Division of Business

Mission of the MBA Program

The mission of the Master of Business Administration program is to equip graduate students from a Christ-centered perspective, building on foundational business principles, with the interpersonal, critical thinking, and analytical skills to empower them to become servant leaders in a global community.

Admission Requirements

Admission to Unclassified Status

Students who do not wish to pursue a degree but who are eligible for graduate study may take up to six graduate credit hours in the Robert W. Plaster College of Business. Applicants who have not completed the application process are also placed in this status until requirements are met.

Admission to Classified Status

Students may be fully admitted or conditionally admitted to the graduate program. Classified status students are admitted to the program in one of four classification categories:

Fully Admitted - The student meets all admission standards and has been admitted to the program of study.
Conditionally Admitted
1. Academic Probationary Admission - The student meets all admission standards except that the student does not present a 2.75 grade point average. This student may be admitted as a probationary student pending completion of nine credits of graduate level work with grades of “B” or better.
2. Senior Admission - During the last year of their baccalaureate degree program, a current SBU student can apply for admission to the Master in Business Administration program. During this same timeframe, the individual can begin taking graduate courses as a dually-enrolled student if:
  1. The total number of hours taken does not exceed 18 semester hours, which includes no more than nine semester hours of graduate courses.
  2. The student has a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75.
  3. The student completes the bachelor degree at the end of a two-semester period.
  4. The student meets all other standards for admission.

A student seeking admission to the Master of Business Administration program will need the following:

Bachelor or master degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
Minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale.
Completed “Application for Admission to the Robert W. Plaster College of Business Master of Business Administration Program.”
Official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended.
Additional information or interview as requested by the Program Director or Dean.
Pay Application/New Student fee.

International Students

International students must meet the admission requirements for the MBA program. As part of the admissions process, an international credential evaluation is required which reports prior university study. SBU accepts evaluations from World Education Services (WES), found at www.wes.org or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) found at www.ece.org. An official international credential evaluation should come directly to Southwest Baptist University electronically or through the mail in a sealed envelope. Transfer credit will be applied according to information reported on the official evaluation. International students who transfer work to SBU from foreign institutions are responsible for any evaluation fees associated with the transfer of credits. A letter of acceptance will be issued only when an applicant is found eligible for admission.

Prerequisites

The Master of Business Administration program requires that students have prior knowledge in certain areas of study before fully pursuing the MBA. The prerequisite of prior knowledge is required for three reasons:

It establishes a baseline level of knowledge for all MBA students.
Having a baseline level of knowledge helps to ensure SBU offers a quality MBA program.
Ensuring each student has a given level of knowledge in the vital disciplines related to the MBA translates into a greater likelihood of student success in completing the program.

Each student will discuss the option to take the MBA Inbound Assessment with the MBA Director to ensure the student is prepared for graduate level work. The MBA Inbound Assessment is comprised of the following subjects: Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management, Marketing, Statistics, and APA writing format. Based on the results of the student’s assessment results will determine whether leveling module(s) or prerequisite course(s) will be required. Each student must earn a score of 80 or higher in each of the subject areas to meet the prerequisite requirements.

If a student does not earn a score of 80 or higher in each subject, the student will be required to take the leveling module associated with that subject. If the student earns a score of 80 or higher in the leveling module, they will show sufficient background knowledge to be able to succeed in the MBA program, and meet that subject’s prerequisite requirement. If the student does not earn a score of 80 or higher in the leveling course, that student will be required to take the prerequisite course to satisfy the prerequisite requirement.

Transfer Credit

Nine graduate semester hours completed at another regionally accredited institution may be transferred and applied to the degree. These credits must be comparable to courses offered at Southwest Baptist University and must be approved by the Graduate Council or the Dean of the Robert W. Plaster College of Business.

Degree Requirements

Students are eligible to graduate after fulfilling the requirements described below. Students who enroll in another college or university without prior permission of the Division Head or Coordinator of Graduate Business are considered to have withdrawn from Southwest Baptist University. Students wishing to transfer work from another institution and not withdraw from Southwest Baptist University must obtain prior approval from the Coordinator of Graduate Business as well as the Dean of the Robert W. Plaster College of Business.

Master of Business Administration

To receive the MBA degree, a student must:

Meet all graduate admission standards, including completion of a baccalaureate degree, and completion of admission application and file.
Complete a plan of graduate study consisting of at least 27 semester hours.
Maintain a graduate level GPA of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale with no grade below a C (2.00). Students receiving two grades of “F” are automatically dismissed from the graduate program. Students may reapply for admission after a mandatory one-year suspension.
Complete all degree requirements within a five-year period following admission to the graduate degree program.

Outbound Assessment

As part of the degree requirements, each student is required to pass a comprehensive examination at or near the end of their study. The examination will test the extent to which the student can analyze, synthesize, and apply that which has been learned from the various graduate study experiences.

Program of Study and Academic Regulations

The MBA degree program consists of 36 credit hours. Everyone enrolled in the MBA program will complete the MBA core of 27 credit hours. All MBA students will select a 9 credit hour concentration, in addition to the MBA CORE, to complete the total 36 credit hour MBA program. The Master’s program of study is based upon the belief that experienced administrators should have a working knowledge of business on which to build.

Dual-Listed Courses

The MBA program has courses that are dual listed at the undergraduate level. The dual-listed courses offer undergraduate students an opportunity to complete an MBA course before they graduate and earn credit toward their graduate degree. Students are eligble to complete a maximum of 12 graduate credits (4 courses) before they complete their bachelor’s degree. These 4 courses are included in the student’s undergraduate major and corresponding MBA concentration.

Eligible students must be in their last two years of undergraduate study to enroll in a dual-listed course. The dual-listed course will be a 3000 or 4000 level course, but is taught at the MBA level. Prior to the start of the course, if the student wants the course to count as graduate level credit, the student will do so by completing the Pre-Course Survey. The MBA Director will give that information to the Registrar who will post both the undergraduate and graduate grade at the end of the course.

The following dual-listed courses options are:

ACC 4113 - Accounting Concepts for Managers
ACC/BUS/MKT 4203 - Data Analytics
BUS 4053 - Global Business
BUS 4213 - Processing Data for Decision Making
FIN 4003 - Financial Management
LDR 4063 - Leadership Development
MGT 4043 - Organizational Behavior and Servant Leadership
MGT 4063 - Entreprenuership
MKT 3033 - Consumer Behavior
MKT 4253 - Digital and Social Media Marketing
MKT 4263 - Strategic Marketing