2012-2014 Graduate Bulletin

VI. Graduate Programs

Division of Extended Academic Programs

School of Extended Studies
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
MBA Program Description
MBA Admission Requirements
MBA Degree Requirements
General Business (MBA)
Master of Arts in Administration (MAA)
MAA Program Description
MAA Admission Requirements
Applied Administration Concentration (MAA)
Healthcare Administration (MAA)
Organizational Development Concentration (MAA)
Master of Science in Business Administration (MSBA)
MS in Business Administration Admission Requirements
MS in Business Administration Degree Requirements
Graduate Certificates
Organizational Development Certificate (GCOD)

SCHOOL OF EXTENDED STUDIES

Business Degrees: The School of Extended Studies offers the following degree programs: a Master of Business Administration (MBA), a Master of Science in Business Administration (MSBA), and an administrative degree, the Master of Arts in Administration (MAA) degree. The MAA degree program has concentrations in Applied Administration, Healthcare Administration, and Organizational Development. Classes are held at two off-main campus locations.
Certificates: A Graduate Certificate in Organizational Development is also available.

Certificates: A Graduate Certificate in Organizational Development is also available.

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEGREE PROGRAM (MBA)

(This is a business degree and is fully-accredited under ACBSP guidelines.)

MBA Program Description

The MBA degree program seeks to develop in each student a broad understanding of how the elements and processes of business organizations relate to one another and to the external environment. Degree requirements are designed to develop proficiency and confidence in all of the functional areas of business.
In addition to providing the technical skills required for an executive-level business position, the degree also emphasizes ethical considerations of doing business. The program is supported by experienced faculty with expertise in all functional areas of business.

MBA Admission Requirements

Admission to the MBA program (Tier I) will be granted to applicants who satisfy all general requirements for admission to graduate studies.

Baccalaureate degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0,
Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work,
An evaluation by the graduate program advisor, and
A completed application with a writing sample.
Evidence of completion of the Common Professional Components (CPCs); an adequate foundation in:

Accounting I & II
Management Information Systems
Economics (Macro and Micro)
Statistics and Quantitative Techniques
Global Environment
Marketing
Legal Environment
Management

lternate Admission (Tier II) to the MBA program will be granted to applicants who satisfy the requirements for Tier II Admission:
- Baccalaureate degree with a GPA of 2.5-2.99,
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work,
- An evaluation by the graduate program advisor, and
- A completed application with a writing sample.
- Evidence of completion of the Common Professional Components (CPCs); an adequate foundation in:
- First four courses attempted in the program will be used to assess readiness. These courses are specified below based on program concentration. Completion of all four courses with a grad of “B” (3.0) or better is required before any other courses may be taken in the program. The four required courses for the General Business concentration are:
- Any course in the four required courses for admission with an earned grade of “C” may be retaken only once. If student fails to make the required grade in the first four required, Tier II student will be dismissed from the program and will not be permitted to progress in the program.
- The Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT) is not required for Tier II admission.
- Probationary Admission to the MBA program (Tier III) will be granted to applicants who satisfy all general requirements for admission noted above with the exception of:
The Tier III admission requirements are:
- Baccalaureate degree with a GPA of 2.0-2.49,
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work,
- An evaluation by the graduate program advisor, and
- A completed application with a writing sample,
- A score of 450 or higher on the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT) is required for Tier III admission into the MBA program.
- Evidence of completion of the Common Professional Components (CPCs); an adequate foundation in:
First four courses attempted in the program will be used to assess readiness. These courses are specified below based on program concentration. Completion of all four courses with a grad of “B” (3.0) or better is required before any other courses may be taken in the program.

The four required courses for the General Business concentration are:

ACCT 6311 Managerial Accounting,
BMDS 6340 Business Research and Analysis,
ECON 6311 Managerial Economics, and
BFIN 6320 Financial Management.

Any course in the four required courses for admission with an earned grade of “C” may be retaken only once. If student fails to make the required grade in the first four required, Tier II student will be dismissed from the program and will not be permitted to progress in the program.

D. As a general rule, applicants with an earned baccalaureate degree with an overall GPA less than 2.0 will not be admitted.

MBA Degree Requirements

General Business (MBA)

To fulfill the requirements for the MBA General Business degree program, the student must complete 36 semester hours of graduate coursework in the following:

27 semester hours of coursework:

ACCT 6311 Managerial Accounting
BFIN 6320 Financial Management
BINF 6315 Information Systems Seminar
BINT 6311 International Business
BMGT 6311 Human Resources Management
BMDS 6340 Business Research and Analysis
BMDS 6380 Quantitative Methods in Business
BMKT 6311 Marketing Management
ECON 6311 Managerial Economics

6 semester hours of Business elective coursework.
BMGT 63CS Capstone (Cases in Management Problems): 3 semester hours.

MASTER OF ARTS IN ADMINISTRATION (MAA)

MAA Program Description

The MAA is an Administration degree and is accredited under the SACS accreditation guidelines for the University. It is not a business degree as defined by Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) accreditation criteria and therefore does not require ACBSP accreditation.

The MAA Program is unique among graduate programs in South Texas in that it provides participants with core competencies in administration as well as essential knowledge, skills, and abilities in specialties such as Applied Administration, Healthcare Administration, and Organizational Development. The program curriculum is designed to develop ethical and accountable administrators who are able to conceptualize, and critically analyze complex organizational issues and are able to communicate persuasively toward a course of action that is in the best interests of those they serve.

The MAA program generally consists of the following 36 semester hours of graduate course work:

18 semester hours of MAA core coursework:

ADMN 6310 Accounting Concepts and Issues
ORGD 6320 Organizational Behavior and Learning
ORGD 6330 Foundations of Organizational Research and Assessment
BMGT 6311 Human Resource Management
ADMN 6360 Management Concepts and Issues
ADMN 6375 Strategic Planning and Policy

15 or more semester hours in the area of the student’s concentration. The area of concentration can be selected from any discipline, except Business, which has a limit of 4 courses allowed in an MAA program. The graduate advisor and the Dean of the School within which the area of concentration resides must approve student concentrations.
A “Capstone” experience, which is an integrative problem-solving course, combining the functional areas of the MAA core with the areas of expertise developed in the individual concentration.

MAA Admission Requirements

Admission to the MAA program (Tier 1) will be granted to applicants who satisfy all general requirements for admission to graduate studies to include:

Baccalaureate degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0,
Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work, and
A completed application.
GRE not required for Tier I and II applicants.

Alternate admission to the MAA program (Tier II) will be granted to applicants who satisfy all general requirements for admission noted above but who have a GPA of 2.50 but less than 3.0.

Baccalaureate degree with a minimum GPA of 2.5 or above, but less than 3.0.
Required to start program by completing four required courses with a grade of “B: (3.0 or better) The required courses are:

ADMN 6310 Accounting Concepts and Issues
ADMN 6360 Management Concepts and Issues,
ORGD 6320 Organizational Behavior and Learning, and ORGD 6330 Foundations of Organizational

Those granted Alternate Admissions will be assigned to Tier II, with specific courses to be taken at the beginning of the program, all of which must be completed with a “B” or better. GRE not required

Alternate admission to the MAA program (Tier II) will be granted to applicants who satisfy all
Probationary Admission to the MAA program (Tier III) will be granted to applicants who satisfy all general requirements for admission noted above with the exception of:

Baccalaureate degree with a minimum GPA of 2.00 or above, but less than 2.5.
Tier III students are required to take a graduate entrance exam and provide proof of passing score BEFORE they can be admitted into the MAA program. The requirement for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test is a verbal score of 150, a quantitative score of 144, and an analytical writing score of at least 3.5. The Requirement for the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT) is a score of 450 or higher.
Once admitted, Tier III students are required to start program by completing four required course with a grade of “B” (3.0) or better. The required courses are:

ADMN 6310 Accounting Concepts and Issues
ADMN 6360 Management Concepts and Issues,
ORGD 6320 Organizational Behavior and Learning, and
ORGD 6330 Foundations of Organizational

As a general rule, applicants with an earned baccalaureate degree with an overall GPA less than 2.0 will not be admitted.
For Tier II and III students, any single course in the first four courses for admission with an earned grade of “C” maybe retaken only one time. If all requirements for admission are not met, all Tier II and III students are subject to dismissal from the MAA program.

MAA Concentrations

Applied Administration (MAA)

The MAA in Applied Administration is designed to offer a program of study that allows students to personalize their degrees in order to gain the knowledge and skills required of their career fields. This concentration also allows students to avoid duplication of previous coursework, training, or experience by permitting them to select courses from up to two of the MAA related disciplines listed below.

To fulfill the requirements for this MAA program, students must complete:

18 hours of MAA core coursework.
. 15 hours of coursework from no more than two (2) of the disciplines listed below. Other non-business disciplines may be considered for transfer into the degree upon petition. Note: Individual degree plans must be approved by the student’s academic advisor.

Adult Education
Communication Arts
Organizational Development

ORGD 63CS Capstone (3 semester hours)

Healthcare Administration (MAA)

The MAA in Healthcare Administration concentration provides graduates with unique expertise in health services management that prepares them to serve in a variety of healthcare organizations to include those in hospital, group practice, health insurance, and other clinical and administrative settings.

To fulfill the requirements for this degree, you must complete the following:

18 hours of MAA core coursework.

HADM 6305 Healthcare Finance I
ORGD 6320 Organizational Behavior and Learning
ORGD 6330 Foundations of Organizational Research and Assessment
BMGT 6311 Human Resource Management
HADM 6360 Managing Healthcare Organizations
ADMN 6375 Strategic Planning and Policy

15 hours of required concentration courses

HADM 6306 Healthcare Finance II
HADM 6330 Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare
HADM 6340 Quality and Continuous Improvement in Healthcare Organizations
HADM elective
HADM elective

ORGD 63CS Capstone (3 semester hours)

Organizational Development Concentration (MAA)

The Organizational Development concentration of the MAA prepares students for management and analyst positions in organizations undergoing process-centered transformation as well as other positions within, or related to, the profession of Organizational Development. The concentration focus is on the functions of organizational assessment, diagnosis, and intervention as well as on the functions of the training and development.

To fulfill the requirements for this MAA degree program and concentration, students must complete 36 semester hours of graduate coursework in the following:

18 hours of core coursework.
15 hours of concentration coursework to include:

ORGD 6351 Foundations of Organizational Development
ORGD 6352 Organizational Development Interventions and Practices
ORGD 6370 Human Performance Technology
Two electives

ORGD 63CS MAA Capstone (3 semester hours

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MSBA)

MS in Business Administration Program Description

The Master of Science in Business Administration (MSBA) is an accelerated graduate business degree designed to enhance each students’ understanding of the fundamental practices of business while enabling students to acquire the analytical skills necessary to lead others. The program is supported by experienced full-time and adjunct faculty with practitioner experience and academic expertise in all functional areas of business.

The MSBA combines three key competitive advantages: 1) the presentation and application of core, functional areas of business that are both academically rigorous and practically relevant for aspiring leaders in the 21st century; 2) convenience for working professionals that require the flexibility to attend class in-person at a variety of locations and/or online; and 3) the ability to complete an entire graduate business degree plan in only ten months (by taking two classes per eight week term for five sessions). Students successfully complete ten courses (30 credit hours) representing each of the functional areas of business along with a significant research project. This capstone project requires each student to individually develop an original case study (descriptive, explanatory, or exploratory) suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed business journal upon completion.

MS in Business Administration Admission Requirements:

Admission to the MSBA program will be granted to applicants who satisfy all general requirements for admission to graduate studies, to include:
Completed application for admission to Virtual University
Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning with a minimum GPA of 2.5,
Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work,
Evidence of a minimum of three years of full-time, professional work experience
Evaluation by the academic advisor
Evidence of completion of the Common Professional Components (CPCs); an adequate foundation in:

Accounting I & II
Management Information Systems
Economics (Macro and Micro)
Statistics and Quantitative Techniques
Finance
Global Environment
Marketing
Legal Environment
Management

Alternate Admission to the MSBA program will be granted to applicants who satisfy all general requirements for admission noted above with the exception of:
Baccalaureate degree with a GPA of 2.0-2.5, and
Previous graduate degree awarded, or 3 Submittal of official evidence of a score of 450 or higher on the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT). Student MUST submit the entrance exam for the admission decision.
As a general rule, applicants with an earned baccalaureate degree with an overall GPA less than 2.0 will not be admitted.

MS in Business Administration Degree Requirements:

To fulfill the requirements for the MSBA degree program, each student must complete 30 hours of graduate coursework along with a significant research project:

30 semester hours of core coursework:
ACCT 6301 Reporting Accounting Positions
BMGT 6302 Leveraging the Best in People
BFIN 6303 Funding Organizational Performance
HRES 6304 Maximizing Human Capital
ECON 6305 Competing in a Global Economy
BLAW 6306 Strengthening Stakeholder Responsibility
BMGT 6307 Investigating Business Solutions
BMKT 6308 Maximizing Customer Value
BMGT 6309 Delivering Customer Value
BMGT 6310 Sustaining Strategic Advantage Capstone

GRADUATE CERTIFICATE

Upon completion of these courses, a certificate will be issued. Please obtain applications and a schedule from the Graduate Advisor in the specific discipline.

Organizational Development Certificate

The certificate is designed to accommodate the needs of those desiring to work, or who are currently working, in the OD profession; for those assigned to management positions whose responsibilities include planning and implementing quality and other process-centered transformations; and for those desiring to enhance their undergraduate and/or graduate degree program credentials.

The Graduate Certificate in Organizational Development requires the completion of the following 18 semester hours of graduate course work:

ORGD 6320 Strategic Planning and Policy
ORGD 6350 Organizational Behavior and Learning
ORGD 6351 Foundations of Organizational Development
ORGD 6352 Organizational Development Interventions and Practices
ORGD 6381 Adult Learning and Development
ORGD 6370 Working with Adult Groups