2023-24 Academic Catalog

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Overview

The mission of the George Fox Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is to prepare trusted leaders who will transform business through academic, professional and spiritual preparation that enables students to think with clarity, act with integrity and serve with passion. The purpose of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is to enable graduates to be professionally competent, ethically grounded, globally engaged, socially responsible and servant leaders.

The MBA program is designed for managers and leaders in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors in any industry or field. The program is designed to enhance management and leadership abilities through intellectual, moral and creative growth through an academic experience that is global, relevant and life-changing. In addition to a rigorous curriculum focused on academic excellence, the program draws on student experiences for shared learning opportunities and application.

Degree Outcomes

  • Students will demonstrate knowledge and effective application of major concepts and tools in the functional areas of business and their relationship to each other.
  • Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze and accurately interpret information to drive effective decision-making.
  • Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate orally and through written communication in a variety of business settings.
  • Students will demonstrate core ethical competencies and be able to accurately apply ethical practices.
  • Students will demonstrate current knowledge of the global business environment and analyze emerging trends by reflecting on global belief systems and documenting global involvement/ engagement.
  • Students will reflect awareness of social needs and commitment to social responsibility.

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
  • Submit one official transcript from each college/university attended
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • A personal essay
  • Current resumé
  • Applicants may be required to complete online prerequisite modules prior to starting the MBA program

Students whose GPA from the final two years of course work 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 an MBA program at an accredited graduate school. Consult the registrar's office for information on eligibility of transfer credit.  Transferability of credits earned at this institution and transferred to another is at the discretion of the receiving institution.

Course Requirements

The Master of Business Administration program is generally 14 months in length with 32 semester hours of coursework required as a minimum for graduation. All program hours are in prescribed business courses.

Other 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 as a fully online or a cohort model, in which a group of students follows an integrated sequence of courses from beginning to end. The cohort program requires 14 months to complete and the online program takes 24 months.

Reinstatement to the program after withdrawal requires Admissions Committee action and may subject the student to additional requirements for the degree.

Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate with the Master of Business Administration degree students must:

  • Students must complete at least 32 semester hours of course work with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.
  • Achieve a grade of C in no more than 6 credit hours of the program curriculum. If a grade lower than C is received in a course, that course must be retaken (for more specific information, please refer to the student handbook). C+ grades are allowed to the extent that cumulative GPA remains above a 3.0.

Curriculum Plan

Complete the following:
This course explores both theory and application of competencies that contribute to effectiveness in an organizational setting at the individual, team and organizational level. This is the introductory course to the George Fox University MBA Program. It is intended to demonstrate the unique and distinctive ethos of the university.  The approach features readings, case studies, class discussion and interaction, and written material and oral presentations.
This course explores how organizations are formed, managed and led in an environment that is increasingly global, diverse, and unpredictable. We probe the nature of organizations, their behavior, their culture, how they change, and the human impact of those changes. Students will conduct a criteria-based examination of a specific organization, exploring the question, "What is a world-class organization?" We will also investigate proven approaches for managing change and transition in organizations.
This course examines the fundamental accounting principles underlying the balance sheet, income statement, statement of stockholders' equity and statement of cash flows. An emphasis is placed on financial analysis as a basis for operational and financial decision-making within various companies and industries. Key internal accounting and operating controls are identified as a basis for the processing of critical business and transactional information through the accounting and operating systems of an organization.
This course focuses on the economic operating environment and examines the underlying assumptions, concepts and methods of microeconomics and macroeconomics, with emphasis placed on the application of economics to managerial decision-making. Competing economic theories and the role of economic institutions will be investigated. This course is also intended to raise economic awareness in business leaders to enhance responsible and ethical engagement with the economy. Prerequisite: This course is for part-time MBA students.
In this course, you will examine marketing strategy from idea generation and existing product/service development to positioning the product/service in the consumer or business market and communicating the value offering. Identify marketing research and analysis tools and techniques to inform marketing decision-making. Learn how to successfully guide a digital-first marketing operation and manage decisions that include ethical considerations, privacy, emerging tech, social responsibility and sustainability, segmentation, targeting, pricing, delivery/distribution, and promotional strategies.
This course covers the fundamental concepts, techniques, and practices necessary for financial leadership within a broad variety of organizational settings. It is designed to help students develop the critical thinking and quantitative skills they need to make effective financial management decisions, mitigate risk, and maximize returns in the face of uncertainty and complexity. Topics will include the interpretation of financial statements, ratio analysis, cash flow, and financial forecasting. Students will emerge from the course with the financial leadership skills necessary to make sound investments related to talent, technology, and risk within organizations.
This course introduces practical ethical issues that arise in the work environment and the ethical tools to understand and inform day-to-day activities in the workplace. This course focuses on building understanding of ethical issues inherent in dealing with the structure of legal systems, business litigation, contracts, employment issues, intellectual property, competition and sales, and international law. The course will help students develop the ability to anticipate and recognize key legal issues for ethical decision making. Christian values run throughout the course and are covered specifically in several topics. Prerequisite: This course is for students in MBA Part-time program.
This course will prepare students to take the lead on key initiatives in a broad array of fields within the private, public, and non-profit sectors by developing skills in project management and process improvement. Students will be introduced to the Project Management Institute (PMI) approach to assembling and leading teams for effective initiation, planning, execution, monitoring/control, and closure of projects, including Agile and Lean methods. Students will work in collaborative teams to define and propose solutions to address strategic opportunities and solve critical problems.
This course prepares students to be more effective users of quantitative data and better researchers focused on business decisions. Coursework emphasizes problem identification, the need for information to support decision making, business research techniques, data analysis, and interpretation. Specific attention will be given to separating information from noise, exploratory data analysis, predictive analytics, and optimization to support business decision-making.
This course will explore the key elements of self, team, and organizational leadership. Students will examine both the beliefs and behaviors required of effective leadership and how to align them for maximum impact. Through the use of presentations, small group discussion, personal assessments, and assignments, students will gain a deeper understanding of their current leadership abilities and what is required of them to become world-class leaders.
The focus is on the use of design thinking processes and the application of design thinking tools appropriate to situational context necessary for problem-solving and strategy formulation. The course contrasts the traditional, linear approach to problem-solving and strategy formulation with a more holistic, systems thinking approach. The objective, therefore, is to not only increase awareness and understanding of design thinking, but importantly enable learners to apply design thinking tools relative to business strategy to better navigate the challenges of complexity and change faced by leaders in any organization, in any industry today.
The Client/Capstone project is an opportunity for MBA students to apply what they have learned in their program to a project in a client environment. The course serves as an integrative, hands-on learning experience using analysis, management, and planning tools gained during the MBA, resulting in a major project that is implemented in a client environment. Students (individually or in teams) will work with a faculty mentor and a representative from the client organization to detail the specific requirements for the capstone. Work on the project will begin in BUSG 598 and be completed in BUSG 599.
The Client/Capstone project is an opportunity for MBA students to apply what they have learned in their program to a project in a client environment. The course serves as an integrative, hands-on learning experience using analysis, management, and planning tools gained during the MBA, resulting in a major project that is implemented in a client environment. Students will work with a faculty mentor and a representative from the client organization to detail the specific requirements for the capstone. This course will continue the work begun in BUSG 598.