MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Master of Business Administration

Dr. Mohinder Dugal, Graduate Coordinator, WS 143	Phone (office): (203) 837-3257
	dugalm@wcsu.edu

Accounting Faculty	X. Jiang; Y. Kim.
Finance Faculty	H. Naimot; J. K. Robinson; L. Vo.
Management Faculty	S. Bazan; K. Burnard; M. Dugal; L. Forbes; Y. Hayajneh; D. Weltmann.
Management Information Systems	J. Flynn; P. Nugent.
Marketing	J. McCartney.

Program Overview and Mission

Western’s Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB, https://www.aacsb.edu/about). Western’s M.B.A. program focuses on preparing students for managerial positions and leadership roles in contemporary organizations. Students acquire vital knowledge about business and organizational functions and activities. Students are challenged to think strategically and to hone skills needed to succeed in competitive environments.

Western’s M.B.A. is designed with flexibility in mind to meet the needs of our students:

Working Professionals: Students can take one or two courses in the fall, spring, summer and intersession, completing the degree in as little as two years.

Full-time Students: For students able to make a full-time commitment including summer and intersession, the program can be completed in 12-14 months depending on required prerequisites. Our scheduling also meets the needs of Accounting graduates who are completing Connecticut’s 150 credit hour requirement prior to joining accounting firms.

Most graduate classes meet one night a week on Monday through Thursday evenings at 5:25 p.m. Some courses may be offered in online or hybrid formats and occasionally at 8 p.m. or on weekends. Small classes, usually fewer than 25 students, encourage interaction and collegiality among the students.

Program Learning Goals and Outcomes

1. COMMUNICATION: MBA graduates will demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills.

Graduates will demonstrate effective writing skills that are appropriate to multi-national and multi-layered organizations.
Graduates will demonstrate effective oral communication skills that encompass diverse perspectives.

2. LEADERSHIP AND TEAMS: MBA graduates will demonstrate managerial level skills required to develop successful careers.

Graduates will be effective leaders.
Graduates will be effective collaborators.

3. ETHICS: MBA graduates will demonstrate ethical awareness.

Graduates will apply social frameworks to achieve a positive societal impact *
Graduates will be able to evaluate and apply relevant ethical considerations to decision-making.

4. CRITICAL THINKING: MBA graduates will be effective critical thinkers.

Graduates will utilize critical thinking to assess business environments.
Graduates will apply qualitative and quantitative reasoning to make business decisions.

*Required by current AACSB standards: “Societal Impact. Societal impact as an expectation of all accredited schools reflects AACSB’s vision that business education is a force for good in society and makes a positive contribution to society, as identified in the school’s mission and strategic plan. This includes an expectation that the school explicates its intended strategies to affect a positive impact on society, that the school’s curriculum contains some components relating to societal impact, that the school’s intellectual contributions portfolio contains some contributions focused on societal impact, and that the school is fostering and promoting curriculum and/or curricular activities that seek to make a positive societal impact.”

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the M.B.A. program must submit the following materials to the Office of Graduate Admissions, Old Main, Rm. 101:

a completed application for graduate study – Online application: https://www.wcsu.edu/graduate/application/
an official transcript from each college or university previously attended, including all undergraduate and graduate courses, grades, and degrees
three references, with detailed contact information, preferably from employers or former professors
a current resume or curriculum vita
a meeting with the program coordinator after submitting all application documents
Recommended is a statement why the applicant desires to pursue an M.B.A. at WCSU.
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) may be required for non-native English speakers with limited exposure to English.
for applicants with an undergraduate GPA below 2.75 an official copy of the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test scores. GMAT/GRE scores must be from no more than five years prior to the date of enrollment.

Admission to the M.B.A. program is based on the information in the above items and the meeting with the program coordinator. No admission decision can be made until all of the required materials are in the applicant’s file in the Office of Graduate Admissions. Previous academic achievements, GMAT/GRE test scores, recommendations, and work experience are important factors. If you are admitted to the program you will be required to submit proof of immunization before you can register for courses. For more information go to https://www.wcsu.edu/healthservices/onlineforms/ for Connecticut State University Immunization Requirements and Connecticut State University Student Health Services Form.

Admission Formula

In general, admission to the M.B.A. will be determined using the following M.B.A. Admission Formula Score: (Undergraduate GPA x 200) + GMAT score > 1,050

GMAT/GRE Exam Waivers

You may receive a GMAT/GRE waiver if you have significant professional business and management experience, recognized professional certification (CPS, CFA, CMA, CIA, CFP), past graduate degree (master’s or higher), or a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75, or take 2 M.B.A. 3 S.H. program courses as a non-matriculated student in one semester, and receive an average grade of 3.67 or better. Contact M.B.A. Coordinator for details on this process.

Degree Requirements

The M.B.A. degree will be conferred upon the matriculated M.B.A. graduate student who has

completed prerequisite courses (minus waived)
completed 37 graduate credits (minus waived and transferred credits) with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 B or better
participated in program-level assessments
completed the program within an six-year period
filed the application for the degree with the Office of Graduate Admissions by December 1 for the May commencement, February 1 for an August conferral, or
October 1 for a January conferral

Waiver of Courses

The number of courses required for the M.B.A. degree may be reduced by waiver of some or all of the prerequisite courses (a maximum of 7 semester hours). These waivers are based on the applicant’s undergraduate business degree transcript completed business courses with satisfactory grades of B or better, or relevant graduate courses with satisfactory grades of B or better.

Transfer of Courses

Up to 12 semester hours of graduate credit may be transferred to the M.B.A. program for equivalent courses completed elsewhere. To be considered for transfer, the courses must have been completed with a grade of B or better in the six years prior to enrollment in Western’s M.B.A. program.

Substitution of Courses

Course substitutions may be allowed within the M.B.A. program to accommodate special considerations. Please see the M.B.A. Coordinator.

Courses in Residence

A minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in the M.B.A. program must be completed at WCSU.

Course Restrictions

For a complete list of prerequisites, co-requisites, and other restrictions for all courses, please consult the Course Description section of this catalog or contact the M.B.A. coordinator.

Graduate Student Success Manual Graduate Student Success Manual

This manual, targeted to our Ancell graduate students, provides information about student life here at WCSU, and on the Westside campus. The goal is to ease the transition of graduate students to the program at the Ancell School of Business (ASB).

Program Course Rotation – Course Rotation

Master of Business Administration

Prerequisite Cluster

(courses may be waived) 7 SH

ACC 501

Introduction to Financial Statements

1 SH

ACC 502

Introduction to Managerial Accounting

1 SH

FIN 504

Introduction to Business Statistics

1 SH

FIN 508

Introduction to Economics and Finance

1 SH

MGT 504

Essentials of Operations Management

1 SH

MGT 505

Essentials of Organizational Behavior

1 SH

MIS 512

Essentials of Management Information Systems

1 SH

Required M.B.A. Courses

(courses cannot be waived) 30 SH

ACC 507

Strategic Cost Management

3 SH

FIN 560

Analysis of Financial and Investment Decisions

3 SH

MGT 506

Strategic Management

3 SH

MGT 521

Strategic Integration of Operations

3 SH

MGT 530

Leadership

3 SH

MIS 516

Information Analysis

3 SH

MKT 534

Strategic Marketing Management

3 SH

MKT 539

Effective Managerial Communication

3 SH

MKT 592

International Business Strategy

3 SH

Elective

(chosen in consultation with M.B.A. coordinator)

3 SH

Total SH:

37 SH