The Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, offered through the Hammack School of Business, is a dynamic graduate program designed to prepare students from any undergraduate major with the skills and academic background to lead an examined professional life in the business field.
The 30-hour program features evening courses offered in a log-in/drop-in hybrid format. Each course will meet one night per week from 6 – 8:30 p.m. for a full semester in either fall or spring. Summer courses will meet multiple times per week. MBA courses of three credit hours will be comprised primarily of live sessions where students may attend in person or via interactive broadcast.
The MBA will feature a concentration consisting of three courses – fall Thursday nights, spring Thursday nights, and June. While the initial concentration will be management, future concentrations are in development.
The MBA degree may be completed in one year of full-time study (4 fall classes; 4 spring classes; 2 summer classes) or over two years of part-time study (each year: 2 fall classes; 2 spring classes; 1 summer class). There are no prerequisites among the MBA courses except MBA 599 (July course) which requires completion of at least 4 MBA courses prior to beginning the course.
Students may start the MBA program in either fall or spring terms. MBA students will be advised by the MBA program director or the Dean of the Hammack School of Business. Applicants may ask to have up to six hours of prior graduate credit in business to transfer to Oglethorpe University.
An MBA Bootcamp, a self-paced online course, designed for those without recent academic experience in business, will be offered before each semester. The MBA Bootcamp is optional for those with recent undergraduate degrees in business. Bootcamp modules will include brief baseline experiences in economics, accounting, management, marketing, finance, information technology, and business analytics.
Admission Requirements:
- A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution or the international equivalent.
- Competitive undergraduate GPA.
- Applicants must be prepared to submit an MBA application, a current resume, and undergraduate transcript(s).
- Applicants may optionally submit letters of recommendation, GMAT/GRE scores, or request an interview.
- Deferrals: To complete the deferment process and secure your spot for the next term, payment of the enrollment deposit is required. This payment not only demonstrates your commitment to joining our community but also ensures that your place is reserved in the upcoming class. You may defer for one semester, or one year, and only once. If you decide not to enroll after deferring, you must reapply for any future terms.
Curriculum:
August – MBA Fall Bootcamp
Fall (M) – MBA 500 – Business, Society and Leadership
Fall (T) – MBA 530 – Current Issues in Accounting
Fall (W) – MBA 520 – Economics for Decision-Makers
Fall (Th) – MBA 562 – Human Resource Management (concentration course)
January – MBA Spring Bootcamp
Spring (M) – MBA 510 – Financial Management
Spring (T) – MBA 550 – Marketing Management
Spring (W) – MBA 575 – Managerial Data Analytics
Spring (Th) – MBA 580 – Entrepreneurship
Summer (session 1) – MBA 570 – International Management (concentration course)
Summer (session 2) – MBA 599 – Strategic Management
Course Listing
MBA 500 Business, Society & Leadership (3 graduate hours)
This course fosters a critical examination of and appreciation for the historical, socio-cultural, political, legal, environmental, scientific, and economic evolution of organizations in a global context. Students will develop the tools needed to contextualize the decisions that organizational leaders are called to make and the implications for constituents within and outside of the organization. Students will acquire a sense of the complexity of business ethical situations, the laws regarding corporate governance, and the role of their personal integrity and values.
MBA 510 Financial Management (3 graduate hours)
This course extends the student’s understanding of corporate financial management with an emphasis on investment and financing decisions within organizations. The course combines lectures with cases to develop a solid understanding of the modern theory and practice of financial management.
MBA 520 Economics for Decision-Makers (3 graduate hours)
This course examines economic concepts and fundamental theory and methods that serve as the foundation for managerial decision-making and influence firm outcomes within markets. Primary firm-related topics addressed include consumer theory, analysis and statistical estimation of demand, production and cost analysis, profit maximization under different market models and the resulting effects on strategic behavior and pricing. Current issues surrounding the macroeconomy and the impact of government policy on private market outcomes will also be highlighted.
MBA 530 Current Issues in Accounting (3 graduate hours)
Students will develop knowledge of techniques for utilization of accounting information by managers for business decision-making in support of entity goals and strategies. Course topics include budget development and control, breakeven/target profit analysis, variance analysis, differential analysis, and other management tools for planning and control.
MBA 550 Marketing Management (3 graduate hours)
Marketing is the organizational function that addresses the design and implementation of programs to create, deliver, and sustain value for customers or clients. In this course, students apply universal concepts of marketing to define marketing problems, analyze the marketing environment, evaluate alternative actions, and implement an integrated set of marketing tactics to carry out the organization’s objectives in its target markets. A key focus is the development of analytical skills necessary to manage marketing plans and strategy in the context of both for-profit and non-profit organizations.
MBA 562 Human Resources (3 graduate hours)
This course examines economic concepts related to recruitment, selection, development, and utilization of employees in an organization. The course will include an emphasis on the strategic importance of managing an organization’s human resources in alignment with the organization’s strategic plan.
MBA 570 International Management (3 graduate hours)
Students will understand globalization and its impact on business. Students will explore the corporate social performance of business and the impacts upon societies and organizations. The course will explore the corresponding demands on management systems and individuals through the decision to launch and subsequent preservation of a global venture. Analysis of global issues and application of program concepts and skills to the resolution of these issues is emphasized.
MBA 575 Managerial Data Analytics (3 graduate hours)
This course examines quantitative business analysis. We will learn to use a proper analytic workflow; get real data into an analytical program; transform and wrangle the data into usable form; explore the data visualization and predictive modeling; and communicate results.
MBA 580 Entrepreneurship (3 graduate hours)
Entrepreneurship focuses upon the art, skill, and structure of small business management. Students will examine the process for starting, forming, and financing a new business, creating a business plan, assessment, managing a growing concern, succession planning, growth and profit-reaping strategies.
MBA 599 Strategic Management (3 graduate hours)
Students will understand organizations as an integrated system; the relations between the functional areas; and long-range planning, implementation, and control as means for value creation and competitive advantage. A capstone project requiring integration of program concepts and skills in an applied setting is required. Prerequisite: Students must have completed 12 hours of MBA credit prior to beginning this course.