UNH Today

The University of New Hampshire’s online MBA program is among the top 5 programs in New England and is the top-ranked program in New Hampshire in U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 ranking of Best Online MBA Programs.

Offered by UNH’s Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics, the program is ranked #56 overall, among the top 15% of online MBA programs nationally, and #54 for veterans. The ranking includes programs at 358 U.S. business schools. UNH first entered the ranking in 2017 at #78.

“This high ranking for our online MBA program validates its market strength and the excellence of our students and faculty,” said Dean Deborah Merrill-Sands.

Paul College’s online MBA program has seen steady growth over the past five years, with enrollments growing to more than 200 students, as a greater number of students are choosing this option to earn their master’s degree in business administration due to its flexibility and intimate class sizes. The program increasingly draws students from outside New England and even from outside the US.

According to Victoria Parker, associate dean for graduate education and faculty administration, there are several areas in which the online MBA program stands out.

“We hold AACSB accreditation, the highest accreditation standard for business schools worldwide, and are the only New Hampshire online program to do so,” Parker said. “Online students get the same experience as our students who take classes face-to-face, including being taught by the same accomplished faculty and receiving similar academic supports. Our program is small and high-touch, and our students are seasoned professionals who bring their knowledge and experiences into class discussions and project-based work.”

A distinctive feature of UNH’s online MBA program is that students also can take face-to-face courses at its Durham campus, including hybrid courses that combine both online and face-to-face learning experiences.  Leading Organizational Change and Negotiations are two popular course offerings of this type, combining online learning with a weekend face-to-face intensive learning experience.

Amanda Chasse ‘10, ‘19G started the program about three months after changing career paths at IDEXX in Westbrook, Maine, where she went from R&D scientist to product manager. With an undergraduate degree in biochemistry from UNH, Chasse said she was moving into a field “where I didn’t have formal training and I wanted to begin coursework as quickly as possible.” Her willingness to get her MBA was one of the reasons she got the new position. Since 2017 when she started the program, she has been promoted three times.

The flexibility of the program was a major draw for Chasse.

“Being able to choose my classes and do them completely asynchronously was a major bonus for me. I completed course work while traveling for work in places like Singapore, Amsterdam, and Hawaii! Other programs didn’t offer the ability to get my degree from anywhere. I also really appreciated the ability to take classes in person if I felt like I would benefit from face-to-face engagement. I chose to take an in-person class for corporate finance, and I believe it made all the difference for me to excel in that particular course.” --Amanda Chasse '10, '19G

According to Corey Hoyt ‘20G, manager of people learning & development at Mainstay Technologies in Manchester, N.H., the faculty and curriculum are two of the ways in which the UNH online MBA program stands out.

“You want to be challenged by the coursework in order to grow, and you want access to people with deep expertise who will guide you in that learning journey,” Hoyt said. "I would absolutely recommend the UNH Online MBA program because you're joining a community of people you might not otherwise cross paths with in your life. The diversity of the student body, on-campus and online, and the experiences they bring to the classroom make for a really transformative journey. Addditionally, you can complete the program while working full time, you'll develop strong relationships, and the knowledge you gain can change the trajectory of your career and outlook on business."

For the 2022 edition, U.S. News ranked online MBA programs using five categories:  Engagement between faculty and students, expert opinion amongst academic leaders, faculty credentials and training for online learning, student excellence, and services/technologies to support student learning.