Best one-year MBA programs

1. One-year MBA programs 

There is an increasing number of applications for the one-year MBA program. It not only consolidates the student’s academic foundation in business but also makes it possible for students to be out of work just within a year. Programs may allow students to specialize in a specific area of interest such as finance or human resource management.  

Here are some perks of the one-year program for your reference: 

• Reasonable tuition fees: The one-year program has a fairly reasonable tuition fee which definitely makes it an affordable bet. 
• You can quickly start your career. You don’t have to wait for two years for your degree to be finished. The sooner you get back to work, the sooner you start seeing the return on your investment. 
• A rigorous curriculum:  If you ever thought that one-year programs were more condensed and you missed out on some key content, you might be wrong. You will take the same rigorous course to sharpen your economics as well as your business skills with an immediate focus on your career. Also, for people with time constraints, the one-year programs prove to be a great choice. 
• One of the biggest selling points of one-year MBA programs is the ROI  as the outcome is essentially the same as the two-year program itself.

However, you should consider the downsides as well. The one-year program doesn’t have the internship due to the shorter duration. That means you have less opportunity to bond with your classmates, alumni and the employers as well. To some people, strong industrial networking may be their greatest motivation in pursuing an MBA degree.Therefore, you should consider whether or not to take a one-year MBA program.

To be more specific, you can refer to a profile of a one-year MBA program applicant that actually got admitted at Cornell Johnson:

2. Best one-year programs in the world

2.1. Kellogg School of Management. 

More than 100 years old, Kellogg is a medium-sized MBA program that consistently places near the top of reputable MBA ranking lists, and this school is to be the first US business school to offer a one-year version of its two-year programs. Even though the school’s marketing-focused reputation persists, Kellogg is also famous for its one-year MBA programs in other functions like Consulting, Operations, Finance. Prior to enrollment, however, students in the 1Y program must have successfully completed six of the following seven specific business courses to be eligible: Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Statistics, Operations, Economics, and Organizational Behavior.

2.2. INSEAD

INSEAD the one-year program at INSEAD offering an excellent return on investment. Another standout factor is that the student can split their study into three countries: Singapore, France, and Abu Dhab which makes it a truly diverse institution. During the program, you will participate in a study group of five to six students who have different backgrounds in terms of age, gender, nationality, experience and previous education. During most of the core courses and the PLDP (the Personal Leadership Development Program) , your group will become the focal point for your work as you complete assignments and solve problems together.

2.3. University of Cambridge 

The Cambridge Judge Business School is part of the Cambridge University in the United Kingdom but it is a distinguished school with a one-year program. Its one-year MBA program has become one of the most famous in the world, contributing to the top-ranked Cambridge university. The Cambridge Judge Business School’s biggest strength lies in its entrepreneurship and innovation management programs. And here is the class profile for your reference: 

2.4. MIT Sloan 

One of the biggest strengths in a one-year MBA program at MIT is its massive networking. The network you build as a Sloan Fellow is not limited to alumni. MIT is famous for its connection engine. During your studying year, you will forge bonds with faculty and students across MIT and meet students and faculty at neighboring universities as well. The program which consists of two core courseworks: analytical frameworks and business essentials would provide you with an intense, immersive curriculum built on the science of management knowledge and practice.  

2.5. Cornell University

Cornell is consistently ranked among the top business schools in the world, and its graduates lead at the intersection of people, business, and technology. Students in the one-year and two-year Ithaca-based MBA programs take classes together and work closely together on a variety of projects

One-Year MBA students at Cornell can also take most elective courses that are included within the remainder of the Immersion Program for two-year residential students. These courses and immersions provide students with in-depth industry expertise and make them particularly strong candidates for full-time positions in their chosen fields.

2.6. University of Oxford 

Oxford University has acquired its reputation for a rich tradition of developing leaders. The programme lasts 12 months from September to September, and roughly follows the structure of the wider University of Oxford’s three terms, with an additional summer term. You will begin the year focusing on your core courses and leadership fundamentals, before undertaking project work combined with elective courses that allow you to tailor your learning. And the teaching on the MBA programme is split as follows: 40% lecture, 25% case study, 25% team project and 10% simulations.

2.7. Duke Fuqua 

Fuqua has strong overlapping traits with Ivy League institutions and it also has an impressive list of famous alumni, which includes Tim Cook, Apple CEO; Melinda Gates or W. Bruce Johnson, who was interim President and CEO of Sears Holdings.

 The one-year MBA is one of three new Fuqua initiatives, including a revamped curriculum that will be focused on three major themes: Creating common purpose in a world of difference; Leading technology-driven transformation, and Entrepreneurship for a lifetime. The university also provides the online one-year MBA which is the Accelerated Master of Science in Quantitative Management. 

2.8. NYU (Stern)  

Stern has a larger faculty than most business schools with a broad range of expertise. The one-year programs in NYU (Stern) are Tech MBA, and Fashion and Luxury MBA.  Both programs run from May to May and students earn 52 credits to graduate with an MBA. Through the Fashion and Luxury MBA curriculum, students were exposed to a range of companies of different sizes both in NYC and abroad through company projects, visits, guest lectures and skills-based workshops.And for the Tech program, students were exposed to a range of companies of different sizes on both the East and West coasts through company projects, visits, guest lectures and skills-based workshops.

2.9. Bocconi School of Management 

The SDA Bocconi Full-Time MBA is an ambitious undertaking: it requires drive and motivation, but it gives you a unique opportunity to improve personally and professionally.

You will be plunged into a very intensive period of full-time work that accommodates learning and practice in just one year. Core Courses and Concentrations sequentially occur in 9 intense months of class, between September and May. From June onwards, and for up to six months, you can flexibly choose among individual internships, entrepreneurial projects or group business labs to practice what you learned. More alternatives for the Fall Term include staying on campus to test and consolidate your soft skills with business games, 360-degree cases and other final courses, or going on exchange to other top international business schools.

2.10. IE Business School 

One special thing about the one-year MBA program at IE Business school is that around 50% of the program can be tailored to your needs. The program lasts for 11 months and consists of three periods: the core, the lab and the elective period. During the Core Period, you will choose between the Business Impact Lab, Start-up Lab, Tech Lab, Social Impact Lab or an internship. In the 3rd term, you will continue to customize your program during the Elective Period where the university offers the possibility to choose a Concentration area. This means that besides acquiring a 360º vision of the business world, you will have the opportunity to sharpen your career focus by choosing a cluster of courses from a specific academic area.

2.11. HKUST Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Business School

HKUST is one of the most flexible curriculums in Asia based on five career tracks: Consulting and Strategic Management, Business Technology and Analytics, Finance, General Management, Marketing. You can complement your academic knowledge by credit-bearing practicums and professional career activities that will give you an unparalleled edge. There are 52 credits in the curriculum. You will gain about a quarter of your credits by studying the required core courses, and the remaining credits through flexible core, elective, credit-bearing practicums and a variety of career services. Your MBA journey will begin with three pre-MBA accelerator courses: Accounting, Data Analysis and Python Programming. The one-year MBA program is good but for students who already possess a wealth of professional experience or are studying under company sponsorship and wish to advance their careers.

2.12. University of Western Ontario – Richard Ivey School of Business 

University of Western Ontario is ranked as #1 MBA program in Canada. You will get to know cased-based learning through real-world examples from the foundation of the Ivey education experience. Cases are dissected, discussed and debated in a stimulating environment. Guided by world-class professors, and enriched by your fellow students, your classroom conversations will be dynamic and immersive. This approach will allow you to practice the leadership skills that mirror real-life situations.

2.13. IMD Business School of Switzerland 

“The IMD MBA is an intimate, personalized leadership development experience delivering an unmatched emphasis on entrepreneurship, globalization and digitalization, while equipping participants with the classic MBA toolkit.” 

The 1 year MBA program of IMD is a focus on three themes:  real-world learning; leadership development; intensive learning. During the program, you would get a chance to work with teams intensively and benefit from coaching about leading yourself and others. Together with its international diversity, the one-year program at IMD has also won prestigious awards and international recognitions.