EARNING YOUR MBA IN ONE YEAR LOOKS LIKE
Breadcrumb
Credit hours: 45
1-year, Full-time
Daytime & online classes
Cohort, 8-week terms
Fall start only
GMAT/GRE not required with 3.0+ GPA*
*Less than 3.0? Contact Us.
Mastering business in record time looks like YOU!
The One Year MBA at CU Denver is the fastest way to earn your MBA while gaining valuable work experience. Designed for professionals who want to excel in today’s dynamic business environment, this accelerated program features a fast-paced curriculum focused on real-world challenges and innovative, field-relevant electives. Enhance your degree with consulting projects, optional competitive paid internships, and opportunities to connect with industry leaders. With its location in the heart of Denver, a hub for business analytics, project management, and entrepreneurship, this program provides a unique advantage. Open to students from all majors, the CU Denver One Year MBA is ideal for those looking to advance their careers quickly and effectively.
Accelerated pace
eight-week course structure
Gain experience
consulting projects and optional competitive paid internships
International course abroad
gain global insights during a course abroad
Build your network
be a part of a dynamic and diverse cohort
All majors welcome
no formal business education or experience required, we will meet you where you are
Class Schedule:
Tuesday/Thursday: 9:00-11:30 a.m. and 1:00-3:30 p.m., In-Person
Online Course: no meeting time
Earn your MBA in just one year with the CU Denver One Year MBA, the fastest way to gain valuable work experience and accelerate your career in the heart of Denver. This program offers a fast-paced curriculum designed to match the demands of today’s dynamic business world. Enhance your learning with business consulting projects, optional competitive paid internships, and access to the University of Colorado Denver Business School’s extensive network of business leaders and organizations.
Most classes are held in person, fostering meaningful interactions with faculty and classmates, while offering flexibility through an online, self-paced course each term. The program includes five eight-week terms and an international course abroad, combining immersive learning with breaks between terms for balance. Expect approximately 15 hours of weekly class time and an additional 25 hours for studying, homework, and group projects. Consulting projects may add another 20–25 hours a week, and students may further enhance their experience with internships, graduate assistantships, or on-campus employment.
The program is designed to build a strong student community, with the entire core curriculum completed alongside a dedicated cohort. This structure fosters teamwork, group presentations, and lasting relationships with peers, creating a network that extends well beyond graduation.
Program Highlights:
- Downtown Denver location: Build relationships with business leaders and gain access to valuable real-world experiences in a thriving metropolitan hub for business analytics, project management, and entrepreneurship.
- Real-world experience: Jump-start or pivot your career with hands-on learning through consulting projects and internships.
- Career and professional development: Take advantage of personalized 1:1 career coaching and tailored support from the Business Career Center, including workshops, networking opportunities, and connections to CU Denver Business School's extensive industry partnerships.
With its focus on flexibility, real-world experience, and connections, the CU Denver One Year MBA is the ideal choice for professionals ready to launch their careers or take the next step in business leadership.
The One Year MBA program equips students with the essential skills needed for successful business management through comprehensive preparation and a robust curriculum.
Program Preparation
Prior to the start of classes, all students gain access to MBA Math, a series of self-paced modules that cover fundamental topics in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Statistics, and Excel. These modules serve to either build a foundational understanding or act as a refresher, ensuring that all students are well-prepared to excel from the very beginning of the program.
Curriculum comprises 45 credit hours, which include core courses, electives, an international course abroad, and consulting coursework.
Core Courses
Students will delve into a wide range of subjects, essential for modern business leaders:
- Leading in Organizations
- Data Analysis for Managers
- Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
- Analyzing and Interpreting Accounting Information
- Marketing Management
- Information Systems Management and Strategy
- Applied Economics for Managers
- Management of Operations
- Financial Management
- Strategic Management
Electives Electives are refreshed annually to reflect the latest in business trends and practices, including:
- Conflict Management
- Advanced Corporate Finance
- Negotiations
- Digital Marketing Analytics
- Investments
- Personal Branding
- Business Model Development & Planning
- Sustainability in Practice
- Consulting in Practice
International course abroad
This unique component involves traveling abroad for 10-12 nights, visiting companies, engaging with executives, and participating in cultural activities. Destinations have included Asia, Central America, Europe, and South America, with visits to major companies and cultural landmarks.
Past trips have included destinations in Asia, Central America, Europe, and South America. The trip typically includes more than one city or country to provide a basis for comparing and contrasting cultures and business practices. Visits have included:
- Panama Canal, Panama
- Colon Free Trade Zone, Panama
- Pfizer, Germany
- BMW, Germany
- Airbus, Germany
- Mercedes, Germany
- Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Hong Kong
- IBM, France
- Walmart, China
- Banco Santander, Chile
- DHL, China
- Anheuser-Busch InBev, South Korea
- University Visit: Seoul National University, South Korea
- Start Up Seoul, South Korea
- R/GA, Argentina
- University Visit: Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, Argentina
Consulting coursework and competitive paid internships
Students engage in real-world consulting projects and may opt for competitive paid internships to gain practical experience and elective credits. These opportunities have included collaborations with leading businesses and organizations across various industries. Past student consulting projects have worked with companies such as:
- Ball Metalpack
- Children's Hospital Colorado
- Holidaily Brewing Company
- JE Dunn
- Well Data Labs
- Whole Foods Market
- UC Health
Students have also participated in competitive internships in a variety of functional areas at companies such as:
- Agility Perella Weinberg Partners
- American Furniture Warehouse
- Appficiency
- Ardent Mills
- Cedar Investments
- DaVita
- Frontier Airlines
- Gates Corporation
- TIAA
- Zayo
Career and professional development
Career and Professional Development The Business Career Center at CU Denver provides extensive support including career fairs, industry roundtables, and recruiter panels. Additionally, personalized 1:1 career coaching is available to all One Year MBA students to help tailor their professional development. These coaches will meet you where you are to get you where you want to be.
MBA Program Outcomes
Value 1: Act Strategically
Outcome: Develop strategies that are designed to sustain a competitive advantage and optimize stakeholder value.
Value 2: Analyze Critically
Outcome: Analyze quantitative and qualitative information using the most appropriate methods, tools and/or frameworks to address a given business problem.
Value 3: Behave Ethically
Outcome: Evaluate ethical dilemmas by applying appropriate theories and principles to the assessment of divergent perspectives in the decision-making process.
Value 4: Communicate Effectively
Outcome: Apply effective and professional communication skills in business situations.
Value 5: Lead Collaboratively
Outcome: Collaborate effectively within diverse business teams, leveraging teamwork and leadership skills.
Value 6: Think Globally
Outcome: Evaluate the impact of different socio-cultural, political/institutional, legal, financial, and/or economic contexts on business strategy and operations.
Value 7: Leverage Technology
Outcome: Demonstrate the ability to leverage information technology tools to support business processes and decision making.
These objectives are assessed in relevant courses across the curriculum using projects, presentations, reports, exam questions, and team evaluations.
Tuition
The cost of tuition for the Fall 2025 cohort is $58,000 regardless of state or country of residence. Tuition includes the round-trip airfare and in-country accommodation and transportation for the international course abroad. Student fees and textbooks are not included in the tuition amount.
Domestic students can apply for financial aid to cover the cost of attendance for the program. Financial aid typically covers direct costs (tuition and fees) and indirect costs (books and supplies, personal expenses, and off-campus housing). To learn more, visit the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Other funding opportunities are outlined below.
Scholarships
The One Year MBA program awards various scholarships including the
One Year MBA upfront scholarships and One Year MBA application based scholarships:
- Leadership Scholarship
- CU Denver Alumni Scholarship
- STEM Scholarship
- Global Citizen Scholarship
These scholarship deadlines are in mid-May, so you must submit your application for the program no later than April in order to apply for additional scholarships.
Business School Graduate Assistantships and On-Campus Employment
The program funds several competitive Graduate Assistantship (GA) positions in the Business School which students in our program can apply for. Graduate Assistantships in the Business School are student hourly positions and competitive and limited in nature. Additionally, there are many on-campus student employment opportunities that students can apply for. Further information about specific GA positions is provided to committed students.
Application Checklist
$50 domestic, $75 international application fee
Online application
Two letters of recommendation—academic and/or professional
GMAT/GRE not required*
Official transcripts from each college or university attended
Four short essays
Resume
English language proficiency—international applicants only
International Credit Evaluation—international transcripts only
*See admission requirements section for more detail
How to Apply
The One Year MBA program admits students for a fall start only. Admissions operate on a rolling basis, meaning decisions are made as applications are completed. Scholarships for the program are offered on a first come first served basis, so it is best to submit a completed application as early as possible.
Application Process
The application process has two components: application, and if selected, interview. Applicants are required to submit all application materials by the final deadline. Interviews are by invitation only and conducted via Zoom.
Admission Requirements
- Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree at an accredited United States college or an equivalent in another country by the start of the program. The program welcomes applications from students in the final year of their undergraduate degrees.
- The GMAT is not required for admission for students with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA from an accredited university. Please reach out to oneyearmba@ucdenver.edu for more information regarding options for students with lower than a 3.0 GPA.
- For students with lower than a 3.0 GPA, GMAT waivers are available on a case-by-case basis and can be requested while completing the online application. GMAT waivers take into consideration professional experience as well as academic qualifications, including demonstrated successful academic background in both quantitative and qualitative coursework.
- A GMAT Waiver request is available for students with a previous graduate degree.
- In some situations, another test score like an LSAT or MCAT could be considered in lieu of a GMAT.
- No course prerequisites, work experience, or formal business education are required for admission.
- International applicants must demonstrate proficiency in written and oral English. TOEFL minimum scores are 90 (IBT) or 575 (PBT). Our IELTS minimum score is 6.5.
For any questions, please contact our admissions team at oneyearmba@ucdenver.edu.
International Students
International graduate applicants must have their academic credentials evaluated by either Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) or World Education Services (WES). If you have already had an international credential evaluation from another company, please contact our team at oneyearmba@ucdenver.edu to determine whether it meets our requirements.
To meet the English Language Proficiency (ELP) criteria, you must either showcase your proficiency through past education in English instruction or an English Language Proficiency test. If you are a citizen of a country whose official language is English, you do not have to prove proficiency. See below for a listing of accepted countries.
To claim proficiency, you must complete one of the following criteria. Please note that test scores are valid for two years.
- Submit a TOEFL score that meets the minimum requirements of 90 (IBT) or 575 (PBT).
The minimum IBT sub-scores for each section are:- Reading: 18
- Listening: 17
- Speaking: 20
- Writing: 17
- Submit an IELTS score of at least 6.5 The minimum IELTS sub scores for the reading, listening, speaking, and writing sections are 5.5.
- Submit a copy of completion from the CU Denver ESL Academy.
- Be a citizen of a country whose official language is English. International applicants holding a citizenship from the following countries do not need to prove their English language proficiency for admission to CU Denver: Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Granada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, The Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom.
- International applicants may meet the English language proficiency requirement through any of the options below for previous coursework completed. Options for previous coursework completed which will satisfy admissions ELP requirements:
- Earn an associate or bachelor's degree in the US
- Earn a post-secondary credential (comparable to a US associate or bachelor's degree) in any of the exempt countries listed above
- Earn a post-secondary credential (comparable to a US associate or bachelor's degree) at an exempt-country-accredited school located in a non-exempt country
- Earned 12 or more credit hours in a master or doctoral degree program in the United States, an exempt country, or at an exempt-country-accredited school in a non-exempt country AND earned an overall college-level GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Veteran and Military Education Benefit Students
We have many students that use military education benefits at CU Denver. Students planning to use military education benefits will work closely with the One Year MBA program staff and the Veteran and Military Student Services Office throughout our program. We are happy to discuss specifics of using military benefits for this program. Please email oneyearmba@ucdenver.edu.
Application Deadlines
Space in each cohort is limited, so we urge you to apply as early as possible. Applications open in September for the following fall start. The admission rounds provide timing guidance for you, but the program operates on rolling admissions, meaning completed applications are reviewed as they are received.
- Early Bird: February 7, 2025
- Priority Deadline: April 15, 2025
- Final International student deadline: May 15, 2025
- Final Domestic student deadline: June 15, 2025
Sarah Atkin’s One Year MBA Advances her Career
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Upcoming events
Attend a graduate open house, online or in-person information session, or a GMAT test prep workshop. Visit our events page for all upcoming events.
“I chose to pursue the One Year MBA because I wanted to gain usable expertise and make valuable connections without sacrificing more than a year of the experience in the job market that I would have otherwise gained.”
– Danielle Thollot, One Year MBA student
“I chose the One Year MBA program at CU Denver to effectively change the direction of my post-military career. It affords me opportunities to build tangible networks and gain practical experience simultaneously in Denver.”
– James Ciccarello, US Army veteran and One Year MBA student