Find The Best Hawaii MBA Programs and Degrees

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How to Choose an Online MBA in Hawaii

If you’re ready to take your career to the next level, an online MBA can be just the thing. When you enroll in an online MBA you’ll still have time to take care of your current work and family obligations. Plus, you’ll receive top-notch instruction.

To choose the right online MBA program in Hawaii, you’ll first need to assess your specific needs. You probably want to advance your earnings and career. However, you’ll need to decide exactly what direction you want to pursue. That is, you need to articulate what specific area of business you’d like to work in. You can also consider whether you’d like a concurrent degree or if you’re willing to do some minimal travel for residencies.

Online MBA Specialization

When you receive an MBA, you want to know that your degree is applicable to the industry or career path that means the most to you. Generalization is for undergraduate degrees, and that is wonderful. A bachelor’s in business provides a foundation that allows for specific training. You can then build on that foundation by choosing a concentration when you begin an online MBA. Some MBA specialty areas include, but are not limited to:

International Business

Many MBA programs offer this as a specialization. In fact, many include an optional trip to foreign countries. If you intend to stay in the Hawaiian Islands, this might be a great choice. After all, Hawaii necessarily imports and exports many items to maintain a contemporary standard for its citizens.

Supply Chain Management

Again, since Hawaii imports and exports so much, you’ll likely be highly-sought when you have master’s-level knowledge of cutting-edge supply chain software and theories of logistics.

Human Resources

Hiring a top-notch team begins with HR professionals who know how to find and lure top talent. While it may seem easy to lure people to Hawaii’s tropical life, many will want to remain elsewhere, where they have easier access to the other contiguous 48 states. Further, firms need HR professionals who know how to structure compensation packages in ways that please employees while remaining within budgetary constraints.

Accounting

Accounting is a popular concentration for MBA candidates who also want to add CPA credentials to their resume. If this is the route for you, make sure you consult Hawaii’s current standards for CPA candidates. That is, there are very specific academic standards that you must meet to qualify to even take the CPA licensing exam.

Concurrent Degrees

Concurrent degrees are an academically intense, but very potent way to advance your career. The most well-known type of concurrent degree is the JD/MBA, though those are rare in the online environment. However, there are more and more concurrent degree programs popping up all the time.

Nowadays, you can find programs that offer engineering degrees alongside the MBA. You might also find legal studies degrees packaged alongside your MBA. Legal studies might not carry the punch of the JD, but such a degree will give you knowledge and skills that you will actually use in your work.

Percentage of students enrolled in online programs in Hawaii

Residencies

As online education matures, MBA programs are evolving to meet all student needs. You can find programs that are online-only. You’ll never need to visit the campus or meet any of your fellow students. Other programs are now offering residency periods, where you visit campus for instruction and networking opportunities. Some programs offer residencies as an option, but others make them a required part of the curriculum.

Residencies can be a valuable addition to an online MBA program. One hallmark of traditional on-campus programs is that they provide students an integrated opportunity to build a network of like-minded and equally-trained professionals to call on. Such a network might help you raise funds for your next disrupting tech company or provide referrals for job openings. You’ll also have a sounding board for business ideas. MBAs are community builders, so online programs are now adding a more personal touch to help you build the same sorts of community once unavailable to online students.

Residencies also ease the online class experience. When you can put a name, face, and voice to a discussion-board critique from a peer, it’s easier to put into context. That is, you might know that some people have certain pet issues they tend to pick out or that their feedback can seem brusque or rude, but that they are genuinely fun people. When you have a context for an online interaction, it can smooth over the misunderstandings that seem intrinsic to online communications.

Accreditation

Accreditation is a major issue when it comes to picking the right online MBA program in Hawaii. It will impact your academic and even professional future. Thus, if you plan to attend an MBA program with the idea of moving on to the PhD level, you might contact a few desired PhD programs to see if they will accept credits from MBA programs you are considering. If you plan to stay in the working world, you might consider calling a few employers you find desirable, discuss the program’s accreditation with the Human Resources department and find out what they think. Since accreditation is subject to change, discuss individual programs in the context of their current accreditation status.

There are generally three accrediting agencies to look for when choosing a program. Those are:

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business – the AACSB is the premier agency for MBA accreditation. Founded in 1916, they certify the top MBA programs, both on-campus and online. There are many factors to consider when you’re applying to online master’s degree programs, so if an AACSB program appeals to you, it’s worth applying to. Keep in mind that their certifications are based more on research and traditional academic criteria.
  • Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs – This accrediting agency prioritizes quality instruction more than the research prowess of a particular department. If you want professors who are focused on students and educational outcomes more than kudos from academia, an ACBSP-accredited program might be for you.
  • Regional Accreditation– This level of accreditation indicates that a program is well thought of among similar programs in its particular region. If you are applying to a Hawaiian online MBA program, look for accreditation from the Western Association of Colleges and Schools.

University of Hawaii at Manoa Shidler School of Business

The University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Shidler School of Business offers an online Executive MBA. In fact, the Shidler School is only one of two AACSB certified programs in the state. Shidler offers a general MBA with a wide spectrum of elective classes that will build on your work in the core curriculum. You might take any one of the following, though this list is subject to change:

  • Investment Analysis
  • Negotiations
  • Multicultural Management
  • Marketing Communication and Management
  • International Business

The Shidler School also offers a Health Care Management track that will position you for brilliant success in one of the fastest-growing industries in the nation. In the past, the Shidler School has offered healthcare-focused courses such as:

  • Healthcare Financial Management
  • Health Policy, Systems, and the Legal Environment
  • Management of Health Information Technology and Population Health
  • Human Resources in Healthcare Organizations
  • Patient Centered Communication Management

Top Employers in Hawaii

Company Industry Headquarters City Number of Employees
Hawaii State Department of Education Education Honolulu 13,000
Altres Industrial Consultants Honolulu 10,000+
Hawaii Health Systems Corp Health Honolulu 4,000+
Queen’s Medical Center Health Honolulu 3,600
Kapiolani Medical Ctr Health Honolulu 1,500+

Hawaii Pacific University

HPU is an AACSB-certified MBA program that allows you the flexibility for online learning. HPU offers a general MBA, but you can also choose from a list of seven concentrations:

Organizational Change and Development

this concentration looks at areas such as innovation, organizational structures, and leadership to create a concentration that will form the foundation for your work as a consultant or an outside-the-box manager in your current firm.

Marketing

you’ll expand your knowledge of market research, advertising management, and international marketing, among other areas. This concentration includes the option for paid and unpaid internships.

Management

with a focus on international business management, you’ll be poised to lead. This focus area is especially worthwhile if you wish to expand on your business dealings in Japan.

International Business

Hawaii is geographically poised to be a huge center for global business. This focus area provides a redux of every major MBA topic through the lens of international commerce.

Information Systems

from project management to systems architecture and everything in between, this specialization will make you a vital part of any firm’s growth and development.

Human Resource Management

sustainable human systems, compensation, and OSHA concerns are just the tip of the iceberg in this specialty. After all, every firm relies on its people to make a profit, so your expertise will be invaluable.

Finance

international finance, derivatives trading, and estate planning comprise a wide spectrum. With this specialty you could end up managing your firm’s investment portfolio or working on your own as a financial planner for Hawaii’s savvy investors. If your firm is considering broadening its scope with mergers or acquisitions, this is an important specialization for you. Be careful, though: your bonus check might be too large!

Though Hawaii has a limited landmass, it has two top-notch online MBA programs to choose between. Make sure you do thorough research and arrange a visit to the campuses, if possible. Since both are in Honolulu, you can possibly visit both on the same day. Nonetheless, with an online MBA, you’ll be poised to lead Hawaii through the 21st century. Aloha!

Location:

Honolulu, HI

Tuition:

$ $ $ $ $

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  • Tuition

    51,016

  • Receiving financial aid

    73%

  • Student population

    1.2%

  • Public or Private

    Public

Location:

Honolulu, HI

Tuition:

$ $ $ $ $

  • hpu-logo
  • Tuition

    42,000

  • Receiving financial aid

    58%

  • Student population

    2.03%

  • Public or Private

    Private

Location:

Honolulu, HI

Tuition:

$ $ $ $ $

  • cu-logo
  • Tuition

    32,400

  • Receiving financial aid

    99%

  • Student population

    13%

  • Public or Private

    Private