Olivet Nazarene University has offered a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree for more than 30 years. What started as a traditional on-campus degree shifted to a fully online program a decade ago to offer an affordable and efficient method of graduate studies. Over the years, the University has supported more than 1,800 MBA students in many industries earn their degree. Students who enroll in Olivet’s MBA program improve their management leadership skills through the online coursework, which can be completed in as little as 12 months.
In fall 2025, the University expanded its offering to include a hybrid MBA format. Students who enroll in this unique 24-month program still complete all of their courses online, but they also benefit from periodic two-day residencies that are designed to amplify the online content with more traditional classroom discussions, group work and faculty interactions.
“Online learning maximizes flexibility and in-person learning maximizes personal connection — the hybrid modality, however, finds the sweet spot for both,” says Dr. Jay Martinson, a faculty member for Olivet’s MBA program and a professor of undergraduate courses in Olivet’s Department of Communication. “It retains the ‘high-flex’ nature of online learning while providing meaningful connection with peers, instructors, and course content during intensive in-person, campus learning.”
After spending the first week of their course engaging in online meetings and discussion boards, the six students in the first cohort of Olivet’s hybrid MBA program gathered in the Weber Leadership Center, for a Friday and Saturday full of intentional programming in early September. This intensive residency replaced one of the course’s weekly modules. But, Dr. Martinson emphasizes that shifting the content offline still met the strategic learning outcomes and enhanced the academic experience.
“The in-person modality affords more active learning opportunities, interactive dialogue, live clarification and feedback on assignments, and more social connection,” he says. “When we returned to our fully-online portion of the course, I was struck by the greater sense of community among my students (and myself) as a direct carry-over from the residency. We were more than names and faces on our screens; it felt more like we were also friends.”
Unlike Olivet’s fully-online MBA program, in which students can take their courses in almost any order, the hybrid program is offered in a lock-step model — students in the cohort progress through the program together, course-by-course. This moderate level of structure can be very valuable for some adult learners, emphasizes Tina Burton, director of Olivet’s Graduate and Continuing Studies business programs.
“The desire for students who enroll in the hybrid MBA is different,” she says. “From an experiential perspective, there can be deeper levels of connection and support when students get to meet their classmates and instructors during the residencies. While some people can embrace online learning, we’ve recognized that having some intentional in-person programming adds an additional sense of ‘togetherness’ that some students crave on their journey.”
In addition to facilitating face-to-face relationships, the on-ground residency also satisfies visa requirements for most international students; opening doors for more adult learners to take advantage of Olivet’s excellent graduate programming.
Keylan Salazar Chicaiza ’25 moved from Ecuador as an undergraduate student to study graphic design at Olivet. As she approached graduation, she was already interested in pursuing an MBA degree, but the hybrid option helped solidify her choice.
“I chose to pursue an MBA because business connects to every part of life,” Keylan says. “It’s like a universal language, one that opens doors across the world while also helping me grow personally, gain confidence, and find purpose. I’ve always believed that creativity and business go hand in hand. Design teaches me how to think differently, tell stories, and connect with people. Blending that with business knowledge gives me the tools to turn ideas into action, to lead, to create, and to make a lasting impact.”
Beyond finding purpose in the coursework, Keylan has experienced a richness in the interactions she’s shared with her classmates and faculty in the hybrid program.
“I truly appreciate the hybrid format,” she says. “[Meeting in person] helps me feel connected to the people behind the screens. We have deadlines, of course, but we also have the freedom to manage our time in a way that fits our lives best.”
“For me, this MBA has been about more than earning a degree;” Keylan emphasizes, “it’s helping me become the kind of professional and person I’ve always wanted to be.”
The next cohort start date for the hybrid MBA program at Olivet is January 5, 2026, and the admissions team for Graduate and Continuing Studies is still accepting applications.
Visit Olivet.edu/Apply to start an application.
