Students at Eastern Oregon University will have the option to complete a master of business administration degree entirely online, school officials announced.

The school's College of Business is piloting the program as a 20-student cohort. The decision to expand the existing MBA -- which is offered on campus in La Grande and onsite in Gresham, Hermiston and Ontario -- to include an online option was fueled by business student feedback.

 "A survey revealed a large number of students are extremely interested in completing an MBA from EOU, but unfortunately, they are place-bound and unable to attend our on campus program," Donald Easton-Brooks, dean of the Colleges of Business and Education, said in a statement. "We are responding to our students' needs by offering a completely online MBA."

Students will also have the option to fulfill the required 45 credits in either five or nine terms.

Online graduate tuition is $372 per credit hour, including fees, which totals $16,740 upon completion of the program.

Eastern Oregon University is one of seven state-funded, four-year universities of higher education in the State of Oregon and belongs to the Oregon University System. The school offers bachelor's and master's degrees.

Applications will be accepted through April 15. The form and instructions are available at eou.edu/cobe/business/mba/admissions. For more information visit eou.edu/cobe/business/mba, call 541-962-3772 or e-mail business@eou.edu.