This school appears in our ranking 20 Most Affordable MBA Online Programs at Small Colleges 2018.
The New England College of Business and Finance is located in Boston and focuses on offering online opportunities for students. Established in 1909, the college opened as the American Banking Institute and became a state school a few years later. It gained approval from the state to offer degree programs in the 1970s and also earned accreditation around the same time. The college became the New England College of Finance in its later years before adopting its current name. Many refer to the college by the abbreviation of NECBF today.
NECBF is unique because it is an online-only college. Though it does have its headquarters in Massachusetts, the college does not have a physical campus. Both undergrads and graduate students take all their classes online. The U.S. Distance Learning Association gave the college on its highest awards in 2014 for its online programs.
New England College of Business and Finance Accreditation Details
NCEBF has accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. As this is a form of regional accreditation, any student who attended another college prior to enrolling can transfer some or all of their credits to the university. They can also take credits earned through the college to another school. Regional accreditation gives students who cannot afford to attend the college the ability apply for financial aid.
New England College of Business and Finance Application Requirements
Students can earn several different graduate degrees online through the college. Before they enroll, they must meet all admissions and application requirements. Once the college receives an application, it will evaluate it based on the merits of each individual student and determine whether that student is a worthy candidate. In addition to an online application, students will pay a $75 application fee directly to the college. NECBF will only accept students who have an undergrad grade point average of at least 2.75.
The college also asks for official transcripts that show the student has a high enough GPA to enroll. Their transcripts should also show that they have a bachelor's degree. Students will submit both their resumes and an essay. NECBF requires an essay of at least one page that describes the goals the individual has both in school and after earning a degree. All graduate students must complete a phone interview too.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The base tuition that New England College of Business and Finance charges is $3,035. Students will pay this same rate for any of the classes that they take. It takes around $36,000 to earn a Master of Business Administration from the college, but some programs may cost more or less because those programs have more or fewer requirements. NECBF has a partner rate for students who work for a company that partners with the college. Those students pay $2,275 per class or $27,300 to finish a graduate program. The college offers this same discounted rate for military students. Each online course has a $60 technology fee attached to it too.
There are a variety of scholarships available for both graduate students and undergrads. Any student who can demonstrate that he or she has an economic hardship may receive a scholarship that covers most of their total costs. Academic merit scholarships go to students who have high grades but require that they maintain a high GPA while taking classes. Any student who wants to take out federal loans will also need to complete the FAFSA. The college recommends that students look at some of the different types of external funding too, which can include alternative student loans and scholarships from public organizations and private companies.
Online Degrees Available
Master of Business Administration
Though NECBF offers a number of online graduate degree programs, its online Master of Business Administration is one of its more popular options. The college allows students to customize their degrees and programs based on what they hope to study and what they want to do once they graduate. They can pick concentrations in five subject areas, including healthcare, finance and human resources. The college expects students to take courses such as Applied Quantitative Methods for Business, Strategic Leadership and Management, Management Information Systems and Legal Issues in Business. Students who do not have a background or degree in business will need to take some undergrad foundation classes too.
Master in Healthcare Management
One of the only Master in Healthcare Management programs available online is the one that NECBF offers. Designed for those who want to work in healthcare facilities, it teaches students how to find solutions to complex issues within that industry. The program includes a class on Evolving Healthcare Systems that looks at how the healthcare system in America changed over the years. It goes into the Affordable Care Act and how government programs provided more people with insurance. Some of the other classes in this program include Human Resources Management for Healthcare Professionals, Strategic Leadership and Management in Healthcare, Long-Term Care in Organizations and Healthcare Operations Management and Quality Assurance.
Master in Business Ethics and Compliance
The college offers a unique graduate program in business ethics and compliance online. This program focuses on how corporations and individuals working for those companies establish new regulations and how they follow state and federal laws. It offers a forensic accounting concentration for students who want to learn more about tracking criminal activity and using forensic tools in the field. Other concentrations focus on what corporations are responsible for and how companies can follow new and existing regulations.
Master of Finance
Students can also earn a Master of Finance online through NECBF. The college offers a concentration in global finance trading for students who want to learn more about international business and the ways in which companies trade commodities on the open market. Students can also study a specific area of finance such as leadership or healthcare management. NECBF encourages students to take classes from those other disciplines to round out their studies.