’s online MBA programs side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I finish an online MBA in as few as 12 months while working full time?
Yes, you can keep working while you earn your MBA, because the courses are 100% online. As few as 12 months means about two courses each term, including summer. Graduate April Oliver worked full time throughout the online MBA – General program and completed it in under two years.
Can transfer credits shorten an online MBA?
Transfer credits may shorten an online MBA. Up to nine graduate hours from A-State or other institutions may be credited toward a program, the program director evaluates transfer credit, and no course can be older than six years at graduation.
What if I need to skip a term?
Skipping a term pushes back your finish date, and a core course offered in only two terms a year can slip by three terms. Sitting out for a year requires reapplying.