The Walton MBA

In a global economy, professionals with broad knowledge across business fields stand out in the job market. Our full-time MBA program trains students who are eager to gain advanced business expertise and develop decision-making skills that span across business units.

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Learn about requirements for this program and begin your admissions application.

The Walton MBA is designed to be a transformational experience. Classroom learning is paired with professional development and global experiences to make you a well-rounded and competitive graduate.

Corporate internships and mentorships provide an ideal environment for you to build meaningful connections in Northwest Arkansas' thriving business community.

Courses and Schedule

What coursework is required for this degree?

Just the Facts

How Much? How Long?
Who can enroll?

Funding

Tuition Assistance?
Scholarships?

How Do I Apply?

Admission to Walton College masters programs is selective. Enrollment in each program is limited.

View Requirements

Current Student Listing

Wondering who you'll meet in class? Get to know our current students.

View Current Students

Top-Ranked MBA Program

The Wall Street Journal

#11 Return on Investment (2021)

U.S. News & World Report

#13 MBA with a Supply Chain Emphasis (2022)

#36 Public MBA Program (2022)

The Walton MBA Advantage

Students are increasingly choosing the Walton MBA program to strengthen their professional skillset and advance their careers in one of the fastest growing regions in the United States.

Just the Facts: Walton Full-Time MBA

Program Length

22 months

MBA students complete 51 credit hours with their cohort.

Start Date

Fall

New cohorts begin each Fall Semester for the MBA program.

Admissions Info

Do I Qualify to Enroll?

Complete your undergraduate degree and meet additional requirements. View Requirements

Entrance Test

GMAT or GRE

Students may be eligible for a GMAT/GRE test waiver with a 3.2 undergraduate GPA or 3 years of professional work experience. Please review our master's admissions policies.

Application Deadline

February 15

February 15 is the priority deadline date. May 15 is the final deadline.

Total Program Cost

$34,477

Additional tuition costs applied for out-of-state and international students.
View cost details

Financial Assistance

Paying for College

Scholarships, Graduate Assistantships, and Financial Aid

Class Profile

Current Students

View a listing of current Walton Full-Time MBA Students.

Request More Info

News and Notes: Walton MBA Insider

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Invaluable Connections and Global Opportunity with Hattie Shelton

When Hattie Shelton reapplied for the MBA program, she couldn't justify leaving her growing career behind to return to school. That’s when she found the Executive Master of Business Administration Program offered in a hybrid format by the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas.

03/25/2024

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Bridging Theory and Practice: The Impact of the Walton MBA Do Good Project

The Walton MBA Do Good Project offers immersive, experiential learning that bridges the gap between academic theory and practical application.

01/31/2024 | By Cindy Moehring, Adam Stoverink

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Lunch and Learn with Lynn Wong and Stephanie Magnuson

This past weekend our EMBA Professional Development Committee hosted a lunch and learn during the EMBA Saturday with Lynn Wong and Stephanie Magnuson

11/08/2023

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Student Spotlight: Laura Jo Randall

Laura Jo Randall, MBA, district manager for ALDI USA and recent Walton MBA graduate completed the accelerated Walton MBA program with a concentration in supply chain.

08/09/2023

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Student Spotlight: Adam Grant

Adam Grant is a sales account manager at Butterball, LLC and a member of the 2024 Walton Executive MBA cohort.

08/03/2023

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Student Spotlight: Jillian Wilson

Jillian Wilson is a co-managing partner at Wilson & Associates and a member of the 2023 Walton Executive MBA cohort.

07/26/2023

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Student Spotlight: Will Smith

Will Smith is an operator at the Benton Washington Regional Public Water Authority and a member of the 2023 Walton Executive MBA cohort.

07/19/2023

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Walton Executive MBA Students Expand Their Horizons

Our EMBA students are diving deep into the diverse cultures, industries, and perspectives as part of their global immersion experiences.

07/14/2023

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Student Spotlight: Manuel Tejada

Manuel Tejada is a member of the 2023 Walton Executive MBA cohort and a Project Manager for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

07/06/2023

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Meet the Walton Executive MBA Career Coaches

We are proud to offer personalized career coaching as part of the Executive MBA program.

07/05/2023

More Updates: Walton MBA Insider

Career Development

Close ties with our corporate partners facilitate recruiting and networking opportunities, internships, and careers.

Students can participate in corporate internships, career counseling, and take advantage of all the Walton College Career Services has to offer.

Career Services

The Northwest Arkansas Community

Join a supportive and engaging community located in the vibrant business network of Northwest Arkansas, with over 300 Fortune 500 companies with a presence in the region.

Business leaders and Walton College alumni are closely connected to the college and the Executive MBA, not just during your studies, but throughout your career.

More About Northwest Arkansas

Courses and Program Schedule

Our 51-credit hour program offers a balance of core business fundamentals, professional development, internship and career support, along with the ability to build skills customized for your specific career path

Summer

Prerequisite online courses as needed

Fall Intersession – Year One

Walton MBA Orientation

Attendance to orientation is required.

SEVI 53901: Business History and Practice

This course provides students with an overview of how businesses evolve over the years, and how they are run today. Using examples from research and practitioner articles, it allows students to learn about hands on concepts such as business models, Integrative Performance, Organization Structure, Competitive Advantage, Value Networks, and Business Obligations in an experiential manner.

Fall Semester – Year One

Professional Development

Each semester, you will have opportunities to participate in workshops, listen to guest speakers from some of the largest companies in the world, and more. Topics differ each semester and, although you must participate in a minimum number, you are never limited in how many you can take.

MKTG 51003: Introduction to Marketing

Introduction to marketing concepts and practices as applied to the retail consumer environment. Focuses on the strategic development, positioning, and management of products, promotion, distribution, pricing, and store environments in building customer relationships from retailer and supplier perspectives.

FINN 52203: Financial Markets & Valuation

Analysis of financial information by capital markets in the determination of security values with specific applications to retail and logistics companies. This course views these and other companies from the point of view of the capital markets.

SCMT 56303: Foundations for New Product Launch and Integrated Demand-Driven Value Networks

Supply chain management is the integration of key business processes from end user through suppliers. The focus of this course is on the core processes that must be linked throughout the supply chain with an emphasis on logistics processes. Foundational topics in logistics and supply chain management will be covered.

ISYS 53603: Business Analytics

This course in managerial business analytics provides future managers with the key concepts of decision modeling and information technology management concepts. Students will learn to utilize real time operational business data, as well as quickly process and effectively leverage information. In addition, students will exercise strategic IT deployment skills for supply chain and marketing processes as well as develop strong decision modeling abilities.

Spring Semester – Year One

Professional Development

Each semester, you will have opportunities to participate in cutting-edge workshops, listen to guest speakers from some of the biggest companies in the world, work with our image consultant experts to make sure you look your best for that dream job interview, and more. Topics differ each semester and, although you must participate in a minimum number, you are never limited in how many you can take.

ACCT 52203: MBA Accounting Analysis

Highlights the role played by accounting information in managing supply chains and retail operations. Provides tools for managing cost flows, including activity-based costing, retail accounting, and operational budgeting. Focuses on improving decision making processes, and linking the impact of retail/supply chain decisions to financial statements and shareholder value.

MBAD 52301: Intro to Global Business

Integrated overview of the global business environment and the organizational challenges of a multinational firm. To enhance understanding of the business and cultural environment of prominent emerging markets, the course includes a 2-3 week overseas immersion project to fulfill a predefined goal. Project is integrated with global content upon return.

ECON 52403: Managerial Economics

This course will provide students with a strong foundation in core economics principles, with emphasis on industrial organization issues and applications geared toward the supply-chain and retail focus of the redesigned MBA program.

Career Track Class 1

Summer Semester – Year One

Global Experience

The Global Experience project involves travel overseas, where students work to fulfill a pre-defined objective that is set for them earlier in the Global Business class. Provides MBA students with the opportunity to explore a business problem in-depth under the guidance of a graduate faculty member.

Internship

This course allows students to experience an internship within a business and benefit from the applied experience. The internship may be designed to offer a wide range of business experiences. The internship must be supervised by a faculty member as well as a member of the firm. MBA Director approval required.

Fall Semester – Year Two

Professional Development

ISYS 54303: Enterprise Systems

Enterprise Systems comprises the entire class of information technology and systems that support the mission of the company including decision support and business processes. This managerial enterprise systems course focuses on strategic issues of information technology. Students study the various elements and integration of an organization's business processes; as a result, students gain an understanding and working knowledge of systems used to support these business processes and their use in decision making. In addition, students will study concepts and develop skills needed to utilize decision-centric business intelligence and knowledge management applications.

MGMT 52203: Business Leadership & Ethics

Management for a global environment. The class will cover interpersonal workplace skills such as leadership and motivation, along with the management of human capital through well designed recruitment, selection, performance evaluation, compensation, and quality control systems.

Career Track Class 2

Spring Semester – Year Two

SEVI 53103: Strategic Management

Strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and other topics related to the long-term success of the firm. Includes role of the general manager, international issues, and the impact of management fads on decision making.

Special Topics in Business

Special topics of an interdisciplinary nature or a concentrated emphasis on one business topic.

Career Track Class 3

Career Track Class 4*

*Can be taken in another semester.

Career Tracks

Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Retail Marketing
Supply Chain Management
Financial Management
Data Analytics

Individual concentrations can also be created to support your personal educational and career goals.

Professional Development

Your professional development is just as important as your academic development.

Each semester, you'll have opportunities to participate in workshops and customize your own program by choosing courses specific to your interests. You can listen to guest speakers from some of the biggest companies in the world, take workshops to improve your technical skills, and work with our image consultant experts to be your best for that dream job interview.

Topics differ each semester and, although you must participate in a minimum number, you are never limited in how many you can take.

Walton MBA: Financial Aid and Tuition Assistance

Pursuing the Walton MBA is an investment in your future, and we're committed to helping you explore financing options. These include scholarship opportunities, graduate assistantships, and loans.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistantships are a unique characteristic of the Walton MBA. Graduate assistantships may be for two years or less. During the period a student holds a graduate assistantship, he/she receives a complete tuition waiver and a stipend. In return, the student works as an assistant for 20 hours a week. Several graduate assistantships are offered.

All admitted students are automatically considered for assistantships after they are admitted to the program – no additional application required for assistantships. International applicants are also eligible to receive graduate assistantships.

MBA Scholarships

Ecklund Family Scholarship – two $4,000 scholarship available

Minimum incoming GPA of 3.25
Demonstrated leadership roles and experience
Limited to supply chain management or entrepreneurship and innovation career tracks
Demonstrated financial need

Karthikeyan Sennimalai Scholarship for International Students – two $1,800 scholarships available

International students only
Must have a 3.25 undergraduate GPA in the last 60 hours taken

MBA General Scholarship – one $1,000 scholarship available

Must be an MBA student to apply

Russell E. Westmeyer Fellowship in Graduate Studies - $9,000 available to award between multiple students

Cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better
Must exhibit strong financial need

*Note amount and number of scholarships available are subject to change.

Other Forms of Financial Aid

Support for financial aid applications is provided through the University Financial Aid office.

Scholarships are available to all students, including international candidates. Applications for scholarships can only be made AFTER you are admitted. Please feel free to send any inquiries you have about these options to us at mba@uark.edu.