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Master of Business Administration (MBA)

[Program Overview] [Program Outcomes] [Curriculum] [Admission Criteria] [Application Requirements] [Transfer Credits] [Academic Standing] [Time to Completion] [Accreditation] [Faculty] [Contact Information]

Program Overview

The objective of the MBA program is to provide quality graduate educational opportunities that enable you to manage successfully and ethically as a leader in complex and changing organizations within a highly diverse and global economy.

The MBA program is available in three formats: In regular classroom-based courses, web-enhanced courses where students meet every other week in the classroom with online work in between classes, and fully online courses. The flexibility and portability of the program enable you to choose the format you prefer or a mix of these formats, depending on your individual preferences or circumstances.

Program Outcomes

Outcomes of the MBA include the ability to:

think strategically
work effectively with people
communicate effectively using multiple media
think and reason effectively
solve problems and make decisions using data and information
function effectively in a global economy
evaluate the ethical considerations related to business decisions

Curriculum

General MBA (40 credits)

Prerequisites

Prerequisite courses for admission to the MBA program are Financial Accounting, Statistics, Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. A letter grade of "C-" or above must be received in prerequisite courses. If you have not completed some or all of these prerequisites, you may do so by taking one or more of the following:

The MBA program is divided into three phases:

Phase I focuses on the functional disciplines of business and organizations and provides a solid grounding in the core theories, processes and skills needed by managers in today's rapidly-changing environment. Following are the Phase I courses:

Phase II consists of electives which you may choose to best meet your own career needs and interests. Electives may focus on one of several disciplines or include courses from different disciplines. The general MBA consists of 8 elective credits (total of 40 program credits). Alternatively, you may elect an MBA with a concentration by choosing 12 course credits in a selected discipline concentration (total of 44 program credits). Students choosing to write a master's paper will take MKTG 695 Master's Paper Development as a four-credit elective course.

Phase III of the MBA program is the synthesis and capstone phase. The course, MGMT 699 Management Strategy and Policy, calls for you to integrate what you have learned in previous courses and life experiences to form a coherent picture of management and organizations. You must have completed all Phase I courses in order to register for the capstone course.

MBA with Concentration

A 44-credit MBA with a concentration is available. In addition to completing Phase I and Phase III courses described above, students can elect to complete 12 credits of elective courses in Phase II to obtain a concentration. Current concentration areas include Project Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing, and Finance. A concentration can be declared at the time of application to the MBA program or after full admission. If you declare after admission, a written statement requesting a concentration must be submitted to the College of Management Graduate Program Office. You can declare up to two concentrations with advisor approval.

Project Management Concentration

Project management is now one of the fastest growing career fields in business. Organizations are increasingly using projects as a means of achieving their strategic objectives. The required courses prepare students for the challenging field of project management by providing them with tools, skills and knowledge necessary to initiate, plan and implement projects successfully. The college also offers a graduate project management certificate.

Some of the major skills areas covered include:

project planning, implementation and control using Microsoft Project;
request for proposal formulation;
Earned Value Analysis;
computer-aided problem solving and decision-making methodologies;
systematic approaches to risk identification, risk modeling, risk impact assessment, response planning and documentation;
simulations using Microsoft Project, Crystal Ball and Excel;
techniques in data mining and visual display of quantitative data;
team building, negotiation and conflict resolution in projects; and
project management organizational options.

Project Management Concentration Courses (12 credits)

Management Information Systems (MIS) Concentration

Information technology (IT) has been at the forefront of productivity improvements in most organizations for the past 25 years, and will likely continue for the foreseeable future. Adding the MIS Concentration will better prepare you to manage in any organization in which IT is a major force in the delivery of its goods and services. Metropolitan State is well known for the strength of its offerings in MIS. The approach of the MIS Concentration allows you to meet the dual goals of a strong business degree with recognized special expertise in IT.

Some of the major skill areas covered in the MIS Concentration are:

MIS Concentration Courses (12 credits)

MIS 600 Management Information Systems (4 credits) is required in the core MBA program and is a prerequisite for the MIS Concentration courses. Courses in the MIS Concentration include:
MIS 671 Problem Formulation, Data Presentation and Research Methods (4 credits)
MIS 683 Process Analysis and Design (2 credits)
DSCI 620 Project Management (4 credits)

MIS Electives

MIS 673 Knowledge Management (2 credits) is recommended

Marketing Concentration

Marketing is viewed as integral to a firm's overall business activity. Marketing is dynamic as organizations continuously improve the products and services they offer, research the constantly changing needs of their customers, and monitor the ongoing threat of their competitors. Marketing also is strategic, and planning is critical for the acquisition and retention of customers and the vitality of stockholders, employees, suppliers, and channel intermediaries. The concentration can be customized to fit your areas of interest or career objectives. The concentration consist of 12 credits.

Marketing Concentration Courses (12 credits)

The Marketing Concentration consists of 12 credits beyond MKTG 600 Marketing Management:

MKTG 690 Strategic Marketing Planning (4 credits)
8 elective credits chosen by student with prior approval from the MBA program director.

Finance Concentration

All major decisions in corporations are influenced by financial analysis. The required Phase I finance course (Finance 601) presents models which are used for such decisions, but it does not go into the depth required for people who work professionally in finance. The Finance Concentration coursework is designed to prepare you for professional work in the fields of corporate finance, investments, insurance and commercial banking.

Some of the major skill areas covered include:

financial modeling;
valuation of investment projects, instruments and firms;
understanding financial markets;
risk assessment and risk management; and
cost of capital.

Finance Concentration Courses (12 credits)

The Finance Concentration in the MBA degree consists of three, 4-credit courses beyond FIN 601 Financial Management. Choose three of the following four courses:

Admission Criteria

Admission Decisions/Categories

The College of Management Graduate Admissions Committee evaluates your application for evidence of undergraduate scholarship, professional experience and demonstrated aptitude for successful graduate business study. You are required to take the official GMAT ( www.mba.com ) or the GMAT Alternative (read about the GMAT Alternative). The committee uses a formula of your weighted GPA x 200 + your total GMAT score; a minimum score of 1025 is required to be considered for admission. If you meet all application requirements, you may be a candidate for full admission to the program. If you have one or more prerequisite courses to complete and your application otherwise supports the conclusion that you can successfully undertake graduate study, you may be granted conditional admission to a program. As a conditionally-admitted student, you must complete these prerequisites prior to completing any graduate course work. A letter grade of C- is required for all prerequisite courses. Applicants denied admission may not take graduate level courses in any College of Management graduate program.

Reapplication for Denied Applicants

If your application for admission to the program is denied, you may reapply for admission only after a minimum of six months has passed after the denial. You will need to demonstrate a substantive difference in the reapplication to be considered for admission.

If your application to the program is denied, you may apply for another College of Management graduate program. A new application form must be accompanied by a $20 application fee, a new goals essay, updated resume, two new references and GMAT scores and/or assessment test scores appropriate to the degree for which you are applying.

English and Quantitative Competence Assessment

All College of Management students, except those in special international cohort programs, are expected to demonstrate English and quantitative competence at a level to ensure success in graduate studies. If your abilities are assessed to be inadequate for graduate study, you may be required to enroll in appropriate undergraduate courses until your skills have been brought to a satisfactory level. These undergraduate courses must be successfully completed prior to taking any graduate level courses.

Orientation

Once you are fully admitted to a College of Management graduate program, you are required to attend a graduate student orientation session before or during your first semester of course work. If you do not attend an orientation session, a hold will be placed on your records preventing you from registering for further graduate classes until you attend orientation.

Application Requirements

Applicants should allow 7-10 business days for review once all required application materials are received and sent to the College of Management Graduate Admissions Committee.

To be considered for admission you must submit:

Graduate Application
Non-refundable application fee (waived for graduates of Metropolitan State University)
Official transcripts from all universities attended, including any graduate work
Test scores
Current resume
Goals essay
References

See Applying to the Program for details on the requirements, deadlines and International Student application requirements.

Transfer Credits

Once fully admitted, you may transfer up to 16 credits into the program. A course is accepted in transfer from an accredited institution only if no degree was granted and a letter grade of B or better was earned in the course. Courses are accepted in transfer upon the approval of the Graduate Programs Director in consultation with discipline coordinators.

Academic Standing

You must maintain satisfactory academic progress to remain in a College of Management graduate or certificate program. Only courses for which you receive a letter grade of C (2.0) or better count toward degree requirements, and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 is required for graduation. If you receive a letter grade of C+ or below in any graduate course, you will be placed on academic probation. If you receive a letter grade of C+ or below in two courses, you will be dismissed from the graduate program. The policy for an "incomplete" grade is consistent with University policy. That is, an incomplete grade must be satisfied by the end of the following semester; otherwise, you will automatically fail the course. Your instructor may set a completion date prior to the end of the following semester, in which case, you must comply with that date; otherwise, you will fail the course.

If you have been dismissed from the program for unsatisfactory academic progress, you may apply for readmission after one calendar year has passed. To reapply, submit an updated resume and a letter to the College of Management Graduate Admissions Committee indicating what circumstances have changed and how you plan to successfully complete the program. The admissions committee reviews your request and responds in writing.

Only courses in which you receive a letter grade are applied toward your degree. The option of a competence/no competence with a narrative transcript is not available to College of Management graduate students. Only internships are graded using pass/fail criteria.

Appeal of Unsatisfactory Academic Progress Removals from the Program

If you are removed from the program for unsatisfactory academic progress, you may appeal the removal to the College of Management dean. The appeal must be in writing, and it must provide specific grounds for the appeal. The appeal is due to the dean within 30 days of the date of the letter notifying you of the decision to remove you from the program. The dean has 30 days to respond, in writing, to the appeal. Appeals received after 30 days will not be considered.

Time to Completion

You have five years from your first semester of graduate study to complete your degree program requirements. You may request an extension of the time limit by writing to the College of Management Graduate Program Office. Such requests must be received prior to the expiration of the time limit. Requests for extensions should include your reason(s) for requesting the extension, a summary of your plan to finish graduation requirements, and a specific date for the extension to expire. Extension decisions are made by the College of Management Graduate Admissions Committee and are not automatic.

Reactivating into the Program

If you are a student in good academic standing who has not registered for courses for three or more consecutive semesters, you must apply to reactivate into the degree program. To reactivate, submit an updated resume and a letter to the College of Management Graduate Admissions Committee expressing a desire to reactivate into the program. The Admissions Committee reviews your request and responds in writing, specifying degree completion requirements and deadline for completion. You may be required to satisfy degree requirements in force at the time of reactivation, even if those requirements differ from those in force at the time of original admission to the degree program. Reactivation decisions are made by the College of Management Graduate Admissions Committee and are not automatic.

College of Management Outstanding Student Award

During your final semester of course work, you may be nominated by the faculty for the College of Management Outstanding Student Award. Nominees are evaluated on the basis of their academic performance in their graduate degree program, as well as achievements in their community and professional contributions. All finalists are recognized in the commencement program, and the outstanding student receives special recognition during commencement. The outstanding student's name will be placed on a permanent plaque in the College of Management.

Accreditation

Metropolitan State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Higher Learning Commission
30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400
Chicago, IL 60602-2504
312-263-0456

Other Recognition

The College of Management is also a member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and ascribes to its curriculum standards. The Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants (MNCPA) has selected Metropolitan State to deliver the College of Management MBA program to its members.

Faculty

Resident faculty members are primarily:

Holders of doctoral degrees in their fields
Authors of applied and refereed publications
Experienced in their academic fields.

David Bahn, PhD, Allen Bellas, PhD, Barbara Beltrand, MBA-CPA, David Bouchard, PhD, Grover Cleveland, DBA, Steven Creason, JD, Timothy Delmont, PhD, Jennifer Dosch, MBA-CMA, James Fatzinger, MBA, Ken Hess, PhD, Paul Huo, PhD (Dean), Roger Israel, DPA, Katryna Johnson, PhD, Nancy Nentl, PhD, Hameed Nezhad, PhD, David O'Hara, PhD, Narasimha Paravastu, PhD, Roger Prestwich, PhD, Jayant Saraph, PhD, Gary Seiler, PhD, Jennifer Schultz, PhD, Francis Schweigert, PhD, Michael Sher, PhD, Adrianne Slaymaker, DBA, Joel Wilson, MBA-CPA, Michael Wilson, PhD, Minh Vo, PhD, Carol Bormann Young, PhD.

Additionally, the College of Management has a strong community faculty who are fully committed to educational excellence. All community faculty have graduate degrees, either a master's or a doctorate, as well as business expertise in their fields.The College of Management assures the quality of its community faculty through a careful selection process, extensive training through our own Teaching Academy, and regular student evaluations.

Contact Information

Office Location 1300 Harmon Place Minneapolis, MN 55403	Mailing Address College of Management Graduate Programs Office Metropolitan State University 1501 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: 612-659-7290 Email: com.graduateprograms@metrostate.edu Website: choose.metrostate.edu/comgradprograms

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