The Top Consulting MBA
Online Programs

The speed and flexibility of the business world today causes a variety of problems for business organizations. As a result, companies regularly employ business consultants to craft creative solutions to these problems. An online Master of Business Administration in Consulting is designed to prepare students for successful careers driving businesses towards greater efficiency and output. A consulting MBA online will supply graduates with theoretical and practical training giving that gives them a competitive edge over their peers. Students in programs listed at the top of online consulting MBA rankings will also have the opportunity to network with the professional consultants who act as their instructors.

An online MBA degree program will expose students to techniques used by real world consulting firms, often studying current real-world projects as part of coursework.  In online MBA consulting programs, students will work in teams to develop both the communication and collaboration skills needed to work successfully as consultants. Students will work to define actual problems through case interviews and data analysis, and then practice developing a solution for the client, just as they would as professional consultants.

How can I tell if an online MBA consulting degree is right for me?

Students interested in data analysis, business management and information systems will thrive in the best consulting MBA schools online.

Many online MBA consulting students also have the following traits:

• A capacity for communicating with persons outside organization
• An aptitude for making decisions and solving problems
• A capability for establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships
• An ability for communicating with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• A capacity for resolving conflicts and negotiating with others

How long does it take to earn an MBA online consulting degree?

Earning a consulting MBA degree online is comparable to earning any other similar degree. To earn this degree it on average takes 2 years of full-time study. However, some schools offer part-time or accelerated programs that give students the flexibility to earn the degree under a timeframe that suits their schedule.

What are the prerequisites and admission requirements for MBA consulting schools online?

Accredited online MBA consulting programs typically require students to have an undergraduate degree prior to gaining admission in the MBA program. A bachelor’s degree in related fields such as auditing, project management, business administration, and management may be preferred by some schools that have an MBA consulting online program.

The following criteria are also used by many online MBA in consulting programs in making admissions decisions including:

• Graduate Management Admission Test scores (GMAT)
• Essays
• References or Letters of Recommendation
• Academic transcripts

What courses will I take in consulting MBA programs online?

The first half of an online MBA in consulting will consist largely of classes taken as part of the traditional MBA core curriculum. Accredited online consulting MBA schools all have a similar core that includes subjects like accounting, business management, business ethics, economics and finance. All MBA students, regardless of their concentration, need to know these skills and concepts to succeed in the business world.

The second half of the MBA consulting online curriculum will depend on which of the top online consulting MBA schools a student chooses to attend. The management consulting concentration at the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at the University of North Carolina, for instance, requires courses in areas such as consulting skills and frameworks and student collaboration. UNC students can also become involved in the Consulting Club and take electives in the specific area of business most interesting to the student, like strategy, operations or finance.

In addition to coursework, internships are also completed by some students in online consulting MBA programs. These internships can be very useful. Through them, students get an opportunity to put their knowledge into practical use. They also often make useful business contacts.

What are the best online MBA in consulting books I should consider reading?

Some books students interested in consulting MBA careers may find on point are:

Books that might prove useful to students interested in a Consulting MBA include:

1. The Trusted Advisor (David. Maiser; Charles H Green; Robert M. Galford) – This book will teach the value of trust and confidence between the client and the consultant.

2. Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used (Peter Block) – Deemed the “consultant’s bible,” this groundbreaking book detailing the importance of personal relationships in business is a must read for anyone in the consulting field.

3. The McKinsey Way (Ethan Rasiel) – This inside look provides the step-by-step process used by top consulting firm McKinsey & Company when dealing with their most important clients.

4. The Consultant’s Quick Start Guide: An Action Plan for Your First Year in Business (Elaine Biech) – For those students ready to hit the ground running after earning their MBA online consulting degree, Biech shares the insider secrets of successful business consultants.

5. House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Then Tell You the Time (Martin Kihn) – A dark and hysterical memoir of Kihn’s first two years at a consulting firm.

What are my future job prospects if I pursue consulting MBA jobs?

There are currently 718,800 jobs available for consulting MBA online graduates in the field of business consultancy in industries such as technical consulting, computer system designs, motion picture and video industry consulting, and real estate consulting. Consulting MBA salary projections for these industries are, on average, as follows:

• Technical Consulting – $99,920
• Computer System Design Analyst – $97,940
• Motion Picture and Video Industry Consulting – $109,010
• Real Estate Consulting – $104,560

The field of business consultants is projected to increase by 22% over the next ten years. The increased reliance on social media and the expanding global network will only raise more issues that companies cannot naturally fix without advanced consultation from outside experts. For solutions, they will turn to graduates with an online Master of Business Administration in Consulting.

Many employers prefer graduates who have graduated from AACSB accredited consulting MBA programs. Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business accreditation generally indicates that a business school provides a quality education.