Graduate Bulletin 2015-2016Download

Master of Business Administration

Faculty

Aaron Moses, Program Director and the Adventist Health System Endowed Chair of Business Administration

Adjunct:  Heath Beaty, Alex Falcon, Fred Harder,  Adam Madgar,  Andrew Smith, James Winegardner

Mission

The Department of Business Administration prepares students for Christian service and business leadership in the global economy.  Our department is built on academic excellence, integrity, and an entrepreneurial spirit. We serve and value a diverse student body, equipping them with the intellectual fortitude to change the world.

Program Description

The MBA Cohort for the Working Professional is designed for an enrolling group of students to progress through the program together as a group building networks and relationships with each other that will last a lifetime and strengthen each participant’s career.  Students are able to do this easily while working full time by taking classes conveniently offered in the evenings after the typical workday.  In order to reduce brain fatigue cause from a full time workload combined with a full time school schedule, accelerated classes are used that occur one at a time. A total of two classes are taken each semester (two 8-week classes in fall and in spring, and two 5-week classes in the summer).

Program Learning Outcomes

The purpose of Southwestern Adventist University's Master of Business Administration program is to provide an interdisciplinary graduate business education experience for working professionals as a means for enriching their professional capabilities and expanding their career opportunities. The specific outcomes of the MBA program are as follows:

  1. Graduates will demonstrate application of management theory and research.
  2. Graduates will demonstrate knowledge and skills in areas of integrity, communication, research, critical thinking, analysis and other professional skills.
  3. Graduates will gain hands on experience that will further their development and prepare them for career expansion.

Graduate Assistantship

A Graduate Assistantship position may be granted to a student who qualifies. An application form may be obtained from the Business Department.

To be eligible for an MBA Assistantship, an applicant should satisfy the following criteria:

  1. Have a minimum overall GPA of 3.50.
  2. Have a minimum GMAT score of 500.
  3. Satisfy all requirements for regular admission to Southwestern Adventist University's MBA program.

Degree Requirements

Core Courses (taught yearly)

Courses taught as part of the MBA Cohort for the Working Professional
ACCT 521 Managerial Accounting 3
BUAD 521 Financial Management 3
BUAD 531 Marketing Management 3
BUAD 541 Legal & Ethical Values in Management 3
BUAD 561 Management Information Systems 3
BUAD 621 Organizational Theory 3
BUAD 631 Quantitative Methods for Business Decisions 3
BUAD 681 Strategic Management 3
BUAD 692 Internship 3
ECON 521 Managerial Economics 3
Special Topics Course 3
Special Topics Course 3
Total Core: 36

Portfolio

Each MBA student will develop a portfolio as part of their internship that will include examples of their competence in the areas covered in their MBA coursework.  Portfolio will be graded by two individuals and will receive a PASS/FAIL grade.  The portfolio must be completed and turned in at least two weeks before the end of the semester.  Each student will design a poster describing his or her internship experience.  The poster will be displayed at an Internship Showcase.

Accounting Courses

ACCT 512 - Auditing (4 hours)

Prerequisites: ACCT 212; MATH 241

A study of the theory and professional standards and their application to financial and compliance auditing and the auditor's attest function.

ACCT 515 - Advanced Accounting (3 hours)

Prerequisite: ACCT 316

A study of advanced accounting and financial reporting topics including business combinations and consolidated financial statements, partnerships and branches, bankruptcy, multi-national enterprises, and segments.

ACCT 518 - Federal Income Taxes (3 hours)

Prerequisite: ACCT 212

A study of the provisions of federal income tax laws as they apply to individuals, corporations, and other taxpayers. Emphasis is on personal income taxes, the various types of income, and the deductibility of costs and expenses in the determination of tax liability. This course includes one credit hour of tax account research. This course covers materials and methods tested on the CPA exam. Research paper is required to fulfill the requirement for MBA portfolio binder and IACBE outcome assessment.

ACCT 521 - Managerial Accounting (3 hours)

Prerequisite: ACCT 212

A study of cost accounting fundamentals with emphasis on accounting as a managerial tool. Special attention is given to cost-volume-profit relationships, job-order costing, budgeting, standard costing, capital budgeting, costing, cost behavior patterns, transfer pricing, and divisional performance measurement. Research tools and resources relating to these topics are introduced.

ACCT 621 - Accounting Theory (3 hours)

Prerequisite: ACCT 515

Designed to familiarize students with significant problems currently facing the accounting profession, to examine in depth various solutions proposed by accounting scholars and others, and to strengthen student understanding of today's critical issues in accounting theory.

Business Courses

BUAD 513 - Production and Operations Management (3 hours)

Prerequisite: MATH 241

A study and analysis of the planning, design, direction, and control of physical and human resources used in the production of goods and services. Emphasis is placed on solutions to operational problems in the physical, locational, storage, and general service subsystems. (Fall)

BUAD 514 - International Finance (3 hours)

Prerequisite: BUAD 321; ECON 211; ECON 212

Financial Management and economic theory in the international environment. The impact of regulation taxation, capital and money markets, working capital management, capital budgeting, risk, and exchange rates on decision making are considered. Consideration is also given to the development and application of economic principles within the world economy. Research paper is required to fulfill the requirements for MBA portfolio binder and IACBE outcomes assessment.

BUAD 516 - Cross-Cultural Organizational Communication (3 hours)

Variables and effects of both verbal and non-verbal communication in international business. Practical applications are made for cultural differences, management expectations and marketing practices.

BUAD 518 - Marketing Research (3 hours)

Prerequisite: MKTG 343

A study of theories, concepts, and methodology in applying research to marketing problems. Attention is directed toward the application of sampling, sample design, data analysis of marketing problems, and how findings are used in formulating marketing policies.

BUAD 519 - International Business (3 hours)

Prerequisites: BUAD 301, MKTG 343

An analysis of how culture and social values influence management and marketing practices throughout the world.  Problems and perspectives encountered in operating business across boundaries are considered.

BUAD 521 - Financial Management (3 hours)

Prerequisite: BUAD 321

Management of funds in business, including procurement, utilization and disposition of money. Emphasis on financial decision making within organizations, and the techniques of financial analysis and forecasting.

BUAD 522 - Portfolio Management (3 hours)

The course will focus on portfolio optimization and asset allocation, the basics of bonding pricing and debt portfolio management, the theory of asset pricing models and their implications for investment as well as techniques for evaluating investment management performance. The course will build upon the analytical skills developed in Financial Management. Research paper is required to fulfill the requirements for MBA portfolio binder and IACBE outcome assessment.

BUAD 531 - Marketing Management (3 hours)

Prerequisite: MKTG 343

Study of marketing problems encountered by general managers of profit-oriented and not-for-profit organizations. Emphasis on developing a managerial point of view in planning and evaluating marketing decisions of the organization. Topics concerning products and services include price, channel, and promotional variables as well as cost efficiency, demand, regulations, and aspects of strategic marketing.

BUAD 533 - Investment Principles (3 hours)

Provides the student with the tools necessary for evaluating investments, including stocks, bonds, options and commodities. Evaluate the organization of securities markets, mutual fund investing, efficient market hypothesis, and fundamental analysis and valuation. Additionally, it presents a systematic methodology for constructing efficient portfolios and evaluating portfolio performance. Research paper is required to fulfill the requirements for MBA portfolio binder and IACBE outcome assessment.

BUAD 541 - Legal and Ethical Values in Management (3 hours)

The current legal business environment and its managerial implications. Nature and role of values and ethics in the career of a professional manager. Ethical thinking and theory and how organizations shape the values and ethical choices of their members. Legal and ethical values will be explored from a Biblical perspective.

BUAD 561 - Management Information Systems (3 hours)

The elements of information systems: computer equipment and programs, data, procedures, and people. The systems concept: definition, analysis, design, and implementation. Control and management of computer information systems.

BUAD 573 - Finance Theory and Structure of Financial Markets (3 hours)

Finance theories underlie the fundamentals in understanding finance and its role in markets. From measuring investment value, risk and return on investment, exposure to foreign currencies provide important tools for finance graduates. This subject will include foreign currency transactions, value at risk and portfolio theory. Research paper is required to fulfill the requirements for MBA portfolio binder and IACBE outcomes.

BUAD 588 - Advanced Finance (3 hours)

General survey of financial theories, from the viewpoint of both the financial officer or manager and creditor or stockholder. Research paper is required to fulfill the requirements for MBA portfolio binder and IACBE outcome assessment.

BUAD 621 - Organizational Theory (3 hours)

Prerequisite: BUAD 301

Advanced concepts of organizing, structuring, and managing profit-oriented and not-for-profit organizations. Determinants of organizational design and relationships of organizational design and organizational behavior are studied through extensive reading, exploratory research and seminar discussion.

BUAD 631 - Quantitative Methods for Business Decisions (3 hours)

Prerequisite: MATH 241

Study of quantitative tools for the analysis of problems arising in the management of organizations, and the application of these tools in the decision of real business problems.

BUAD 661 - Leadership & Organizational Behavior (3 hours)

Prerequisite: BUAD 301

A study of the understanding, prediction, and control of human behavior within organizations. In depth coverage of the theories and issues related to effective leadership styles in organizations. Emphasis will be given to managing conflict, change and development, power, and politics in organizations. Assessment of leadership within the context of Christian value systems.

BUAD 676 - Topics in Business (3 hours)

A reading and research program designed to respond to the particular professional needs of the student. Topics may be in accounting, economics, marketing, management, or any other business related area. Oral and written reports and examinations may be required. Permission of the instructor and the MBA program director is required. May be repeated once with a different topic.

BUAD 681 - Strategic Management (3 hours)

Must be taken the last semester in the program or with permission of student's advisor. A course providing the integration of managerial functional areas. Students are required to develop policy at the general or top management level and to seek solutions of strategic problems and optimization of organizational resources. Lectures, case analysis, and group projects. An integrative course required of all MBA students. Credit is earned with a minimum grade of B. May be repeated only once.

BUAD 692 - MBA Internship (3 hours)

The internship is an integral part of the MBA Cohort for the Working Professional program.  It is designed to supplement the MBA coursework and give the student the opportunity to receive guidance from qualified executives; to put into practice the administrative theory that has been learned, and to develop the ability to assume major responsibility in an organization. The internship requires 240 hours of approved work experience in a professional capacity and a final portfolio, documenting the student’s experience.  The internship is designed to be completed at the end of the MBA curriculum as a capstone course.  Students must have completed 8 courses (24 hours) in the MBA program before starting an internship and must complete the internship in the final semester. Internships will be assigned a grade of PASS/FAIL.

Economic Course

ECON 521 - Managerial Economics (3 hours)

Prerequisite: ECON 211; ECON 212

The economics of the individual firm in its decision making. Forecasting economic conditions using economic indicators and economic models.