SCU Leavey Blog

Online MBAs are on the rise and are no longer considered niche degrees. According to data trends, more universities—including well-known brick and mortar institutions—are offering online MBAs. In 2020, 25% of all MBAs started in an online format.

It should be no surprise that earning an MBA can have an extremely positive impact on your career. Surveys conducted in 2021 indicate that MBA holders are rewarded with a return on their investment with salaries that are on average $35,000 higher than those of their coworkers without the degree.

With a 7-month Navy deployment scheduled to commence in May of 2019, and numerous work-ups to complete as we prepared the Amphibious Readiness Group for deployment, the thought of trying to begin business school seemed daunting, if not far-fetched.

When I enrolled at Santa Clara University, I was working as a supervisor for the Patient Transport Department at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital located in Palo Alto, CA.

To avoid a standardized testing experience that can be expensive, time-consuming, and generally speaking, a real headache, many online MBA candidates seek out programs that offer the opportunity to apply with no GMAT scores.

You’re a whiz with numbers, an ambitious professional intent on rising through the corporate ranks, and deeply committed to creating value for your organization. You may have a few years of valuable experience under your belt, but you’ve made up your mind that an advanced business degree is your next step to keep your career journey moving on an upward trajectory.

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a computer adaptive test developed by the Graduate Management Admission Council in 1953. It is used by thousands of business schools worldwide to assess the compatibility of prospective MBA studen...

Surveys show that one of the key reasons many students choose an MBA program is for its networking benefits. In the business world, there are few things more important than a powerful network of well-connected people. As the old sayin...

You’ve made up your mind: To launch yourself on the path to a fulfilling career in one of the most dynamic and creatively invigorating areas of the business landscape, you’ve decided that you’re going to pursue a master’s degree in marketing. Congratul...

It’s common knowledge by now that in March 2020, online programs and courses rapidly evolved from a growing subset of the higher education landscape to an absolute necessity. The Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University was not caught off guard by this sudden shift. Rather, we had spent...

Everyone’s MBA journey is different, and there is no one ideal timeline that makes sense for everyone who is interested in pursuing this career-defining degree. But whenever the inspiration strikes you, no matter what your life and career circumstances are at that moment, it’s important to take a...

While an MBA may seem like a one-size-fits-all degree, there are actually a significant number of different MBA formats that provide unique experiences for ambitious prospective business students. If you’re considering pursuing a graduate business degree to give yourself a leg up on your career jo...

If you’ve been exploring your options for a graduate business education, you might find yourself wondering exactly what the difference between an MBA and an executive MBA is. Many business schools offer both of these programs, and each has specific audiences, attributes, and eventual payoffs. Re...

If you’re searching for the perfect MBA program, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of information out there. From rankings to employment data to salary information, MBA statistics abound, and it can be a challenge to sift through the bulk of it to find what really matters to you. T...

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) has long been a hurdle for applicants to the most reputable business schools throughout the U.S., and the math questions contained in several sections of this entrance exam are of particular importance to MBA and business master’s degree candidates. Ma...

Business school is a great way to grow as a leader, expand your technical or analytical skill set, and set yourself up to advance at your current company or pivot into a new organization or field. But these advantages come at a cost, and the price tag for business school tuition is often a major roa...

Unlike its namesake, the Python programming language isn't scary. You'll learn the details of this powerful tool during your SCU Online MBA program, but in the meantime, here are some key terms and concepts about Python programming you should know: Python Programming for Beginners What is Pyth...

Nearly two years since the COVID-19 global pandemic sent the U.S. economy plunging to record lows, employee engagement and retention strategies are more important than ever. So what can businesses and bosses do to keep their best employees around?

Remote work has been commonplace in the global business environment for years now, and its prevalence only continues to rise. A study by serviced office provider IWG indicates that as many as 70 percent of global employees work remotely at least once per week, and freelance services coordinator Up...

The C suite and accompanying C level positions have long been the goals of many an aspiring business person. But with many companies expanding their C level job titles, it’s hard to know which positions actually wield real power these days. While some of these new C suite roles reflect the role an...

As society has evolved and consumer wants and needs have expanded, so have C suite jobs.While there is debate about whether or not these new C suite positions are necessary or simply “corporate Kindergarten playtime title-making,” as Mark Stevens, a marketing and management expert and author of Yo...

So you’ve been promoted to a management role, and suddenly, you feel as though the world is moving faster than it ever has before. You’ve always been a high performer at work, but now you are facing new challenges you never previously encountered. You find yourself thrust into professional interac...

As you consider your options for MBA programs, you may want to give equal thought to MBA concentrations you can pursue. While not every MBA program offers concentrations, many require or allow you to choose a concentration, specialization, or a certain number of electives in your chosen area. For...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - (March 29, 2019) - The Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University recently announced the launch of a new Online Master of Science in Marketing program, which will begin offering classes in September 2019. Drawing on Leavey’s strong ties to Silicon Valley, the Online...

A Closer Look at the Online Learning Experience In the last decade, online learning has made tremendous strides. The number of students taking online education courses has grown steadily since 2002, even despite a decrease in higher education enrollment overall.1 Technology has given millions th...

For a person busy with work and life, the ability to study online to earn your degree can be a game-changer. By studying online, you save commuting time and it gives you the chance to learn when and where you want. Still, by knowing the best strategies for studying online, you can make sure that the...

When completing an MBA application, it’s important to not just talk about what you hope to take away from your studies, but to also highlight how you will contribute to the MBA program. Now, it can be hard to take a compliment, let alone give yourself one. B...

So you made it through application season and now you’re waiting to see where you got in, but for most MBA programs, there’s one more step: the MBA interview. It might be in-person, or if you’re applying for an online MBA program like the one at Santa Clara University, your interview may be cond...

If you want to go further in business, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduate degree can help get you there. MBAs are required for many management positions, they're seen as beneficial when companies are considering candidates for leadership roles, and they can help increase both start...

One of the most common questions asked by potential business school candidates eager to advance their careers is, “How long does it take to earn an MBA?” A traditional MBA typically takes about two years to complete, but several factors can affect how long it takes any individual to finish his or...

Once you’ve made the decision to get your MBA or other graduate business degree, the next hurdle appears before you: figuring out what, if any, standardized tests you need to take. Many graduate business schools require that applicants submit scores for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT...

As long as poor course performance doesn’t become an ongoing issue, failing one class isn’t going to torpedo your ability to earn an MBA. With an attentive response and an eye on self-improvement, you can recover from such a momentary setback.

Voices of the Online MBA: Jennifer Nguyen, Current Student With an undergraduate degree in a non-business subject, current Santa Clara University Online MBA student Jennifer Nguyen knew she would need an MBA to accelerate her career in the corporate world of Silicon Valley. What she didn...

Voices of the Online MBA: Harold Tran, Current Student For Harold Tran, deciding to earn his Online MBA from Santa Clara University was an unexpected choice stemming from his overwhelming desire to help others. With an undergraduate background in chemistry and psychology, he intended to...

Voices of the Online MBA: Gabe Limon, Current Student What led Gabe Limon to apply to Santa Clara University's Online MBA program is simple: He wanted to advance his career as a recruiter and a leader on a team of recruiters. But his ultimate decision to enroll at SCU ran deeper: He w...

Great Grad School Recommendation Letters: The Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How When you're applying for a new job, you know that at some point in the process, you'll have to supply your potential new employer with a list of references they can contact to determine if you are as good a worker a...

The More Mentors, The Merrier Variety, as we know, is the spice of life. At times, however, professionals cling to the opinion of a sole mentor, one from their workplace or field that they believe can provide the definitive feedback they need to hear. But is a singular mentor enough to handle al...

An Outline of Your Time at SCU One of the first questions prospective students ask about Santa Clara University's new Online MBA is what sets it apart from the many other programs offered nationwide. Why choose SCU's Online MBA over the competition? The answer is as simple as it is bold: Our cu...

Regardless of your academic background, writing a strong admissions essay that communicates your desired learning goals and envisioned career outcomes is something that students often struggle with. Without an established writing process, students can feel overwhelmed or lost when they have to w...

A Closer Look into Our Network of Alumni Santa Clara University and the Leavey School of Business have been educating innovative and ethical leaders for decades. Our alumni have held, or currently hold, a wide variety of roles in a number of industries. As a prospective or current student, under...

Already we know the powerful influence mentors can have on our lives as working professionals. But what if no one from your professional past or current workplace springs to mind as a potential mentor? Or maybe you already have a professional mentor but don’t quite feel like they’re able to advise...

Every day, we’re each presented with a sequence of opportunities in our working lives. The decisions we make in the office—from the way we approach our peers to how we handle a project crisis—allow us to drive our careers in the...

How to Identify a Mentor in the Workplace and Grow as a Professional Mentorships have been established practices to help aspiring professionals gain relevant experience and practical skills for hundreds of years.1 However, for this relationship to work, both the protege and the mentor must be wi...