Business (BA) (BS)
Cathy Ferris McPherson (Department Chair), Donovan Branche, Bruce Dorries, Janet Ewing, Sungil Chung, Joseph Sprangel
We prepare students to embark on the next phase of their lives, whether it is entering the work environment or pursuing graduate studies, with a powerful skill set. Students will develop the ability to assess a situation, choose effective business tools, and adapt to often complex and changing environments.
We offer several challenging and focused baccalaureate options for both undergraduate residential programs and for distance learning students through MBU Online. Our bachelor of arts in business has a strong broad-based core covering all the fundamental components necessary to understand the business world and the dynamic environment in which it operates. Students complete the core, as well as at least one area of emphasis, specific to their needs and interests. Emphasis areas include: management, marketing, accounting, human resource management, and project management. (Note: Students may complete no more than two areas of emphasis.)
A bachelor of science in business is also available.
The second baccalaureate option available to students in undergraduate residential programs is a Marketing Communication major. This unique major focuses specifically on marketing and communication theory and practice and equips students to understand, assess, and navigate in a world that is increasingly diverse. Students will gain knowledge and skills enabling them to understand different contexts, cultures, and media and be able to leverage the power of effective, informed and targeted communication. There are two tracks available in the Marketing Communication degree option: Integrated Marketing and Communication Studies. Students have the opportunity to become effective and impassioned communicators, decision makers, and team players.
Bachelor of Arts in Business
The degree in Business is a preparation for engaging in the world after graduation in almost any endeavor, whether profit-seeking or not.
The core of the program focuses on three critical abilities:
- To communicate one’s ideas to others and to learn from them
- To organize people and activities in order to effectively accomplish one’s goals
- To track and evaluate progress against those goals
Students will be required to complete a series of business courses intended to provide a foundation in essential business competencies which will be supplemented by additional coursework in one of seven emphasis areas.
Note for transfer students: Microeconomics and Macroeconomics credits transferred from another college meet the ECON 101 and 102 requirements for the bachelor of arts in business, but only ECON 102 taken at MBU meets the Global Understanding requirement. Students transferring the ECON 102 course from another college must meet this learning outcome from one of the other qualifying courses at MBU.
*Accounting concentration students should take BUAD 210 and BUAD 211 in place of BUAD 208 and BUAD 209.
Business Core Requirements
Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Business — Emphasis in Management
Undergraduate residential programs and MBU Online
Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Business — Emphasis in Human Resource Management
Undergraduate residential programs and MBU Online
Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Business - Emphasis in Marketing
Undergraduate residential programs and MBU Online
Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Business — Emphasis in Accounting
Undergraduate residential programs and MBU Online
Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Business - Project Management Emphasis
Undergraduate residential programs and MBU Online
*BUAD 230 is not required for Project Management Emphasis
Requirements of the Bachelor of Science in Business
Students planning to enter a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program would benefit from taking: BUAD 305 Global Business BUAD 312 Cost Accounting BUAD 334 Multicultural Marketing BUAD 340 Principles of Financial Management
Accelerated Path Bachelors to MBA 4+1
Upon entering MBU, qualified students may elect to complete their Bachelor’s in Business and Master’s in Business Administration through MBU in just five years.
- Declare the BA or BS in Business, any emphasis area, no later than 2nd semester of sophomore year. Students transferring with a completed associate's degree must declare upon admission into MBU's undergraduate business program.
- Include three graduate classes (9 sh) as part of the undergraduate degree, beginning in the third year: Buad 500, Buad 502, and Buad 505.
- Complete the Bachelor's degree with a 3.0 GPA in the major.
- Move directly into the MBA program and complete remaining requirements in one calendar year; 21 credit hours as a graduate student spread over three subterms (9sh/6sh/6sh).
- Financial Aid may be utilized, with 9 sh graduate courses charged at the undergraduate course fee.
- Separate application into the MBA is not required until students complete the Bachelor's degree and enter fully into the graduate program. Students should declare their intention to pursue the MBA to their advisor no later than the second semester of their second year at MBU.
- Advising moves officially from undergraduate advisor to MBA advisor once the Bachelor's degree is complete; however, the undergraduate advisor and graduate advisor together will work with the student in their final undergraduate year.
- The Bachelor's degree will be conferred independently of the graduate program.