Northcentral University offers adult learners an online MBA degree from an accredited distance learning university.
Northcentral University is another online college in the US that is operated as a for profit company. The university is located in Prescott Arizona and is owned by Rockbridge Growth Equity, LLC. Northcentral is accredited by the North Central Association Higher Learning Commission.

Northcentral University is relatively new when compared to a number of other online colleges but it has very diligently established itself and has grown into one of only a handful of strictly online colleges that offers online degrees up through the PhD level. The Northcentral name was a product of the college’s founder Dr. Donald Hecht who established the university in 1996. The university did not obtain accreditation until 2003.

Requirements for Online MBA Degree
Northcentral’s online MBA program is similar to other MBA programs but is delivered exclusively online. The student can pursue either a “general” MBA or a specialized MBA. According to experts in PhD dissertation writing services, the difference is that the Specialized MBA consists of 6 specific courses selected by the student. In order to graduate with the either MBA the student will need to complete 12 courses and each course is 3 semester hours for a total of 36 semester hours. Each semester is 12 weeks long. It should be noted that a new 12 week term starts every month and since the courses are taught in an asynchronous format. This enables the student, who is mentored/led individually by an assigned instructor, to progress through the degree program much faster than at other colleges.

This general MBA consists of courses with the following titles: Strategic Knowledge Studies, Personnel Management and Organizational Behavior, Business Ethics, Product Management, The History of Management Theory, and Business Statistics. Once these six core courses are complete the student can select any six additional MBA courses from the various specializations to complete the required 36 semester hour program.

Northcentral University specialized MBA is offered in 15 different specializations. The areas of specialization are: Applied Computer Science, Computer and Information Security, Criminal Justice, Electronic Commerce, Financial Management, Health Care Administration, Homeland Security, Human Resources Management, International Business, Management, Management of Engineering and Technology, Management Information Systems, Marketing, Project Management, and Public Administration. Each specialization is 6 courses to earn the specialization designation.

Northcentral Tuition, Military Discount, Other Costs and Benefits
While Northcentral University’s tuition is a little higher than most other online colleges at $560 but with a lower number of semester hours required it keeps the tuition cost at $20,160. There are additional costs that increase the costs for students. These include a $75 application fee, a $120 annual technology fee, a $30 course registration fee and a $200 MBA graduation fee, slightly less per hour than a number of other online universities this is offset by the greater number of courses required for graduation.

The credit hour cost is $441 and for a 60 credit hour general MBA the total cost of tuition is $26,460. The specialized MBA tuition cost is $33,516 for the 76 credit program. There are also other costs and these include a $50.00 technology fee for each 6 week term which adds $750 to a general MBA and $950 to the specialized MBA.

Northcentral’s cost for a specialized MBA is actually fairly reasonable when compared to a number of other online programs. This fairly reasonable cost could be recovered in two years or less if the graduate is able to increase earnings as data from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) suggests. GMAC has data that shows that the average expected starting annual salary for new professional hires from MBA programs was $80,292 in 2016. The U.S. Census Bureau also has data that shows that person with a bachelor’s degree earns $59,000 compared to a graduate degree earnings of almost $94,000.

Northcentral University’s military discount program lowers the cost of tuition to $475 per semester hour for active duty personnel and veterans. Veterans eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, students will not be entitled to the housing allowance of the Post 9/11 GI Bill because Northcentral University’s MBA program is attended online only. Veterans using the Montgomery GI Bill need to take two courses per term to meet the requirement for full-time attendance. Northcentral’s policy of allowing accelerated completion of courses may impact the GI Bill payment rates and veterans are encouraged to consult with the VA and the school to avoid any financial surprises.

Overall Assessment of Northcentral University Online MBA Degree
The Northcentral University MBA degree is a fairly straightforward degree program that allows the student to focus their degree in the manner they believe might best benefit their career. The ability to accelerate through a degree program and earn an accredited MBA is the major highlight of the program. Northcentral is not as well known as many traditional brick and mortar colleges but as the number of Northcentral graduates in the workforce increases it is only a matter of time before its reputation is established.