Quick Highlights
- In the online MBA – General program, you choose three electives from a list spanning finance, marketing, supply chain and leadership. In the online MBA – Management program, you choose three of five leadership and organizational courses.
- Choose the MBA – General for breadth across business functions, and choose the MBA – Management for depth in leading people and organizations; both fit professionals with clear goals.
- At Arkansas State University (A-State), both programs are 33 credits at $17,292, and students can finish the programs in as few as 12 months with a full course load.
- Both programs are offered through A-State’s AACSB-accredited Neil Griffin College of Business and require no GMAT or GRE.
While both the online MBA – General program and the online MBA with a Concentration in Management program at Arkansas State University (A-State) share the same MBA core, the specialization courses shape the skills and subject matter that receive the greatest emphasis. Both programs are fully online, so you can keep working while you decide.
What Is the Difference Between the General MBA and the MBA in Management?
Both degrees are 33 credits with the same eight core courses; the difference is the nine elective credits, which the MBA – General lets you choose across business functions and the MBA – Management focuses on leadership and organizational courses. Those nine credits are the only part of either curriculum you choose.
| Program feature | MBA – General | MBA – Management |
|---|---|---|
| Credits | 33 | 33 |
| Shared core | Eight courses, 24 credits | Same eight courses, 24 credits |
| Your nine credits | Three electives from the program’s elective list | Three of five leadership and organizational courses |
| Tuition, fees included | $17,292 ($524 per credit hour), the same for all U.S. residents | $17,292 ($524 per credit hour), the same for all U.S. residents |
| Length | As few as 12 months with a full course load | As few as 12 months with a full course load |
| Format | Seven-week courses in fall and spring; five-week courses in summer; multiple start dates a year | Seven-week courses in fall and spring; five-week courses in summer; multiple start dates a year |
| Admission | Bachelor’s degree, 2.5 GPA (or 2.75 in the last 60 hours), official transcripts, $30 nonrefundable application fee and applicants below both GPA marks may apply with a statement of purpose; no GMAT or GRE | Same as the MBA – General |
Both degrees come from the Neil Griffin College of Business, which holds AACSB accreditation; AACSB International reports that only 6% of institutions offering business degrees worldwide have earned it. They also share one eight-course core, from Accounting for Planning and Control to a Strategic Management capstone, so your choice affects 9 of the 33 credits.
Applicants admitted with a 3.0 GPA in their last 60 hours and a cumulative GPA below 2.75 start on conditional status. They need a B or better in each of the first nine credit hours and take one course per seven-week session for the first two sessions.
Important Note
The total tuition for both programs is $17,292 as of 2026, and tuition may change yearly. Confirm tuition and program details before applying.
How Do the Nine Elective Credits Differ?
The MBA – General lets you choose three electives across business functions, while the MBA – Management has you choose three of five courses on leading people and organizations. Either way, you pick three courses.
MBA – General: Choose Across Functions
The online MBA – General program lists electives that include studies in finance, data mining, marketing, supply chain, leadership and agricultural business. Your three picks can concentrate on one function or connect several:
- Go deep in one function: Take Financial Statement Analysis, Seminar in Finance and International Financial Markets.
- Add leadership to a function: Take Leadership Development with Global Supply Chain Management and Logistics Operations.
- Test a new area: Choose the Marketing Internship, which requires an approved internship proposal.
Some electives list prerequisites. Check the course list before you plan all three.
MBA – Management: Focus on Leading People and Organizations
Pick the three that match the decisions you face most often at work, because the five options cover different aspects of managing people. Each is a three-credit, seven-week course, so your three picks total nine concentration credits in the online MBA – Management program.
| Course | When to choose the course |
|---|---|
| Organization Theory | If you want to examine organizations as interdependent systems, including their structure and environment |
| Seminar in Organizational Behavior | If you need to diagnose how individuals and teams work in your organization and act on what you find |
| Leadership Development | If you want to study leadership theories and build your leadership skills |
| Management Development Strategies | If you want to learn the policies and techniques used to develop human resources in an organization |
| Business Ethics and Social Responsibility | If you want to explore ethical decision-making, corporate responsibility and the social impact of business practices |
Leadership Development also appears on the General program’s elective list. Choosing three of the five Management courses keeps all nine credits on leading people and organizations.
Which Program Fits Your Goals?
Choose the MBA – General when your goals call for fluency across several business functions, and choose the MBA – Management when your goals center on leading people and organizations. Three checks can help you decide:
- You want broader exposure to multiple business disciplines: A-State lists general manager and director of operations among the roles the MBA – General program prepares graduates for.
- You work in a function and want its courses: The MBA – General lets you take electives such as Financial Statement Analysis or Global Supply Chain Management.
- You want to lead people and organizations: A-State lists business unit director, human resources director and business consultant among the roles the MBA – Management prepares graduates for.
April Oliver, a former medical laboratory scientist who is now a financial advisor, earned her degree through the online MBA – General program in 2023. She called an elective internship with Edward Jones Investments her “turning point” while working full time.
Student Spotlight
April Oliver, MBA – General, 2023, said of the Graduate Business Fundamentals core course: “You get a little bit of accounting, economics, finance, marketing, … so that it brings everyone from all the different backgrounds into the business arena.”
Supervising a team does not settle the choice. Kris Harmon, a student in the MBS – General program and a data analytics manager who leads technology teams, said: “I’m a very ambitious and driven person. … I have lofty goals of getting into a C-suite role at some point.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists a bachelor’s degree and five or more years of related experience as typical for top executives and reports about 304,100 projected openings a year from 2025 to 2035. That national demand figure is not a forecast for A-State graduates, and no degree guarantees a C-suite role or a raise.
What if Your Field Has Its Own Concentration?
Compare the field’s concentration to the General and Management options before you decide. A-State offers nine online MBA programs: General plus eight concentrations in Management, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Financial Planning and Analysis, Supply Chain Management, Business Analytics, Healthcare Management and Agricultural Business.
- Hospital or clinic: Compare the MBA – Healthcare Management with the Management concentration when you run clinical teams.
- Banking or finance: Compare the MBA – Financial Planning and Analysis with the MBA – General when budgets and forecasts come with the title.
- Retail or logistics: Compare the MBA – Supply Chain Management with the Management concentration when you run flow and people.
Roles by function appear in What Can You Do With an Online MBA? Read it to see which roles match your goals, and read General MBA vs. Specialized MBA for guidance across all nine programs.
Choose by the Nine Credits
The MBA – General suits goals that draw on several business functions, and the MBA – Management suits goals that center on leading people and organizations. If yours mix both, compare the five Management courses with the General electives in the function you want to join.
Both choices lead to the same MBA, and the nine credits you choose determine your focus. Because the programs share the same admission requirements, you can compare the curricula before you apply.
Learn more about A-State’s online MBA – General program or the online MBA – Management program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Management concentration redundant if the MBA already covers general management?
No. The MBA – General gives you the business core plus three electives you pick across functions. The Management concentration uses that space for three leadership and organizational courses, so it focuses on one area.
Can I switch industries more easily with the General MBA?
Yes, the MBA – General offers more elective range for a field switch, including finance, marketing and supply chain courses. You can discuss your goals with a student engagement specialist before applying.
I am weighing the Management concentration against the M.S. in Organizational Leadership. What should I know?
The online M.S. in Organizational Leadership is a 30-credit program whose foundational courses include the same five leadership course titles plus Communication Theory and Crisis Communication. The MBA – Management pairs those leadership courses with the business core.
I work in a hospital. Should I choose Management or Healthcare Management?
Compare the two concentrations against your goals. The Management concentration centers on leading people and organizations, while the Healthcare Management concentration bridges healthcare and business administration with topics such as healthcare policies and financial management.
I cannot decide on an MBA track. Where should I start?
Compare the five Management courses with the General elective list, and ask which nine credits match your next role. A student engagement specialist can walk you through both lists before you apply.