The Master of Business Administration (MBA) provides students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for significant managerial and leadership roles. The focus of the program is management, recognizing that sound practice requires a thorough understanding of underlying management principles and techniques. Our MBA graduates will be grounded in state-of-the-art management theory and aware of the complex global environment in which modern organizations operate.
The MBA program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB-International).
Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet both the Admission Requirements for Graduate Degrees and the College of Business and Public Policy (CBPP) requirements outlined here.
Undergraduate minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 or a minimum GMAT score of 525 is required for acceptance into the program. A GMAT quantitative score of the 30th percentile or higher is preferred for the Quantitative section*. If the score is less than the 30th percentile, students may be required to take a quantitative foundation course.
GMAT waivers may be considered for applicants who meet any of the following criteria:
- Hold another relevant master’s degree from an accredited university.
- Hold a terminal degree from an accredited university.
- Have a minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.25 or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 for upper-division courses.
Additional indicators for predicting success in individual cases may be provided through documented evidence of creativity and leadership, or a sustained record of accomplishment in business or other professional activity.
Each applicant must submit the following to the UAA Office of Admissions as part of their application materials:
- A statement of purpose.
- A resume, including the names and contact information of three references.
Applicants whose native language is not English must score at least 80 (Internet-based exam scale) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Students may apply to enter the program by the published university deadlines. International students will need to provide extra documentation and are advised to apply three months earlier to allow for the extra processing time.
*All students must meet a quantitative skills requirement to be admitted.
Accelerated MBA Option
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Management students interested in pursuing an MBA degree are encouraged to discuss the Accelerated MBA Option with their academic advisor(s) and plan on applying for admission to the MBA during their junior year. Students admitted to the Accelerated MBA are eligible to apply up to twelve credits of 400 to 600 level business coursework towards both their BBA in Management and MBA. Applicants must meet the Admission Requirements for Graduate Degrees and the MBA. In addition to the Admission Requirements listed above (excluding the GMAT requirement), the Accelerated MBA Option applicant must:
- Be a current student enrolled in the BBA in Management.
- Have completed at least 50% of the credits toward the BBA in Management.
- Have completed the following courses: ACCT A201, ACCT A202, ECON A101, ECON A102 and ECON A227 with a minimum grade of B.
- Have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 or higher for all coursework completed at UAA.
Graduation Requirements
- Complete the General University Requirements for Graduate Degrees.
- Complete the following major requirements:
All students must complete the following foundation courses. Foundation courses do not count toward the 30 or 36 total credits required for this degree. Advisors may, however, waive one or more of the foundation courses if the student has satisfactorily completed disciplinary equivalent coursework.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Courses | ||
| ACCT A601 | Accounting Foundations for Executives | 3 |
| BA A603 | Fundamentals of Finance | 3 |
| ECON A602 | Introduction to Economics for Managers | 3 |
| Total | 9 | |
Students can select a MBA in General Management, which requires 30 credits, or a MBA in General Management with an Emphasis, which requires 36 credits.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| ACCT A650 | Seminar in Executive Uses of Accounting | 3 |
| BA A608 | Artificial Intelligence with Business Applications | 3 |
| BA A610 | Business Intelligence and Analytics | 3 |
| BA A632 | Leadership and Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| BA A635 | Current Marketing Issues Seminar | 3 |
| BA A636 | Financial Decision Making | 3 |
| ECON A625 | Economics and Public Policy | 3 |
| Total Credits | 21 | |
| Electives | ||
| Students select two electives for an MBA in General Management or one elective for an MBA in General Management with an Emphasis. | ||
Students may take courses in the emphasis areas (see below) or any advisor approved CBPP graduate course as elective courses including public administration courses. Also with the advisor’s approval, elective coursework can be selected from graduate courses offered by other colleges or disciplines within UAA, or graduate courses offered by other universities accredited by AACSB International. Up to two 400-level courses not previously applied towards another degree may be taken as electives for the entire degree, with the advisor's approval and only if graduate course offerings are not available on those topics. | ||
| Total Elective Credits for a General MBA | 6 | |
| Total Elective Credits for a General MBA with an Emphasis | 3 | |
| Capstone Course | ||
| Select one course based on preferred nature of experience (practical or academic) and application (applied or theoretical): | ||
| Strategic Management Seminar | ||
| Management Project | ||
| MBA Individual Research | ||
| Total Capstone Credits | 3 | |
| Total General MBA Credits | 30 | |
| Total General MBA with an Emphasis Credits | 36 | |
Emphasis Area/Elective Coursework
Emphasis Area: By selecting courses in a particular business-related discipline, students can design a custom emphasis area or can choose one of the emphasis areas below. Students must complete at least 9 additional credits to fulfill an emphasis.
Elective Coursework: Students may select electives from the courses listed below.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Business Intelligence and Business Analytics Emphasis | ||
| BA A633 | Problem Formulation and Decision Analysis | 3 |
| BA A648 | Business Intelligence and Data Mining | 3 |
| BA A649 | Advanced Business Data Analysis | 3 |
| or BADA A670 | Advanced Business Analytics, Data Science, and Machine Learning | |
| Total | 9 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Leadership Emphasis | ||
| BA A621 | Change Leadership and Facilitation | 3 |
| BA A627 | Leadership in the Multicultural Organization | 3 |
| BA A628 | Executive Leadership | 3 |
| With the advisor's approval, a student may select a 400-level leadership course to complete the leadership emphasis. | ||
| Total | 9 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Public Sector and Non-Profit Management Emphasis | ||
| Complete 9 credits from the following: | 9 | |
| Introduction to Public Administration and Policy | ||
| Seminar in Public Management | ||
| Management Analysis | ||
| The Policymaking Process | ||
| Organizational Theory, Design and Development | ||
| Total | 9 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Health Administration Emphasis | ||
| Complete at least 9 credits of 600-level advisor-approved health science-related electives not applied to another undergraduate or graduate degree. Recommended courses include HS A605, HS A624, HS A626, HS A628/SWK A628, HS A630, HS A683/SWK A683 and HS A690. | 9 | |
| Total | 9 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Project Management Emphasis | ||
| PM A601 | Project Management Fundamentals | 3 |
| PM A602 | Application of Project Management Processes | 3 |
| Complete 3 credits from the following: | 3 | |
| Advanced Project Time Management | ||
| Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration | ||
| Advanced Project Risk Management | ||
| Advanced Project Controls | ||
| Organizational Project Maturity and Improvement | ||
| Lean Six Sigma Green Belt | ||
| Total | 9 | |
A minimum of 30 credits is required for an MBA in General Management, and a minimum of 36 credits is required for an MBA in General Management with an Emphasis. Additional credits are required for students who need to take foundation courses.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Upon graduation, MBA program graduates will possess or show ability in the following areas as defined by these MBA Learning Goals:
- Understand organizations as complex adaptive systems.
- Use reasoning analytically and critically to solve complex business problems.
- Effectively communicate with a range of audiences.
- Demonstrate proficient leadership skills across diverse organizational settings.