The Online MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler
Shaping Agile Leaders Online for Over 10 Years
STEM Designated. Tar Heel ROI. No Compromises.
Globally recognized, time-tested online MBA
The online MBA program from UNC Kenan-Flagler has earned its reputation as a leader in business education with top rankings year-on-year from U.S. News & World Report.
Top 20
in Best Business Schools1
#2
in Best Online MBAs2
#3
in Best Online Business Analytics MBA Programs3
#1
in Best Online Finance MBA Programs4
#2
in Best Online General Management MBA Programs5
#3
in Best Online MBA Programs in Marketing6
We first offered our MBA online in 2011, marking more than a decade of unwavering dedication to innovation and meeting student needs, ensuring a top-tier online education experience. While rankings don’t show the full picture, they do reflect our commitment to excellence and offer insight into our ethos.
Discover Why Professionals Like You Choose UNC to Advance Their Careers
Engagement and Learning
Experience Interactive Coursework:
At UNC Kenan-Flagler, we prioritize active student engagement through our state-of-the-art online platform. You’ll participate in live, interactive classes where you can collaborate with peers, engage in real-time discussions and receive immediate feedback from expert faculty. Our approach ensures that you’re not just passively absorbing information but actively contributing to a vibrant, intellectually stimulating learning experience.
Community and Network
Join a Community of Innovators:
As an online MBA student, you become part of a diverse, global network of 51,000+ professionals, alumni and industry leaders. Whether through virtual study groups, global Summits or alumni events as part of the UNC Kenan-Flagler community, you’ll forge meaningful connections that extend far beyond the classroom. Our community is here to help you grow personally and professionally, opening doors to new opportunities and lasting relationships.
Student Support
Benefit from Student Resources:
From the moment you start the program, you will be fully integrated into the community and enjoy the same personalized, responsive support as your on-campus peers. From day one of the program through graduation—and beyond—you will have access to a plethora of services including schedule planning, career management and development resources and more. We’re as vested in your success as you are.
Multiple Online MBA Start Dates
UNC’s online MBA program offers four annual start dates (January, April, July and October), giving you the flexibility to start your MBA journey at the time that works best for you.
October 2025
Priority Deadline
June 23, 2025
Final Deadline
July 21, 2025
January 2026
Priority Deadline
September 15, 2025
Final Deadline
October 13, 2025
GMAT and App Fee Waivers Available
If you have five or more years of professional full-time work experience, you do not need to submit GMAT/GRE scores. Less experienced applicants can qualify for a waiver by demonstrating significant quantitative skills.
See if you qualify for a GMAT waiver.
MBA@UNC also offers application fee waivers. Contact an Admissions Counselor at 888-986-2622 or admissions@onlinebusiness.unc.edu to learn how you can qualify for a $150 application fee waiver.
Online MBA Fellowships Available for Admitted Applicants
Students who are admitted to the upcoming cohort will automatically be considered for a fellowship.
Let’s Put Your Ambition to Work
When you start an application, we’ll connect you with an Admissions Counselor
who can offer personalized guidance and support.
The No Compromise Online MBA for Leaders
No matter your industry or the size of your team, the way you lead matters.
UNC Kenan-Flagler’s #2-ranked online MBA program has been shaping agile leaders online for more than 10 years.7 You’ll develop an approach to leadership that reflects your values, amplifies your strengths and positions you for success.
We believe you shouldn’t have to compromise if you want to pursue a rigorous MBA program without disrupting your life or job. Here’s what you can expect from our well-known, time-tested online MBA program, designed by some of the sharpest business minds in the world:
- A STEM-designated degree that prepares you to make strategic, analytical decisions in today’s data-driven workplaces
- Challenging coursework that equips you to bring integrity and skill to every challenge
- Global learning experiences that expose you to new cultures and perspectives
- Access to 51,000+ alumni who will help you keep scaling long after graduation
This is where you become the leader you were meant to be. Let’s get started.
The Only Online MBA With Tar Heel ROI
Our students and graduates apply what they’re learning right away—no pauses, no interruptions—and it’s paying off.
“The knowledge and insights gained from my online courses have directly translated into practical applications within my job, allowing me to approach tasks with a broader perspective and innovative solutions. While in the program, I was promoted from director of internal operations to senior director of internal operations.”
Kitty Whitehead, Class of 2024
Senior Director of Internal Operations at Smithsonian Enterprises
2024 Poets & Quants Online MBA Best & Brightest
Customizable Online MBA Curriculum From an
AACSB-Accredited School
When you earn your MBA degree online from UNC Kenan-Flagler, you’ll be part of a business school that’s accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), the longest-serving, most recognized accrediting body for business schools in the world.
Classes are taught by top UNC Kenan-Flagler faculty who have a wealth of experience teaching in an online learning environment. Our students know there’s no substitute for participation, so you can schedule your classes and coursework in ways that complement your existing responsibilities.
In addition to covering traditional MBA competencies, you’ll be able to customize your curriculum according to your goals, interests and industry.
We offer more than 40 ways to earn elective credits, a Leadership Academy certificate, and six concentrations:
- Data Analytics and Decision Making
- Entrepreneurship
- Finance
- Management and Leadership
- Marketing
- Strategy and Consulting
You’ll also complete two in-person Summits—immersive experiences held in cities around the world and on campus in Chapel Hill—that expose you to new perspectives on today’s most pressing business challenges and strengthen your relationships with classmates and professors.
Learn how the online MBA curriculum and Summits arm you with the skills and experience to become an agile leader.
Stronger Relationships,
Stronger Leaders
“The individuals I’ve been able to meet since I’ve been in the MBA@UNC program have changed the trajectory of my life.”
Andre Walters, Class of 2015
Chairman and CEO, The A. Shawn Group
Co-Owner, Duck Donuts (Charlotte and Atlanta)
Co-Founder, Free Fenix, LLC
Our 51,000-person alumni network includes more than 3,800 online graduates who say the relationships they’ve formed here are ones they’ll carry with them throughout their careers. Between online and in-person learning experiences, you’ll go beyond networking, getting to know your fellow students and faculty members on a personal level and collaborating in ways that create new opportunities and lasting trust.
As part of this driven, accomplished and supportive network, you’ll share ideas and gain meaningful insights from a diverse set of experienced peers—both inside and outside of the classroom. These connections build strong relationships that last well after graduation.
With UNC, You Have an MBA for Life
Once you’ve graduated from the online MBA program, you can continue to rely on UNC Kenan-Flagler for career development resources and opportunities, including:
- Personalized support and coaching from our MBA Career Services team
- The option to take additional UNC Kenan-Flagler courses for a minimal fee
- Connections with our global, 51,000-person alumni network
FAQ About the Online MBA
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UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School offers a portfolio of degree formats, both online and on campus, that enable students with a range of backgrounds, objectives and scheduling requirements to access a high-quality education. Each program has its own application process and admissions requirements. However, whichever program you choose to pursue—online, full time, evening or weekend—you’ll receive the same UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA degree.
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UNC Kenan-Flagler seeks students whose academic background, professional experience and leadership abilities meet our rigorous demands. We require MBA@UNC applicants to have a bachelor’s degree and a minimum of two years of professional work experience. Learn more about our application requirements.
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The length of an MBA program depends on many factors, including the number of credits and whether you attend full time or part time. UNC’s online MBA program can be completed in as few as 18 or as many as 36 months. Students who take two courses per quarter will finish in 24 months.
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Testing requirements for MBA programs vary, but UNC Kenan-Flagler’s online MBA program requires GMAT/GRE scores for applicants with less than five years of professional full-time work experience. However, the Admissions Committee will consider GMAT waiver requests on a case-by-case basis.
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What makes the UNC Kenan-Flagler online MBA unique is our no-compromise approach to preparing leaders. You don’t have to choose between quality, location and support. From day one, you’ll learn from world-class UNC faculty; experience UNC Kenan-Flagler’s rigorous, leadership-focused curriculum; and join a community driven to succeed, innovate and inspire. MBA@UNC blends online flexibility with in-person networking and personalized learning. MBA@UNC students can further enhance their professional experience by earning the Leadership Academy certificate. The Leadership Academy certificate is an additional credential that can be completed through courses taken while enrolled in the program.
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MBA@UNC offers more than 35 electives, allowing you to customize your experience and focus on the areas and skills you want to strengthen. For students who want to specialize in a particular business area, we also offer six concentrations: Data Analytics and Decision Making, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Management and Leadership, Marketing, and Strategy and Consulting. The Leadership Academy certificate is also available to enrolled MBA@UNC students as an additional credential–earned through courses taken while in the program–to enhance their professional experience.
Your Top-Ranked Online MBA, Your Terms
Don’t compromise on what you can achieve. Learn how you can complete the nation’s #2 online MBA at your own pace—in as few as 18 months or up to 36 months—without leaving your job or relocating.
- Best Business Schools. (2024). U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved April 18, 2024. ↩︎
- Best Online MBA Programs. (2025). U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved January 22, 2025. ↩︎
- Best Online Business Analytics MBA Programs. (2025). U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved January 22, 2025. ↩︎
- Best Online Finance MBA Programs. (2025). U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved January 22, 2025. ↩︎
- Best Online General Management MBA Programs. (2025). U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved January 22, 2025. ↩︎
- Best Online MBA Programs in Marketing. (2025). U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved January 22, 2025. ↩︎
- Best Online MBA Programs, U.S. News & World Report (2025) ↩︎
- Reported salary statistics are based on exit surveys of MBA@UNC graduates in 2023, with a response rate of 45.9%. ↩︎
- Reported salary statistics are based on exit surveys of MBA@UNC graduates in 2023, with 27% of students reporting bonuses. ↩︎