KU Online MBA Blog

The cost of equity is a central variable in financial decision-making for businesses and investors. Knowing the cost of equity will help you in the effort to raise capital for your business by understanding the typical return that the market demands on a similar investment. Additionally, the cost of equity represents the required rate of return on a project or capital investment to generate profit.

"Going public" is an important growth milestone for many companies and a dream of entrepreneurs around the world. IPOs, SPACs and direct listings are all methods for accessing the public equity markets. This blog provides a discussion of the pros and cons of taking a private company public and an introduction to these methods of doing so.

Jeremiah Nast is an admissions advisor for the University of Kansas online MBA program. He spends his workday helping prospective students prepare their application materials and connecting them with helpful resources. Read more about the insights Jeremiah has gained about why students choose KU, common concerns they have before starting, and their reflections after going through the program.

Raising capital is something that you may have to do at any point in a business’s life cycle. Whether your business is large or small, young or mature, there are several reasons you may want to raise capital. There are also many ways to do a “capital raise.” This post lists different strategies for raising capital, defines some terms you should understand, and looks at which strategies are available for different stages of company growth.

In an increasingly competitive job market, many working professionals ask the question: Should I get a master’s in business administration (MBA)? An MBA, whether it's a traditional program or an online MBA program, can open new job opportunities and help you advance in your career.

Read on to learn what the key elements of a strategic business plan are that support these three topics and learn how to write a strategic business plan that can help boost your company’s success.

Learn the differences between Master of Engineering Management (MEM) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees.

Learn about the value of an MBA, why you should consider an online MBA as opposed to an in-person program, and what the cost is for an online versus in-person MBA.

While it’s absolutely worthwhile to obtain an online MBA because the degree can increase your professional connections, salary, and career opportunities, MBAs do cost money. One way to offset the cost of an online MBA is to obtain one, or more, scholarships.

Today, there are many MBA programs rethinking whether a standardized test is the best option to measure applicants’ aptitude and likelihood to succeed, and many are offering alternatives or foregoing the test altogether. Find out more about the history of the GMAT, what the test is like today, and how you can get an online MBA without a GMAT score.

Reputations are persuasive because they represent an executive summary of several significant criteria. By understanding those criteria, you gain a more complete view of the specific benefits offered by various programs.

You’re looking for an MBA program: comparing curricula, tuition rates, and faculty specialties, and considering the impact that your degree will have on your life and career. You can derive long-term benefit from a strong alumni network—the organization comprised of a program’s graduates—so be sure to factor that into your thought process.

We recently had the pleasure of talking with Maura Durkin, MBA ’22 candidate, who was eloquent about the effect that KU’s online MBA program is already having on her working life.

Students in the University of Kansas online MBA program come from a variety of different fields, backgrounds and cultures in pursuit of an outstanding business education. Our faculty combine educational excellence with cutting-edge research, creating a deeply engaging learning environment throughout the program.

We recently had the pleasure of talking with Maura Durkin, MBA ’22 candidate, and hearing about her journey into the world of finance and the KU online MBA program. She spoke passionately about her ties to KU and the compelling experience of joining the Jayhawk community.

You’re motivated to earn your MBA online. You have a job, a family—a busy life—and one of the many things you’re wondering about graduate school is how to manage your time. The KU School of Business is here to help.

The choice between earning a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation or an MBA is one that many struggle with, especially if they’re considering a career on the financial side of busine...

There is no denying that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has affected people from all around the world. Despite the difficulties, more and more people are finding that they enjoy working from home, learning to do their jobs onli...

If you’re interested in becoming a globally recognized business leader, you’ll need a strategy to establish yourself as an authority both domestically and abroad. Since many of the world’s most prominent business lea...

Earning a graduate degree is a helpful means to expand your professional prospects and take the next step in your current job. It can also provide you with an opportunity to start a completely new career. A master’s in business administration (MBA) is one of the most versatile and marketable gradu...

There are many excellent reasons to pursue an MBA, but students from diverse backgrounds share a common concern: How am I going to pay for this? Don’t let financial considerations deter your plans for education and career success. Many companies and organizations offer funding to cover all or pa...

As you look toward getting your MBA, the view can be overwhelming. Between finding the right program, striving to maintain a work/life/academics balance, and stressing out at the prospect of graduate school, staying focused may begin to feel like one more thing on an endless to-do list. Of all mom...

The MBA, that long-standing signifier of business acumen and leadership potential, continues to hold weight and offer significant benefits in 2019. Specialized business master’s degrees may be growing in number by the day, and columnists and industry critics may question an MBA’s worth, but...

Your desk job might not be giving you room to grow in your career. Maybe sitting in a cubicle punching numbers is putting you to sleep, but you have a passion for business. You get excited when people discuss innovative ideas and creative solutions. Moving up the ranks to an executive’s office might...

There are many ways to write an effective MBA personal statement, and it’s never a bad idea to take a look at MBA essay examples and tips. However, there aren’t many resources to help you identify common errors to avoid. Here are eight things to leave out of your MBA personal statement if you want...

An MBA is one of the most popular master’s degrees in the U.S., but it isn’t the only option when it comes to pursuing a master’s degree in business, so you may be wondering, “Why should I get an MBA?”. Increasingly, specialized master’s degrees in individual fields like finance and accounting...

Pursuing an MBA is a significant investment of time, money and energy. Continuing education requires sacrifice, and the level of commitment required leaves many prospective students wondering: Should I get my MBA at all? You’re the only one who can determine if an MBA is worth it for you. To help you sort...

The global marketplace is growing, and that’s encouraging for businesses large and small who want to expand internationally. The World Bank Group reports that in 2018, global economic growth is expected to expand by 3.1 percent, with longer-term growth for the global economy projected at a stabl...

What are your current expectations for studying online? Perhaps you’ve chosen to earn your degree online because factors like geography and time prevent you from participating in an on-campus program. And while studying online can help erase those barriers by letting students like you avoid costly...

Only 80 percent of businesses will survive their first year, only 50 percent make it past year five, and only 30 percent survive in business for 10 years or more, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Every business encounters risk, and the fallout from poorly managed risks can...

If you want to thrive in a business leadership role, you must understand which of your unique qualities give you an edge. Taking inventory of the characteristics that help you succeed in a business setting can allow you to consciously use them more often, be more productive, enjoy your work more a...

Competitive analysis is essential for identifying your business’s strengths, discovering barriers to growth and creating effective strategies to overcome them. But we don't always have endless time and unlimited budgets to perform the kinds of global competitive analyses we'd like. If this is t...

Earning an online MBA can be the crucial step you need to take to help you transition into a career you’re passionate about, and it can help you increase your earning potential as well. A 2018 report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers shows that MBA grads make an average of more t...

Upward mobility at work often means taking on management positions. Those looking to take this leap in their careers typically want a greater opportunity to strategize, coordinate and oversee their company’s intricate operations. Managers are responsible for leading diverse teams, and must successfu...

Although it might be surprising to hear, women have historically played a prominent role in a few key industries. In the mid-1850s, women pioneered the fields of home economics and social work.1 With the successes of women’s movements in the areas of voting rights and personal independence, women...

Your desk job might not be giving you room to grow in your career. Maybe sitting in a cubicle punching numbers is putting you to sleep, but you have a passion for business. You get excited when people discuss innovative ideas and creative solutions. Moving up the ranks to an executive’s office might...

Are you 30 years of age or older and thinking of going back to school for your MBA? If you are, you’re in good company. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 45 percent of students who seek postbaccalaureate degrees are 30 or older.1 Some older students worry about taking th...

Success in business requires skill. It requires strategy. Most of all, it requires you to prove yourself—to demonstrate that you deserve the opportunity to lead. Getting an online MBA, for many executives, is an important step in their success stories. It’s the one thing in their career that makes the biggest difference in their future.

Making the decision to go back to school and earn an advanced degree can be a difficult one. This is especially true if you’ve already entered the workforce and started your career. It can be unnerving to think about going back and sitting in a classroom setting if you’ve been away from that for any length of time.

Master of Business Administration or MBA degrees have the potential to enhance your career opportunities and long-term earnings—this much we know.1 Whatever your experience level, industry or career trajectory, earning your...

A Guided Tour Through KU Connect, the Online MBA Program’s Unique Learning Environment Even for those who’ve already made up their minds about attending an online program to earn their master’s degree, questions may still linger. What does an online program actually look like? What will the experie...

Networking is an important part of any graduate program. It offers a great opportunity to share ideas, connect with other professionals and broaden your career horizons. In the 21st century, it’s never been easier to connect seamlessly, globally and at the click of a button. But with that opportun...

When it comes to choosing the best MBA program for your career goals, one of the biggest factors to consider is the networking opportunity that each program offers. While many students focus on the professional network they can develop within the U.S., there are often extensive global networking opp...

As the global population continues to grow and the pervasiveness of the Internet makes the world much more connected than ever before, the opportunity for expanding international business ventures is on the rise. Every nation is unique in its native resources, many of which are also used to generate...

Your desk job might not be giving you room to grow in your career. Maybe sitting in a cubicle punching numbers is putting you to sleep, but you have a passion for business. You get excited when people discuss innovative ideas and creative solutions. Moving up the ranks to an executive’s office might...