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Master of Business Administration

This program is accredited by AACSB International —The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

The MBA program at Bradley University originated in the late 1940s and emerged as one of the dynamic forces in the College in the 1970s. Subsequently, it earned recognition by receiving accreditation from AACSB. This recognition signals both the achievement of quality standards of long standing and the establishment of a new base upon which to build toward higher levels of excellence.

The MBA program is open to full-time and part-time students, who take classes together. Students may enter the program in August or January and complete their degree in two years. All of the required courses are offered in the evenings. The combination of students from different undergraduate disciplines, with varying levels of work experience, results in a dynamic educational environment beneficial to all.

The curriculum has a general managerial perspective. It stresses the theoretical basis of management disciplines as well as practical applications of theory and current management practices. The curriculum focuses on improving managerial performance in the problem-solving environment and also conceptualizing elements for policy formulating activity.

The study of management approached in this manner is appealing to those interested in the administration of all types of enterprise: health, government, and non-profit organizations, as well as the traditional large and small industrial and service business firms.

The practical applications orientation of the curriculum necessitates the use of a wide variety of pedagogical approaches. Problem-solving situations are used, calling for individual attention, group interaction, computer analysis, and formulation of assumptions to deal with uncertainty. Case analysis is extensively used, focusing both on problem-solving and presentation of conclusions using appropriate oral and written communication skills.

The MBA program is designed to provide each student with a professional business education through:

  1. A rigorous body of coursework that reflects current business practices;
  2. The development of analytical and interpersonal skills needed to work effectively in a rapidly changing domestic and global economy;
  3. The teaching of the social and ethical responsibilities of business in a system of free enterprise.

Admissions Information

Admissions Requirements

The entire application package, including the application form, GMAT score, undergraduate GPA, transcripts, letters of recommendation, experience, essay responses, and other materials, is considered in an application review for student admission.

The required documents are the following:

  1. Application form. All applicants must submit an Application for Graduate Admission, signed and dated by the applicant. Applications for Graduate Admission are submitted online. All applicants must submit a non-refundable application fee, payable online to Bradley University. The fee for domestic applicants is $40 and $50 for international applicants.

  2. Transcript(s). Official transcripts, sent directly from all post-secondary institutions attended, are required. Bradley alumni need not provide Bradley transcripts. Transcripts can be sent electronically or mailed to:

    The Graduate School
    Bradley University
    1501 W. Bradley Ave.
    Peoria, IL 61625
    USA

    Additional transcripts may be required at the discretion of the Graduate School. Applicants who have completed graduate-level coursework or post-baccalaureate coursework should submit all transcripts reflecting graduate coursework.

  3. Letters of recommendation. Two current letters of recommendation are required from persons who can comment meaningfully on the applicant’s capability for graduate-level study. Character references are not appropriate. Faculty members under whom the applicant has studied and supervisors are considered appropriate references.

  4. GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test). The GMAT is a standardized test designed to measure aptitude for graduate study in management. Applicants must arrange to take the test in sufficient time to permit processing of the application with the test results prior to the application deadline. For reporting the test results, the Bradley University GMAT institutional code is 1070. Information about the GMAT may be obtained by contacting the Graduate School Office or by visiting www.mba.com.

    The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) may be substituted for the GMAT exam. The GMAT exam (or GRE) may be waived if the applicant (1) has significant professional work experience and either an undergraduate degree in a business discipline from an AACSB accredited institution or an undergraduate degree in a non-business discipline from a regionally accredited institution (e.g. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools), (2) has earned a terminal degree in his/her profession (e.g. JD in law or a PhD in some field), or (3) the candidate has a master's degree in an analytically rigorous discipline (e.g. mathematics, engineering, etc.) with a master's GPA of at least 3.4 or better.

    The decision on the waiver of the GMAT rests with the Academic Director of MBA and Executive MBA Programs. To request a waiver, the applicant must include a written request with the application materials.  Requests of a GMAT waiver due to work experience must include a detailed description of managerial responsibilities associated with that experience and how they demonstrate the necessary analytical and critical thinking abilities to succeed in the MBA program.

  5. Essays. Answers to essay questions must be complete with meaningful and well-developed answers to the questions on the goals of the applicant.

  6. A current resume. Since the evaluation includes analysis of work experience, a current resume is very helpful to the admissions committee.

  7. TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). Applicable only to international students whose native language is not English. The test measures proficiency in oral and written English. The IELTS is an acceptable substitute for TOEFL.

A link to the online application site can be found at www.bradley.edu/mba. For additional information, please contact: Lisa Stufflebeam, Director, MBA and Executive MBA Programs, Foster College of Business, Bradley University, 1501 W. Bradley, Peoria, IL 61625. E-mail: mba@bradley.edu. Phone: (309) 677-2256.

The final admission recommendation rests with the Academic Director of the MBA and EMBA programs and the Director of the MBA and EMBA programs.

Progress Toward the Degree

Course Enrollment

Graduate courses in business administration are restricted to graduate students who have been admitted to the MBA program or another degree-granting or certificate-granting program in the Graduate School. Enrollment in courses is on a space-available basis. Students-at-large may not take 600-level graduate courses in the Foster College of Business.

Leave of Absence

Please refer to the Graduate School Step-Out Policy.

Degree Requirements

The MBA program is 33 semester hours. Twenty-four of these hours satisfy a set of required core courses. The program begins with an interpersonal relations course that emphasizes the development and application of interpersonal skills critical for managerial success. The program continues with an introduction to key issues in business decision-making, drawing on experienced practitioners and graduate faculty teams. A capstone strategy course integrates the business cross-functional approach to organizational issues.

There are 9 hours of elective coursework, which may be chosen within one of three areas of concentration (finance, management, marketing) or across concentrations as a customized elective selection. The required and elective courses are as follows:

MBA Courses
Required Core (24 hrs.)

  • ATG 604 Controllership* 
  • M L 615 Interpersonal Relations 
  • M L 620 Management Theory 
  • M L 628 Business Policy and Strategy Formulation 
  • MIS 672 Information Systems Management 
  • ECO 606 Microeconomics for Managers 
  • ECO 608 U.S. Business Cycles in International Economy 
  • FIN 622 Financial Management 
  • MTG 624 Marketing Decision Making

*MBA students with an undergraduate accounting degree must choose a three-hour elective to replace the ATG 604 requirement.

Concentration Electives

Finance

  • FIN 623 Multinational Financial Management
  • FIN 624 Capital Budgeting
  • FIN 625 Financial Analysis
  • FIN 627 Financial Risk Management
  • FIN 628 Socially Responsible Financial Policy
  • FIN 658 Topics in Finance 
  • FIN 660 Readings in Finance

Management

  • M L 602 Organizational Behavior 
  • M L 608 Open Book Management
  • M L 630 Management in Healthcare Organizations
  • M L 657 Executive Development 
  • M L 658 Topics in Business Administration
  • M L 659 Topics in Management 
  • M L 660 Readings in Business Administration
  • ENT 660 Additional Readings in Entrepreneurship
  • ENT 682 Entrepreneurship
  • ENT 689 Topics in Entrepreneurship 
  • MIS 614 Topics in Advanced Technology
  • MIS 660 Readings in Management Information Systems
  • MIS 671 Productivity Software for Managers 
  • MIS 673 Data Communications for Managers 
  • MIS 675 Managing Systems Development 
  • MIS 676 Electronic Commerce 
  • IB 656 International Business Administration 
  • IB 658 Topics in International Business 
  • IB 660 Readings in International Business

Marketing

  • MTG 640 Obtaining, Analyzing, and Applying Marketing Information (required) 
  • MTG 644 Professional Selling and Sales Management 
  • MTG 654 Managing Services Marketing 
  • MTG 658 Topics in Marketing 
  • MTG 660 Readings in Marketing 
  • MTG 688 Supply Chain Management 
  • IB 656 International Business Administration 
  • IB 658 Topics in International Business 
  • IB 660 Readings in International Business

Other Electives

  • ATG 658 Topics in Accounting 
  • ATG 660 Readings in Accounting 
  • BUS 610 Practicum
  • BUS 682 Professional Development
  • CIS 572 Computing Management: Systems, Technology, Services
  • ECO 658 Topics in Economics 
  • ECO 660 Readings in Economics 
  • IME 555 Computer Integrated Manufacturing
  • QM 658 Topics in Quantitative Methods 
  • QM 660 Readings in Quantitative Methods

Foundation Courses

All students must have a proficiency in mathematics equivalent to the techniques of calculus in college, a familiarity with writing composition, and working familiarity with business computer systems. Students without these proficiencies must take appropriate mathematics, writing, and computer courses specified by the director of the MBA program.

All students in the MBA program must possess the common body of knowledge in business administration as set forth below.

  1. a background of the concepts, processes, and institutions in the production and marketing of goods and/or services, and the financing of the business enterprise or other forms of organization;
  2. a background of the economic and legal environment as it pertains to profit and/or nonprofit organizations along with ethical considerations and social and political influences as they affect such organizations;
  3. a basic understanding of the concepts and applications of accounting, quantitative methods, and management information systems including computer applications;
  4. a study of organization theory, behavior, and interpersonal communications;
  5. a study of administrative processes under conditions of uncertainty including integrating analysis and policy determination at the overall management level.

All foundation courses are compressed and offered on seven-week schedules. The foundation portion of the requirement may be satisfied if an applicant’s transcript contains undergraduate courses equivalent to the foundation courses listed below and these courses were completed within the past 10 years with a B or better or the student holds an undergraduate business degree from an AACSB-accredited institution with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. An admitted student who has not had a particular foundation course may take it at Bradley University or, with prior permission, at another institution. Courses at the 500-level count in cumulative hours and cumulative GPA.

Foundation Courses

  • ATG 505 Accounting Principles-Financial 
  • BLW 542 Legal Environment of Business 
  • M L 553 Operations Management 
  • ECO 506 Elements of Microeconomics 
  • FIN 522 Introduction to Finance 
  • MTH 115 Calculus 
  • QM 502 Quantitative Analysis II

Students must complete all their foundation courses prior to enrolling in 600-level MBA courses. Students must earn a B or better in all required foundation courses to be eligible for 600-level MBA courses.

Other Requirements

Applicants should review the Graduate School admission policies, special regulations, registration and fees, and degree regulations located in the front of this catalog.

Comprehensive Examination

Candidates will be expected to demonstrate their capacity to draw upon and integrate their knowledge from all courses in a written comprehensive examination. A candidate will complete the examination while enrolled in M L 628. In case of failure, the candidate will be allowed to retake M L 628 and the comprehensive exam only once.

IE MBA Program

Undergraduate students in the industrial engineering department may combine their studies and earn an MBA degree in five and one-half years or fewer. Students may include all of the prerequisites for the MBA program as part of their required 124 undergraduate semester hours. Careful scheduling is required and should be coordinated with the student’s undergraduate adviser and director of MBA and Executive MBA Programs. Students electing this option must be fully admitted before registering for graduate-level courses and have the written approval of the director of MBA and Executive MBA Programs. Students should contact the director of MBA and Executive MBA Programs during their sophomore year for particular information.

MBA Association

The MBAA is the social and professional extension of the program. Its principal objectives are to enhance closer personal ties among its members, foster communication between students and the business world, and provide closer ties with the faculty. A variety of activities is scheduled to include MBA students and spouses, as well as faculty and alumni. All MBA and EMBA students are automatically members of the association. 

This is the official catalog for the 2014-2015 academic year. This catalog serves as a contract between a student and Bradley University. Should changes in a program of study become necessary prior to the next academic year every effort will be made to keep students advised of any such changes via the Dean of the College or Chair of the Department concerned, the Registrar's Office, u.Achieve degree audit system, and the Schedule of Classes. It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of the current program and graduation requirements for particular degree programs.