Whether you want to run the company, launch a new career, or earn the degree that will get you a promotion, St. Ambrose University's MBA program can prepare you to be an innovative business leader who motivates and inspires others and surpasses all professional goals.
To complement the strong foundation of upper-level business management courses, you get to choose a concentration: Leadership, Human Resource Management, Marketing Management, or General Business.
This degree also may be completed 100% online.
Our graduates work at Deere & Company, Alliant Energy, MCI, Cargill, UPS, and many others.
Ambrose Advantages
- Relevant Focus, Valuable Lessons
- Flexible Program with Five Industry Concentrations
- GMAT Not Required
- Online and Seated Classes
Bring your ambition to St. Ambrose University, and we'll provide a more personal learning experience to help you succeed. Our attentive MBA faculty integrate current trends and real-world best practices. You gain leadership, project, and planning skills to help you leverage your strengths and broaden your horizons.
Accreditation Focused on Quality Teaching
Accreditation
The St. Ambrose H.L. McLaughlin MBA program is nationally accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). St. Ambrose University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
More Information on the MBA Program
Our Master of Business Administration program was launched in 1977, and it was the first College of Business graduate program offered at St. Ambrose University.
In 1984, the program was officially named the H.L. McLaughlin MBA program after a prominent area businessman. Many business and management practices have changed in the past 40 years, and our program continues to evolve to meet the needs of business professionals.
Do we provide a relevant education? We surveyed our MBA graduates in 2015 and:
- 100% reported the MBA program met or exceeded their expectations.
- 9 out of 10 ranked leadership skill development among the program's greatest strengths.
- 94% would choose the SAU MBA again.
- 9 out of 10 graduates said classwork was relevant and applicable to their job and career.
We are proud to offer an MBA program taught by PhDs with deep experience in their specialty. They are academics and business professionals.
The St. Ambrose University MBA program requires students to choose a concentration area, which helps you become an expert in your current or future career field. You can choose from Leadership, Human Resource Management, Marketing Management, and General Business.
Our MBA professors teach from their decades of experience in the working world and pass their knowledge on to you. Faculty are experts from all sectors of business and management ranging from international and communication to workforce and organizational behavior.
As a university grounded in the liberal arts, discovery and new ways of thinking are encouraged which will help transform you into a capable and competent manager. You'll not only be able to solve current problems but also think nimbly as new problems arise.
Browse the MBA course listing and descriptions
Amber Brackey '17 MBA, '18 MOL, earned two graduate degrees from the St. Ambrose University College of Business and gained a deeper level of professional knowledge that is recognized and appreciated. Read her story.
- Gayle Roberts '91 MBA is President of Stanley Consultants, a Muscatine, Iowa-based firm that provides engineering services across the globe.
- Joe Bailey '12, '14 MBA, is the Senior Learning Consultant for Cerner Corporation in Kansas City, Mo.
- Eva Dondanville '11 MBA, is a Realtor with Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors in Dubuque, Iowa.
- Joe Conklin '12 MBA is the Athletic Director for Alleman High School, Davenport.
- Collin Grady '16 MBA is a Field Supervisor for Northwest Mechanical, Davenport.
Your master's degree is an investment in you, your career, and your future.
Tuition for the 2022-23 academic year is $733/credit hour for seated and online classes. There are some fees, too (see below).
While the cost can seem daunting, the MBA program offers research assistantships that can defray some of the expense. Many employers offer tuition reimbursement, and if so, you may qualify for deferred payment.
MBA students may be eligible for federal and state student aid, or low-interest federal loans. Our Financial Aid office can provide more information.
And if you are a veteran, contact Natalie Woodhurst. She is an expert in military benefits, and her job is to make sure veterans get the benefits for which they are eligible.
2023-24 Fees
Graduate level students taking 9 or more credit hours $280/yr. ($140/semester)
Graduate level students taking 8 or less credit hours $140/yr. ($70/semester)
Dan Ebener, DBA, Professor
Monica Forret, PhD, Professor
Jessica Greenwald, PhD, Assoc. Professor
David O'Connell, DBA, Professor
Jie Peng, PhD, Assoc. Professor
Arun Pillutla, PhD, Professor
Degree Requirements
The basic 36-credit MBA program is comprised of 12 courses. All courses are three credit hours.
Additionally, students earn one of five specialized MBA concentrations (see below) that complement the foundation. Each concentration requires four elective courses.
Program options include a part-time or 14-15 month schedule.
Required:
MBA 600 Data Analysis for Decision Making
MBA 606 Accounting for Managers
MBA 615 Ethical and Social Responsibility of Business
MBA 621 Human Behavior in Organizations
MBA 626 Managerial Economics
MBA 675 Financial Management
MBA 680 Marketing Management
MBA 800 Strategic Management
Click here to read course descriptions in the online course catalog
Students are required to complete a concentration comprised of four courses. Concentrations provide an even greater focus to your studies and add relevance to your degree.
Concentrations in Leadership, Human Resource Management, Marketing Management, and General Business have been developed for students who wish to focus their studies in a specific discipline.
Leadership (choose any four)
MOL 501 Leadership Theory
MOL 529 Conflict Management
MOL 540 Leadership Communication
MOL 625 Leading Organizational Change
MBA 690 Leadership Through People Skills
MBA 691 Dialogical Skills
Human Resources Management (take any four)
MBA 721 Labor Management Partnerships
MBA 760 Strategic Staffing and Career Management
MBA 761 Compensation and Benefits Management
MBA 762 Training and Development
MBA 763 Contemporary Employee Relations and Dispute Resolution
MBA 764 Conflict and Negotiation
MBA 765 Performance Management Systems
Marketing Management
MBA 772 Advanced Marketing Research
MBA 773 Marketing Strategy
MBA 774 Consumer Behavior
Plus one of these electives:
MBA 734 International Marketing
MBA 771 Ethical Issues in Marketing
MBA 775 Marketing Case Analysis
MBA 776 Advertising
General Business
Choose a combination of any four courses from the other concentrations.
Click here to read course descriptions in the online course catalog
We are the only university in Iowa offering a three-year Master of Social Work-Master of Business Administration program (both programs are accredited). It pairs management together with empowerment so that you are uniquely poised to explore and tackle social issues using ethical business sense.
It's a great degree for students who want to be leaders in the field of social work and non-profits. Graduates are able to move agencies and corporations forward in an ever-changing market.
Click here for MSW-MBA degree requirements
Here is what our first MSW-MBA graduate says about the benefits of her dual degree.
If you apply at the beginning of a Spring or Fall term, you can complete the degree in as few as 14 months by taking two courses per 8-week session.
Then, take the next step toward earning your master's degree and apply to the Master of Business Administration program.
Anthony Ash '15 MBA
Our MBA alumni lead companies and divisions in the region and across the world. We provide a responsive education focused on your needs and those of businesses seeking progress and professionals who can deliver. Anthony elevated his skills through our challenging, ethics-based curriculum and gained a broad business foundation that he continues to build on today.
Read Anthony's story

Anthony Ash
Master of Business Administration,Product Manager at Allsteel, Muscatine, Iowa,Class of 2015
Our MBA alumni lead companies and divisions in the region and across the world. We provide a responsive education focused on your needs and those of businesses seeking progress and professionals who can deliver. Anthony elevated his skills through our challenging, ethics-based curriculum and gained a broad business foundation that he continues to build on today.
Contact
Tony Ketelaar, Director of Graduate Admissions
Admissions and Welcome Center
518 W. Locust St.
Davenport, IA 52803
563-333-6312
MBA@sau.edu