Most business programs have some elements of coursework in common—business basics, problem-solving, management, leadership skills, etc. In today’s modern learning landscape, you have the opportunity to pursue more specialized options, too. While a traditional Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) program continues to be a popular choice, other types of business master’s degrees offer curricula tailored to specific industries or disciplines.
Whether you have a bachelor’s degree or a background in business you’d like to build on, learn more about what type of business management degree best matches your goals. Start by exploring our curated list of three top-ranked online programs:
- Master of Business Administration (MBA): Boston University
- Master’s in Product Management: University of Maryland
- Master of Leadership in Service Innovation (MLSI): The University of Queensland
Master of Business Administration (MBA): Boston University
MBA programs are perhaps the most well-known type of business master’s degree. They offer professionals a well-rounded path to advancing their careers in an increasingly interconnected and rapidly changing global business ecosystem. An MBA degree arms students with a holistic view of the forces transforming the global economy and skill set to build and lead businesses accordingly, including contemporary business perspectives and issues, collaboration, teamwork, and entrepreneurial skills.
The online MBA from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business is designed from the ground up to deliver these business foundations to global online learners. In addition to the core business discipline knowledge and skills employers expect (strategic management, organizational behavior, project management, financial management), this degree program provides foundations in emerging areas typically found in electives, such as:
- Digital transformation
- Social role of business
- Data-driven decisions
- Leading with integrity
- Globalization
- Innovation
Master’s in Product Management: University of Maryland
Product management is emerging as a high-growth career path in the United States, and employers are eager to expand their teams with professionals who offer the perspective of a skilled product manager. Whether you currently serve in a product management role or perhaps you contribute to cross-functional teams alongside product managers, a master’s degree can help you advance in this growing profession.
What is Product Management?
Product management is a strategic business function that deals with the entire product lifecycle. In this cross-functional role, you’ll interface with internal and external stakeholders, including customers, engineering, legal, finance, marketing, and customer service. Together, you’ll conceptualize new products, analyze the market, conduct testing to make improvements, and introduce the product to your customers. Learn more product management, one of the hottest jobs in tech.
Throughout this process, product managers identify risk, align the internal teams, and ultimately own the results of the product’s success.
While this job title has traditionally been most common within software, engineering, and startup environments, it’s becoming common across the entire business sector for good reason. Many startup founders and CEOs serve as product managers during their early careers, and credit this experience for helping to develop skills in design thinking, collaboration, agile project management, and more.
The University of Maryland offers a fully online Master’s in Product Management that helps students become growth-driven, world-class product managers prepared to discover and deliver products at scale. With courses that follow the product development lifecycle, students can complete this program in as little as 15 months and graduate with a master’s degree aligned to this lucrative, rapidly growing profession.
Master of Leadership in Service Innovation (MLSI): The University of Queensland
“Service economy” and “experience economy” are more than just buzzwords: each phrase represents a seismic economic shift that today’s business leaders should understand and be poised to leverage. In our modern, rapidly changing business environment, customer experience, service excellence, and innovation drive competitiveness.
An online master’s degree from the University of Queensland, Leadership in Service Innovation, prepares students to succeed by teaching them how to lead organizations that deliver exceptional customer experiences. The cutting-edge business degree was built to tackle two critical challenges facing managers in today’s fast-evolving economies: preparing for the move to a service- and experience-based economy and embedding a culture of continuous innovation that enables organizations to execute new ideas and create value for all stakeholders.
The program blends research and best practices in business leadership, innovation, service science, management, and experience design to take students on a journey from the economic changes that led to today’s experience-based value model through all foundational aspects to ensure they are prepared for the future and ready to maximize organizational resilience and adaptability to change.
Learn More About Top Online Master’s Degrees on edX
Master’s degree programs on edX are designed to be flexible, affordable, and high quality, mirroring the same standard of rigor as on-campus learning and many other benefits, like opportunities to network with peers and faculty.
The growing list of online master’s programs on edX includes analytics, computer science, accounting, data science, information technology management, supply chain management, and more.
