UIS Graduate and Undergraduate Catalog
Academic Year 2006 - 2007

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)

Associated Faculty Feng-shun (Leo) Bin, Jeffrey Blodgett, Jeffrey Decker, Dyanne Ferk, Joseph Huff, Carol Jessup, Richard Judd, Ardeshir Lohrasbi, Hao Ma, Paul McDevitt, Ronald McNeil, Bonnie Moe, Adil Mouhammed, Laurel Newman, David O'Gorman, Donald O'Neal, Amir Parssian, Mark Puclik, Nancy Scannell, Michael Small, Robert Wright

Contact: (217) 206-7920
mba@uis.edu or www.uis.edu/mba

Program goals and objectives
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is a professional graduate degree program for individuals who aspire to positions of significant managerial and leadership responsibilities in organizations. The goals of the program are 1) to introduce students to contemporary managerial theory and practice, 2) to strengthen analysis, problem solving, and leadership skills, and 3) to provide a basis for lifelong growth and development as professional managers.     

Consistent with the career aspirations of our students, the MBA curriculum focuses on five objectives. Students shall:
1) Understand key concepts and contemporary management theory and practice in the functional areas of business, including accounting, finance, information systems, marketing, operations management, organizational behavior, and research methods.
2) Understand the importance and demonstrate the use of cross-functional approaches to solving organizational problems.
3) Demonstrate disciplined managerial skills, including analysis, planning, and implementation, while considering the impacts of technology, globalization, emerging markets, and diversity on organizations.
4) Strengthen leadership potential, including for example critical thinking, decision-making, teamwork, and communication skills.
5) Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the legal environment and ethical considerations and their relevance to organizational leadership.

Program classes are generally offered in the evening in Springfield and on a Friday/Saturday weekend format in Peoria.

Advising
New students must contact the program office for initial advising to plan a program of study that reflects their interests and satisfies degree requirements. All students are strongly encouraged to consult an adviser before enrolling in coursework for any academic term.     

Entrance requirements
Admission is granted by the program faculty on the basis of an evaluation of an applicant's complete file. To apply for admission, an applicant must have the following items sent directly to the Office of Admissions and a copy of all items sent directly to the MBA office: 1) official GMAT scores, 2) a complete set of official undergraduate transcripts indicating that the applicant has earned an undergraduate degree from an accredited university, 3) reference forms from three people who are in a position to judge the applicant's potential for success in graduate work, and 4) a single-spaced essay of no more than two pages. The essay should outline the applicant's reasons for considering the degree, how the M.B.A. degree fits in with his/her personal objectives and short- and long-term goals, as well as any other information that demonstrates the applicant's potential for successful completion of the degree. Admission to the MBA program will be granted to applicants who have demonstrated potential for success in graduate business studies at UIS. 

Degree requirements
Required courses for the M.B.A. degree include completion of foundation coursework typically covered in undergraduate business courses and at least 39 hours of core coursework and electives covering advanced business topics, issues, and applications.     

Foundation coursework   (20 Hrs.)
ACC 311 Administrative Uses of Accounting  4 Hrs.
ECO 315 Economics for Administration  4 Hrs.
BUS 302 Principles of Financial Management  3 Hrs.
BUS 312 Principles of Marketing  3 Hrs.
BUS 322 Principles of Operations Management  3 Hrs.
MGT 310 Managing Organizational Behavior  3 Hrs.

Total   20 Hrs.     

Core coursework   27 Hrs.
*BUS 501 Business Perspectives  3 Hrs.
ACC 509 Management Accounting  3 Hrs.
MIS  525 Information Technology Management  3 Hrs.
BUS 502 Managerial Finance  3 Hrs.
BUS 512 Marketing Management  3 Hrs.
BUS 521 Research Methods and Statistical Analysis  3 Hrs.
BUS 522 Production and Operations Management  3 Hrs.
BUS 541 Organizational Behavior  3 Hrs.
**BUS 583 Business Strategy  3 Hrs. 

Elective coursework   12 Hrs.
***Elective courses (3) 12 Hrs.

Total minimum  39 Hrs.     

*Must be taken during student's first semester of core coursework.
** Must be taken during student's final semester of coursework.
*** At least two electives must be from the College of Business and Management (ACC/BUS/MIS). One elective may be from another college but must be graduate-level (500) coursework. 

Closure Requirement
The M.B.A. degree requires completion of BUS 583 with a grade of B (3.00) or better. (B- is not acceptable in this course.) BUS 583 is the graduate closure course consistent with campus policy on completion of a master's degree. That policy requires that students not completing BUS 583 during the first enrollment of three hours must enroll in BUS 584 (zero credit hours, one hour billable) each semester (excluding summer terms) until the course requirements are met.