Leading Christian higher education resource, Christian Universities Online has released a ranking of the best value Christian MBA programs in the U.S. for 2015 and named Spring Arbor University to the list. The Spring Arbor MBA is a 36-credit hour program that allows a student to earn a degree in approximately 18 months. The program includes an International Business Summit with a 4-day trip to New York City embedded in the International Business course. The university covers the cost of accommodations to participate. Oklahoma Christian University in Edmond, OK claimed the top spot on the list. Mississippi College in Clinton, MS and Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, OK were ranked second and third respectively. The ranking can be viewed athttp://www.christianuniversitiesonline.org/best-value-christian-mba-programs/.
Other schools making the list include (in alphabetical order):
- Anderson University – Anderson, Indiana
- Azusa Pacific University – Azusa, California
- Belhaven University – Jackson, Mississippi
- Bethel College – Mishawaka, Indiana
- Bluffton University – Bluffton, Ohio
- Bryan College – Dayton, Tennessee
- Cairn University – Langhorne, Pennsylvania
- California Baptist University – Riverside, California
- Campbell University – Buies Creek, North Carolina
- Campbellsville University – Campbellsville, Kentucky
- Carson-Newman University – Jefferson City, Tennessee
- Charleston Southern University – Charleston, South Carolina
- Dallas Baptist University – Dallas, Texas
- Eastern Mennonite University – Harrisonburg, VA
- Franciscan University of Steubenville – Steubenville, Ohio
- Geneva College – Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
- George Fox University – Newberg, Oregon
- Grand Canyon University – Phoenix, Arizona
- Hope International University – Fullerton, California
- Houston Baptist University – Houston, Texas
- Indiana Wesleyan University – Marion, Indiana
- King University – Bristol, Tennessee
- Lee University – Cleveland, Tennessee
- LeTourneau University – Longview, Texas
- Liberty University – Lynchburg, Virginia
- Lipscomb University – Nashville, Tennessee
- Malone University – Canton, Ohio
- Messiah College – Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
- MidAmerica Nazarene University – Olathe, Kansas
- Milligan College — Milligan College, Tennessee
- Montreat College – Montreat, North Carolina
- Mount Vernon Nazarene University – Mount Vernon, Ohio
- North Greenville University – Tigerville, South Carolina
- Northwest Nazarene University – Nampa, Idaho
- Ohio Christian University – Circleville, Ohio
- Oklahoma Wesleyan University – Bartlesville, Oklahoma
- Oral Roberts University – Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Point Loma Nazarene University – San Diego, California
- Regent University – Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Samford University – Birmingham, Alabama
- Shorter University – Rome, Georgia
- Southern Nazarene University – Bethany, Oklahoma
- Spring Arbor University – Spring Arbor, Michigan
- Tabor College – Hillsboro, Kansas
- University of Mobile – Mobile, Alabama
- University of Sioux Falls – Sioux Falls, North Dakota
- Warner University – Lake Wales, Florida
The ranking was developed by first focusing on schools with residential MBA programs. In addition to this basic criterion, schools had to be accredited by either Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) or Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). In addition to the accrediting bodies, they also included schools that were members of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). The follow categories were used to rank the schools: the number of MBA concentrations, tuition costs and whether or not the program had a special business school accreditation.
The value of a MBA education typically translates to salary increases for MBA students who were employed prior to graduation, said Michael Templeton, lead editor for the ranking. Templeton goes on to say, “Employers continue to target MBA graduates when seeking new hires.” According to Templeton, the schools in this ranking not only help their graduates increase their salaries but also train them to integrate their Christian faith into their professional lives. Templeton states that the ranking aims to be a resource for students seeking to earn their MBA in a program that intentionally weaves the Christian faith into their training and preparation.
Christian Universities Online (http://www.christianuniversitiesonline.org/) is an independent online resource for students and families researching Christian higher education. The site publishes rankings and reviews of the best Christian colleges and universities, information about Christian scholarships and financial aid, and many other resources for finding, getting into, and paying for a quality Christian education.