Overview
CAMPUS: Lynchburg, Virginia
TYPE: Private, Faith-Based
ACCREDITATION: SACS/COC
BASE PROGRAM COST: $16,740
PER CREDIT HOUR: $465
MINIMUM CREDIT HOURS: 36
GMAT REQUIRED: No
MINIMUM TIME COMMITMENT: 24 months
CAMPUS REQUIREMENTS: No
Introduction
Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., is a private Christian university founded as Lynchburg Baptist College in 1971 by evangelical minister Jerry Falwell. When the institution obtained university status in 1984, it changed its name to Liberty University. Liberty offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees.
Liberty University Online offers both a 36-hour general online MBA program and a 45-hour online MBA program with one of 10 specialties ranging from accounting to public administration to public relations.
Accreditation
Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Its MBA program does not have separate accreditation.
Academics
Liberty University Online offers two online MBA programs: a 36-hour program in general business, and a 45-hour program that includes a specialization in one of ten fields. Students can focus on accounting, criminal justice, healthcare management, human resources, international business, leadership, marketing, project management, public administration, or public relations.
The 36-hour program follows a suggested course sequence of four nine-hour semesters. The 45-hour program follows a suggested course sequence of five nine-hour semesters, with one specialized elective each of the last four semesters. All courses are asynchronous, and each is delivered through an eight-week format.
Admission
At Liberty, the requirements for Online MBA applicants include:
- An online application and $50 deferred application fee.
- Faxed or scanned unofficial college transcripts from a regionally or nationally-accredited bachelor’s degree program, demonstrating a minimum 3.0 GPA and completion of at least 15 hours of upper level business courses.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Full-time students in Liberty’s online MBA program will pay $465 per credit hour or a base program cost of $16,740 for the 36 credit hour degree. The school also offers discounts for military members. Online-specific scholarships are available to qualified students. Students may also apply for federal financial aid, grants, and loans.
School Resources
Liberty offers an optional eight-week Introduction to Online Learning course for students designed to help students learn to take tests, participate in discussions, write papers, and interact with classmates prior to beginning coursework. Students also have access to the university’s Online Writing Center, and a library with 24-hour access to more than 105,000 books and 73,000 journal articles. Though perhaps primarily geared toward undergraduate students, the university’s Bruckner Learning Center is also available to MBA students, and provides help with goal setting, note taking, time management, and exam preparation. Tutor.com provides free tutoring to all Liberty online students.
Liberty Online Ministries provides online lessons and resources in a variety of topics, offering Biblical perspectives on careers, cultural issues, family, marriage, money, personal issues, and purity. Through the community portion of the ministries site, students can choose to provide their name, email address, and physical address for the chance to meet other online students in person, with the school’s help.
