Business Administration - Project Management & Process Improvement Concentration, MBA

UHD’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program is structured to help current and aspiring business leaders develop the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in today’s fast-paced business environment. The Marilyn Davies College of Business designed this career-friendly option for working professionals who want to pursue their studies while continuing to work. It fits the needs of those who have earned an undergraduate degree in business administration and those who hold a bachelor’s degree in an unrelated area and want the flexibility, expertise, and earning power of an MBA.

All UHD MBA courses use a concentrated hybrid, eight-week format combing face-to-face meetings with online instruction and interaction. Students may select the concentration sequence to earn a professional certificate in that concentration. Each of the courses in the concentration were built with industry input to assure value and relevance in the marketplace. Students in each class will meet for a single session each week and will complete the equivalent of work online. This delivery method is career-friendly because it allows focus on one or two courses each term while maintaining work-life balance for the students.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for the UHD MBA are designed to identify applicants who have the ability, interest, and qualities necessary to complete the program, with the potential to contribute to the field of business. Prospective students who do not have an undergraduate degree in business are welcome to apply and may need to complete leveling courses which will cover business fundamentals as part of their program.

Application Requirements for Full Admission into the MBA

To be considered for admission, an applicant is required to submit the following:

Baccalaureate degree conferred by a regionally-accredited institution.
Official University transcript(s) from which the applicant earned Bachelor’s degree and/or Advanced degree(s) (if applicable).
Complete the ApplyTexas application at www.applytexas.org.
Resume documenting work experience that emphasizes personal and professional accomplishments and leadership experience.
Two recommendation forms from individuals acquainted with the applicant’s leadership capabilities.
A personal statement addressing why the applicant desires an MBA from UHD, as well as other circumstances the applicant desires to share with the admissions committee (optional).
GMAT score less than 5 years old.
For graduates of universities in a country where English is not the native language: minimum IBT TOEFL scores of 81 or an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher.

Preferences

Undergraduate GPA of 3.0, or higher, on a 4-point scale for the final 60 semester hours of study.
Applicant’s letter should demonstrate strong writing skills, expressed desire to work at the management level, commitment to completing the degree, and strong rationale for wanting this specific degree.
Letters of recommendation should come from persons sufficiently acquainted with the student to be able to comment on the potential to successfully complete a graduate program and should provide evidence of applicant’s excellent critical thought, motivation, study and writing skills, and/or a strong overall faculty recommendation.

Application Requirements for a Graduate Certificate in the Marilyn Davies College of Business

Baccalaureate degree conferred by a regionally-accredited institution
Official University transcript(s) from which the applicant earned Bachelor’s degree and/or advanced degree(s) (if applicable).
Complete the ApplyTexas application at www.applytexas.org.
Resume documenting work experience that emphasizes personal and professional accomplishments and leadership experience.
For graduates of universities in a country where English is not the native language: minimum IBT TOEFL scores of 81 or an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher.

Admissions Process

Applications are managed through the graduate admissions office. Once students have completed the application process, the Graduate Admissions office notifies the Office of Graduate Studies in the Marilyn Davies College of Business that the student’s application package is ready for review.

The files are submitted to the MBA Admissions Committee for consideration. The committee assesses the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses, completes a Decision Review Sheet, and makes a recommendation (accept or deny) to the Associate Dean of the Marilyn Davies College of Business.

The Marilyn Davies College of Business Graduate Office will communicate to the student stating whether or not they have been accepted. The letter gives the student instructions on taking leveling courses, attending an orientation for new students, or contacting the graduate admissions office if there are questions.

Program Outcomes

Graduates of the UHD MBA program will be able to:

LO 1.1: Identify drivers of industry and organizational change and be able to predict the impact of change on organizational performance.
LO 1.2: Design, implement, evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of organizational strategies, making necessary amendments during this process.
LO 2.1: Apply concepts and decision models in financial accounting, statistics, organizational behavior, finance, economics, marketing, information systems management, and operations management to make business decisions.
LO 2.2: Recognize the characteristics of situations requiring specific leadership style and apply the appropriate style.
LO 3.1: Identify similarities and differences among cultural environments that impact organizational activities.
LO 3.2: Identify and critically analyze salient legal and ethical responsibilities in business issues.

General Degree Requirements

Students who hold an undergraduate degree from an AACSB accredited program in a field of business administration may be deemed to be prepared for graduate study if the degree is not more than ten years old and if the core courses were completed with a grade of “C” (or equivalent) or higher. Students who hold an undergraduate degree in a field other than business administration or in business from a non-AACSB accredited program may be required to demonstrate preparation for graduate study in business. These students could be required to complete one or more 5000 level courses in order to gain the basic theoretical concepts and tools that are the foundations for graduate management study.

The 5000 level courses serve as prerequisites for the graduate business courses and may be required for students who did not take the equivalent courses as part of their baccalaureate program, have a degree in business from a non-AACSB accredited program, or for students with a baccalaureate degree from a non-U.S. university. The graduate 5000 level courses do not apply to the MBA degree. When a student is admitted to the program, they are notified of courses that must be taken. Students are not allowed to register for 5000 level courses without specific approval.

The 5000 level courses are condensed to the essential core knowledge that a student must possess in order to pursue graduate business study. The foundation set of management 5000 level courses consists of up to eight on-line courses designed to provide concepts important to study in the Marilyn Davies College of Business. All 5000 level courses are two (2) semester credit hours (SCH) each.

16 hours Leveling Courses

Total: (16 hours)

Core and Concentration Courses

The Master of Business Administration degree requires satisfactory completion of the required credit hours offered for the selected concentration by the College of Business. The required courses and concentrations are outlined below:

Core Courses w/o Concentration Equivalent

Total: (20 hours)

Concentration in Project Management & Process Improvement

Total: (19 hours)

Total: (39 hours)

Additional Requirements

Minimum Grade Point Average to remain in the MBA program

While enrolled in any graduate program, students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Sections 3.4 and 3.5 of UHD Policy 03.A.07 (Academic Probation and Suspension) outline the procedures related to probation, suspension, and satisfactory progress for graduate students. A student whose cumulative graduate GPA drops below 3.0 is placed and probation and must maintain a 3.0 or higher semester GPA in each subsequent semester until the cumulative graduate GPA is raised to 3.0 or above.

A graduate student on probation who does not achieve a graduate program GPA of at least 3.0 in the subsequent term will be suspended from the university. After one year, a suspended student may apply for reinstatement, at the discretion of the Graduate Director or coordinator of the program. A graduate student who receives grades of “C” in 9 or more graduate semester hours is subject to dismissal. According to UHD’s Grading System policy (PS 03.A.04), below average work (grades of “D” or “F”) is not acceptable and constitutes grounds for a graduate student’s dismissal from the program. Please note that according to the university grading policy, “All credit hours attempted as part of a graduate degree will be calculated in the GPA.” Transferred grades, from other institutions, are not calculated in a graduate student’s GPA. Please note that a graduate program may have more stringent requirements on C grades or probation/suspension, so students should consult their program handbook or website for these more specific restrictions.

Transfer of Graduate Credits

A maximum of 6 credit hours may be transferred from another AACSB accredited university. A minimum grade of B is required for the course to transfer. All petitions for transfer credit must be submitted to the Marilyn Davies College of Business Graduate Admissions Committee at the time of application for the committee’s approval.

Attendance Policy

Students enrolled in the UHD MBA program are expected to attend all scheduled classes. These are hybrid courses that meet half the normal class time; therefore, absences can be detrimental to academic performance and should be avoided. However, working professionals occasionally may have unavoidable absences as a result of unexpected business travel or other emergencies. It is the students’ responsibility to inform professors of the nature of the absences at the earliest practical opportunity, preferably in advance. Students are responsible for all information and assignments from missed classes. In cases where absences reach a frequency that, in the professor’s opinion, make it unlikely that the student can successfully complete the course, withdrawal from class will be recommended.