Online master’s degrees in finance, analytics and management
Online MSc and MS programmes from Georgia Tech, Illinois Gies, Johns Hopkins Carey, Imperial, Boston University, Maryland Smith, Bath, Aston, HEC Paris and platform marketplaces such as Coursera and edX — specialist degrees for professionals who want depth in one field rather than a general MBA. Every institution below is listed free by our editors, A–Z — no one pays for a position, and you can request a listing by email.
All online master’s programs
Free listings · A to Z · sponsor yours from $5/dayAston University Online
Online MSc and MBA degrees from Birmingham’s Aston Business School with six intakes a year.
Boston University — Online Graduate Programs
Online master’s degrees from BU in applied business analytics, finance, project management and more.
Coursera Degrees
Marketplace of accredited online bachelor’s and master’s degrees from partner universities.
edX Master’s Degrees
Online master’s degrees and MicroMasters pathways from universities on the edX platform.
Georgia Tech — Online Master of Science in Analytics
Interdisciplinary online analytics master’s from Georgia Tech at under $10,000 total tuition.
HEC Paris — Online MSc Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Fully online master’s from HEC Paris delivered on Coursera for founders and intrapreneurs.
Heriot-Watt University — Edinburgh Business School
Long-established online MBA and MSc programs studied worldwide by distance learning.
Imperial College Business School — Online MSc Programmes
Online MSc degrees from Imperial, including business analytics and strategic marketing.
Johns Hopkins Carey Business School — Online Programs
Flexible MBA and MS programs, including finance and business analytics, in online and hybrid formats.
Maryland Smith — Online Master’s Programs
Online MS degrees in business analytics, finance and marketing analytics from the University of Maryland.
University of Bath Online
Part-time online MSc programs from Bath, including applied economics and business analytics.
University of Illinois Gies — iMSA (Accountancy)
Online Master of Science in Accountancy from a top-ranked accounting faculty, delivered with Coursera.
University of Illinois Gies — iMSM (Management)
Fully online Master of Science in Management for early-career professionals.
University of London — Online Postgraduate Degrees
Distance MSc programs in finance, data science, professional accountancy and management.
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Online master’s degree or online MBA?
The MBA is a general-management degree; a specialist master’s goes deep in one discipline — finance, accountancy, business analytics, marketing, management. The choice follows the career: someone moving into a data role needs an analytics master’s, not an MBA; someone moving from a technical role into general management needs the reverse. Specialist master’s degrees are also typically shorter (12–24 months part-time), cheaper (often a third of an MBA) and admit candidates with less work experience — many take graduates straight from a bachelor’s.
| Online specialist master’s | Online MBA | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical length | 12–24 months | 24–36 months |
| Work experience expected | 0–5 years | 3–10 years |
| Typical cost | $10,000 – $60,000 | $25,000 – $150,000 |
| Content | Deep in one field | Broad across all functions |
| Best for | Entering or deepening a specialism | Moving into general management |
The main fields, and what each is for
| Field | Typical degree names | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Business analytics / data science | MS Analytics, MSc Business Analytics, MS Data Science | Analysts, marketers and operations staff moving into data-driven roles; Georgia Tech’s OMSA is the best-known low-cost example |
| Finance | MS Finance, MSc Finance, MSc Applied Economics | Corporate finance, treasury and banking professionals; often pairs well with CFA study |
| Accountancy | MS Accountancy, MSc Professional Accountancy | Candidates who need credits for CPA or ACCA exemptions; Illinois iMSA and the University of London/UCL programme are examples |
| Management | MS Management, MSc Management | Early-career graduates without the experience for an MBA |
| Marketing | MSc Strategic Marketing, MS Marketing Analytics | Marketers moving into leadership or analytics roles |
How much do online master’s degrees cost in 2026?
The spread is unusually wide because platform-delivered degrees have collapsed the floor. Georgia Tech’s online analytics master’s costs under $10,000 in total; the same degree from a private US university on campus can exceed $80,000. In the UK, online MSc programmes from Russell Group and mid-ranking universities cluster between £10,000 and £25,000. Coursera and edX host degrees from partner universities at $15,000–$45,000, with the university — not the platform — awarding the degree.
What should you compare before you shortlist?
| Criterion | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Accreditation | Institutional accreditation of the university; for business degrees, AACSB, EQUIS or AMBA at the school level |
| Professional credit | Does the programme give exemptions from CPA, ACCA, CFA or CIMA papers, or count towards chartered status? |
| Quantitative prerequisites | Analytics and finance master’s often require calculus, statistics or programming. Is there a bridging module? |
| Format | Live classes, recorded lectures or both; number of intakes per year; proctored exam locations |
| Career support | Are online students given the same career services and alumni status as campus students? |
| Total cost | Per-credit tuition × total credits, plus fees, plus any residency travel |
What usually goes wrong?
The commonest problem is a mismatch between the maths required and the applicant’s background — analytics and finance programmes fail students in the first term for this reason, and reputable ones tell you the prerequisites plainly. The second is choosing a degree for its title without checking the professional-body recognition that was the reason for studying. The third is assuming a low-cost platform degree carries the same weight with every employer as the campus version; with the best-known programmes it now largely does, but ask in your target sector first.
Frequently asked questions
Are online master’s degrees respected?
From accredited universities, yes, and the best-known platform programmes — Georgia Tech’s analytics master’s, Illinois Gies degrees — are now widely recognised precisely because their graduates are numerous and visible. The diploma is normally identical to the campus one.
Can I do an online master’s without work experience?
Usually. Unlike MBAs, most specialist master’s admit recent graduates. Some management programmes are explicitly designed for candidates with under three years of experience.
Is the GMAT or GRE required?
Increasingly not. Many programmes waive tests for applicants with a relevant bachelor’s degree or professional experience, and analytics programmes sometimes ask for a short quantitative assessment instead.
How long does an online master’s take?
One year full-time or 18–36 months part-time is typical. Platform-delivered programmes are usually modular, so you can slow down or pause between terms.
Will an online MSc get me professional exemptions?
Only if the programme is accredited by the professional body. ACCA, CIMA, CPA state boards and the CFA Institute each publish lists of recognised programmes; check them before enrolling rather than relying on the university’s wording.
How this directory is compiled
Every institution on this page was added by our editors from publicly available information: the school or university, the programme it is known for in one line, and a link to its own site. No school paid to be listed in the free section, none was asked for approval, and inclusion here is not a ranking or a recommendation — it is a starting point for a shortlist you should verify against the institution’s accreditation, admissions page and current fees.
No position on this page can be bought: the list is always alphabetical and every entry is free. Advertising on kurums.com appears only in clearly labelled ad units, separate from the listings, and has no influence on our editorial guides or on the Kurums Trust badges, which are earned against published criteria and are never for sale.
Tuition, formats, intake dates and rankings change every year in this sector, so we keep descriptions short and factual. Check the programme’s own page for the current fee, the accreditation body’s register for its status, and treat anything you read in a directory — including this one — as a list of candidates rather than an answer.
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