Graduate Catalog 2012-2013 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
Graduate Catalog 2012-2013 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Business Administration, M.B.A.


Mission Statement

The Malone University School of Business and Leadership provides its students with an education that integrates course-specific skills and knowledge with the program-wide Christian values of stewardship and integrity. This is accomplished by a faculty with solid academic credentials, who combine experience and theory in their courses. Independent analytical thought and evaluation are encouraged in the classroom, in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

Program Purpose

The graduate business curriculum challenges students to integrate knowledge, skills, theories, and Christian values. This will prepare the student to resolve business problems as well as guide businesses to sharpen their competitive edge in the ever-changing global economy. The graduate student will receive instruction, projects, case studies, the sharing of experiences, and testing to strengthen the student’s current business practice and theory so that the educational experience will be of the highest caliber. Businesses will find the Malone graduate well prepared for new positions and levels of leadership. Problem-solving skills combined with trust-based and Christian values will make the Malone graduate highly respected in the community.

Christian values unify all the programs and courses offered by the School of Business and Leadership. Our Christian values including stewardship and integrity, are conceived with regard to the root of love that infuses the Christian message, gospel, and the two greatest commandments. Christian values influence everything that is done from embracing the stewardship of society’s economic resources to recognition that trust and honesty in business transactions are integral to the success of an economy and a society.

Objectives

The graduate student will:

  1. be able to integrate course-specific skills and knowledge with the program-wide values of stewardship and integrity.
  2. have knowledge of current business practice and theory.
  3. be able to identify and address all major issues presented by a business problem.
  4. be able to identify ethical dilemmas and apply Christian values to resolve those dilemmas, while taking into consideration the impact on God’s world.

Accreditation

Malone University, including all programs within the School of Business and Leadership is authorized by the Ohio Board of Regents and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. Specific to the School of Business and Leadership, the Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in Accounting, Business Administration, and Sport Management; the Bachelor of Arts degree earned through degree completion in the Malone Management Program (MMP) with majors in Organizational Management, Project Management, Health Services Management, and Marketing Management; and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). The Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership (MAOL) is a cross-disciplinary program designed to meet the needs of students pursuing fields broader than business and industry and is not covered by ACBSP accreditation.

ACBSP may be contacted at:

Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
11520 West 119th Street
Overland KS 66213
913.339.9356

Assessment

The School of Business and Leadership conducts assessment of student learning out-comes in order to continuously improve the curriculum. This assessment program includes two primary components. The first component is a comprehensive case study administered as a pre and post test in MBA 503: Leadership, Management, and Organizational Behavior; and MBA 691: Strategy, Innovation, and Leadership, respectively. This case study is a required assignment in these courses and must be completed in order to receive passing grades in the two courses. The second component is a standardized, nationally normed test administered in MBA 691: Strategy, Innovation, and Leadership. Completing a scoreable test is a graduation requirement for all MBA students. 

Only aggregate scores of these instruments are used for assessment purposes. Individual scores are kept in strictest confidence. Details of the assessment program are available in the office of the Dean of the School of Business and Leadership. Since student learning outcomes assessment is a dynamic process, the School of Business and Leadership reserves the right to make changes in the process.

Admission Requirements

Regular Admission

  • Hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum cumulative g.p.a. of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. (Refer to Prerequisite Courses)
  • Complete the Malone University M.B.A. Math Prerequisite Diagnostic Test. (See Quantitative Proficiency)

Conditional Admission

Applicants with a cumulative g.p.a. between 2.5 and 3.0 may be considered for Conditional Admission. Evidence must be provided that the applicant has the potential to be successful in the M.B.A. program. Contact the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies to discuss the review process.

Students admitted conditionally will be granted Regular Admission upon completion of 12 semester hours with a minimum g.p.a. of 3.0.

Quantitative Proficiency

The score on the Malone UniversityM.B.A. Math Prerequisite Diagnostic Test is reviewed to determine quantitative proficiency. If this score is below a set mark, the applicant will be required to complete MBA501-Foundational Math for MBA or its equivalent.

Prerequisite Courses/Online Proficiencies 

A student desiring to enter the M.B.A. program must complete the application and submit official transcripts verifying completion of a baccalaureate degree. To obtain admission to the M.B.A., the student must complete procedures for regular admission. These course requirements may be met by undergraduate course equivalents in most cases. Students are required to have a foundational knowledge in key subject areas in order to be prepared for graduate-level coursework in business. Students with transcript-verified grades of C or higher in Accounting, Finance, and Marketing from accredited undergraduate institutions have met this requirement. For those without undergraduate coursework in these fields, prerequisite coursework or online self-paced study programs are required and available. Contact the Program Director or Graduate Recruiters for details on these options. 

The Cohort Approach (with Ground or Online Delivery)

Malone University has organized its delivery system for the Master of Business Administration using a “cohort” approach. A cohort is a group of up to 25 students which takes the entire program together. Two delivery methods are available – ground or online. In the ground cohort students attend classes the same weeknight throughout the program for 24 months. In the online cohort, students complete all coursework electronically in 20 months. New cohorts begin every August and January.

Checklist

Students admitted to the master’s program are advised to confer with the M.B.A. Program Director to determine specific scheduling and graduate program requirements. Generally, the following checklist will serve as a guide.

  1. Application for admission to the M.B.A. Program complete with transcripts, references, and math test
  2. An interview with the Program Director and review of the Program of Study
  3. Written notification of acceptance for admission
  4. Completion of all course work and requirements for the M.B.A.
  5. Application for Graduation:
    • Complete the Application for Graduation
    • Return the completed form to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies by January 30 for candidates who plan to complete degree requirements by the end of a spring semester or a summer session, or September 30 for candidates who plan to complete degree requirements by the end of a fall semester. See Academic Policies  for complete graduation policies and procedures.

Orientation (for Ground Cohorts)

Students who have been accepted into an MBA ground cohort and will be taking all classes on campus will have a four-hour evening session one week prior to their first class. This session is a combination orientation to the program, an opportunity to get to know the other students in the cohort, and a lab session for the first course. The dates and times will be explained in the letter received prior to starting the M.B.A. program.

Attendance

In each course, one excused absence is permitted without any course-grade penalty, as long as the absent student fulfills all the course requirements specified by the instructor. Each additional absence in a course will result in a course-grade penalty. The instructor for each course will determine the magnitude of the grade penalty for that course and specify it in the course’s syllabus. (The grade penalty may include failure in the course.)

Academic Dismissal

A student shall be dismissed from the M.B.A. Program upon:

  1. Receiving more than six hours of “C” or below or
  2. Receiving a second grade of “F” or
  3. Failure to achieve the required g.p.a. of 3.0 (excluding prerequisites) at the conclusion of any probationary period.
  4. Failure to meet the standards and/or aims of the University, both academic and non-academic.

Course Retake Policy

Students may petition the MBA Director for permission to retake an MBA course. Retakes are limited to no more than two courses and no more than once for a particular course.

Program of Study