What Is a Mini MBA?
Credit: damircudic / Getty Images- Mini MBA programs are nondegree certificate programs that include broad instruction in business fundamentals.
- Most mini MBAs cost less than $5,000.
- They also typically offer completion times that span weeks to months.
- Some business schools also let students count mini MBA courses toward an eventual degree.
A master of business administration (MBA) degree can lead to a high return on investment, but it can also be an expensive and time-consuming endeavor.
For students who want a broad, fast-paced overview of business fundamentals, a mini MBA can be a resume-boosting option at a far more affordable price.
Despite the name, mini MBAs aren’t degree programs. Think of them as intensive, short-term programs that hone business and leadership skills. Most mini MBA programs culminate in a certificate, and some offer credits that count toward an eventual graduate degree.
Break Into Business
Most mini MBAs are self-paced online courses from an accredited business school, although some are offered through private companies.
Curriculum varies by program, but most mini MBAs have between five and 10 modules and cover a wide variety of business fundamentals like marketing and strategy.
The mini MBA program at Loyola University Chicago, for instance, covers topics like marketing and analytics, finance, human resources, accounting, business development, and project management.
An introduction to fundamental business topics, with a particular focus on in-demand human skills, is what most mini MBAs have in common. Courses on strategy, management, accounting, and analytics are almost ubiquitous across mini MBAs.
Here’s a small selection of mini MBA programs and their costs:
| School | Price |
|---|---|
| Belmont University | $2,500 |
| Bryant University | $2,331 per 3-credit course, four courses total $9,324 |
| Clemson University | $1,500 for spring or $3,000 for spring and fall |
| Loyola University Chicago | $3,500 |
| Miami University | $799 |
| Rutgers University | $3,495 |
It’s Not a Graduate Degree, but a Mini MBA Can Get You Started
While they’re called mini MBAs, these certificates aren’t substitutes for a full MBA degree.
Some, however, can put you on the path to getting your degree.
Business schools often count mini MBA modules toward academic credits. Rutgers Business School, for example, lets students apply academic credits earned via its mini MBA to future graduate degrees.
Andrew Crisp, co-founder of the higher education consulting firm CarringtonCrisp, told BestColleges in an interview that a mini MBA can be a way to build toward a master’s degree without fully committing to multiple years of study.
“I think a smart business school could use a program like this as a real pipeline that then perhaps gave a tiny bit of academic credit, gave people a little bit of an exemption from the full time program, but allows them to use that initial experience to go on to the next step,” Crisp said.
Mini MBAs Are Popular Among Students
Interest in mini MBAs has been on the rise in recent years.
A 2024 report from CarringtonCrisp found that students weren’t just aware of mini MBAs but indicated they would actually pursue them.
CarringtonCrisp’s 2024 Tomorrow’s MBA report listed eight mini MBA programs and asked respondents if they had heard of the programs and if they would consider them.
The results were stark: More than 70% of the respondents said they knew about each of those mini MBA programs, and between 42% and 57% of the respondents said they would consider attending those programs.
The most popular mini MBA program among respondents wasn’t even from a business school but rather from one of the globe’s top professional services firms: PwC. PwC’s mini MBA includes instruction in relevant business skills and management technology.
Crisp attributed the rise of the mini MBA to a desire to upskill that began during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Individuals can see that they can get something that can quickly impact their careers that doesn’t involve lengthy spells away from the workplace, that comes at a price which is a fraction of a full-time MBA program,” Crisp told BestColleges in 2024.
That trend continued into 2025. CarringtonCrisp found again its in 2025 Tomorrow’s MBA report that most MBA students were familiar with mini MBA offerings.
The 2025 report noted that the continued prevalence of mini MBAs points toward a rise in “flexible, targeted learning opportunities in business education, offering candidates an alternative path to develop essential skills while balancing professional commitments.”
“Everybody loves the idea of the initials ‘MBA’ on their CV somewhere. They say it’s a brand in itself. And people are attracted to that,” Crisp told BestColleges in the more recent interview.