Webster University: Master of Business Administration

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Program Description
Program Learning Outcomes
General Requirements
Areas of Emphasis

Dual Degree/Sequential Degree Options
Admission
MBA Course Descriptions

Program Description

The master of business administration (MBA) program provides training in business for students interested in understanding the working nature of business in a competitive environment. Courses in the MBA program integrate information and theories from various disciplines, including accounting, economics, finance, marketing, production operations, and strategic management. The objective of this program is to develop students into broadly educated business managers and executives who understand the nature of business as a whole, with the tools and techniques applicable to a wide variety of business situations.

The capstone for the MBA program gives students the chance to bring together all of the theories, skills, and tools studied during the program and integrate them into a learning experience that highlights the nature of competition and the kind of strategic maneuvering that must be done in order to succeed.

The degree requires satisfactory completion of 27 credit hours of the MBA curriculum and 9 credit hours of graduate electives for a total of 36 credit hours, or if an area of emphasis is selected for a total of no less than 48 credit hours. Students who require prerequisite courses may have to complete more than 36 or 48 credit hours to receive the MBA

Global MBA Program

The Webster University Global MBA program provides full-time graduate students the opportunity to live, learn and study for one term each at five of Webster University’s campuses in Europe and Asia.  For more information, see the Global MBA program in this catalog. You may also visit the website at www.webster.edu/globalmba.

The Walker School of Business & Technology is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
for BS, BA, MBA, MA, MS, and doctoral programs in the Business and Management departments.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate foundation knowledge in each of the primary functional areas of business.
Students will be able to solve semi-structured business problems.
Students will be able to solve unstructured business problems

General Requirements

The MBA degree-seeking student should consult the Admission, Enrollment, and Academic Policies sections under Academic Policies and Procedures for policies regarding application, admission, registration, and the academic policies of Webster University. Academic policies or exceptions to policies applicable to MBA students are noted under their respective general academic policies.

Prerequisites:

BUSN 5000 Business
BUSN 5600 Accounting Theory and Practice
BUSN 5620 Current Economic Analysis

Note: Program prerequisites are to be completed before beginning coursework for the MBA for those students who have not completed prerequisite courses (or an appropriate equivalent) within five years of entering the program and having earned a grade of B or better.

If the appropriate prerequisite course content was completed more than five years prior to entering the program, the department will allow a waiver if the student demonstrates command of the content area by successfully completing a waiver examination. Prerequisite courses may not count as electives in the 36-credit-hour MBA.

The required courses in the MBA program are:

MRKT 5000 Marketing
MNGT 5590 Organizational Behavior
BUSN 5760 Applied Business Statistics
FINC 5000 Finance
(Prerequisites: BUSN 5600 and BUSN 5760)
FINC 5880 Advanced Corporate Finance
(Prerequisite: FINC 5000)
BUSN 6070 Management Accounting
(Prerequisites: BUSN 5600 and BUSN 5760)
BUSN 6110 Operations and Project Management
(Prerequisite: BUSN 5760)
BUSN 6120 Managerial Economics
(Prerequisites: BUSN 5620 and BUSN 5760)
BUSN 6200 Strategy and Competition
(Prerequisites: all of the above)
Additional 9 elective credit hours

Areas of Emphasis

Requirements for an area of emphasis in the MBA program include the MBA core (27 hours), the core requirements for the emphasis area, and any pre-requisites that are required. An MBA with an emphasis requires a minimum of 48 credit hours. A student may be required to complete electives to meet the minimum number of hours required. Prerequisites may be used to meet the 48 hour requirement if all emphasis courses are accounted for. Students should see an advisor for details.

Areas of emphasis for the MBA degree are:

The student should consult the Locations and the MA and MBA Majors/Emphasis and Course Descriptions sections of this catalog for the locations where areas of emphasis are offered. Not all areas of emphasis are offered at every Webster University location.

MBA with an Emphasis in Business and Organizational Security Management (51 credits)

The MBA with an emphasis in business and organizational management must include the following courses:

SECR 5000 Security Management (Requisite Course)
SECR 5010 Legal and Ethical Issues in Security Management
SECR 5020 Security Administration and Management
SECR 5030 Business Assets Protection
SECR 5060 Emergency Planning
SECR 5080 Information Systems Security
SECR 5090 Behavioral Issues
SECR 6000 Integrated Studies in Security Management

See also:

MBA with an Emphasis in Decision Support Systems (48 credits)

The MBA with an emphasis in decision support systems must include the following courses:

Completion of the DSS Certificate Curriculum (18 credit hours):
CSIS 5300 Database Systems (DSS Certificate Curriculum)
CSIS 5310 Introduction to Decision Support Systems (DSS Certificate Curriculum)
CSIS 5400 Data Warehousing
CSIS 5410 Introduction to Data Mining
CSIS 5420 Data Mining
CSIS 5600 Decision Support Systems
One additional elective (3 credits) to meet 48 credit minimum required for DSS emphasis.

See also:

MBA with an Emphasis in Environmental Management (51 credits)

The MBA with an emphasis in environmental management must include the following courses:

ENMG 5000 Environmental Science
ENMG 5100 Environmental Law I
ENMG 5200 Environmental Law and Compliance Auditing
ENMG 5300 Environmental Accounting
ENMG 6100 Management of Land and Water Resources
ENMG 6110 Management of Air Quality
ENMG 6120 Waste Management and Pollution Control
ENMG 6200 Environmental Risk Management and Strategies

See also:

MBA with an Emphasis in Finance (48 credits)

The MBA with an emphasis in finance must include the following courses:

FINC 5210 Investments
FINC 5810 Capital Budgeting and Corporate Investments
FINC 5830 Institutions and Financial Markets
FINC 5840 International Finance
FINC 6290 Financial Strategies
Two elective courses (6 credits) to meet 48 credit minimum required for Finance emphasis

See also:

MBA with an Emphasis in Gerontology (51 credits)

The MBA with an emphasis in gerontology must include the following courses:

GERN 5000 Gerontology (Requisite Course)
GERN 5600 Economic Issues for Older Adults
GERN 5620 Physiology of Aging
GERN 5630 Psychology of Aging
GERN 5640 Management of Programs for Older Adults
GERN 5660 Research and Assessment in Gerontology
GERN 5670 Social Science Perspectives in Gerontology
GERN 6000 Integrated Studies in Gerontology

See also:

MBA with an Emphasis in Human Resources Development (48 credits)

The MBA with an emphasis in human resources development must include the following courses:

HRDV 5000 Introduction to Human Resources Development (Requisite Course)
HRDV 5610 Training and Development
HRDV 5560 Group Development and Change
HRDV 5630 Organization Development and Change
HRDV 5700 Career Management
HRDV 5750 Research and Assessment Methods in Human Resources Development
HRDV 6000 Integrated Studies in Human Resources Development

See also:

MBA with an Emphasis in Human Resources Management (48 credits)

The MBA with an emphasis in human resources management must include the following courses:

HRMG 5000 Managing Human Resources (Requisite Course)
HRDV 5610 Training and Development
HRMG 5700 Employment Law
HRMG 5800 Staffing
HRMG 5920 Compensation
HRMG 5930 Labor-Management Relations
HRMG 6000 Integrated Studies in Human Resources Management

See also:

MBA with an Emphasis in Information Technology Management (48 credits)

The MBA with an emphasis in information technology management must include the following courses:

ITM 5000 Information Technology Management: Overview (Requisite Course)
ITM 5100 Information and Communications Systems and Networks
ITM 5200 Project Management of Information Technology
ITM 5300 Procurement and Contract Management for Information Technology
ITM 5400 Systems Analysis, Design and Implementation
ITM 5600 Information and Communications Security
ITM 6000 Final Project in Information Technology Management

See also:

MBA with an Emphasis in International Business (48 credits)

The MBA with an emphasis in international business must include the following courses:

INTB 5000 International Business (Requisite Course)
INTB 5600 International Accounting
FINC 5840 International Finance
INTB 5630 International Law and Business
INTB 5710 Cross-Cultural Management
MRKT 5980 International Marketing
INTB 6000 Integrated Studies in International Business

See also:

MBA with an Emphasis in International Relations (54 credits)

The MBA with an emphasis in international relations must include the following courses:

INTL 5000 Introduction to International Relations
INTL 5100 Research Methods and Perspectives
Two courses (6 credit hours) from the Comparative Politics Cluster
Four courses (12 credit hours) from International Relations Cluster
INTL 6000 International Relations: Theory and Practice

Note: Additional INTL electives are not required for the MBA emphasis.

Comparative Politics Cluster (2 courses)

INTL 5050 Comparative Politics
INTL 5570 Comparative Foreign Policy
INTL 5580 Politics of Development
INTL 5600 Area Studies
INTL 5605 Topics in Comparative Politics
INTL 5625 Middle East Area Studies
INTL 5635 Western European Area Studies
INTL 5645 Asian Area Studies
INTL 5655 African Area Studies
INTL 5665 South and Central Asian Area Studies
INTL 5675 Central and Eastern European Area Studies
INTL 5685 Latin American Area Studies

International Politics Cluster (4 courses)

INTL 5400 International Political Economy
INTL 5510 Theories of International Relations
INTL 5530 International Law
INTL 5540 International Organizations
INTL 5550 War and Diplomacy
INTL 5560 U.S. Foreign Policy
INTL 5700 Humanitarian Issues in International Politics
INTL 5800 Globalization
INTL 5860 Issues in International Politics
INTL 5870 International Law and Politics of Outer Space
INTL 5890 Terrorism in World Politics

See also:

MBA with an Emphasis in Management and Leadership (48 credits)

The MBA with an emphasis in management and leadership must include the following courses:

MNGT 5000 Management (Requisite Course)
MNGT 5590 Organizational Behavior
HRMG 5000 Managing Human Resources
BUSN 5200 Basic Finance for Managers
MNGT 5650 Management and Strategy
MNGT 5670 Managerial Leadership
HRDV 5630 Organization Development and Change
MNGT 6000 Integrated Studies in Management

See also:

MBA with an Emphasis in Marketing (48 credits)

The MBA with an emphasis in marketing must include the following courses:

MRKT 5800 Sales Management or MRKT 5890 Marketing Statistics
MRKT 5920 Marketing Channel Management
MRKT 5940 Promotional Management
MRKT 5960 Marketing Management
MRKT 5970 Marketing Research
MRKT 5980 International Marketing
MRKT 6000 Integrated Studies in Marketing

See also:

MBA with an Emphasis in Media Communications (48 credits)

The MBA with an emphasis in media communications must include the following courses:

MEDC 5000 Media Communications (Requisite Course)
MEDC 5310 Media and Culture
MEDC 5350 Media Organization and Regulations
MEDC 5360 International Communications
MEDC 5400 Media Production Management
MEDC 6000 Seminar in Media Communications
MEDC Elective�One additional core course from MEDC electives, as determined through consultation with an academic advisor

See also:

MBA with an Emphasis in Procurement and Acquisitions Management (48 credits)

The MBA with an emphasis in procurement and acquisitions management must include the following courses:

PROC 5000 Procurement and Acquisitions Management (Requisite Course)
PROC 5810 Acquisitions Law
PROC 5830 Pricing
PROC 5840 Negotiations
PROC 5850 Logistics
PROC 6000 Integrated Studies in Procurement and Acquisitions Management
One elective (three credits) required to meet 48 credit minimum for Procurement emphasis

See also:

MBA with an Emphasis in Web Services (48 credits)

The MBA with an emphasis in web services must include the following courses:

Completion of the Web Services Certificate Curriculum (18 credit hours):
COAP 5000 Introduction to Web Services
COAP 5010 Web Development Technologies (XHTML)
COAP 5020 Principles of Data Exchange (Basics of XML)
COAP 5030 Web Services Protocols (UDDI, SOAP, WSDL)
COAP 5040 Databases in Web Services (.NET, Java)
COAP 5050 Web Services Security
One additional elective (3 credits) to meet 48 credit minimum required for Web Services emphasis

See also:

Sequential MBA

For information on dual degree and sequential degree options, see the appropriate sections in the Academic Policies and Procedures section of this catalog.

Admission

Students who are interested in applying to this degree program should see the Admission Section of this catalog for general requirements.

MBA Course Descriptions

BUSN 5000 Business (3)

This course is designed to provide a foundation in such general business concepts as economics, finance, accounting, business law, marketing, and other business systems.

BUSN 5210 Financial Management for Nonprofits (3)

This course will prepare students to understand and participate in the financial management of nonprofit organizations. The course will provide an overview and specifics of nonprofit financial management, including budgeting, resource allocation, accounting, financial reporting (internal, board, and governmental), and working with CPAs. Prerequisite: None

BUSN 5500 Professional Seminars (1-3)

Students participate in seminars designed to examine contemporary issues in business. The professional seminar supplements the core and elective courses in the area of business by focusing on issues of current and special interest. Course may be repeated for credit if content differs. Graduate students may apply a maximum of 3 credit hours of these seminars as electives to meet the credit-hour requirements for graduation. This course may not be completed by directed study.

BUSN 5600 Accounting Theory and Practice (3)

Students examine the accounting function and its role in modern business.Basic accounting theory and principles are examined, and some of the more important contemporary accounting developments are reviewed. Case studies are analyzed with an emphasis on situations from the students' own work experiences. This course is designed for consumers as opposed to producers of accounting.

BUSN 5620 Current Economic Analysis (3)

Implications of current economic events are examined through the applications of economic theory. Emphasis is placed on acquainting the student with methods of economic analysis in the context of current economic issues.

BUSN 5630 Business Law (3)

This course provides a basic understanding of laws that relate to business with emphasis on the law of contracts, negotiable instruments, secured transactions, business organization and structure, relationships among firms, and property. Case studies are analyzed in order to give the student an understanding of how these various laws have evolved.

BUSN 5680 Issues in Business (3)

Current and significant issues in business are examined. The course focuses on existing theories and practices as well as on new and emerging topics in the field. Course may be repeated for credit if content differs.

BUSN 5760 Applied Business Statistics (3)

The student examines the application of statistical analysis, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis in business decision making. The course should focus on the utilization of statistical methods as applied to business problems and operations.

BUSN 6050 Macroeconomic Analysis (3)

The course provides the consumer of macroeconomic news a conceptual foundation in macroeconomic theory. The goal is to prepare the manager/analyst to consume macroeconomic news and analysis and to draw independent conclusions. Prerequisite: BUSN 5620.

BUSN 6070 Management Accounting (3)

The student examines advanced topics in management accounting as these relate to management information needs for planning, control, and decision making. Topics include interpretation of standard cost variances; application of quantitative techniques; evaluation of divisional performance; activity-based costing; and the behavioral impact of accounting systems. Prerequisites: BUSN 5600 and BUSN 5760.

BUSN 6080 Business Information Systems (3)

The student examines information systems in business organizations. This course will develop the framework for an information system and explore how systems that support the business functions of the organization are integrated and aid the manager with decision-making responsibilities within the operational, tactical, and strategic hierarchy of the company. Underlying the examination of various organizational information systems will be an exploration of emerging technologies that drive these systems. This course provides the student with the skills necessary to effectively understand and use information technology and shows how information technology provides organizations with a strategic competitive advantage. Students who have completed MNGT 5540 may not take BUSN 6080.

BUSN 6100 Quantitative Business Analysis (3)

Students examine the techniques of optimum research allocation, emphasizing the application of the quantitative methods to practical problems. Topics covered include: optimum values, minimum and maximum values with and without constraints, queuing, linear models and techniques, and statistical methods. Emphasis is less on derivation than on application. Examples used for application come from all areas of business, manufacturing, and institutional experience.

BUSN 6110 Operations and Project Management (3)

This is a course that focuses on the major managerial issues in manufacturing management and the tools that can be used to manage them. Special attention will be given to project management, including PERT, critical path scheduling, and time-cost models, in operations management and other business settings. The major operations management issues are quality management and control, capacity management, plant location, layout and design, production planning and scheduling, supply chain management, and inventory management. The analytical tools covered include queuing theory, statistical quality control, linear programming, and learning curves. Where appropriate, the use of operations management techniques in service and distribution organizations will be demonstrated. Prerequisite: BUSN 5760.

BUSN 6120 Managerial Economics (3)

The student examines the application of microeconomic theory as applied to the managers' responsibilities within the organization. This course should emphasize the quantitative and qualitative application of economic principles to business analysis. Prerequisites: BUSN 5620 and BUSN 5760.

BUSN 6140 Business Research Analysis (3)

The student examines the application of the tools and methods of research to management problems. The course focuses on the nature of research; the use of research in decision making; decision making; research concepts and methods for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data from surveys, experiments, and observational studies; and the evaluation, use, and presentation of research findings.

BUSN 6150 Business Communications and Technology (3)

The student examines the methods, protocol, and appropriateness of various forms of communication for business decision making, which include written, oral, networking, teleconferencing, e-mail, and other modern methods of communication that are required in today's business world. The course should include all types of communications the student needs to operate in the national and international aspects of business, including sales promotions and financial promotions, as well as computer networking within the business structure.

BUSN 6200 Strategy and Competition (3)

The student examines the conceptual and practical aspects of business policies and policy decision making by utilizing all the concepts, theories, and tools that were presented in the previous courses. The student should be able to analyze and recommend a comprehensive and workable approach to the situation. The course should cover current business issues and developments. Prerequisites: completion of all other required courses in the MBA.

FINC 5000 Finance (3)

The student examines the general nature of financial management, the American financial system, taxes, and the major financial decisions of corporations. Specific attention is given to present value and capital budgeting; risk and asset pricing; financial analysis and forecasting; financial decisions and market efficiency; and capital structure. Problem-solving methodology is used to illustrate the theories and tools in financial decision-making. Prerequisites: BUSN 5600 and BUSN 5760. (BUSN 5200 cannot be substituted for FINC 5000.)

FINC 5880 Advanced Corporate Finance (3)

This advanced study of corporate financial analysis and planning includes capital budgeting, cost of funds, and capital structure and valuation. Selected topics that may be covered are leasing, mergers, takeovers, business failure, reorganization, and liquidation. A combination of problem-solving and case study methodologies is used to illustrate theories and techniques helpful in financial analysis and planning. Prerequisite: FINC 5000.

MNGT 5590 Organizational Behavior (3)

This course introduces students to many of the basic principles of human behavior that effective managers use when managing individuals and groups in organizations. These include theories relating to individual differences in abilities and attitudes, attribution, motivation, group dynamics, power and politics, leadership, conflict resolution, organizational culture, and organizational structure and design.

MRKT 5000 Marketing (3)

Students examine the character and importance of the marketing process, its essential functions, and the institutions exercising these functions. Course content focuses on the major policies that underlie the activities of marketing institutions and the social, economic, and political implications of such policies.

Updated 6/1/2011