2007-2008 Academic Catalog

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Master of Business Administration

(MBA degree)

Purpose

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is designed to prepare practitioners in a variety of fields in both the profit and not-for-profit sectors. The program is intended for students who want to improve their management and leadership ability through intellectual, moral, and creative growth. The program is situated squarely within the university's mission, believing that its Christian values, concern for integration, and commitment to quality speak to managers who desire training that is both theoretically sound and humanly meaningful. Managers have become increasingly aware of the importance of values, ethics, service, and other spiritually significant elements that are part and parcel of George Fox University programs.

Program Objectives

Educational Objectives

To enable students to:

• Integrate knowledge and decision making within the larger framework of the organization and social and cultural contexts
• Apply creativity, innovation, and change
• Develop leadership and interpersonal skills
• Communicate in the functional areas of business
• Practice in organizational settings human virtues, such as integrity, humility, compassion, and perseverance
• Increase capacity for conceptualization, strategic thinking, and problem solving
• Develop the propensity to act on one's values and ethics as foundational to good management and leadership

Professional Objectives

To enable students to:

• Manage capably in a fast-paced world of demographic, cultural, global, and technological change

Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the MBA program must hold a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the final two years (60 semester hours) of course work. In addition, applicants must complete the following to be considered for admission to the program:

• Master of business administration application form and application fee.
• Submit one official transcript from each college/university attended.
• Verification of five years of full-time work experience with at least two of those years in a professional or managerial role. The Portland Executive Track MBA program requires five or more years of executive responsibility.
• Three letters of recommendation.
• A writing sample.
• A resume.
• An interview

Students whose GPA from the final two years of coursework does not reflect their aptitude for graduate work may choose to submit a GMAT test score for consideration in the admission process. The department may consider applicants who show significant promise but do not specifically meet all of these criteria.

Transfer Credit

Transfer of up to 9 hours credit is allowed toward the MBA program from the MBA program at an accredited graduate school. Transferability of credits earned at this institution and transferred to another is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Consult the registrar's office for information on eligibility of transfer credit.

Residence Requirements

A minimum of 33 of the 42 hours required for the MBA program must be taken in resident study at George Fox University. Reinstatement to the program after withdrawal requires Admissions Committee action and may subject the student to additional requirements for the degree.

Course Requirements

The Master of Business Administration program is generally two years in length with 42 semester hours of course work required as a minimum for graduation. Of those hours, 33 are in prescribed business courses and 9 hours in a concentration dependent upon program location.

Other Degree Requirements

Students are expected to maintain continuous enrollment in the program, remaining with their cohort throughout, so personal and work commitments should be planned accordingly. The program is generally structured on a cohort model, in which a group of students follows an integrated sequence of courses from beginning to end. The Oregon program, with a concentration in management, requires 26 months to complete. The Boise program, with a concentration in leadership, requires 22 months to complete.

Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate with the master of business administration degree students must:

• Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 42 semester hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.
• Achieve no grade lower than a B in all core courses. If a grade of a B- or lower is received in a designated course, that course must be retaken (for more specific information, please refer to the student handbook.

Curriculum Plan

Business Administration Course Descriptions