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Can you help me check for one-year courses in USA for a Master's/MBA?

04 Sept 2026 · Answered by Soundarya M · 2 min read
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Kellogg's 12-month MBA starts every June, and Cornell, NYU Stern, Emory, and USC also run accelerated one-year formats for professionals with a solid business foundation. Non-MBA specialized master's in fields like Business Analytics, Data Science, or Computer Science often finish in 12 to 15 months and can carry STEM status.

Soundarya M
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While most US master's and MBA programs run two years, accelerated one-year options are widely available and popular with professionals who want to minimize time away from work. Here are the strongest programs to check, split between accelerated MBAs and specialized one-year master's degrees.

Accelerated One-Year Programs to Shortlist

School / FieldProgramNotable Detail
Northwestern (Kellogg)One-Year MBAHighly prestigious 12-month program starting in June
Cornell (Johnson / Cornell Tech)One-Year MBAAccelerated tech-focused and general management paths
NYU (Stern)One-Year MBAStrong connections to New York finance and consulting
Emory (Goizueta) / USC (Marshall)One-Year MBAPopular top-20 to top-30 options with 12-month tracks
Various (Business Analytics, Data Science, CS, Finance, IT, Cybersecurity)Specialized MS12 to 15 months; many carry STEM designation for a 3-year OPT extension

What to Decide Before You Shortlist

  • On-campus programs are typically required if you need a student visa and US work authorization like OPT; online formats will not support that.
  • Choose a STEM-designated specialized master's if maximizing your post-graduation work runway matters, since it unlocks a 3-year OPT extension instead of the standard 1 year.

My Advice

Tell a counsellor your target field and whether you need an on-campus format for visa purposes, since that filters this whole list down fast. If work authorization is your priority over brand prestige, lean toward a STEM-designated MS in Business Analytics or Data Science over a one-year MBA, since the 3-year OPT extension gives you far more runway to find sponsorship.

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