She loved getting her MBA online with UNA—find out why

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Summer Martin is a human resources generalist who recently completed her MBA at the University of North Alabama (UNA). We talked to her to find out what the UNA MBA experience was like and whether she’d recommend it to others who want to advance their careers. Keep reading for all the details. 

1. Meet Summer

Summer Martin just finished getting her MBA at UNA in December 2022. She and her husband live in the Athens area with their dog, a miniature Aussiedoodle. For fun, she loves to cook, bake and try new recipes out on her friends and family. She enjoys reading and is always looking for new book recommendations. 

Workwise, she’s a human resources generalist with a small defense contractor in Huntsville. In 2017, she got an undergraduate degree in HR, also from UNA, and knew she wanted to go back for a masters after some time in the workforce.

2. Why a UNA MBA

A first-generation college student, Summer always had a personal goal of completing a masters degree. After gaining enough work experience to ensure that a degree really would help with her career growth, she decided to enroll at UNA again.

Want to get your MBA? Request more information or apply today. 

3. Why UNA?

Because she enjoyed her undergrad experience in Florence, and was familiar with the campus, the professors and the style of education, Summer thought UNA would be a good fit. She also appreciated the flexibility that UNA’s 100% online MBA program offered to her as a full-time working professional. 

Finally, she was looking for an MBA that would allow her to expand her knowledge beyond HR. UNA’s program offers 10 different concentrations, and you can make your own—ultimately, this is what Summer chose to do. She loved having the opportunity to take electives in HR, information systems, finance and global business. By doing so, she got to learn a lot of things she wouldn’t have learned on the job in her HR world. 

4. What the UNA MBA program was really like

Summer said the program was both challenging and satisfying. She felt supported by professors who want their students to succeed. 

When she described her coursework, a few things stood out to her: 

• Finance classes gave her more insight into how corporate finance and accounting work. 
• Her business ethics class helped her see how to manage the ethics and social responsibility of an organization through the lens of the CEO. 
• There were lots of group projects, which allowed for collaboration with other students.
• A highlight of the program was having the opportunity to attend in-person and virtual events with real business leaders in the Shoals area, which allowed for valuable networking. 

5. Doing the MBA as a working professional

Summer was working throughout her MBA, so she took it slowly, with only one or two classes a semester. She started in 2018 and finished in 2022 and said “it took me a little bit longer, but it was worth it. The slower I went, the more I was able to absorb the coursework and really learn.” 

She appreciated how the professors laid out the schedule at the beginning and gave students plenty of time to complete assignments. She said she learned a lot about time management and planning ahead. 

To anyone who’s considering the program, she says: 

“It’s definitely a time commitment, so make sure it’s worth it for you, your goals and what you’re looking to do with it. It helps you get ahead, and gives you a really good foundation for a career in business and whatever field you’re in. 

It was really rewarding to complete the program and feel like I have more behind me to push me forward in my career, so I would recommend it.”

UNA MBA: Nuts + Bolts

• Affordable: $19,550 total, with no out-of-state pricing or extra fees
• Tuition reimbursement: ask your employer
• Financial aid: Your first course is free and there are other scholarships available! 
• Flexible: 100% online, designed for working professionals with 5 starts per year
• Reputable: globally ranked + accredited by AACSB International
• Prerequisites: none
• Concentrations: 10 available, including Create Your Own

Interested in the UNA MBA? Request information or apply today. 

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