36 semester hours
The Master of Business Administration Program is an innovative program designed to meet the needs of practicing executives in profit and nonprofit settings. Offered in the popular face-to-face weekend degree program or online formats, the MBA focuses on sharpening skills in decision-making and problem-solving behavior for professional administrators. The program’s instructional design integrates scientific and technological advances with proven principles of management.
The MBA program requires a commitment to an intensive educational experience as well as a considerable degree of independence and discipline. The format enables successful managers to continue to grow professionally without interruption of their careers, thus enhancing their competitive positioning in an increasingly sophisticated economic environment. Typical students are junior and senior managers who work in financial institutions, oil and utility companies, insurance and communications companies and other businesses, as well as health care professionals such as doctors, nurses and administrators.
Both formats assume that adult students, given a structured set of learning objectives and a prescribed methodology, can independently master course content. Instructional contact hours are less than more traditional face-to-face programs. Most of the student’s work is teacher-directed learning outside the classroom. Some classes require team meetings for assigned projects outside scheduled contact hours. Graduate business program faculty expects students to complete work in a timely and professional manner.
Applications will be subject to the current Graduate Program Admissions Committee Approved Policies and Procedures.
Admission Application Requirements
Regular Admission
In addition to the requirements for graduate admission into Our Lady of the Lake University, applicants will provide:
- Three letters of reference from persons knowledgeable about the applicant’s managerial and/or professional performance.
- A résumé highlighting managerial or professional work experience.
- Evidence of at least three years of managerial or professional experience is encouraged for success in the MBA program. An admission interview will be required of all students not possessing this level of experience.
- Attainment of the following adequate preparation standard:
The business programs faculty of the School of Business and Leadership require all entering students to possess and be able to demonstrate currency of knowledge, theory, and practice (Adequate Preparation Standard) through appropriate business coursework in the areas of Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management, Statistics, and Business Law.
Adequate preparation for MBA studies through appropriate business course work consists of the following credit hours: six hours of economics, three hours of statistics, three hours of management, three hours of business law, and three hours of finance.
If an applicant does not meet the Adequate Preparation Standard, the appropriate module(s) (Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management, Statistics, and Business Law) must be completed prior to beginning regular MBA coursework. SBL offers all of these modules through its MBA Preparatory Program offered online. Students may also choose to complete the Adequate Preparatory coursework at another institution. The MBA Preparatory course(s) do not carry academic credit applicable toward the MBA degree nor do they affect a student’s MBA Grade Point Average (GPA).
Students who have taken the relevant coursework in the areas of Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management, Statistics, and Business Law may be eligible for a waiver of specific module or modules in the MBA Preparatory course(s) under the Adequate Preparation Standard. To be eligible for a waiver of any module, relevant coursework meeting the Adequate Preparation Standard must have been successfully completed with a grade of C or higher. A waiver is not automatic. Relevant work experience or coursework completed since an applicant’s undergraduate graduation will be considered by the Business Programs Graduate Admissions Committee.
There is no partial waiving of any module subject area in Accounting and Economics. Six hours of earned academic credit in both Accounting and Economics are required.
Coursework taken in excess of six years or longer from the date of application will be evaluated to meet the Adequate Preparation Standard. Based on the Business Programs Graduate Admissions Committee’s evaluation of an applicant’s coursework in the module-related areas, an applicant may be required to take a specific course module, modules, or all modules. Applicants should be advised that the committee will evaluate an applicant’s file in its totality to determine if the appropriate module(s) should be waived. The decision of the committee regarding Adequate Preparation cannot be appealed.
A graduate exam is not required for admissions to the MBA
Conditional Admission to the MBA Program
The Business Programs Graduate Admissions Committee grants conditional admission on the merits of each case for those applicants who do not meet all the requirements for regular admission. Applicants with an overall undergraduate GPA below 2.5 may be conditionally admitted subject to the Business Programs Graduate Admission Committee’s decision. Students accepted under conditional admission must receive a grade of “B” or higher in the first 6-9 hours of MBA coursework (as deemed appropriate by the Committee); otherwise the student will be dismissed from the program. The decision of the committee regarding Conditional Admission acceptance cannot be appealed.
Application for Admission Deadlines
Application deadlines for submitting a completed application for the MBA program are as follows:
| Fall Weekend |
Aug. 1 (on-campus program) |
| Fall Term A |
Aug. 1 (online program) |
| Fall Term B |
Oct. 1 (online program) |
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| Spring Weekend |
Dec. 1 (on-campus program) |
| Spring Term A |
Dec. 1 (online program) |
| Spring Term B |
February 1(online program) |
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