Program Overview

Introduction to the Master of Business Administration Program

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is designed to develop the skills of management, the tools of problem-solving, the capacity for decision-making, and the knowledge about formal organizations and their economic environment. The curriculum provides both a general view of business and a specialized focus through the development of a portfolio and the selection of an area of emphasis.

Program Overview

The MBA program is a 33-36 semester hour program, depending on the area of emphasis. All students will complete 27 semester hours of MBA Core courses and 6-9 additional semester hours, dependent upon the selected area of emphasis. The program is accredited by AACSB International and is included in the University's accreditation.

Areas of Emphasis

The MBA program offers 11 areas of emphasis, including:

• General Business
• Accounting
• Aviation Economics
• Business Analytics
• Cybersecurity Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Finance
• Hospitality and Tourism Leadership
• Human Resource Management
• Sport Management
• Supply Chain Logistics Management

Admission Requirements

Admission to the MBA program does not require an undergraduate business degree. However, foundational proficiency in the major functional areas of business is required to be successful in the program. The department bases decisions for regular admission on a holistic review of credentials, including:

• A record of appropriate employment at increasing levels of responsibility via resume
• Academic achievement as demonstrated by undergraduate institutional grade point average (GPA)
• Accreditation of degree-granting institution
• Business course academic preparation
• Graduate-level motivation and writing abilities as noted in essay responses
• Other qualifications that illuminate future MBA potential

Foundational Proficiencies

Admission to the MBA program is gained by demonstrating proficiency in the major functional areas of business, including:

• Accounting
• Business communications
• Business ethics
• Economics
• Finance
• Management
• Management information systems
• Marketing
• Statistics The College offers graduate-level Accelerated MBA Foundation Courses for candidates who are lacking select prerequisites.

Degree Requirements

In addition to the University's general requirements, students seeking the MBA degree must meet the following degree requirements:

• Complete all courses with a grade of 'C' or better
• Maintain a minimum overall graduate and MBA GPA of 3.0
• Complete the MBA Core courses
• Complete the emphasis courses (dependent upon the selected area of emphasis)
• Submit a portfolio for review by the program director
• Participate in an exit survey

MBA Core Courses

The MBA Core courses include:

• GEB 5878: Business Process Integration
• GEB 5930: Information Resources and Industry Analysis
• QMB 6305: Quantitative Methods for Business
• ACG 6309: Accounting for Decision Making (or ACG 6308 for Accounting emphasis students)
• MAN 6156: Management and Organizational Behavior (or SPM 6163 for Sport Management emphasis students)
• ECP 6705: Advanced Managerial Economics
• FIN 6406: Financial Management
• MAR 6815: Marketing Management
• ISM 6137: Business Analytics
• MAN 6721: Strategic Management and Policy Formulation

Emphasis Courses

The emphasis courses vary depending on the selected area of emphasis and include 6-9 additional semester hours.

MBA Portfolio

The MBA portfolio provides an opportunity for in-depth research in an industry, which the student will select upon starting the core curriculum. Four of the MBA Core courses require projects that are included in the student's portfolio. The portfolio submission and exit survey participation are required for graduation.

Transfer Credit Policy

The University's Transfer of Credit regulation applies to the MBA program. The Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business will accept transfer credits as equivalent to UWF master-level business-related courses from institutions accredited by AACSB International.