An MBA for professionals looking to immerse themselves in full-time study to help pivot their careers faster. The FT-MBA offers high quality education with concentrations tailored to your business interests.
On this page:
- Class participation
- Degree completion pathways
- Prequisite requirements
- New student orientation
- Core courses & electives
- Concentrations
- Professional development
- Meet your professors
- Optional internship
Lehigh University’s College of Business offers a STEM-designated, 42-credit Full-Time MBA program on campus. The curriculum includes 27 credits of core coursework and 15 elective credits, beginning with intensive summer courses in quantitative methods, accounting, and leadership. This foundation prepares students for advanced study in areas such as analytics, AI, finance, operations, and strategy. Students can pursue a concentration or use electives to tailor their coursework to their career goals.
Whether completing the MBA in 12 or 18 months, you will graduate prepared to lead, problem-solve, and succeed in a rapidly evolving global marketplace.
A Full-Time, In-Person Format
Students are required to attend classes on campus and enroll full-time in the program.
Request more information about our FT-MBA program.
How Long Does the FT-MBA Take?
Students typically complete the program in 12 months. Students who choose to extend the program to participate in a summer internship can complete the degree in 18 months.
- ECO 448 Business Economics (3 credits)
- MBA 456 Strategy 1-MBA (1.5 credits)
- Elective (3 credits)
- Elective (3 credits)
- Elective (3 credits)
- Elective (3 credits)
What to Expect in the FT-MBA Program
The Full-Time MBA program is designed to be completed in one year, helping you advance your career sooner. Explore the sections below to learn more about orientation, curriculum and other professional development aspects of the program.
Lehigh University’s Full-Time MBA values a diverse student population, welcoming students with both business and non-business undergraduate backgrounds. To support student success across this diverse cohort, incoming students may be required to complete foundational online, self-paced trainings in key business skills and knowledge areas before beginning the program.
Before classes begin, incoming FT-MBA students attend a mandatory orientation to help ease the transition into graduate business school. You'll work through a collaborative case study that introduces the kind of complex, cross-functional issues you'll tackle throughout the program, while getting to know your new cohort. Orientation dates are included in your admission materials if you're offered a spot in the program.
Core Courses (27 credits)
- GBUS 401 Financial Reporting for Managers and Investors (3 credits)
- MBA 440 Quantitative Methods (3 credits)
- MBA 454 Management - OB/HR 1-MBA (1.5 credits)
- ACCT 432 Accounting for Managers (3 credits)
- BIS 456 Business Analytics for Decision Making (3 credits)
- FIN 433 Financial Analysis for Managers (3 credits)
- SCM 435 Operations and Supply Chain Management (3 credits)
- MKT 437 Customer Insights and Marketing Strategy for Managers (3 credits)
- ECO 448 Business Economics (3 credits)
- MBA 456 Strategy 1-MBA (1.5 credits)
Concentrations & Electives (15 credits)
Students select 15 elective credit hours at the 400 level. Electives can be taken freely or structured around one of 4 concentration areas.
Two distinctive co-curricular tracks—Career Readiness and AI Readiness—complement the program by building professional skills and technological fluency from day one. This structure reflects direct employer feedback emphasizing the need for strong analytical capability, AI adaptability, and effective communication.
Concentrations (12 credits)
Students may choose to specialize in one of 4 MBA concentration areas, each requiring 12 elective credit hours. A concentration does not need to be declared at the time of application; many students complete the MBA without a concentration.
Available concentrations:
- Business Analytics
- Finance
- Marketing
- Operations & Supply Chain Management
Rapid advancement in information technology has created a data rich environment for organizations in all sectors. How to collect appropriate data, how to evaluate data collection methods and sources, and how to use the data to gain business insights and improve decision making have been challenging to managers. This concentration is designed to give students exposure to business data collection, storage and retrieval, predictive models, and applications for improved decision making in the modern organization.
Select 12 credits from the following courses:
- BIS 456 Business Analytics for Decision Making (3 credits)
- BIS 458 Data Management for Managers (3 credits)
- BUAN 448 Predictive Analysis in Business (3 credits)
- BUAN 452 Business Analytics and Modeling (3 credits)
- BUAN 468 AI Strategy and Management (3 credits)
- ECO 403 Econometric Software (3 credits)
- GBUS 424 Advanced Topics in Financial Management (3 credits)
- GBUS 461 Marketing Analytics (3 credits)
- GBUS 466 Marketing Research and Analysis (3 credits)
- MACC 430 Data Analytics for Accountants (3 credits)
- MKT 312 Marketing Research (3 credits)
- MKT 325 Consumer Insights through Data Analysis (3 credits)
- MKT 326 Marketing Analytics and Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Space (3 credits)
An interdisciplinary approach between the Finance and Management departments in the College of Business, this concentration equips MBA students with a strong background in corporate finance while also integrating new venture analysis in how organizations enhance their capabilities to organize, execute, and invest in new ventures. What makes this concentration unique is that few finance concentrations allow students to access the mindset of an entrepreneur.
Select 12 credits from the following courses:
- GBEN 407 Startups & Pivots (1 credit)
- GBEN 409 Financial Forecasting (1 credit)
- GBEN 410 Financing Startups (1 credit)
- GBEN 412 Going Public (1 credit)
- GBUS 419 Financial Management (3 credits)
- GBUS 420 Investments (3 credits)
- GBUS 424 Advanced Topics in Financial Management (3 credits)
- GBUS 426 Financial Markets and Institutions (3 credits)
- GBUS 473 International Finance (3 credits)
The importance of the marketing function is recognized by all sizes and types of organizations. Focusing on the creation of superior customer value and sustainable competitive advantage from an integrative perspective, the marketing concentration addresses a wide range of issues from global strategies to branding methods and is designed to be flexible in order to meet traditional and non-traditional marketing positions and situations.
Select 12 credits from the following courses:
- GBUS 460 Strategic Marketing Management (3 credits)
- GBUS 461 Marketing Analytics (3 credits)
- GBUS 465 Creating Breakthrough Innovations (3 credits)
- GBUS 466 Marketing Research and Analysis (3 credits)
- GBUS 467 Sales Management (3 credits)
- GBUS 468 Future of Marketing (3 credits)
- GBUS 470 Marketing Communications Strategies (3 credits)
- GBUS 471 Strategic Brand Management (3 credits)
- GBUS 475 Global Marketing Strategies (3 credits)
- MKT 437 Customer Insights and Marketing Strategy for Managers (3 credits)
Through in-depth study of an organization’s value chain, the Operations and Supply Chain Management concentration demonstrates how these activities are linked both internally and externally. In a creative, hands-on environment that uses case studies and industry experts, students explore the multiple factors that have impact on a company’s supply chain.
Select 12 credits from the following courses:
- BIS 456 Business Analytics for Decision Making (3 credits)
- BIS 458 Data Management for Managers (3 credits)
- GBUS 432 Demand and Supply Chain Planning (3 credits)
- GBUS 447 Negotiation (3 credits)
- GBUS 450 Strategic Supply Management (3 credits)
- GBUS 453 Transportation and Logistics Management (3 credits)
- GBUS 456 Applied Supply Chain Models (3 credits)
- GBUS 492 Special Topics (1-4 credits)
- SCM 309 Supply, Cost and Risk Management (3 credits)
- SCM 330 Analytics for Service Operations (3 credits)
- SCM 342 e-Business Enterprise Applications (3 credits)
Built-In Professional Development and Career Support
NextYOU Co-Curriculum
Career development at Lehigh is included in your degree as a co-curriculum, meaning it runs alongside your coursework and does not require separate enrollment.
Through the NextYOU program, FT-MBA students receive structured coaching, job-search strategy support, and access to Lehigh's professional network throughout the degree program and beyond.
Industry Mentors
Early in the program, you'll be paired with an industry mentor—a Lehigh-connected professional whose career experience aligns with your background or interests. You’ll meet at least one hour per month from July through May, with flexibility based on your preferences. Mentors provide industry insights, networking opportunities, guidance on hiring practices and workplace culture, and leadership development. Many mentorships continue beyond graduation.
The Full-Time MBA courses are taught by Lehigh Business faculty members with deep expertise in their disciplines and a commitment to applied, relevant instruction. With a rotating roster each semester, students engage with a variety of professors across the core curriculum and elective offerings.
Professors
- Alberto Lamadrid, Ph.D., Cornell University
- Michael Santoro, Ph.D., Rutgers University
- Andrew Ward, Ph.D., The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (Management Department Chair)
Senior Professors of Practice
- Dale Falcinelli, M.A., Lehigh University
Professors of Practice
- Deirdre Malacrea, M.B.A., Harvard Business School
- Thomas Rees, C.P.A., C.F.A., C.F.E., C.I.S.A., C.A.M.S., M.B.A., University of Delaware
- Peter Trager, M.B.A., University of Michigan
Teaching Assistant Professors
- Kenneth Mawritz, D.B.A., Temple University
- Yaqin Sun, Ph.D., Drexel University
Professional Development
- Anne-Mette Halvorson, M.B.A., Simmons University
Connect With Lehigh FT-MBA Students & Staff
Curious about campus culture, student organizations or life at Lehigh? Connect with a current student! Questions about admissions, tuition, or the application process? Our team is here to help.
Optional Summer Internship
Lehigh University’s accelerated full-time MBA can be completed in 11 months, from June through May. Students who want to gain U.S. industry experience, explore a career pivot, or strengthen their post-MBA job prospects can instead choose an 18-month option that includes time for a summer internship.
While an internship is not required, the extended 18-month track gives students the flexibility to gain practical experience before entering the workforce. Students can choose the MBA completion timeline that best aligns with their career goals.
Students do not have to choose between the 11-month and 18-month degree completion when they initially enroll (summer semester). The decision to extend the degree must be made by the start of the spring semester. Once a student selects the extended option, this decision cannot be reversed. Because the full-time MBA bills per credit, part of the spring tuition will be moved to the fall.
While the Lehigh University full-time MBA program will support students searching for internships, please note that internships are not guaranteed, and the onus is on the student to secure an internship. Internships cannot count towards any concentration.
Before you accept an offer, all internships must be approved by the full-time MBA program director and/or department chairs to determine if the experience meets MBA internship guidelines and aligns with career preparation goals.
Many top employers expect MBA interns to return for at least one semester after the internship because it aligns with their full-time recruiting and hiring cycles. The 18-month pathway allows students to complete a summer internship while maintaining the program’s academic sequence. Lehigh will accommodate this by deferring credits to the fall semester and extending the degree completion date to December.