Master of Business Administration
About This Program
The Master of Business Administration program prepares leaders and managers with or without previous business education for careers within all types of organizations. The faculty’s research contributes to educational excellence. Different MBA delivery formats and certificates serve a wide variety of interests.
MBA Formats
Students pursuing an MBA may choose one of three available formats. In all formats, degree completion requires a total of 36 credit hours and the same curriculum requirements apply. Only one change of program between the different formats of the MBA will be allowed.
Flexible MBA
Offered in-person at our main campus in Arlington, the Flexible MBA format is designed for working professionals seeking an MBA offering maximum flexibility. In this format, courses are completed in 15-week sessions and students are able to complete their MBA degree in 15-24 months. Students choosing this format complete degree requirements at their own pace and may select one of thirteen available areas of specialization/concentration in which to focus their MBA. Admission to the Flexible MBA is available each Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Online MBA
Available in an asynchronous online delivery, the online MBA is designed for working professionals who prefer a fully online format due to learning preference, work obligations, or personal choice. This asynchronous program offers 15-week courses and allows students to complete their degree in as little as 15 months. Students in this format may pursue a general MBA degree or choose to concentrate their MBA in Management. Admission to the Online MBA is available each Fall, Spring, and Summer.
Cohort MBA (also referred to as CMBA)
Offering a combination of online course meetings on Monday nights and in-person course meetings on Saturday mornings in Fort Worth, the Cohort MBA format (CMBA) is designed for working professionals seeking the benefits of an accelerated degree timeline while still being able to focus on one course at a time. In this format, courses are taken in sequence, in accelerated 5- or 8-week sessions and students are able to complete their MBA degree in 15 months. Students in this format may pursue a general MBA degree or choose to concentrate their MBA in Health Care Administration or Real Estate. Admission to the Cohort MBA is available each Fall.
Competencies
- Upon completion, students will demonstrate an understanding of essential business functions, including accounting, finance, marketing, and operations management.
- Upon completion, students will show evidence of problem solving and decisional ability in dealing with strategic and other business problems and situations.
- Upon completion, students will articulate the values and practices associated with the ethical and legal responsibilities of managing organizations.
- Upon completion, students will demonstrate competency in oral and written communication through presentations of clear and concise information.
Admissions Criteria
The MBA Graduate Advisor reviews all applications and determines if they qualify for unconditional admissions. Applicants who do not satisfy the conditions for admission are referred to the MBA Admissions Committee for consideration.
An applicant whose native language is not English must demonstrate a sufficient level of skill with the English language to assure success in graduate studies as defined in the TOEFL and IELTS Test Score Minimums section under Admissions Requirements and Procedures in the Graduate Catalog.
UNCONDITIONAL ADMISSION WITHOUT COMMITTEE REVIEW
Applicants qualify for unconditional admission without the need for review by the MBA Admissions Committee if they have a bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher (last 60 hours) from an AACSB-accredited college or university, or equivalent.
ADMISSION WITH COMMITTEE REVIEW
The MBA Admissions Committee will grant Unconditional Admission, Probationary Admission, Provisional Deferred Admission, or Deny Admission on the basis of holistic evaluation of the following factors:
- Transcript evaluations to ensure that the student can manage the academic rigor of the MBA program.
- Score on the GMAT, GMAT Focus, GRE, or EA.
- A professional resume that highlights the last two years of post-bachelor’s work experience.
- Scores on three exams in Business Statistics (BSTAT), Economics (ECON), and Management (MANA) taken through a College of Business approved vendor.
- Personal statement of purpose.
- Letters of recommendation
PROVISIONAL ADMISSION
An applicant who has submitted all official transcripts prior to the admission deadline but has not provided supplemental documents required for the program in which they are pursuing admission may be granted provisional admission at the discretion of the program if the student appears to meet admission requirements. Complete and satisfactory credentials must be received by the admitting program before the end of the semester in which the student has registered in a provisional status. Provisional admission does not guarantee subsequent admission on an unconditional basis.
DEFERRED AND DENIED ADMISSION
A deferred decision may be made when an applicant’s file is not sufficiently complete to make an admission decision, or when an applicant needs to improve certain criteria to enhance their competitive status for future admission consideration. For an applicant lacking sufficient evidence to indicate potential for academic success as an MBA student, admission will likely be denied. All applicant data will be carefully reviewed before an admission denial is made. The decision to defer/deny admission is not based on any single criterion.
Curriculum
| Foundations | ||
| MARK 5311 | MARKETING | 3 |
| OPMA 5361 | OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| or INSY 5303 | MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES | |
| or BSTAT 5325 | ADVANCED METHODS FOR ANALYTICS | |
| FINA 5311 | BUSINESS FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| ECON 5313 | DECISIONS AND STRATEGY | 3 |
| ACCT 5307 | MEASUREMENT AND ANALYSIS FOR BUSINESS DECISION-MAKING | 3 |
| MANA 5360 | LEADERSHIP AND TEAMS | 3 |
| MANA 5336 | STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT (Capstone course - taken in second to last or last semester of program) | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select fifteen hours of electives. | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Substitutions
At the MBA Advisors discretion, a course substitution may be provided in the MBA if a student holds an undergraduate degree in an area of study that aligns with an MBA core course. A prerequisite is considered fulfilled when the student is granted a substitution of that specific required course. Required courses may not be taken as electives in the program.
Electives and Concentrations
Students can take courses in different areas (no concentration) or may choose to concentrate in a given area such as accounting, business analytics, digital markets, economics, finance, human resources, information systems, management, marketing, marketing research, operations management, health care administration, or real estate. Students can tailor the program to develop business skills and perspectives essential to career goals and objectives. Students may only have one concentration. Choosing to concentrate or not will not impact the degree name on the transcript or diploma. Both will read "Master of Business Administration."
Students may take electives in any of the curriculum areas of the MBA program. Students may take up to 12 semester hours in non-business coursework as part of their electives, subject to the approval of the MBA Advisor. An approved study abroad program or internship can also be used to satisfy an advanced elective requirements.
Program Completion
The MBA program follows the grade requirements for probation as specified under the general regulations of the Graduate Catalog. In addition, students must have at least a 3.0 grade point average in all coursework and area of concentration to graduate.