Quick Highlights
Choose a general MBA when your direction is open or crosses functions, and choose a specialized MBA when your next role is in one field. Arkansas State University (A-State) offers nine online MBA options, the MBA – General plus eight concentrations, from a business college with AACSB accreditation. Every program is $17,292 in tuition with fees included and takes as few as 12 months with a full courseload.
If you already lead a team or a project and are weighing a Master of Business Administration (MBA), the decision comes down to a general or specialized route: will your next role focus on one business function or span several? The online MBA programs at Arkansas State University (A-State) offer both routes, with the MBA – General option available for anyone who hasn’t settled on a final field.
What Is the Difference Between a General MBA and a Specialized MBA?
A general MBA is a business degree with elective credits you choose across fields, and a specialized MBA is the same degree with those credits focused on one field, such as marketing, finance or healthcare. A concentration is a set of nine credits of courses in one field, and the MBA – General at A-State is a track that lets you choose nine elective credits from the electives offered in the other MBA concentrations.
| Program features | General MBA | Specialized MBA (concentration) |
|---|---|---|
| Electives | Nine elective credits from the other concentrations’ electives | Nine credits of courses in one field |
| Best when | Your direction is open, crosses functions or is changing | Your next role is in one field |
| Credits, price and pace | 33 credits, $17,292 with fees included, as few as 12 months with seven-week courses in spring and fall and five-week courses in summer | The same 33 credits, price and pace |
| Admission | Bachelor’s degree, 2.5 GPA (or 2.75 in the last 60 hours), no GMAT, $30 application fee | The same requirements |
The two routes lead to the same MBA: 33 credits, eight core courses and one price, so a track changes only your electives, not your cost or pace. Tuition may change yearly, so confirm the current total before you apply.
Which Concentrations Does A-State Offer, and Who Are They For?
A-State offers nine online MBA options, the MBA – General and eight concentrations, and each is suited to a different role. Use the table below to match the function of the job you want to the relevant concentration.
| Concentration | Pick it if your next role… |
|---|---|
| General | is open or crosses functions |
| Management | is about leading people and teams |
| Marketing | is in brand, digital or customer work |
| Human Resource Management | is in HR and workforce strategy |
| Financial Planning and Analysis | centers on budgeting, forecasting and finance |
| Supply Chain Management | involves logistics, planning and operations |
| Business Analytics | draws on data and decision support |
| Healthcare Management | means running health-system operations |
| Agricultural Business | is in agribusiness and natural resources |
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects about 1.1 million openings a year across management occupations from 2025 to 2035. That national figure covers management roles as a group, not MBA graduates or any one concentration, so the function you choose to manage is the part of the decision you control.
How Do You Decide Which MBA to Choose?
Pick the MBA with a concentration that matches the work you want to do, or choose the MBA – General if your next role doesn’t fit one business function. Work through three branches:
- If your next role is in one function, choose that concentration and compare it with the MBA – General.
- If you lead people across functions, choose the MBA – Management.
- If you are unsure or switching fields, choose the MBA – General, because you choose nine elective credits from other concentrations and can sample several fields.
A-State’s online MBA programs list course descriptions for each concentration. Check those electives against the role you want before you apply.
Student Spotlight
April Oliver left a career as a medical laboratory scientist for the MBA – General, completed in December 2023, and was hired as a financial advisor soon after. About the opening Graduate Business Fundamentals course, she said: “You get a little bit of accounting, economics, finance, marketing, … so that it brings everyone from all the different backgrounds into the business arena.” Her experience is her own, and outcomes vary.
Does Choosing an MBA Concentration Limit You Later?
No, a concentration adds depth to a business foundation that every A-State MBA option shares. All nine include eight core courses (24 credit hours), so a concentration changes only the other nine credits.
Kris Harmon, a data analytics manager with 15 years of experience leading technology teams, began the online MBA – General program in January 2025. He said: “I’m a very ambitious and driven person. … I have lofty goals of getting into a C-suite role at some point.” The MBA – General provides students with a broad business foundation, while a concentration puts every elective toward a field they have already chosen.
Match Your MBA Track to Your Next Role
Either route earns the same MBA from a college with AACSB accreditation, which A-State’s Neil Griffin College of Business has held since 1979 and the MBA since 1985. AACSB International reports that only 6% of business schools worldwide hold this accreditation, and U.S. News & World Report includes A-State in its Top Public Schools ranking for 2027.
A-State’s online MBA career guide covers MBA career paths, salary ranges and ROI. Read it to see which roles center on one area and which span several, then return to the three branches above.
Explore A-State’s online MBA programs and find the track that fits your next role.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the General MBA curriculum cover?
It combines eight core courses (24 credit hours) in accounting, economics, finance, analytics, project management, strategy and marketing with nine elective credits from other MBA concentrations. A student engagement specialist or academic advisor can map electives to your goals.
Do employers prefer a general or a specialized MBA?
At A-State, the credential you present is the same, as both routes earn a 33-credit MBA from the same AACSB-accredited college. Employer preferences vary, so match the track to the role you want: choose a concentration when the role centers on one area and the MBA – General when it spans several.
I work in finance. Should I choose FP&A or a general MBA?
Choose FP&A if your next title is in budgeting and forecasting, and a general MBA if you may move across functions.
I work in HR. Should I choose the MBA or the M.S. in Organizational Leadership?
Choose the online MBA with a Concentration in Human Resource Management program if your next role runs HR with budgets and strategy attached; it is 33 credits and $17,292 with fees included. Choose the online M.S. in Organizational Leadership program if your next role mostly leads people; it is 30 credits and $10,500 with fees included. A-State’s side-by-side comparison lays out the courses and costs.