Southern Oregon University

• 2007 - 2008 Catalog

The SOU Saturday MBA program offers an innovative approach to meeting the needs of working professionals who wish to pursue an advanced degree in Business but whose busy work and personal schedules make attending evening or weekday graduate courses difficult. Our program is broadbased, yet it allows participants to pursue an area of interest through elective offerings. The Saturday MBA is a seven-term, 21-month program featuring a highly interactive and practical approach to learning. The ability to work closely with faculty, fellow participants, and executives provides tremendous networking opportunities.

Admission Criteria

In addition to possessing a bachelor’s degree in any field from an accredited college or university, applicants will normally be expected to meet the following criteria to be considered for admission:

1. undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above in the last 90 quarter hours (60 semester hours), or
   
2. GMAT score of 500 taken within the last five years.
   

All applications will be reviewed by a faculty admissions committee. Applicants not meeting the admission requirements detailed above may be considered for conditional admission and required to interview with the MBA Admissions Committee. Conditional applicants will only be offered admission if they receive favorable recommendations from the MBA Admissions Committee and if admission slots are available.

Applicants admitted as conditional students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in MBA coursework at the end of their second term in the program. Anyone whose cumulative GPA is below 3.0 after two terms will not be allowed to continue in the program.

Program Curriculum

The 45-credit MBA curriculum consists of the following components:

1. The Cornerstone Experience (6 credits)
   

   Global Leadership (MBA 510)	3
   Critical Thinking and Expression (MBA 511)	3

2. Foundation courses (6 credits)
   

   Managerial Accounting for Decision Making (MBA 516)	3
   Applied Economics and Financial Analysis for Business (MBA 520)	3

3. Core courses (22 credits)
   

   Information Systems (MBA 515)	3
   Marketing Management and Strategies (MBA 512)	3
   Organizational Behavior (MBA 575)	3
   Strategic Operations Management (MBA 514)	3
   Graduate Research Project (MBA 519)	3
   Legal Issues in Business and Management (MBA 521)	3
   Financial Management Practices (MBA 585)	3
   Ethics (MBA 509)	1

4. Approved graduate electives (8 credits)
   
5. Graduate capstone course (MBA 590) (3 credits)
   

Transfer Credits

A student may include up to 15 quarter credits of approved graduate coursework taken prior to regular admission to the MBA program. Such courses must be appropriate for the MBA program and approved by the major advisor, the school graduate coordinator, and the school dean. No more than 6 quarter credits of prior or transfer credit may be from a previous master’s program. All courses included in the degree program must be seven years old or less at the time the degree is completed. However, with the approval of the Office of Graduate Studies, up to 12 credits of courses over seven but less than ten years old at degree completion may be included. Course syllabi are required for transfer credit review and approval.

Program Prerequisites

Although no particular undergraduate major is required for admission, participants must possess a background of knowledge and skills appropriate to graduate study in business. At minimum, they should demonstrate skills in word processing, spreadsheet applications, and internet research. Faculty also expect that participants possess an understanding of basic accounting practices, statistics concepts, and economic principles that they have obtained either through undergraduate coursework or work experience. Participants who do not have this background may be advised to complete undergraduate coursework in financial accounting, elementary statistics, economics, and/or computer applications. The MBA program coordinator will provide advising in determining the need to complete any prerequisite coursework.

Program Format

The Saturday MBA program is designed on a cohort model: all participants start the program and proceed through it together. Classes are taught on Saturdays, with one course offered in the morning and another presented in the afternoon. Course delivery will feature dynamic interaction in face-to-face sessions as well as high-quality online instruction, depending on course topics and objectives.

Advising

The MBA program advisor is responsible for advising participants and assisting with course enrollment. Because courses are offered in a cohort format, it is imperative that participants follow the established course sequencing. Anyone who deviates from the cohort course sequencing will not graduate at the same time as the cohort.

Graduation

All MBA coursework must be completed with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in order to qualify for graduation. The Saturday MBA program advisor provides information regarding graduation processes and procedures.

Grading

All MBA courses must be taken for a letter grade (P/NP option will not be accepted). Credit toward the degree will not be assigned for any course with a final grade lower than a C.

Academic Probation

MBA participants must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Participants who do not meet this standard will be placed on academic probation and notified of this status by the MBA program coordinator. Students on academic probation must raise their cumulative GPA to at least 3.0 by the end of the following term. Any student who does not meet this requirement will be dropped from the program.

A student whose cumulative GPA is below 3.0 following the last term in the program will be allowed to register for one additional term of study. If the additional coursework does not result in bringing the cumulative GPA up to at least 3.0, the student will be considered ineligible to graduate from the program and will not receive a degree.

Admission Procedures

The deadline to apply for admission to the Saturday MBA program is April 1. While applications are accepted throughout the year, the Saturday MBA program will evaluate all candidates at the end of the application period. Once the fall cohort is full, any additional qualified applicants will be placed on a waiting list. If places are not available, candidates may reapply for the cohort starting the following year. The following materials are required to apply to the Saturday MBA program:

1. completed SOU Application for Graduate Study with application fee
   
2. completed application for the Master of Business Administration
   
3. official transcripts from all universities or colleges attended for credit (sent directly to SOU Admissions, 1250 Siskiyou Boulevard, Ashland, OR 97520)
   
4. two evaluation forms completed by professors or employers
   
5. statement of purpose
   
6. GMAT test scores, if necessary (taken no more than five years previously)
   
7. for international students, a TOEFL score of at least 540 (paper), 190 (computer), or 76 (Internet)
   

Application materials should be submitted to: Master in Business Administration Program, School of Business, Southern Oregon University, 1250 Siskiyou Boulevard, Ashland, OR 97520.

Master of Business Administration Courses

See Course Prerequisites Policy

Graduate Courses

MBA 509 Ethics

1 credit

Introduces contemporary issues of ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR) facing the business community through case studies, class presentations, and guest speakers.

MBA 510 Global Leadership

3 credits

Examines a variety of leadership styles from different countries to illustrate how leadership theories and practices are affected by culture. Topics such as contract negotiations, human resource management, and employee motivation, recruitment, and retention are addressed from an international perspective.

MBA 511 Critical Analytical Thinking and Expression

3 credits

In a small-group setting, students analyze, debate, write, and present a variety of topics affecting managers. Develops the ability to make effective oral and written arguments.

MBA 512 Marketing Management and Strategies

3 credits

Students learn how to plan and implement effective marketing strategies through case analysis and research in strategic applications. Emphasizes best practices to successfully address marketing challenges faced by actual businesses.

MBA 514 Strategic Operations Management

3 credits

Students apply contemporary operations management techniques and tools to realistic business situations. Case studies and computer-based models are utilized as decision-making tools.

MBA 515 Information Systems

3 credits

Examines the role of information systems (IS) in contemporary business organizations. Provides an overview of key information systems and technologies. Emphasizes the management behavior, knowledge, and skills necessary to participate in making decisions about information systems. Also introduces current trends and drivers, including emerging technologies that affect the present and future of information systems.

MBA 516 Managerial Accounting for Decision Making

3 credits

Explores the accounting function of an organization from a managerial perspective. Students gain an understanding of cost characteristics, cash flows, and reporting; the appropriate application of costs in decision-making; and the behavioral ramifications and interdependency of accounting within the organization as a whole.

MBA 519 Graduate Research Project

3 credits

Focuses on the roles and techniques of research in retail, service, community, and industry settings. Research methods and procedures such as design, data collection, analysis, and recommendations are applied to an actual organizational situation.

MBA 520 Applied Economics and Financial Analysis for Business

3 credits

Explores fundamental concepts of microeconomics (market equilibrium, firm and consumer behavior, and industry structure and competition) as a means of understanding and analyzing business problems. Basic macroeconomic models are developed to help explain long-run trends and short-run fluctuations in key macroeconomic variables: GDP, inflation, interest rates, wage and profit rates, and budget deficits. Applies the basic principles of finance theory to decisions facing the corporate manager.

MBA 521 Legal Issues in Business and Management

3 credits

Acquaints students with fundamental legal concepts affecting organizations through case studies and guest speakers. Concepts are discussed within a general managerial framework with distinctions made for private, nonprofit, and governmental entities. Major topics covered include tort liability, contracts and legal agreements, intellectual property rights, administrative law, individual liability, and legal economics/ADR applications. Management law covered includes employment issues such as wrongful non-hiring and termination, discrimination, ADA (disabilities), sexual harassment, and similar issues.

MBA 575 Organizational Behavior

3 credits

Explores individual behavior, group behavior, and organizational systems. Topics covered (from theoretical and practical perspectives) include understanding people, motivation, group dynamics, communication, leadership, power, politics, conflict, diversity, culture, decision making, change, and organizational structure.

MBA 585 Financial Management Practices

3 credits

Explores essential financial theory and develops applications in the areas of valuation of assets, financing decisions, risk assessment, and short-term asset and liability management. Develops the abilities to compare and value uncertain cash flows; evaluate the costs and risks of financing from stocks, bonds, and entrepreneurial sources; and manage short-term capital.

MBA 590 Capstone

3 credits

Students work on applied team projects on behalf of regional organizations to apply the knowledge learned in the MBA program to an actual client situation. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all cornerstone, foundation, and core courses.