Business Administration

Degree Offered Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Program Overview

The MBA Program provides students with a broad knowledge base in the area of business and management which will prepare them for mid- and upper-level positions in both the private and public sectors, including the manufacturing, service, financial, institutional, and government fields. The MBA Program offers a challenging and practical orientation to the complexities of modern business management and to the tools necessary for business decision- making.

Admission Requirements

Students must fulfill the requirements for admission to the Graduate College.

To be considered for full admission to graduate business programs, you should have a GMAT score of at least 450 and an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher (on a 4.0 scale). International students must also score 550 or higher (213 computer-scoring) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language, supply an evaluation of transcript materials by Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and must satisfy visa requirements.

Degree Requirements

Students with no prior education in business will be required to complete 51 credit hours: i.e., 18 credit hours of Phase I Foundation Courses and 33 credit hours from the Phase II Advanced Graduate Business Core Curriculum. Students with prior formal education in business may petition to waive up to 18 credits from the Phase I Foundation. This waiver of up to 18 credits for students with prior education in business depends upon the specific makeup of their undergraduate experiences and the grades received. Decisions regarding course waivers will be made by members of the MBA Admissions Committee at the time an admissions decision is reached.

Within the core (Phase II) requirement, each MBA student selects three elective courses focused toward their particular interests.

The Accounting electives provide a strong theoretical background in financial and managerial accounting as well as in corporate and personal income taxes.

The Finance electives offer students a solid foundation in financial management, banking, and financial markets, and opportunities to learn and apply finance and options trading skills.

The International electives offer a multi-disciplinary< international focus.

The Management electives develop skills in the areas of human resource management, manufacturing and distribution operations, strategic planning and decision making.

The Marketing electives prepare you for a career in marketing research and planning and marketing management in a global environment.

Effective for students matriculating to the MBA program in Fall 1999 or later, a new MBA program, based upon an extensive review of the former program, is being implemented. These new students must follow the program as described below. For comparison purposes, old program course numbers corresponding to similar new program courses are indicated in the Phase II section.

Phase I - Foundation Courses
(Required for all MBA students unless specific waivers have been granted based upon prior equivalent coursework)
ACTG-400 Fundamentals of Accounting .............. 4 cr.
BLAW-400 Legal Environment of Business ........... 2 cr.
FINA-400 Fundamentals of Financial Management ........................................................... 2 cr.
ECON-401 Fundamentals of Business Economics ....................................... 4 cr.
MKTG-400 Fundamentals of Marketing ................. 2 cr.
MNGT-400 Managing Organizations ..................... 2 cr.
MNGT-401 Business Statistics .............................. 2 cr.
18 cr.

Phase II - Advanced Graduate Business Core Courses
(Required for all MBA students)
ACTG-402* Managerial Accounting .................. 3 cr.
ACTG-403 (450)* Management of Information Systems and Technology ................ 3 cr.
FINA-402 (461)* Issues in Corporate Finance .......... 3 cr.
MKTG-402 (450) Marketing Management ................. 3 cr.
MNGT-402 Applied Business Research ........... 3 cr.
MNGT-403 (471)* Leadership and Organizational Behavior ................... 3 cr.
MNGT-404 (477)* Production/Operations Management .......................... 3 cr.
MNGT-502 (550)* Business Policy .............................. 3 cr.
24 cr.

Elective Courses ........................................................ 9 cr.
Total for Degree 33 - 51 cr.

*Indicates that the course satisfies both the old and the new program requirements, though there are title and content changes. Old program course numbers are listed in parentheses.

Alternatives to Standard Courses
Up to six credit hours of elective courses may be earned through two types of supervised activities: an independent project and a master's thesis. A student may register for no more than one independent project (three credit hours). A thesis is a scholarly endeavor equal to six credit hours of standard courses. For further details about either of these alternatives, please contact the MBA Coordinator.

Advisor