Master of Business Administration

MBA Program Mission Statement

The mission of the Cumberland University MBA program is to equip qualified adult learners with an enhanced set of skills and knowledge that can be deployed in the successful management of a business and/or technology related enterprise. The MBA curriculum is designed to afford students the opportunity to work both independently and in teams, to hone both analytical and communication skills, and to assimilate and deepen their understanding of the following core elements of an advanced business education: Marketing, Management, Finance, Managerial Accounting, and Strategic Leadership. This mission is achieved by using a blend of traditional classroom learning experiences, online eLearning experiences, and extra-classroom assignments.

MBA Program Learning Goals

Faculty members are committed to help persons accepted into the MBA Program at Cumberland University to meet four learning goals:

1. To demonstrate advanced business and economics knowledge and high ethical awareness;
2. To demonstrate advanced decision making skills;
3. To demonstrate advanced competence in gathering and analyzing organizational information from internal and external sources using technology and literature;
4. To demonstrate advanced competence in the synthesis, evaluation and communication of information.

The core curriculum for the MBA program (as defined by the nine core courses) is designed to achieve the four learning goals above. Students must also earn nine credit hours of electives in addition to the 27 hours of required core courses. Students may choose to take any three MBA electives to earn the degree.

General Business Track

General business electives vary by semester offering.

Healthcare Administration Track

Choose the following courses for the Healthcare Administration Track:
MBA 6080     Introduction to Healthcare Systems
MBA 6081     Healthcare Policymaking
MBA 6082     Healthcare Marketing
MBA 6083     Healthcare Human Resources Management and Employment Law

Thesis Option

A thesis option is also available. Students who wish to pursue this option will complete the nine required core MBA courses (27 hours) but will not be required to complete the 3 elective courses (9 hours). Instead these students will complete a minimum of 9 hours of thesis work. Each student thesis will be directed by a member of the full time MBA faculty and approved by a thesis committee, which consists of at least 3 appropriately credentialed faculty members.

Admission Requirements:

• A bachelor’s degree (regionally accredited university) with a minimum 2.5 GPA
• Students with a non-business related bachelor’s degree are required to successfully complete an MBA Foundations Survey Course as part of their final acceptance into the program. This course does not meet the MBA elective requirement.
• Students with less than a 2.5 GPA may complete three courses under provisional acceptance. If the student earns a grade of B or higher in all three courses, he or she will earn final acceptance.

36 credit hours minimum required for graduation