Business Administration, MBA

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Master of Business Administration Degree Program Structure The curriculum consists of 10 to 16 courses (30 to 48 credit hours), that balance management theory with applications in a broad spectrum of organizational settings. The program contains four coordinated and cohesive components: (1) a set of six prerequisite courses that may be fulfilled partially or completely, with a student’s previous course work at the undergraduate or graduate level; (2) a common core of six courses at North Central College including a capstone experience; (3) a set of three courses in an “Area of Focus”; and (4) a single elective course taken from any graduate program. Entry into the program requires the student to have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, or to have been accepted into one of the College’s five-year integrated undergraduate/graduate programs. In addition, a grade of “B-” or better must have been earned to meet a prerequisite. Students needing to take one or more prerequisites may not count these courses towards the minimum 10-course degree requirement. Students must take at least five 600-level courses to complete degree requirements. Although each student’s timetable and abilities are different, it is possible to complete the program in less than two years.

Prerequisite Courses (with North Central College courses)

Course	Undergraduate Course	Graduate Course
Financial Accounting	ACC 201	ACC 501
Managerial Accounting	ACC 202	ACC 502
Business Law	BUS 205	BUS 505
Statistics	BUS 241	BUS 541
Economics	ECN 250 & ECN 252	ECN 500
Financial Management	FIN 350	FIN 550

Core Courses (6 Courses, 18 Credit Hours)

Capstone (1 course, 3 credit hours)

Note:

* Students may choose to complete a Thesis instead of MGT 676 .

For details on the differences between these two options, consult the MBA program Coordinator or the Director of Graduate and Continuing Studies.

Area of Focus (3 Courses, 9 Credit Hours)

A set of three courses with a common disciplinary theme. The specific courses used to complete the Area of Focus require the approval of the MBA coordinator or Director of Graduate and Continuing Studies. This “set” may be a traditional area of study, including

Change Management
Human Resource Management
Marketing
Finance
Management
International

or it could be a unique combination of courses taken from several disciplines, including graduate courses from International Business Administration (MIBA) or non-business areas, such as

Web and Internet Applications (MS-Web)
Leadership Studies (MLD)
Management Information Systems (MS-MIS)
Education (MA-Ed)
Liberal Studies (MALS)

Students work closely with their graduate advisor to define an Area of Focus suited to their individual needs and educational aspirations.

Elective (1 Course, 3 Credit Hours)

Students round out their program with one elective course (three credit hours). These electives offer students the opportunity to extend their educational experience into new topics or to pursue additional coursework in their Area of Focus. Generally, students may choose elective courses from any of the College’s seven graduate programs, provided they are approved by the MBA Coordinator. Prerequisite courses may not be used in this area.

MBA to MS-MIS Dual Degree

Students who earn the MBA degree through North Central College may, with careful planning, earn the MS-MIS degree with a minimum of 18 additional graduate credit hours. Students who are interested in pursuing this option should work closely with the Faculty Coordinator from the MS-MIS program, as well as with the Director of Graduate and Continuing Studies. Students must complete the required undergraduate level prerequisite courses, or CSC 501 and CSC 502 which will not count toward the minimum 18 hours.

At a minimum, the following 18 credit hours of coursework must be taken to earn the MS-MIS in addition to the MBA:

Choose one of the following courses:

Residency Requirement

All MBA students must complete a residency requirement of 24 credit hours. Prerequisite courses taken at North Central College do not count toward the residency requirement. Students may transfer up to six credit hours of graduate coursework from other accredited institutions. The Strategic Decision Making course (MGT 676 ) or Thesis must be completed in residence at North Central College. Two of the three “Area of Focus” courses must be completed in residence at North Central College.

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