2015-2016 Graduate Academic Catalogue 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2015-2016 Graduate Academic Catalogue [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Master of Business Administration


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: The Joseph A. Sellinger, S.J., School of Business and Management

Office: Timonium Campus, Suite 08
Telephone: 410‑617‑5067
Website: www.loyola.edu/sellinger

Associate  Academic Dean: Marianne Ward-Peradoza
Program Manager: Patricia Tarrant

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is designed to prepare high potential individuals for leadership in a variety of organizational settings. The degree program is intended to develop responsible leaders with a broad, integrated understanding of the relationships and functions of organizations, the worldwide opportunities and environmental influences on the decision makers, and technologies that have evolved to facilitate decision making. The MBA emphasizes breadth of outlook over functional specialization, but provides an opportunity for focus within a set of elective courses.

The Loyola MBA program began in 1967 and is recognized as the premier business graduate program in the region. It integrates disciplines and prepares graduates to lead organizations in the internal and global environments of the twenty-first century. The combination of bright, experienced students and experientially grounded, highly qualified professors work within the curriculum to assure the development of leaders with values, broad understanding, and strategic vision.

Admission Criteria

Detailed admission information (application procedures, required documents, deadlines, etc.) can be found under Admission .

GMAT Waiver Policy

Applicants to the MBA program who meet certain provisions can request consideration for admission without submitting a GMAT score. If, upon review by the admission committee, the applicant is considered admissible without a GMAT score, that requirement will be waived.

The following provisions qualify an applicant for consideration for the GMAT waiver: possession of an advanced degree with quantitative content (e.g., master's, doctorate, etc.) or an undergraduate GPA of 3.250 or higher with quantitative coursework, combined with at least five years of significant professional experience (typically post-baccalaureate) and a personal interview with a Loyola academic advisor. The admission committee reserves the right to require a GMAT score from an applicant even if the basic conditions are met.

Financial Aid

Student loans are available. All applicants should file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) to be considered for aid. Inquiries concerning loans should be directed to the Financial Aid Office, 410‑617‑5149.

Prerequisites and Basic Competencies

An entering student must hold a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a regionally accredited college or university and should be able to communicate well both orally and in writing. No prior business courses are required. However, prior business courses may reduce the number of foundation courses (600-level) that must be completed prior to beginning the MBA core courses.

A student entering the MBA program should have facility in algebra and graphing of mathematical functions, graphic interpretation, and probability. Proficiency in these areas will be assumed with recent college or graduate level credit (grade of B or better in a single course) in finite mathematics, precalculus, or mathematical models for business. Proficiency may also be established through superior GMAT performance or a score of 80 percent or better on the GB 500  Waiver Exam.

Students with minimal mathematical background should review this with a Loyola academic advisor. The University offers a course, GB 500 - Fundamentals of Math for Business , specifically geared to the incoming graduate student who needs to review the necessary quantitative skills. (Note: GB 500  is a program prerequisite and will not be awarded credit on the transcript.)

Courses in the MBA program use computer software for presentation and analysis. Students can expect to receive assignments using spreadsheets, and they may also be required to employ specialized software, CD or online databases, or mainframe systems. Prior to beginning the program, students must be able to design and manipulate spreadsheets and be familiar with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint software at the intermediate level. Once enrolled, advanced help courses are offered without charge through Technology Services, 410‑617‑5555.

Degree Requirements

Requirements for the MBA include 33 core credits beyond the foundation, of which at least 27 must be taken in the Loyola MBA program. All core courses (GB 700-709) and most electives are three credits. There are 20 credits within the foundation courses (GB 600-699) which vary in number of credits. Waivers for foundation courses may be granted for recent, previous academic experience (see MBA Foundation). For specific policy information on non-Loyola coursework considered for advanced standing or transfer, as well as Loyola coursework eligible for application from one Loyola business program to another, see Transfer Credit  under Academic Regulations and Policies.

Fast Track

Students applying to the MBA program with a recent bachelor's degree in business administration or related field or with selected business classes that specifically parallel the foundation courses (each successfully completed with a grade of B or better) may be able to complete the MBA program with as few as eleven courses. This includes all core courses and four electives. For further details, call the Graduate Business Programs Office at 410‑617‑5067.

MBA Foundation

Graduate business programs may be pursued by students with either business or non-business undergraduate degrees. Once admitted, they will be enrolled in graduate courses to develop an integrated understanding of the complex environment of the manager. The foundation provides the knowledge and skill for success in the core courses recognized by the AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Each student must be waived from, test out of, or have substantially completed all foundation courses before proceeding to core level coursework. Waivers are granted under the following conditions: the student has graduated no more than five years previous and has successfully completed courses (with a grade of B or better) at the undergraduate or graduate level which are equivalent to the foundation requirements. Upon admission, each student's transcripts are reviewed to determine if foundation course waivers are possible. An academic plan, outlining all courses necessary, is developed for each student.

Waiver Exams

In selected academic areas, there is the opportunity to demonstrate proficiency through a waiver exam. This option is available to students who do not qualify for a course waiver due to low grades or an expired time limit. To qualify for a waiver, a grade of B must be achieved. Exams are available by appointment through the Graduate Business Programs Office during certain times of the semester. The testing fee is $100 per exam. For more information on waiver test availability or to arrange to sit for an exam, contact the Graduate Business Programs Office at 410‑617‑5067.

Preprogram Competencies


  • Reflective Learning and Program Orientation Workshop (non-credit)

    A program orientation and an introduction to the concept of "reflection" as an integral tool for lifelong learning. It presents an overview of the administrative procedures and various student support services available for MBA students. The program also provides an opportunity to meet with advisors and other university personnel. Students are required to complete the workshop within the first semester of the MBA program.

Foundation Courses


Notes


In order to qualify to sit for the Maryland CPA exam, students concentrating in accounting take an additional foundation course and make the substitutions listed below:

Due to the additional coursework required for an accounting concentration, the international/global requirement is waived for students concentrating in accounting.

The MBA Core


These courses are designed to address both the value chain and the responsibility of leaders to guide the organization responsibly. The organization must anticipate market needs and gather the human, material, information, and financial resources to carry out its mission. The horizontal linkage from resources to the client/customer has replaced the old hierarchical or authority structure that characterized organizations. This shift creates an opportunity to involve all members of the organization in the responsible enactment of its mission.

Students who have completed or waived the foundation requirements take a minimum of 33 semester credits of advanced graduate courses. The program includes seven required courses and four electives. Three of the electives may be used to form a specialization. The other course can be taken outside of that field to provide breadth of understanding. One elective course must be a designated global elective.

The Core Requirements Include:


two value and leadership focused courses (GB 700 , GB 705 ); a four course sequence (GB 701 , GB 702 , GB 703 , GB 704 ) which develops the relationships within the value chain of the organization; a capstone course (GB 709 ) that integrates the functional areas in a case course on policy and strategies; and a concluding workshop (GB 710 ).

Customized Learning


Consisting of electives (4 courses/12 credits) from the program's various elective/concentration options. One of the four courses must be a designated global elective.

Concentrations, Specializations, and Electives


The MBA program includes four elective courses (12 credits) at the upper level. The electives may be chosen with no pattern; they may conform with a designated concentration; or they may follow a theme of the student's choosing. No prior approval is necessary to choose a concentration. To provide breadth, concentrations are limited in length to assure that at least 18 of the 33 core level program credits lie outside of a departmental discipline. One of the four courses must be a designated global elective.

Accounting Concentration


Over the last decade, the accounting profession has become more complex and challenging. In recognition of this growing complexity, the accounting profession has mandated 150 hours of education for candidates to sit for the Maryland CPA exam.

The Department of Accounting has developed an MBA accounting concentration for students who have a non-accounting undergraduate degree but are interested in the accounting profession and plan to sit for the CPA exam. Foundation course substitutions are listed above under The MBA Foundation.

Concentration Courses Include the Following:


Finance Specialization


General Business Specialization


General business is for students who do not choose one of the established specializations. Students can pursue a wide range of topics or can develop their own focus to meet their specific career goals.

Information Systems Specialization


Within this broad functional area students may focus their concentration by consulting with faculty experts who will recommend an elective sequence for areas such as software application or knowledge management and decision making.

International Business Specialization


Management Specialization


Students may develop focus areas such as leadership and management; managing for world class quality; and managing human resources.

Key:


* May be offered as a study tour.

Go to Course Descriptions  for a complete list of courses.

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: The Joseph A. Sellinger, S.J., School of Business and Management