Master of Business Administration with a Specialization in Human Resources
Learn to attract, retain and manage an organization’s most valuable assets – its people – while building a business perspective that can set you apart in the HR field.
Program Overview
A snapshot of our 100% online MBA in HR
The 100 percent online Master of Business Administration in Human Resources program is for emerging leaders who want to qualify for senior HR roles. This AACSB-accredited program emphasizes how to integrate collaboration, communication and conflict management into your expertise to help you become a strategic partner who aligns with and supports organizational goals.
Facilitate your growth as a trusted and respected HR partner while learning best practices for data-driven decision making, employee engagement, workforce design and identifying characteristics of high-performing teams. You will also gain knowledge in marketing, accounting and business processes. Plus, we accept up to nine credits of program-related coursework from a previous graduate program, reducing your tuition and time to completion.
This MBA in HR online degree program also suits entrepreneurs seeking advanced business and HR insight.
The Williamson College of Business Administration at Youngstown State University is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).
As a graduate of this online MBA Human Resources program, you will be prepared to:
- Examine human resource management from a strategic perspective which will help to ensure that HR practices are aligned with organizational goals and strategies
- Attract and maintain hires
- Maintain relevant knowledge of best practices in the field
- Develop and lead teams to be more productive, efficient and effective
- Uncover the characteristics of high-performing teams and various tools that foster collaboration, communication and trust among team members
- Handle common challenges and conflicts that arise in teams
- Examine human resource management from a strategic perspective which will help to ensure that HR practices are aligned with organizational goals and strategies
- Attract and maintain hires
- Maintain relevant knowledge of best practices in the field
- Develop and lead teams to be more productive, efficient and effective
- Uncover the characteristics of high-performing teams and various tools that foster collaboration, communication and trust among team members
- Handle common challenges and conflicts that arise in teams
- Examine human resource management from a strategic perspective which will help to ensure that HR practices are aligned with organizational goals and strategies
- Attract and maintain hires
- Maintain relevant knowledge of best practices in the field
- Develop and lead teams to be more productive, efficient and effective
- Uncover the characteristics of high-performing teams and various tools that foster collaboration, communication and trust among team members
- Handle common challenges and conflicts that arise in teams
This online MBA in Human Resources prepares you for high-level roles, such as:
- Recruiter
- Human Resource Manager
- Program Manager
- Project Coordinator
- Talent Acquisition Specialist
- Training and Development Specialist
- Compliance Officer
- Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analyst
As a graduate of this online MBA Human Resources program, you will be prepared to:
- Examine human resource management from a strategic perspective which will help to ensure that HR practices are aligned with organizational goals and strategies
- Attract and maintain hires
- Maintain relevant knowledge of best practices in the field
- Develop and lead teams to be more productive, efficient and effective
- Uncover the characteristics of high-performing teams and various tools that foster collaboration, communication and trust among team members
- Handle common challenges and conflicts that arise in teams
- Examine human resource management from a strategic perspective which will help to ensure that HR practices are aligned with organizational goals and strategies
- Attract and maintain hires
- Maintain relevant knowledge of best practices in the field
- Develop and lead teams to be more productive, efficient and effective
- Uncover the characteristics of high-performing teams and various tools that foster collaboration, communication and trust among team members
- Handle common challenges and conflicts that arise in teams
- Recruiter
- Human Resource Manager
- Program Manager
- Project Coordinator
- Talent Acquisition Specialist
- Training and Development Specialist
- Compliance Officer
- Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analyst
Tuition
Benefit from our budget-friendly tuition
The MBA in Human Resources online program offers affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition. All fees are included in the total tuition.
Tuition breakdown:
*In-state tuition.
Note: No payment plans are available for accelerated online students.
| Program | Per Credit Hour | Per Course | Per Program | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | |
| MBA in Human Resources | $450 | $455 | $1,350 | $1,365 | $13,500 | $13,650 |
Calendar
Get to know the important dates for our MBA in Human Resources online
YSU online programs are delivered in an accelerated format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring multiple start dates each year.
Next Start & Application Due Dates:
| First Starts | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Tuition Deadline | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 1 | 1/6/25 | 12/16/24 | 12/23/24 | 1/1/25 | 1/3/25 | 2/16/25 |
| Spring 2 | 3/10/25 | 2/17/25 | 2/24/25 | 3/5/25 | 3/7/25 | 4/20/25 |
| Summer 1 | 5/12/25 | 4/21/25 | 4/28/25 | 5/7/25 | 5/9/25 | 6/22/25 |
| Summer 2 | 6/30/25 | 6/9/25 | 6/16/25 | 6/25/25 | 6/27/25 | 8/9/25 |
| Fall 1 | 8/25/25 | 8/4/25 | 8/11/25 | 8/20/25 | 8/22/25 | 10/12/25 |
| Fall 2 | 10/20/25 | 9/29/25 | 10/6/25 | 10/15/25 | 10/17/25 | 12/7/25 |
Admissions
Read the admission details for our online human resources MBA degree
YSU’s online MBA programs have specific requirements you must meet to be admitted. Please read the admission guidelines to ensure you qualify.
Online application
Professional resume
Online application
Professional resume
Admission to the MBA program is based on the applicant’s undergraduate grade point average and full-time, professional work experience. You must meet the following requirements for admission to the MBA in Human Resources online program.
For Regular Admission, if applicants meet any of the following conditions, the GMAT/GRE is waived:
- A bachelor’s degree in business, economics, or S.T.E.M. from an accredited university, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, with a GPA of 2.7 or higher, and at least two years of full-time professional work experience.
- A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university, with a GPA of 2.7 or higher and earned 9 credits in graduate-level coursework from an accredited university with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- A graduate or terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D., MD, or JD) in any field.
- An active professional certification.
For Provisional Admission, applicants must meet one of the following criteria:
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university (in any field), with a GPA between 2.7 and 2.99, and have a GMAT (or GRE equivalent) score of 450 or higher.
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university (in any field), a GPA between 2.5 and 2.7, and at least five years of full-time professional work experience.
In addition to the above requirements, applicants need to provide a chronological resume that details their full-time professional/managerial work experience, and official transcripts from all colleges/universities they have attended.
Official Transcripts
Official Transcripts must come directly from the institution. These can be sent to electronically via email [email protected] or mailed to the following address:
Youngstown State UniversityCollege of Graduate Studies
Coffelt Hall
1 Tressel Way
Youngstown, OH 44555
Transcripts issued directly to a student by an institution can only be accepted if they are in a sealed envelope from the college or university.
Official GMAT/GRE Test Scores
Official test scores must be submitted directly from the testing organization. The code for Youngstown State University is 1975. Test scores are good for five years.
Resume
After you have submitted your online application, you can then upload your resume to your application from your account. The resume should only include full-time professional work experiences. Please refer below for a description of the type of work that should (and should not) be included. Resumes should also include the titles, and corresponding dates, for all positions held. It is preferred the resume should be submitted in a PDF format.
About Work Experience
Professional/managerial experience is determined using an applicant's chronological resume and any requested supporting documents. Professional/managerial experience is not simply a count of the years of employment, but strongly considers the relevance of the full-time experience as it relates to the nature of the program. This is typically demonstrated through a history of full-time positions where an applicant has documentable experience of overseeing people, projects, operations, and/or customer accounts. For strong applicants, the work experience qualification is supported by a career progression evidenced by increased roles, responsibilities, accomplishments and/or formal promotions.
Please note: the chronological resume should not include non-professional positions, part-time (i.e., less than 40 hours per week) professional positions, volunteerism or internships. These types of work are not considered in assessing the professional/managerial experience criteria.
About Certifications
Professional Certification List:
- CFA (Charted Financial Analyst)
- CFP (Certified Financial Planner)
- CMA (Certified Management Accountant)
- CPA (Certified Public Accountant)
- CPIM (Certified in Planning and Inventory Management)
- CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional)
- CSM (Certified ScrumMaster)
- Lean Black Belt (certified by either ASQ or IISE)
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (certified by either ASQ or IISE)
- PHR (Professional in Human Resources, Certified by HR Institute)
- PMI PMP
- SHRM-CP
- SHRM-SCP
- SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources, Certified by HR Institute)
- Six Sigma Black Belt (certified by either ASQ or IISE)
About STEM Degrees
S.T.E.M. is an acronym that refers to teaching and learning in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For a complete list of specific degree programs that meet the S.T.E.M criteria, refer to the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. If a specific degree program (the CIP Code Title) is not included in this list, the degree program does not meet the S.T.E.M admission criteria.
Courses
Advance your expertise in these 100% online MBA in Human Resources courses
For the online MBA in HR program, you are required to complete 30 credit hours, including 24 credit hours of core courses and six credit hours of specialization courses. Up to nine transfer credits may be accepted from a previous graduate program.*
*Student must earn at least a B in the class from an accredited institution.
Course objectives:
- Understand the benefits and challenges of working in teams.
- Identifying the characteristics of high-performing teams.
- Identify the factors that influence team effectiveness.
- Identify various tools and techniques to enhance team functioning.
- Identify strategies to improve a team’s skills and abilities.
Course objectives:
- Understand the role of strategic HRM in supporting an organization’s goals.
- Identify key trends affecting the future of work, the HR field, and global HR strategies.
- Describe factors that contribute to effective people and talent management strategies.
- Utilize analytics and reporting mechanisms, by harnessing relevant datasets to inform strategic HR decisions.
Not Finding What You’re Looking For?
*Price includes in-state tuition and fees. For students from outside Ohio, tuition and fees total $13,650.
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