The Top Corporate Compliance MBA
Online Programs

During the last decade, the United States has seen many corporate scandals at companies such as Enron and WorldCom. In response to the public’s outcry for greater corporate scrutiny, the government has implemented many regulations to help increase transparency and prevent further disasters. Students in an online Masters of Business Administration in Corporate Compliance study governmental regulations and compliance procedures. However, these regulations can be confusing so many companies are allocating a significant portion of their budgets towards hiring individuals to help them remain compliant.

Top online MBA corporate compliance programs focus on teaching students about various government regulatory issues, guidelines and strategies while emphasizing strong ethics.  Students at schools with high online corporate compliance MBA rankings will gain a thorough understanding of corporate compliance and the effects that noncompliance can have on a business. While studying for a corporate compliance MBA online degree, these students learn the procedures to develop and implement compliance protocol at companies, create and foster an ethical culture amongst their co-workers and work with government regulators and agencies.

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

Students who enjoy working with and learning about ethical behavior, corporate internal controls and government regulation would find an online Master of Business Administration in Corporate Compliance perfect for them.

Other common characteristics amongst many online MBA corporate compliance students are:

• An inclination for communicating with persons outside organization
• A propensity for resolving conflicts and negotiating with others
• A skill for making decisions and solving problems
• A desire for establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships
• A skill for communicating with supervisors, peers, or subordinates

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

A corporate compliance MBA degree online takes approximately the same time to finish as any other similar degree. It normally requires two years of full-time study to earn. But, some institutions offer part-time or accelerated programs that give students the flexibility to earn the MBA in a more convenient manner.

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

Accredited online MBA corporate compliance programs normally require students to possess a bachelor’s degree prior to enrolling in the MBA program. An undergraduate degree in related fields like business administration, law, accounting, and auditing may be preferred by some schools that have an MBA corporate compliance online program.

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

• Academic transcripts
• Work experience
• References or Letters of Recommendation
• Essays

What courses will I take in corporate compliance MBA programs online?

While pursuing an online MBA in corporate compliance, students will begin their first year with courses that will lay the foundation to the rest of their education. For example, they will take online MBA courses that provide an overview of the different types of corporate and governmental regulators and regulations, ethics and governance, fraud examination, corporate social responsibility and risk management.

The second year of a corporate compliance MBA online program will be more focused on developing particular skills that will prepare students to implement and examine compliance at various organizations. Forensic accounting, data analysis, antitrust compliance, mergers and acquisitions and whistle blower programs are just a few of the topics covered at the best online corporate compliance MBA schools.

In addition to coursework, internships are also done by some students in online corporate compliance MBA programs. Internships are important. Through them, students not only make valuable business contacts, but they also get an opportunity to apply what they are learning in their classes.

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

Books that might prove to be insightful for students wanting to pursue corporate compliance MBA careers include:

1. The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron (Bethany McLean) – This book covers the fraud committed at Enron that led to the demise of what seemed to be one of the most profitable businesses on Wall Street and the creation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

2. Extraordinary Circumstances: The Journey of a Corporate Whistleblower (Cynthia Cooper) – Cynthia Cooper provides a first-hand perspective on what it takes to be a whistleblower in a multi-billion dollar corporation and the toll it took on her personal life.

3. The Whistleblower’s Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Doing What’s Right and Protection Yourself (Stephen M. Kohn) – A leading whistleblower attorney, the author of this book provides an explanation of many federal and state laws about whistleblowing and gives twenty-one rules for whistleblowers.

4. The Good, the Bad, & the Difference: How to Tell the Right From Wrong in Everyday Situations  (Randy Cohen) – Written by the author of the New York Times column “The Ethicist,” this book provides an examination of many different ethical dilemmas faced by real people, emphasizing that the difference between the right and wrong is not always clear.

5. Stolen Without A Gun: Confessions from inside history’s biggest accounting fraud – the collapse of MCI Worldcom (Walter Pavlo, Jr. & Neil Weinberg) – Walter Pavlo, Jr., a convicted felon for the embezzlement of $6 million dollars at MCI Worldcom, explains his involvement in international money laundering hoping to provide a cautionary tale to MBA online corporate compliance students.

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

The compliance industry currently has 210,510 jobs available to students that graduate from accredited MBA corporate compliance online programs. The annual corporate compliance MBA salary a graduate would receive varies depending on the position, some of which include the following careers:

• Compliance Officer – $63,760
• Forensic Accountant – $77,000
• Corporate Auditor – $69,000
• Federal Auditor – $70,000

According to U.S. News and World Report, employment growth for graduates of corporate compliance MBA schools online and offline is expected to be around 15% between 2010 and 2020. As an older generation of business managers and compliance offers retire and as the increased regulation put on businesses has increased the need for compliance, many corporate compliance jobs will become available.

Many employers want graduates who have earned their degrees from AACSB accredited corporate compliance MBA programs. Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business accreditation generally is evidence that that a business school gives students a quality education.