Master of Business Administration|

Foundation Course Work

Foundation course work is required to prepare students for the 36 credit hour M.B.A. curriculum.

Normally, students with a recent bachelor's degree in business from an AACSB-accredited institution, will have already met most or all of this requirement.

Students who have not met the foundation course work requirement can be admitted on a conditional basis if their undergraduate grade point average and Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) scores are within the acceptable parameters for the program and the Graduate Business Policies Committee approves their admission.

Students must complete the foundation course work before beginning M.B.A. course work.

Four Phases of Course Work

The 36 credit hour M.B.A. curriculum emphasizes managerial decision making throughout four phases of course work.

• Phase I emphasizes the development and mastery of the fundamental tools of decision making.
• Phase II sharpens communication skills and broadens perspectives through topics such as ethics and the environment of business.
• Phase III includes advanced courses in the various disciplines of business along with a course that integrates the disciplines through a systemic approach to business decision making.
• Phase IV involves strategic management and elective course work.

Students take 30 credit hours of required courses plus 6 credit hours of electives.

Curriculum

To complete the 36 credit hours required for the M.B.A. degree in two years, students would take 6 credit hours during both the fall and spring semesters and 3 credit hours during each of the two summer sessions. Students who wish to exceed a normal course load must receive approval from the Graduate Business Policies Committee.

Normally, students complete degree requirements within no more than six years from the time they begin M.B.A. course work. In special circumstances, a student may be given permission to extend study to a seventh year, but additional curriculum and degree requirements may be added. The M.B.A. program must be completed within seven years.

Candidates for the Master of Business Administration degree must fulfill the following requirements:

1. a minimum of 36 graduate credit hours, of which each course counts only once toward graduation unless the bulletin specifically states that the course may be repeated for credit,
2. a minimum grade of C (2.0) in each course,
3. a minimum grade of B (3.0) in all transfer courses accepted by the Graduate Business Policies Committee,
4. a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (B)
5. satisfactory completion of the community service component

MBA Curriculum

Community Service Requirement

M.B.A./MSSF students must perform at least 20 hours of community service in a project(s) that involves their contribution in the form of business knowledge, leadership, and/or expertise. Some examples include volunteering for Big Brothers/Big Sisters; providing tax assistance for the elderly or disadvantaged; participating in a United Way agency; or serving on a not-for-profit board or advisory council. Activities that serve a narrowly defined population such as being an officer at the local Rotary Club or a church deacon are not appropriate for this requirement. Furthermore, participation in admirable community service projects such as Habitat for Humanity would not be acceptable unless the service was in the form of contributing business expertise or in a leadership role. Services in which the student organizes and/or directs the project for a non-profit organization are acceptable. Examples such as directing and/or organizing a community cleanup sponsored by the Rotary Club or chairing a church clothing drive for the needy are acceptable projects because they serve a need of the greater community.

The requirement may be completed any time during the academic program, but as early in the program as possible and prior to the last 12 credit hours of course work in the graduate curriculum. Students must submit a written proposal to the Graduate Business office outlining a plan for satisfying this requirement prior to performing the project containing the following information:

1. Name of the community organization or project selected to fulfill this requirement
2. Name and telephone number of contact person at that organization
3. How your business knowledge, leadership, and expertise will be applied
4. Estimated time frame for completion of the project, including beginning and ending dates if possible.

Normally, proposals are approved within one week. Proposals that differ from typical projects, however, may require additional time for approval, and any services rendered prior to the approval of a proposal do not satisfy this requirement. Certification by the participating organization is also required.

At the conclusion of the community service activity, students must submit a one- to two-page typewritten report summarizing the project, the project outcomes, and student’s contributions to these outcome(s) to the Director of the Graduate Business Programs.