Can I Earn an Online MBA With No GMAT?

A degree may open the door to a variety of opportunities and diverse career paths. The degree programs offered at AIU will not necessarily lead to the featured careers. This collection of articles is intended to help inform and guide you through the process of determining which level of degree and types of certifications align with your desired career path.

Pursuing an online MBA without having to take the GMAT exam may sound too good to be true; however, it’s possible at American InterContinental University. While GMAT scores may be used to satisfy some admissions requirements to AIU’s Master of Business Administration programs, that requirement can also be fulfilled by having earned an undergraduate business degree or by taking a Management Competency Assessment.

In other words, earning an online MBA without GMAT testing may be within reach. Moreover, you may even be able to complete your degree in as little as one year.

What is the GMAT?

The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) exam is a standardized test designed by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) and is intended to measure extant skills and a test-taker’s probability of academic success.¹ That sounds simple enough, but a standardized test may not account for one’s specific circumstances, like unique needs and learning processes. Additionally, the test must be taken at a designated facility, which can be very inconvenient for someone with professional or personal obligations.¹

Why Does AIU Let You Get an MBA Without GMAT Scores?

Standardized tests like the GMAT may be preferred by some universities. However, AIU offers a more individualized approach. While American InterContinental University applicants can submit a GMAT score of 500 or above to satisfy various admissions requirements, it is possible to enroll in AIU’s online MBA programs without providing GMAT scores.

Without GMAT scores, applicants have three options for satisfying admissions requirements for AIU’s online MBA programs:

• 1. Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree in business do not need to submit GMAT scores.
• 2. Students who have neither taken the GMAT nor earned an undergraduate business degree may submit to a Management Competency Assessment. Students must earn a score of at least 70% on this exam, which covers general business education in areas such as:
  • Accounting
  • Business law
  • Business policy
  • Business strategy
  • Economics
  • Ethics
  • Finance
  • Information technology
  • Leadership
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Operations management
  • Organizational behavior
  • Statistics
• 3. Students who are continuing onto an online MBA from AIU’s bachelor of accounting or bachelor of healthcare management programs do not need to submit GMAT scores or submit to the Management Competency Assessment.

The goal of the above prerequisites is for students to demonstrate that they possess the foundational knowledge necessary to succeed in their pursuit of an online MBA without the requirements of GMAT scores.

Is AIU Accredited?

American InterContinental University, AIU, is part of the American InterContinental University System, which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Moreover, the business programs at American InterContinental University are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

In other words, you can earn your online MBA, no GMAT, from an accredited university. So, what are you waiting for?

What Online MBA Programs and Specializations Does AIU Offer?

AIU’s online MBA programs are designed for working professionals: You can attend class online during times and days that suit your schedule, thus allowing other responsibilities to not get in the way of your education and allowing your education to not get in the way of your other responsibilities.

AIU offers a diverse array of online MBA programs, no GMAT required. Here are your options:

• Accounting: As regulations change and the tax code evolves, accounting managers are the vanguard of ensuring that organizations successfully comply with the changes. This online MBA specialization covers topics such as economics, successful management techniques and the examination of financial data. The program covers both public and nonprofit accounting practices.
• Finance: Financial decision making is at the core of this specialization, including forecasting, capital budgeting and project risk management. In addition to the goal of honing students’ management analysis and strategy skills, the finance MBA program works to provide a global understanding of finance, corporate and otherwise, along with a special emphasis on derivatives and risk management.
• Healthcare Management: The efficient and effective management of healthcare facilities is crucial to providing timely, necessary care to patients. This specialization focuses on the business side of such facilities and aims to offer students an understanding of the United States healthcare system, including administration strategies and techniques, systems and policies. This online MBA specialization also covers the political realities surrounding the industry, including how agencies implement new regulations and laws, and how to deal with the media as necessary.
• Human Resource Management: This degree specialization is designed to teach students how to effectively leverage an organization’s employees, particularly in the context of business strategy. In addition to focusing on current employment trends, policies and issues, this program aims to teach students how to build and maintain an effective workforce. Recruitment strategies, hiring practices and methods for retaining employees are all topics that are covered, in addition to methods for effectively handling ethical and legal conflicts.
• Management: Every business needs managers who can effectively organize their employees, delegate tasks productively and lead. The emphasis of the management specialization is on helping students become strong business leaders with a comprehensive knowledge of the business world and the economic factors surrounding it. Topics of study include ethics, the legal ramifications of business decisions and quality management. Additionally, students have the option to branch out into areas such as international trade and investment, commercial transactions and licensing property.
• Marketing: This specialization operates with the notion that every business decision is, in some way, a marketing decision. Students work toward an understanding of the ways in which business strategy and marketing intersect, in addition to studying branding and strategic management, market research methods and international marketing tactics.
• Operations Management: Advanced business knowledge meets practical production knowledge in this online MBA program. Students study how to create products, from selecting a production facility to managing inventory, determining the appropriate mode of operations (such as JIT, lean operations or traditional operations, for example), and developing plans to improve those operations along the way.
• Project Management: This specialization is designed to teach students how to spearhead projects within an organization, from determining the scope and schedule to controlling costs and effectively communicating with stakeholders throughout. In addition to learning about the creation of effective project plans to address organizational and customer needs, students also study how to evaluate existing processes and integrate proven project management techniques.
• Technology Management: Technology has the potential to rapidly change the way business is done and organizations may require leaders with an understanding of the latest technological developments to ensure that they don’t get left behind. This specialization is meant to help give students a grasp of how tech and businesses intersect, from the fundamentals of computer technologies to effective IT project management and how IT can enhance an organization’s operations.

Online MBA, No GMAT: Do it at American InterContinental University

Are you ready to explore one of the online MBA programs with no GMAT requirement at AIU? You can get started by requesting information online about AIU, our business degrees, and admission requirements.

1. “Why the GMAT Exam?” Graduate Management Admissions Council. Retrieved from: https://www.mba.com/us/the-gmat-exam/about-the-gmat-exam/why-take-gmat-exam/why-the-gmat-exam.aspx (Visited 10/31/18).

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