How to Apply - Liberal Arts & Business

Graduate Programs

Lesley University’s online Master of Business Administration (MBA) program equips students with the vital technical and soft skills necessary to propel their careers forward. Graduates are prepared to excel in business or assume leadership roles in fields like education, mental health, or art and design. While the program provides a solid foundation in management, marketing, and other core business disciplines, it is uniquely tailored for students aiming to accelerate their careers in education, mental health, or creative fields, blending traditional business expertise with specialized applications.

Follow the instructions below to any of our business graduate programs and ​contact our admissions team if you have questions or need more information.

Use this form to apply. You can stop and save your application and return to complete it later.

Non-US Citizens or Permanent Residents: Fully online programs do not qualify for issuance of a Form I-20 or F-1 student visa, nor maintenance of legal F-1 status. If you are currently in the US, please consult with an immigration attorney to determine if your current US non-immigrant status permits online study from within the US.

Online programs enroll in 8-week terms. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until three weeks prior to the beginning of the term. We’ll make a decision once we’ve received all of your materials.

You'll need to submit the following supporting materials. You can send the documents separately, but we won't be able to make an admissions decision until we've received everything.

An official bachelor's degree transcript is needed. If your degree is from outside of the United States, you will be required to submit a Foreign Academic Credentials Evaluation to demonstrate U.S. bachelor's degree equivalency. A bachelor's degree or U.S. equivalency to a bachelor's degree is required for all graduate programs. See ​Application requirements for International Students for detailed information about foreign academic credentials evaluation.

Submit one recommendation from someone you've worked with closely in an academic or professional setting. 

  • Within your online application form, include the name and email of the person writing your letter of recommendation. They'll receive an email from you with an electronic recommendation form, and they can upload a letter if they choose. 

We don’t accept recommendations written by friends or family, or that were written more than 2 years before your application date.

All of our online programs require that you write a personal statement. Your written personal statement gives us insight into your motivation, purpose in pursuing a degree program, writing skills, and communication style. It is an important part of our review process.

Authenticity Statement

Your personal statement should reflect your own experiences, perspectives, and voice. While you may use tools such as grammar checkers or AI-assisted editing, the ideas and content should be your own. Lesley University reserves the right to request additional writing samples or supplemental materials as part of the admissions review process.

Write a 600–900-word (2–3 pages) personal statement using narrative form and address these questions:

  • Reflect on your personal and professional history. What forces have influenced your professional growth and contributed to your decision to seek admission to this Lesley University program?
  • What are your long-term professional goals (new directions, opportunities, interests, skills, professional renewal, or work advancement), and how does this Lesley University program help you to meet them?
  • Is there other information you think would help the admissions committee understand you better? Examples:
    • Special interests
    • Publications
    • Academic achievements
    • Supervisors’ references
    • Unusual career path
    • Awards and/or honors
    • Special accomplishments
    • Leadership abilities

Submit your written personal statement electronically in one of two ways:

  • Upload the file as part of your application for admission.
  • Email it to appstatus@lesley.edu.
  • Include your full name at the top of the document.

Show relevant work, volunteer, or academic experience on your résumé.

International students pursuing graduate degrees must complete additional application requirements, including notarized translation of transcripts, foreign academic credentials evaluation, and proof of English language proficiency. See our How to Apply page for International Students for detailed information about the requirements for your intended program of study.

At Lesley University, we’re committed to preparing students to become the world’s best practitioners in the fields of education, mental health and well-being, art and design, and liberal arts and business. Deep professional partnerships are a crucial part of how we deliver on that promise, and our Scholar Partner Program is how we make these partnerships real for our students, from day one, and the organizations who depend on them.

Learn more about our Scholar Partner Program

Take the next step

Ready to begin your journey with Lesley? ​Share some basic information by filling out one of the forms below so that we can reach out to you with more information about our programs. Or, email admissions@lesley.edu to connect with a member of our admissions team.

 

Undergraduate &  Transfer: 

Inquiry Form   |   Visit   |   Apply

 

Graduate: 

Inquiry Form   |   Visit   |   Apply

 

Threshold Programs: 

Inquiry Form   |   Visit   |   Apply