Master of Business Administration Degree
Purpose and Philosophy
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a general-purpose management degree that prepares individuals for administrative positions in business, industry, or government. The program accommodates students who have business and non-business baccalaureate degrees. The interdisciplinary curriculum provides the student with a broad understanding for management and its role in a global society. Emphasis is placed upon economics, human behavior, organizations, accounting, communication skills, operations, marketing, finance, management information systems, and their impacts on managerial decision making. The program focuses on the practical application of these tools, techniques, and concepts. Teamwork, the international context of business, and the ethical dimensions of managerial decisions are stressed throughout the program.
Admission
An applicant seeking admission to the MBA program must submit an official baccalaureate degree transcript from an accredited institution, Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) results, a 500-word essay explaining why the student wants to complete and MBA degree at CSU, and a current resume before the application can be considered. Only scores from the GMAT taken within the past five years are accepted. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit evidence of English language proficiency from the TOEFL exam..
Admission to the program is determined by the MBA admissions committee; applicants must demonstrate high promise of success in graduate study to gain admission. MBA students are admitted to the program in either the regular or provisional classification. Regular students have satisfied all program admission requirements, but may have to remove background deficiencies (typically by completion of all or part of the prerequisite courses). Provisional students must complete the first nine semester hours of graduate study earning a minimum grade point average of 3.0 to continue in the program.
All graduate students in business will plan individualized programs of study in cooperation with an advisor in the Abbott Turner College of Business.
Curriculum
The MBA is a professional degree and therefore has no language or thesis requirement; however, case studies, field studies, research projects, and formal papers are required in specific courses. Individuals with a business baccalaureate degree normally can obtain the MBA by completing 36 semester hours (12 courses) of study. Students not possessing baccalaureate degrees in business may be required to complete as many as 57 semester hours (19 courses) to obtain the degree. The curriculum is segmented into two cores: the basic core (prerequisite courses) and the advance core (MBA). Only students enrolled in the MBA program are permitted to take designated MBA courses, which includes any 5000-level prerequisite courses, advance core courses, and graduate-level electives.
Prerequisite Courses
These seven courses provide a business background for students who have earned non-business baccalaureate degrees. At the time of entry, the director of the MBA program will determine which of these courses, if any, the student must complete. (The 500 level courses are not open for credit to undergraduates pursuing the BBA degree.) Only students enrolled in the MBA program are permitted to take designated MBA courses, which includes any 5000-level prerequisite courses, advance core courses, and graduate-level electives.
Prerequisite Courses Undergraduate Equivalent
- BUSA 2106 The Environment of Business (Students who did not take this undergraduate course may take BUSA 6127 as an MBA elective course.)
- CISM 2105 Intro. to Computer Info. Systems
- MATH 1125 Applied Calculus
- MKTG 3115 Principles of Marketing
- MBA 5115 Survey of Accounting & Finance ACCT 2101, ACCT 2102, FINC 3105
- MBA 5127 Decision Science BUSA 3111, MGMT 3125
- MBA 5146 Economic Methods and Analysis ECON 2105, ECON 2106
Area 1 MBA Core - Required Hours: 27
These nine courses are required of all MBA students and are designed to provide the student with the analytical techniques and managerial concepts to assume positions of administrative responsibility. These are exclusively graduate courses and are open only to MBA.
- MBA 6117 Managerial Accounting
- MBA 6145 Managerial Economics
- MBA 6188 Professional Communication Skills
- MBA 6795 Seminar in Organizational Behavior
- MBA 6157 Managerial Finance
- MBA 6165 Operations Management
- MBA 6176 Marketing Management
- MBA 6126 Strategic Management
- MBA 6138 Management Information Systems
Area 2 Electives - Required Hours: 9
Each student in the MBA program has three elective courses. Each elective must be approved by the candidate’s graduate business advisor. Candidates normally will elect business courses numbered 6000 or higher.
Total Hours Required: 36
The MBA program offers a concentration in accounting specifically designed for those with an undergraduate degree in accounting who wish to meet the five-year requirement to sit for the CPA exam. Students who wish to concentrate in accounting, and have an undergraduate degree in accounting, will take ACCT 6135 in lieu of MBA 6117 and then use as their electives ACCT 6156, ACCT 6148, and ACCT 6137.
Transfer Credit - A maximum of nine hours with a minimum grade of B may be accepted for transfer. Any exception to this policy must be approved by the MBA Committee. Transfer credit will not be utilized in computing the student’s grade point average.
Application for Graduation - Approval of an application for the MBA degree is contingent upon the successful completion of an approved program with a grade point average of at least 3.0 on all MBA core and graduate elective courses. All courses used to remove background deficiencies must be completed satisfactorily with a grade of C or better. Applications for degree conferral must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar one semester prior to completion of degree requirements. Students have a maximum of six years from first quarter enrollment to complete all MBA degree requirements.
