Business Administration
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Program Requirements
Graduate Business Programs
238 Elliott Hall (map)
(248) 370-3287 course
OUgradbusiness@oakland.edu
http://www.oakland.edu/business/grad
Program Director:
Paul Trumbull
238B Elliott Hall
(248) 370-3287
trumbull@oakland.edu
Program Description
A program leading to the Master of Business Administration (MBA) with special emphasis in information technology and international business is offered by the School of Business Administration. It is designed to educate students for managerial roles in private, public, or not-for-profit sectors of the economy.
The MBA program is designed for undergraduate majors from any discipline, including business or management. It is preferred that students with an undergraduate degree in business or one of the functional areas of management have two years of work experience before entering the MBA program. A typical entering class may consist of undergraduate majors from engineering, the natural sciences, the social sciences, computer science, mathematics, business, health care, education and the humanities.
The program is based on the belief that an education in management should:
Prepare students for careers involving problem identification, problem solving, decision making and leadership in any type of organization
Emphasize the determination of goals and the effective utilization of scarce resources
Help students understand and effectively interact with the emerging workplace issues of globalization and diversity
Assist students in understanding the effects of, and successfully deal with, the changing social, legal, ethical and technological environments of the organization
Stress understanding of human behavior and the organizational setting, for much of management relates to people - understanding them, communicating with them, working with them, and leading them
Stress the importance of the management of information technology resources in the successful operation of an organization.
Students in the MBA program may choose to focus their elective work in one of the ten areas of concentration offered at Oakland University or select to choose from a variety of elective courses for more general study. Currently, the MBA program at Oakland University has areas of concentration in business analytics, business economics, entrepreneurship, finance, human resource management, international business, management information systems, marketing, production/operations management, and supply chain management.
Program Delivery
Evening and online courses combined with a wide selection of concentrations means students can easily customize the MBA program to meet their unique career goals.
Length of Program
The MBA degree is awarded upon satisfactory completion of 36 credits in an approved program of study.
Full-time students normally take 9 credits (three courses) in each of the fall and winter semesters and 6 credits (two courses) in the summer semester. The full-time student can finish the complete 36-credit program in less than two years.
Part-time students taking six courses per year can finish the complete 36-credit program in two and two-thirds calendar years (32 months) in a year-round program.
Satisfactory Progress
The MBA program must be completed within six years from the date of entry into the program. The scheduling of MBA classes is based on the assumption that students will be enrolled in a standard part-time program: six courses per year (two courses in each of the 15-week fall, winter and summer semesters).
In accordance with university regulations, all course credits used to meet requirements of the MBA program must be earned within six years of the date that the MBA is awarded.
Application Terms and Application Deadlines
Before an applicant’s file can be reviewed for full program admission, all application documents must be received in Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning by the semester deadlines listed below. Incomplete applications will not be sent to departments for admission review.
July 15 for fall semester
November 15 for winter semester
March 1 for summer semester
May 1 for fall (September) admission
September 1 for winter (January) admission
January 1 for summer (May) admission
Application Requirements
To be considered for graduate admission, applicants must submit all Graduate Application Requirements and additional department requirements by the published application deadlines:
Online Application for Admission to Graduate School
Official transcripts providing evidence of an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. institution, OR a degree equivalent to a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree from a college or university of government-recognized standing.
Official transcripts for all post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned a degree (beginning with the first baccalaureate) and for all enrollment in graduate-level coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree.
As part of the admission requirements, graduate programs may require official transcripts from post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned an associate’s degree and all enrollment in coursework both pre- and post-bachelor’s degree.
International university transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation service. Oakland University will only accept transcript evaluations completed by a NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation service) member organization. Many applicants use World Educational Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). NACES membership can be confirmed by visiting www.naces.org/members.htm. Graduate programs requiring more detailed information may require an applicant to submit a course-by-course (or detailed) evaluation report rather than the general evaluation report. Official foreign transcripts will not be required by Oakland University since official transcripts must be submitted to and verified by the evaluation service. However, applicants must submit photocopies of their foreign transcripts with their application materials.
Recommendations - during the completion of your application, you must provide two email addresses for individuals who will write your recommendations. You should contact these individual prior to providing their email addresses. Your recommenders will receive an email from Oakland University Graduate School requesting that they submit their recommendation online.
Proof of English language proficiency
International supplemental application and supporting documentation must be submitted before international applicants can be issued the Certification of Eligibility (I-20). This certificate is required to apply for a student visa from the U.S. embassy or consulate.
Additional Department application requirements
Requirements for Recommendation:
One recommendation must be from faculty members or professionals in the field who can evaluate the scholarly achievement and potential of the applicant.Curriculum Vitae or Resumé
GMAT Policy
The GMAT/GRE is not required if you meet any of the following criteria:
Earned a master’s degree or higher with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 or has earned a 75th percentile score on the GRE, LSAT, or MCAT entrance exam
Earned a bachelor’s degree with an overall GPA of at least 3.0 from an AACSB-accredited business school
Earned a bachelor’s degree in any major with an overall GPA of at least 3.2 from a regionally accredited program
Completed a business-related certification such as CPA, CFA, CFP or FRM
Has at least 3 years of relevant professional work experience and an undergraduate overall GPA of at least 2.75
If an applicant does not meet any of the above criteria, it is recommended that they connect with the Graduate Business Programs Office to discuss GMAT preparation and or other options to be considered for admission.
Admission Review and Assessment
Admission to the Master of Business Administration degree program is selective and depends on several elements, including scholarship and an ability to communicate effectively. In making admission recommendations, the admission committee assesses the potential of applicants for success in the MBA program by examining their undergraduate records, their GMAT or GRE scores, their work experience, and their recommendation forms.
Program Requirements
The Master of Business Administration degree is awarded upon satisfactory completion of 36 credits in an approved program of study.
The MBA program consists of 3 parts: the core program, electives, if necessary, due to course waivers, and, potential electives based on waiver of core courses and/or desired concentration. If core classes are waived, elective courses are required to get up to the 36-credit requirement.
Course Requirements
a. Core Requirements
course Financial Accounting (3 credits)
course Managerial Accounting Systems (3 credits)
course Economics for Managers (3 credits)
course Financial Management ( 3 credits)
course International Business (3 credits)
course MGT 5500 - Legal Environment of Business (3 credits)
course Enterprise Information Systems (3 credits)
course Marketing Management (3 credits)
course Organizational Behavior (3 credits)
course Operations Management (3 credits)
course Quantitative Methods for Managers (3 credits)
Core Course Exemptions
Students may be exempted from some of the core courses if the applicant passed an equivalent undergraduate course at a regionally accredited or equivalent school with a grade of B- or above within the previous five years. Exemption from a core course will NOT reduce the total credit requirement for the MBA. The minimum for the degree is 36 credits.
Students exempted from a core course will be required to complete a graduate business elective. If the core course waived is course, course, course, course, or course, the graduate business elective must be in the same rubric. (For example, if you are waived from course, you will be required to complete an upper-level FIN course such as course Advanced Financial Management or course International Financial Management, etc). If you are waived from the core course course, you must complete a graduate business elective that includes international or global topics. Any course that fulfills the International Business Concentration will satisfy this requirement (see “Optional Concentrations”).
Exemptions from core courses are determined by the Office of Graduate Business Programs after an evaluation of the student’s transcript. A student will be allowed to take a core course from which he/she had been exempted only with prior written approval from the Office of Graduate Business Programs. Repeating waived courses may increase a student’s MBA program beyond the minimum of 36 credits.
b. Electives
Students will be required to select graduate business electives if waived from core courses to satisfy the minimum 36 credit hour requirement. As noted in “core course exemptions” some electives may be in designated rubrics if waived from course, course, course, course, course, and/or course. If you have three or more electives, you may earn a concentration. See “Optional Concentrations”.
c. Optional Concentrations
An MBA student may earn a concentration along with their MBA by completing a structured set of electives from one of the MBA concentrations. Each concentration requires three elective courses (9 credit hours). Students who are waived from at least three core classes may be able to complete a concentration within the 36 credits. Students who are not waived from core classes may earn a concentration by taking three electives in addition to their 36 credit MBA program. A maximum of two concentrations can be noted on their transcripts. An elective course cannot count toward more than one concentration.
The courses offerings are made in a variety of modalities and students have access to the Director of Graduate Business Student Services for advising.
1. Business Analytics Concentration (9 credits)
Required courses:
Choose one of the following:
course Practical Computing for Data Analytics (3 credits)
course Web Analytics (3 credits)
course Advanced Databases and Big Data Management (3 credits)
course Applied Data Analysis for Marketing & Business Strategy (3 credits)
course Operations Analytics (3 credits)
course Forecasting (3 credits)
course Management Science (3 credits)
2. Business Economics Concentration (9 credits)
Students are required to complete three electives from the following course offerings.
course Econometrics (3 credits)
course Seminar in Economic Policy (3 credits)
course Public Finance (3 credits)
course Economics of Health Care (3 credits)
course International Trade and Finance (3 credits)
course Economics of Industries (3 credits)
course Special Topics in Economics (3 credits)
course Independent Study in Economics ( 1 to 3 credits)
course International Financial Management (3 credits)
courseF Advanced Financial Management (3 credits)
course Forecasting (3 credits)
3. Entrepreneurship Concentration (9 credits)
To provide more background in the strategic aspects of entrepreneurship, startups and small businesses, the student would be required to complete the following program for a concentration in entrepreneurship:
course Entrepreneurship (3 credits)
Plus two electives from the following list:
course Federal Income Taxation for Business (3 credits)
course Advanced Financial Management (3 credits)
course Real Estate Investment Analysis (3 credits)
course Launching and Managing Small Businesses (3 credits)
course Business Ethics (3 credits)
course Special Topics in Entrepreneurship (3 credits)
course Independent Study in Entrepreneurship (3 credits)
course Marketing & Sustainability Management (3 credits)
course Applied Data Analysis for Marketing & Business Strategy (3 credits)
course Strategic Marketing ( 3 credits)
course Entrepreneurial Marketing (3 credits)
course Product and Brand Management (3 credits)
course Decision Making in Organizations (3 credits)
course Leadership and Group Performance (3 credits)
course Process Management (3 credits)
course Project Management (3 credits)
4. Finance Concentration (9 credits)
To provide more background in finance, the student would be required to complete three electives from the following list for a concentration in finance:
course Financial Reporting and Analysis (3 credits)
course Real Estate Investment Analysis (3 credits)
course Investment Analysis (3 credits)
course Financial Modeling (3 credits)
course Financial Institutions Management (3 credits)
course International Financial Management (3 credits)
course Advanced Financial Management (3 credits)
course Financial Data Analytics (3 credits)
course Deep Learning & Neural Networks in Finance (3 credits)
course Portfolio Management (3 credits)
course Fixed Income Analysis (3 credits)
course Derivatives and Risk Managment (3 credits)
course Special Topics in Finance (3 credits)
course Independent Study in Finance (1 TO 3 credits)
5. Human Resources Management Concentration (9 credits)
To provide more background in human resources management and personnel, the student would be required to complete the following for a concentration in human resources management:
course Strategic Human Resource Management (3 credits)
Plus two electives from the following list:
course Leading Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Organizations (3 credits)
course Labor-Management Relations (3 credits)
course Business Ethics (3 credits)
course Change Management (3 credits)
course Decision Making in Organizations (3 credits)
course Leadership and Group Performance (3 credits)
course Motivation and Work Behavior (3 credits)
course International Organizational Behavior and Human Resources (3 credits)
course Creativity (3 credits)
courseO Special Topics in Organizational Behavior (3 credits)
course Independent Study in Organizational Behavior ( 1 TO 3 credits)
6. International Business Concentration (9 credits)
To provide more background in international business, the student would be required to complete three electives from the following list for a concentration in international business:
course International Financial Accounting Standards and Reporting (3 credits)
course International Trade and Finance (3 credits)
course International Financial Management (3 credits)
course Leading Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Organizations (3 credits)
course Special Topics in International Business (3 credits)
course Independent Study in International Business ( 1 TO 3 credits)
course Managing Global Outsourcing of IT and IT Enabled Services (3 credits)
course Issues in International Information Technology (3 credits)
course International Marketing (3 credits)
course Product and Brand Management (3 credits)
course Customer and Supplier Relationships in the Global Enterprise (3 credits)
course International Organizational Behavior and Human Resources (3 credits)
7. Management Information Systems Concentration (9 credits)
To provide more background in MIS, the student would be required to complete three MIS electives for a concentration in management information systems.
course Practical Cyber Security Fundamentals (3 credits)
course IS Risk Analysis and Security Controls Development (3 credits)
course Business Analytics (3 credits)
course Practical Computing for Data Analytics (3 credits)
course Advanced Analytics with Python (3 credits)
course Web Analytics (3 credits)
course Introduction to Data Science (3 credits)
course Deep Learning and Text Analytics (3 credits)
course Introduction to Networks (3 credits)
course Network and Security Management (3 credits)
course IS Security (3 credits)
course Mobile Security and Secure Application Development (3 credits)
course Information Security Project (3 credits)
course Advanced Databases and Big Data Management (3 credits)
course Information Security Legal Compliance and Ethics (3 credits)
course Electronic Commerce (3 credits)
course Business Object Development (3 credits)
course IT Planning and Strategy (3 credits)
course Managing Global Outsourcing of IT and IT Enabled Services (3 credits)
course IS Privacy (3 credits)
course Intellectual Property and the Public Domain in the Age of Remix (3 credits)
course Issues in International Information Technology (3 credits)
course Special Topics in Management Information Systems (3 credits)
course Independent Study in Management Information Systems (1 to 3 credits)
course Operations Analytics (3 credits)
8. Marketing Concentration (9 credits)
To provide more background in marketing, the student would be required to complete three electives from the following list for a concentration in marketing:
course Marketing & Sustainability Management (3 credits)
course Applied Data Analysis for Marketing & Business Strategy (3 credits)
course Consumer Behavior (3 credits)
course Marketing Research (3 credits)
course Strategic Marketing ( 3 credits)
course Distribution Channels Management and Logistics (3 credits)
course Supply Chain Logistics (3 credits)
course International Marketing (3 credits)
course Entrepreneurial Marketing (3 credits)
course Business to Business Marketing (3 credits)
course Product and Brand Management (3 credits)
course Customer and Supplier Relationships in the Global Enterprise (3 credits)
course Special Topics in Marketing (3 credits)
course Independent Study in Marketing ( 1 TO 3 credits)
9. Production/Operations Management Concentration (9 credits)
To provide more background in production and operations management, the student would be required to complete the following for a concentration in production/operations management:
course Operations Planning and Control (3 credits)
Plus two electives from the following list:
course Cost Management (3 credits)
course Operations Analytics (3 credits)
course Management of Service Operations (3 credits)
course Process Management (3 credits)
course Supply Chain Management (3 credits)
course Cases in Operations Management (3 credits)
course Project Management (3 credits)
course Special Topics in Production and Operations Management (3 credits)
course Independent Study in Production and Operations Management (1 TO 3 credits)
course Forecasting (3 credits)
10. Supply Chain Management Concentration (9 credits)
To provide more background in supply chain management, the student would be required to complete three electives from the following list for a concentration in supply chain management. POM 6420 will be required for all students who do not have previous coursework in supply chain management.
course Supply Chain Purchasing (3 credits)
course Distribution Channels Management and Logistics (3 credits)
course Supply Chain Logistics (3 credits)
course Customer and Supplier Relationships in the Global Enterprise (3 credits)
course Process Management (3 credits)
course Supply Chain Management (3 credits)
d. Exit (Integrative Business Policy Course)
Both of the integrative business policy courses, MGT 5350 and MGT 5360, draw on all the coursework in the core of the MBA program in the analysis of real world cases in a team setting. Either MGT 5350 or MGT 5360 is required of all MBA degree candidates.
course Policy, Strategy and Goals (3 credits)
or
course Policy, Strategy and Goals-International (3 credits)
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the term used to denote a student’s successful completion of coursework toward a certificate or degree. Federal regulations require the Office of Financial Aid to monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress for all financial aid recipients each semester.
Students who fall behind in their coursework, or fail to achieve minimum standards for grade point average and completion of classes, may lose their eligibility for all types of federal, state and university aid. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for additional details.
Good Academic Standing
All graduate students are expected to remain in good Academic Standing throughout the entire course of their graduate program. To be in good academic standing, a graduate student must make satisfactory progress toward fulfilling degree requirements, including the completion of critical degree milestones as set forth by the academic program. The student must also maintain a minimum semester and overall GPA of 3.0.
Good academic standing is a requirement for:
Holding a Graduate Assistantship
Receiving a fellowship or scholarship
Advancing to candidacy for a graduate degree
Going on a leave of absence
Obtaining a graduate certificate or degree from Oakland University.
Additionally, graduate students must meet all department academic standards which may be more stringent than the minimum set forth by the University.
Department requirements: In accordance with the university requirements for graduate students, a grade-point average of 3.0 is required for graduation. Students, therefore, should maintain at least a 3.0 GPA. Students may be dismissed if they do not maintain a GPA of 3.0 or appropriate progress toward the degree as determined by the Office of Graduate Business Programs. Any course resulting in a grade below 2.0 must be repeated.
Graduate students who are not in good academic standing for any reason are subject to probation and/or dismissal from further graduate study.
Related Program Information
Plan of Study
All accepted applicants, in consultation with their assigned faculty program adviser, must develop a plan of study that details specific courses the students will use to satisfy their degree requirements. The plan of study must be approved by the faculty program adviser and submitted by the student to Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning.
Master’s and graduate certificate students must submit a department-approved plan of study by the end of their first semester of graduate coursework. Doctoral students must submit an approved plan of study prior to completion of the first year of coursework. (See the Graduate Student Responsibility section of this catalog.)
Note: Credit granted for successful completion of a course toward an undergraduate degree program may not be repeated for a graduate degree. If a substitution is approved, the minimum number of program-approved graduate credits will be required. A Petition of Exception - OU Course Waiver/ Substitution requesting the substitution must be approved.