Business

University of Missouri-Columbia
Master of science
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Overview

Are you seeking to advance into a more interesting and responsible leadership role, where you’ll have a chance to flex your creativity? Do you feel stuck in your career, with no opportunities to move ahead? Propel yourself forward with an online master of science in business from the University of Missouri’s esteemed Trulaske College of Business.

This uniquely customized, interdisciplinary degree is built around your goals and schedule. Geared toward working professionals regardless of role or undergraduate degree, the program starts with a comprehensive business foundation. You’ll then specialize your existing skill set by selecting two graduate certificates—one in advanced business concepts and a second from Trulaske or a partnering Mizzou school or college. 

The combination helps accelerate your career, lets you reach for that promotion or leadership opportunity, or grow your own business further.

Nationally ranked

Mizzou's online master's in business programs ranked among the nation's finest in U.S. News & World Report 2024.

Quick facts

Official name

Master of science in business

Campus

University of Missouri-Columbia

Program type

Master's degree

Academic home

Trulaske College of Business

Delivery mode

100% online

Accreditation

Higher Learning Commission, Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)

Credit hours

36

Estimated cost

$36,000.00

*This cost is for illustrative purposes only. Your hours and costs will differ, depending on your transfer hours, your course choices and your academic progress. See more about tuition and financial aid.

A group of business professionals.

Career prospects

What barriers do you want to break? Many professionals encounter their first major obstacle at the specialist-to-management jump. You have the experience, but the job description requires an advanced degree. 

At the same time, the business landscape now looks for more—expertise and leadership in the face of several challenges. Considering what’s expected from management professionals, this online degree program helps business owners expand their operations, professionals update their skills or change careers, and students reach a new level of academic achievement. 

Burning Glass Technologies. 2021. Salary numbers and employment growth numbers are based on models that consider advertised job posting salary, Bureau of Labor Statistics data and other proprietary and public sources of information for multiple occupations.
5.71%
employment growth
Burning Glass Technologies. 2021. Salary numbers and employment growth numbers are based on models that consider advertised job posting salary, Bureau of Labor Statistics data and other proprietary and public sources of information for multiple occupations.
$84,000
median salary

Potential careers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics identifies 5% growth for management occupations between 2019 and 2029, regardless of industry. Based upon their certificates, our graduates apply their newly acquired knowledge as:

  • Operations research analysts
  • Training and development managers
  • Market research analysts
  • Accountants
  • Financial analysts
  • Sales managers

Program structure and topics

In 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked the Trulaske College of Business No. 49 for Best Online Master’s in Business Programs. Reflecting that, this 36 credit–hour program provides all students with a well-rounded, valuable business education:

  • A 12-hour core curriculum covers managerial finance, accounting, economics, organizational behavior, strategic management and marketing. The core is fully online and requires no on-campus visits. Review the core curriculum and all course descriptions.
  • A pioneering “stackable” concept lets you complete this online master’s degree in business with your career goals in mind. You’ll select a Trulaske certificate in a business area of interest and then choose a second certificate from Trulaske or partnering college or school.

Once enrolled in the program, you’ll work individually with an academic advisor to create your plan of study with the following certificates:

  • Assurance/audit: Become an asset to your team through a program instructing you in technical and advanced accounting and auditing concepts and leadership skills
  • Construction management: This certificate through Trulaske’s partnership with the College of Engineering combines courses in building design, transportation safety, sustainable technologies, bridge engineering, project management and legal issues related to civil and environmental engineering.
  • Financial management: Gain advanced knowledge of budgeting, financial management, investment banking, mergers and acquisition, risk management and corporate insurance.
  • Global supply chain management: Through a partnership with the College of Engineering, you’ll learn to streamline operations through course work in analytics, supply chain modeling, operations strategy, and service system engineering and management.
  • Investments: Continue growing your financial knowledge through a certificate designed to enhance your analytical and decision-making skills.
  • Life science innovation and entrepreneurship: By collaborating with the School of Medicine and the College of Engineering, the Trulaske College of Business helps train students to translate life science discoveries into products and services.
  • Marketing analytics: Analytics has assumed a greater role not just in marketing but across all business disciplines. This certificate program helps you learn to develop, implement and deliver data-driven solutions that inform decision making, shape company strategy and streamline operations.
  • Partnering certificate programs: Interested in taking your fresh business knowledge into a new field? Explore where these skills overlap with other disciplines through certificates offered by the School of Law, School of Medicine, College of Education, Truman School of Public Affairs, School of Health Professionals, College of Arts & Science and the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. Explore all certificates now.

Flexibility and adaptability are integral to the online master of science in business. You can attend full or part time and can complete the program in as few as three semesters. 

Accreditation

The University of Missouri is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. The Trulaske College of Business and the School of Accountancy are accredited by Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

Faculty spotlight

Chris Prestigiacomo

Professor Prestigiacomo teaches Accounting for Managers (ACCT 7310). He holds the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation and that of Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). Dr. Prestigiacomo has served with Financial Analysts Review, Stalla and Cengage to assist CFA candidates in their test preparations.

Chris Prestigiacomo, PhD
Associate Teaching Professor
Mike Dorigan

Professor Dorigan teaches Managerial Finance (FIN 7410). He is the founder and principal of Conversion Financial Services, a wealth management and financial planning practice. Dorigan has written for the Journal of Fixed Income, the Handbook of Fixed Income Securities and the Handbook of Municipal Bonds, among others.

Michael Dorigan, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Online MS in Finance Program Director
Sharan Srinivas, PhD

Sharan Srinivas specializes in data analytics and operations research with research interests in healthcare operations management, logistics, smart service systems and supply chain. Dr. Srinivas has been an investigator on a range of industry-based research projects. He has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles in journals, conferences and books. He has taught undergraduate and graduate-level courses in data analytics, machine learning, simulation, service systems and supply chain optimization. He's an active member of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) and the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers professional societies and has served as a session chair at their annual conferences. Dr. Srinivas is a certified six sigma black belt and recipient of multiple awards (INFORMS Koopman prize, Winemiller Excellence Award, Richard Wallace Faculty Grant and more). Dr. Srinivas is also a visiting faculty at the University of Passau in Germany.

Sharan Srinivas, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, College of Engineering and the Department of Marketing, Trulaske College of Business
Detelina Marinova, PhD

Detelina Marinova's research focuses on managing sales and service interactions at the organizational frontlines, healthcare marketing, technology-enabled interactions, analysis of unstructured data and machine learning. Dr. Marinova's research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Marketing Science Institute and the Institute for the Study of Business Markets. She has published research in many respected journals. She currently serves as area editor and is on the editorial review board for the "Journal of Marketing" and others. Dr. Marinova teaches marketing management and analytics courses at the undergraduate, master's and doctorate levels and is a recipient of several teaching awards, including the John A. Riggs, Jr. Excellence in MBA Teaching Award, Vanguard Award for Innovative Teaching and Use of Technology and more. She serves as a faculty advisor for the Trulaske Women in Business student organization.

Detelina Marinova, PhD
Distinguished Professor of Marketing, Trulaske College of Business

Learn more about this program

This program is administered by the Trulaske College of Business