University of Central Arkansas

Graduate Bulletin

Document Number 3.01.02

[1]MBA

[1.1] Objectives

The MBA program is designed to meet the needs of students preparing for positions in upper management in business and related organizations.  The program offers students advanced study in the various functional areas of business, emphasizing teaming, communication, problem solving, research, computer technology, case studies, and project-based instruction.  Students that plan to receive an MBA with a concentration in International Business must complete the 30 hour MBA core courses and six hours of additional requirements with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.  The additional requirements include :  six hours of elective at graduate level in international business, international culture, or undergraduate foreign language, or internship with business.  Electives must be approved by MBA Director and be taken abroad.

[1.2] Admission Requirements

In addition to the Graduate School admission requirements, the Master of Business Administration requires the following:

• Score of at least 500 on the GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test).
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
• Undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 2.70, or 3.00 in last 60 credit hours.
• A Written Statement of Purpose of 750 words or less describing reasons why the prospective student wishes to pursue the MBA degree.
• Two (2) letters of recommendation
• A current professional résumé
• International students must complete the TOEFL exam with a minimum score of 550 on paper versions or 213 on computerized version. Not required for graduates of U.S. institutions.

Note: Students that do not meet the minimum GMAT of 500, or minimum GPA requirements may be admitted on a conditional basis.  Conditional admission will depend on undergraduate performance, GMAT score, other relevant measures of scholastic performance, a record of successful employment at increasing levels of responsibility, and recommendations.  Conditionally admitted students must obtain a 3.00 GPA in the first nine (9) hours of coursework towards the degree.  After this point, the conditional status will be removed.

Applicants for admission to the MBA program must submit a completed application packet that includes: a completed application form, official transcripts from all undergraduate schools attended, official GMAT scores, statement of purpose, résumé, and two letters of recommendation, to the Graduate School by the following dates:

Entering semester                                     Application deadline

  Fall Semester                                              August 1

  Spring Semester                                         December 1

  Summer Semester                                      May 1

[1.3] Petition for Candidacy

In the semester following the completion of nine semester hours of graduate work the student must apply for candidacy for the MBA degree. Courses taken prior to applying for candidacy will be used toward the degree provided they are appropriate for the program and were approved by the MBA Director. The Petition for Candidacy must include all courses completed and to be taken for completion of degree and the semester and year in which course was/will be taken.

[1.4] Degree Requirements (MBA)

To receive the MBA degree, the student must complete the following 30-hour MBA core courses with a GPA of 3.00 or higher.  Depending on the student's background (e.g., non-business undergraduate degree), some or all of the MBA pre-requisite courses may be waived by the MBA Director.

MBA Pre-requisite courses (24 Credit hours)          

ACCT 2310 and ACCT 2311

ECON 2320 and ECON 2321

FINA 3330

MGMT 3340

MKTG 3350

QMTH 2330

MBA core courses (30 credit hours)

MBA 6301 Decision Modeling in Information Systems

MBA 6302 Accounting for Management Decisions

MBA 6303 Managerial Economics

MBA 6305 Financial Decision Making

MBA 6306 Legal Environment of Business for Managers

MBA 6307 Entrepreneurship: The Act of Wealth Creation

MBA 6308 Marketing Strategies

MBA 6320 Strategic Management

MBA 6325 Organizational Behavior

MBA 6330 Operations Management

Undergraduate accounting majors may choose to substitute approved classes from the Master of Accountancy program for MBA 6302 and/or MBA 6306.

[2] Graduate Courses in Business Administration (MBA)

Follow this link for 6000-level MBA course descriptions: course link.