Business Administration

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Graduate programs

Master of Business Administration

Elizabeth Rozell, Graduate Program Director
Glass Hall, Room 400, Phone: 417-836-5616
Email: COBGraduatePrograms@MissouriState.edu
Website: MBA.missouristate.edu

Elizabeth Reger, Graduate Program Coordinator
Glass Hall, Room 105 Phone 417-836-5616
Email: COBGraduatePrograms@MissouriState.edu

Program description

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is a College of Business degree with courses taken in various departments. The program is specifically designed for students who hold undergraduate degrees in Arts, Science, Engineering, and Law, as well as for students who hold Baccalaureate degrees in Business Administration. The program will provide the background knowledge necessary for professional practice in the field of business. Students with little undergraduate work in business will normally require five semesters to complete the program. Students with appropriate prior academic preparation in business and economics may complete the program in one calendar year.

The MBA is accredited by the AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Admission

Admission to the MBA program is competitive. Applications are reviewed and decisions made on a rolling basis when application packets are complete. Candidates are encouraged to apply early, as seats often fill quickly.

The Program Director looks at a variety of criteria that measure a candidate's potential for being a successful MBA student and business leader. We look at the following characteristics in making admission decisions:

  • Past academic performance (official transcripts)
  • Official GMAT or GRE score*
  • Professional work experience (Resume)
  • Admissibility to the Graduate College

*The GMAT may be waived for candidates who satisfy ALL of the following requirements:

  • Earned a 3.25 cumulative GPA
  • Admitted to or have graduated from a Missouri State COB business unit major in the past five years OR graduated with a business degree from an AACSB-accredited school in the past five years
  • Completed a minimum of 80 hours at the time of application
  • Meet all English proficiency requirements

To be considered for admission, students are required to submit the following**:

  • Graduate Application
  • Official transcripts
  • Official GMAT or GRE Scores
  • Resume

**Additional documents may be required for international students.

Accelerated Master's Degree option

Undergraduate majors in the College of Business may apply for admission to the Master of Business Administration program during the second semester of their junior year. If accepted, up to 12 hours of 600- or 700-level COB classes taken in the senior year may be counted toward both the undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Before enrolling in a course that will apply to both the undergraduate program and the master’s program, an undergraduate student must:

  • Be accepted into the accelerated program.
  • Receive prior approval from the graduate advisor, department head of the undergraduate program, and the Dean of the Graduate College. This is done by using a mixed credit form.

Acceptance into the program and all approvals must be completed prior to the end of the Change of Schedule Period for the course(s). See the Graduate College for further information.

Accelerated Admission requirements (admission to the accelerated MBA program is competitive):

  • Completion of 80 or more hours at time of application
  • An overall GPA of 3.00 or better
  • A competitive score on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or applicant must meet the requirements for a GMAT waiver (see Admissions Requirements for MBA Program).

GMAT preparation course

MSU's International Center's English Language Institute offers a GMAT preparation course each semester. For additional information, contact 417-836-6540 or review Test Preparation Courses.

Unclassified admission

Students who meet general Graduate College requirements, but have not fulfilled all requirements to enter the MBA program, may be admitted to the Graduate College as a “Graduate student - unclassified.” This status will allow a student to enroll in an absolute maximum of 9 graduate hours before being fully admitted to the MBA program. All courses at the 600-level or higher are considered graduate hours.

Computer application competency

Students entering the Master’s of Business Administration program are expected to be proficient in the use of word processing, database, and spreadsheet software. No coursework is required to fulfill this criterion. Knowledge derived from professional or personal experience will qualify. If a student feels that he or she does not have the necessary base of knowledge to fulfill this requirement, there are various resources available on campus, such as self-paced tutorials and hands-on programs that would be helpful to increase computer knowledge and experiences.

International applicants

Applicants from foreign countries whose native language is not English are required to submit scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Review English Proficiency Requirements.

English Language Institute

The English Language Institute (ELI) began classes in June 1996 with five students. Since that time, the program has experienced continued growth and now serves more than 150 students, most of whom are preparing for study in undergraduate or graduate programs at Missouri State University. The ELI offers five levels of study in core areas of writing, grammar, reading/vocabulary, academic listening skills, and speaking pronunciation classes. Through an intensive twenty-five hours per week, students have the opportunity to prepare for the language challenges of American classrooms. The focus of the English Language Institute, therefore, is to equip ESL students with the necessary language skills to achieve success in the degree program of their choice and to enhance their potential for future employment after graduation.

For more information, please contact: Director, English Language Institute, 301 S Jefferson, Springfield, MO 65806, USA, Phone 417-836-6540, Fax 417-836-4784, email JaneRobison@missouristate.edu or ELI@MissouriState.edu. You may also visit the ELI website.

Executive MBA option (EMBA)

When offered to a select group of students, typically a cohort, with significant business experience, the MBA Program may be presented in a format referred to as the Executive MBA Option or the EMBA. From a curricular viewpoint, the EMBA would be structured in the same way as the traditional MBA, however, the presentation format of core and elective courses will be designed in such a way as to maximize the benefit to working business professionals.

GMAT/GRE scores are not required for admission to the EMBA, however, the applicant would need to provide documentation verifying at least 5 years of business experience.

For EMBA students, prerequisite requirements for the core program courses can be satisfied through appropriate prior coursework, relevant business experience or by an individualized study program developed and supervised by the EMBA Program Director.

The credit hour costs for classes taken by students enrolled in the EMBA program are assessed at a higher rate than the traditional MBA offerings due to additional expenditures associated with the program.

Admission Requirements

Completion of a regionally accredited undergraduate degree.

  1. Completion of 5 or more years of business/professional experience.

Foundation courses

The MBA program requires 18 hours of foundation courses. This foundation is composed of the following six graduate-level courses which are designed to provide accelerated coverage of the knowledge base necessary for students to benefit most from the MBA curriculum:

Course Code Course Title Credit Hours
ACC 600 Accounting Concepts for Managers 3 hrs
ECO 600 Fundamentals of Economics 3 hrs
FIN 600 Managerial Finance 3 hrs
MGT 600 Administrative, Organizational, and Operations Concepts for Managers 3 hrs
QBA 600 Statistical Methods in Business Research 3 hrs
LAW 600 Legal Environment for Business Managers 3 hrs
  Total 18 hrs

Upon evaluation of baccalaureate degree transcripts, some or all of these courses may be waived, particularly for students holding an undergraduate degree in business.

All of the foundation courses are now available once each year via the Internet. These online courses do not have a campus component and can be completed entirely from the student’s location. Contact the MBA Program Director regarding questions about these courses.

Those considering entering the MBA program are encouraged to email mbaprogram@missouristate.edu with an unofficial copy of transcripts, requesting a transcript analysis by the MBA Program Coordinator.

Degree requirements

With foundation courses met, the MBA degree requires a minimum of 34 semester hours of graduate credit composed of:

Area Hours
Core Requirements 25 hours
Other Requirements 9 hours
Total 34 hours

1. Core requirements - 25 hours

Course Code Course Title Credit Hours
*ACC 711 Managerial Accounting** 3 hrs
ITC 761 Management Information Systems 3 hrs
*FIN 780 Advanced Financial Management 3 hrs
*MGT 764 Organizational Behavior 3 hrs
MGT 767 Organization Strategy and Policy 3 hrs
*MKT 772 Marketing Management 3 hrs
*QBA 775 Quantitative Methods in Business Decision Making 3 hrs
COM 703 Professional Communication Skills 1 hr
  International Requirement: Select one course from FIN 682***, MGT 747***, MKT 774, FIN 686, MKT 764, BUS 792, FIN 792 or RMI 792. 3 hrs

*Students whose undergraduate major is in a MBA core course discipline must consult with the MBA Program Director to determine if they should substitute another 600- or 700-level course in the College of Business for the core course in that discipline.

**Students who have completed Managerial Cost Accounting must consult with the MBA Program Director to select an appropriate substitute course.

***Students who have already taken FIN 582 or MGT 447 must consult with the MBA Program Director for an appropriate substitute course.

2. Other Requirements - 9 hours**

Seminar (A Seminar Course is required) - 3 hrs

Most students will select from ITC 790, FIN 790 (or FIN 787), MGT 790, MKT 790 (or MKT 770), although other courses may be acceptable.

Elective Options - 6 hours:

In consultation with the MBA Director, students will select six hours of elective courses. Many students will choose to complete a COB Graduate Certificate in conjunction with their MBA, as most COB Graduate Certificates do not require additional coursework outside the 34 hours required for the MBA.

The COB Graduate Certificates that are available are:

  • Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity
  • Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics
  • Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship
  • Graduate Certificate in Finance
  • Graduate Certificate in Financial Analysis
  • Graduate Certificate in Forensic Accounting
  • Graduate Certificate in Information Technology
  • Graduate Certificate in International Business
  • Graduate Certificate in Leadership
  • Graduate Certificate in Management
  • Graduate Certificate in Marketing
  • Graduate Certificate in Quantitative Enterprise Risk Management
  • Graduate Certificate in Tax Accounting

** No more than 6 hours of 600-level courses may be applied to the degree program.

3. Research

Students are expected to demonstrate research and writing proficiency appropriate to the business environment. Significant written projects are required within each of the core courses. In lieu of the required seminar course and one elective, a student may complete a thesis for 6 hours of credit.

Academic standing

A student who fails to attain a 3.00 GPA after completing the approved program may enroll for additional course work not to exceed 6 semester hours to raise the GPA. The course work will be approved by the Director of the MBA Program and the Dean of the College of Business.

The maximum class load for a full-time student is normally 12 hours per semester. An overload is permitted only after students have demonstrated their ability to achieve an outstanding graduate record at this university. Students employed in a full-time job should not enroll for more than 6 semester hours.

All other University and Graduate College requirements governing grading and attendance will apply.

To enroll in graduate courses in the College of Business, a student must satisfy one of the two conditions listed below:

  1. be admitted to a graduate program in the College of Business, or
  2. have permission to enroll from the Director of the MBA Program.

Students who do not meet one of these two conditions will be dropped from the course(s) at any time during the session involved.

XF Policy

High standards of professional conduct are required for admission to the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program and other College of Business graduate certificate programs. Prospective graduate students who have been assigned a grade of XF (failure due to academic dishonesty) at Missouri State University (MSU), or the equivalent at another institution of higher education, may be denied admission to the Master of Business Administration program or College of Business graduate certificate programs. Students who have been assigned a grade of XF at MSU, or the equivalent at another institution of higher education, are required to inform the MBA Program Director of such grade at the time of application, even if the X was subsequently removed. Failure to inform the MBA Program Director of this previous XF or equivalent grade will result in removal from the MBA or COB graduate certificate program. A student assigned a grade of XF while studying toward completion of the MBA or COB graduate certificate program will be immediately removed from the program(s).