Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Professional Accreditations or Memberships:
The Master of Business Administration program (MBA) is accredited by AACSB International – the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Fewer than 5 percent of business programs worldwide and less than 30 percent in the United States meet the rigorous standards of quality set by AACSB International.
Goals of the MBA Program
The goals of the MBA program are to provide a graduate education that develops students’ knowledge of critical business issues and current management strategies; and prepares these students for advanced management positions and entrepreneurial ventures. The program covers a variety of concepts and analytical tools. It presumes that an executive must know how to obtain and evaluate relevant information; approach tasks logically, systematically and in teams; analyze problems; arrive at reasonable generalizations; develop creative solutions; work in a diverse environment; and direct action to achieve concrete results. The MBA program includes examination of the impact of both domestic and global environments on an organization’s operation.
The MBA program focus is on the needs of mature students who have the educational background, experience, and degree of intellectual curiosity essential for graduate-level study. The classes are open to master’s degree candidates and special students who meet the admission criteria. Students can choose to complete the program on campus or fully online. The MBA degree can be finished in as few as 12 months although many students are part-time and move at their own pace. All of the MBA courses are offered in a seven-week format and students may begin the program at six points throughout the year (two per semester). The MBA program requires a concentration. There are seven concentrations available and students must complete a minimum of one concentration but may complete up to a maximum of three. Courses are offered both on campus in the evening and online.
Foundation Courses
All MBA candidates must have or obtain knowledge of fundamentals in the following areas: accounting, economics, finance, and statistics. Students who have not completed college courses in these areas through previous studies (with a grade of C or better) will be required to complete the following foundation courses (with a grade of C or better):
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MBA 502 | Accounting and Finance Fundamentals For Business | 2 |
| MBA 512 | Foundations in Statistics and Economics | 2 |
Foundations courses must be completed prior to taking any 700-level required core or concentration courses in those areas (e.g. MBA 502 Accounting and Finance Fundamentals For Business is required prior to MBA 702 Managerial Accounting and MBA 732 Corporate Financial Management). Please note that most MBA courses also require a working knowledge of MS Excel and students are encouraged to strengthen that knowledge in preparation for coursework.
MBA Consortium
In an effort to offer additional MBA courses on occasion, the MBA consortium was developed and used. The participating universities are UW-Parkside, UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, and UW-Oshkosh.
Elective courses may also be offered through the consortium, but must be approved by the MBA program director or adviser prior to registration. MBA consortium courses taken for elective credit from non-UW-Parkside instructors are considered transfer courses and therefore subject to the 6-credit transfer rule.
Communicate with the MBA program director or advisor for additional information.
Note: MBA consortium classes are only approved for students on an exceptional basis.
Transfer Policy
Graduate-level work completed at other AACSB accredited institutions may be transferred only toward the MBA required core courses at UW-Parkside but are subject to the following provisions:
- A maximum of 6 credits may be transferred toward required core courses (all courses toward a concentration must be completed at UW-Parkside);
- Only courses with a grade of B or better can be transferred;
- The student must petition for the transfer upon admission to the program. Transfer credit will be formally granted after the student has successfully completed a minimum of 8 semester hours of graduate course work at UW-Parkside;
- The courses that the student is requesting to transfer must form an integral part of the student’s proposed program of study;
- An admitted student who plans to take a course at another institution and transfer it back to UW-Parkside must obtain prior permission from the MBA program director.
Additional Program Policies
- Students delaying entry after admission to the MBA program will be covered under the policies and will have to meet the requirements that are in effect at the time at which they complete their first course toward the MBA program.
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Students are required to apply for graduation through the Office of the Registrar by the appropriate deadlines.
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Students may switch from face-to-face to fully online (or vice versa) only once.
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Students are required to complete a minimum of one concentration to complete requirements for the MBA degree program. Students may elect to complete up to a maximum of three concentrations as they work toward their degree. Concentrations must be declared at the beginning of their studies and must be completed prior to graduation. Each course taken can only count toward one concentration. If you utilize financial aid, reimbursement options, or are an athlete, please check on eligibility requirements before declaring multiple concentrations. For students that do not choose a concentration at application, the default is general management.
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Students in MBA Online classes have a registration deadline of the Tuesday prior to the first day of the class.
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Students in MBA online classes are required to pay tuition prior to the first day of class and will be dropped for non-payment if this deadline is not met.
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Students in the online program are not eligible to take courses through the MBA consortium program.
Graduate Distinction
Students who earn a cumulative graduate grade point average of 3.83 or higher will graduate “with distinction” from the MBA program.
Beta Gamma Sigma is the honor society serving business programs accredited by AACSB International. Beta Gamma Sigma faculty members invite qualified business students for membership based on academic excellence.
Requirements for the Master of Business Administration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| MBA 700 | Creative and Innovative Management | 2 |
| MBA 702 | Managerial Accounting | 2 |
| MBA 715 | Advanced Operations Management | 2 |
| MBA 716 | Project Management | 2 |
| MBA 720 | Information Technology for Business Decision Making | 2 |
| MBA 732 | Corporate Financial Management | 2 |
| MBA 741 | Contemporary Challenges in Managing Organizations | 2 |
| MBA 742 | Leadership: Theory, Application, and Skill Development | 2 |
| MBA 746 | Advanced Global Management | 2 |
| MBA 752 | Marketing Management | 2 |
| MBA 793 | Competitive Decision Making | 2 |
| MBA 796 | Advanced Strategic Management 1 | 2 |
| Concentration Courses 2 | ||
| Select one concentration | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
- 1
MBA 796 Advanced Strategic Management should be completed in the last fall, spring, or summer session prior to graduation.
- 2
Other MBA elective classes may count toward a concentration with the approval of the MBA program director or advisor.
Required course waivers: A student may be waived out of the required graduate course in the functional area in which the student has completed a major (or equivalent). A student waived out of a required course must take an additional elective course that is approved by the MBA advisor.
Concentration Options
Students are required to complete a minimum of one concentration to complete requirements for the MBA degree program. Students may elect to complete up to a maximum of three concentrations as they work toward their degree. Concentrations must be declared at the beginning of their studies and must be completed prior to graduation. Each elective course taken can only count toward one concentration. If you utilize financial aid, reimbursement options, or are an athlete, please check on eligibility requirements before declaring multiple concentrations.
Data Analytics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MBA 729 | Technologies For Data Analytics | 2 |
| Select two of the following: | 4 | |
| Social Media Marketing | ||
| Optimization Techniques | ||
| Supply Chain Analytics | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Finance
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three of the following: | 6 | |
| Financial Technology and Innovation | ||
| Investments | ||
| International Financial Management | ||
| Financial Institution Management | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Global Management
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MBA 718 | Global Supply Chain Management | 2 |
| MBA 735 | International Financial Management | 2 |
| MBA 750 | Global Marketing Management | 2 |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Marketing
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three of the following: | 6 | |
| Global Marketing Management | ||
| Integrated Marketing Communications | ||
| Sales and Key Account Management | ||
| Social Media Marketing | ||
| Product Management | ||
| Digital Marketing | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Human Resources
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three of the following: | 6 | |
| Strategic Compensation | ||
| Strategic Human Resource Management | ||
| Workforce Planning and Staffing | ||
| Performance Management | ||
| Employee Training and Development | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Supply Chain Management
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three of the following: | 6 | |
| Global Supply Chain Management | ||
| Supply Chain Analytics | ||
| Strategic Sourcing in Digital Supply Chains | ||
| Sustainable Logistics and Disaster Management | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Accounting
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three of the following: | 6 | |
| Financial Statement Analysis and Business Valuation | ||
| Auditing and Forensic Accounting Methods | ||
| Corporate Taxation for Managers | ||
| Accounting Data Analytics | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Program and Project Management
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three of the following: | 6 | |
| Agile and Waterfall Project Management | ||
| Resource Management and Budgeting | ||
| Project Leadership and Change Management | ||
| Team Building and Communications in Projects | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
General Management
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three of the following: 1 | 6 | |
| Global Supply Chain Management | ||
| Technologies For Data Analytics | ||
| Financial Technology and Innovation | ||
| Investments | ||
| International Financial Management | ||
| Financial Institution Management | ||
| Global Marketing Management | ||
| Integrated Marketing Communications | ||
| Sales and Key Account Management | ||
| Social Media Marketing | ||
| Digital Marketing | ||
| Optimization Techniques | ||
| Supply Chain Analytics | ||
| Strategic Sourcing in Digital Supply Chains | ||
| Sustainable Logistics and Disaster Management | ||
| Agile and Waterfall Project Management | ||
| Resource Management and Budgeting | ||
| Project Leadership and Change Management | ||
| Team Building and Communications in Projects | ||
| Strategic Compensation | ||
| Strategic Human Resource Management | ||
| Workforce Planning and Staffing | ||
| Performance Management | ||
| Employee Training and Development | ||
| Financial Statement Analysis and Business Valuation | ||
| Auditing and Forensic Accounting Methods | ||
| Corporate Taxation for Managers | ||
| Accounting Data Analytics | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
- 1
Any MBA course not being used to fulfill requirements for core or an additional concentration may be used to fulfill requirements for this concentration.
University Requirements for Master’s Degree Programs
To receive a master’s degree from UW-Parkside, students must meet the following minimum requirements (note that individual programs may impose more stringent requirements):
- Complete at least 30 graduate credits, of which no more than 12 may be transferred from another institution.
- Have an overall GPA of at least 3.00 for all graduate work taken at UW-Parkside that is applicable to the degree program.
- Satisfy all requirements of the graduate degree program.
Students may take no more than seven years to complete a degree, beginning with the semester in which they complete their first course as a UW-Parkside degree-seeking graduate student, unless they apply for and receive an extension through the appropriate graduate program. Some programs may impose a shorter time limit. To graduate, students must file a request for graduation. The request form, signed by the student’s advisor and filed in the appropriate graduate program office, initiates the final review of the candidate’s records. Students also need to apply to graduate with the Office of the Registrar.
For admission into the Master of Business Administration online program, students must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and provide transcripts from all accredited institutions previously attended.
Applicants to the program must submit:
- A completed application (available online) and a non-refundable application fee;
- Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended other than UW-Parkside, for both undergraduate and graduate-level studies. Transcripts must be sent directly to the UW-Parkside Admissions Office from all post-secondary institutions to be considered in the admission decision.
- The GMAT is waived for applicants. Students with less than a 2.75 undergraduate GPA will have to provide additional documents, including an updated resume.
- International students must also submit evidence of English proficiency (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS score), transcript evaluations from a foreign credentials evaluation service, and sponsorship form (see the MBA website for additional information).
Official transcripts from all institutions attended should be mailed directly from the institution(s) to:
Admissions Office
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
900 Wood Road
Kenosha, WI 53141-2000.