The MBA program at the University of Northern Iowa has seen record growth in the past five years – and numbers continue to trend upward as many U.S. companies seek out recent MBA graduates for promotions and new positions.

The credit goes to UNI’s focus on its traditional face-to-face MBA curriculum at its Cedar Falls campus, coupled with satellite “hometown” locations in Iowa cities Pella, Mason City and Fort Dodge, and international locations in Hong Kong and Shanghai. 

“We've made it easier for more working professionals around the state (and around the world) to benefit from a UNI MBA degree - utilizing the same excellent faculty and AACSB-accredited curriculum as our on-campus program,” said MBA Director Dale Cyphert.

Demand for MBA Degrees Remains High

Although undergraduate enrollment numbers are slowing in 2019 for many Iowa institutions due to record low rates of unemployment in the state and a robust economy, the demand for MBA degrees continues to remain high.

And while competition from online MBA programs is fierce, UNI is proud of its commitment to its face-to-face classroom delivery – which provides MBA students with deeper relationships with faculty and peers while increasing networking opportunities within the cohort.

Growth in UNI MBA Program in China

One of the largest contributors to UNI’s MBA success has been the wildly successful MBA programs in China. Chinese business professionals can earn their MBA through UNI in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

“The UNI MBA program in Shanghai is quite attractive - the faculty are passionate and open, with a willingness to understand our culture. The classes are more focused on practical usage and application of business concepts - which I believe is more important to our professional career development,” said Li Ziyi (UNI MBA ’19).

The UNI Hometown MBA

Business professionals in Mason City, Pella and Fort Dodge also have the opportunity to earn an MBA from UNI in rotating programs that cycle through those communities every 4-6 years. A cohort in Mason City is currently wrapping up with a cohort in Pella planned to start in the summer of 2020.

“There are now more ways than ever for business professionals to earn an MBA from a high-quality, AACSB-accredited program like UNI,” Cyphert said.