UIS Graduate and Undergraduate Catalog
Academic Year 2004 - 2005

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

Associated Faculty Feng-shun (Leo) Bin, Dyanne Ferk, Dennis J. Gaffney, Angappa Gunasekaran, Carol Jessup, Richard Judd, Ardeshir Lohrasbi, Paul McDevitt, Ronald McNeil, Bonnie Moe, Adil Mouhammed, Laurel Newman, John Nosari, David O'Gorman, Donald O'Neal, John Palmer, Mark Puclik, Nancy Scannell, Ronald Spahr, Robert Wright

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

Program goals and objectives
The purpose of the MBA program is to provide a professional graduate degree program for individuals who aspire to hold positions of significant managerial and leadership responsibilities in organizations. Program coursework focuses on exposing students to key business concepts and provides students with the opportunity to develop and apply professional skills in a number of areas critical to leadership in today's competitive business environment.

1) Understand and apply key concepts in the functional areas of business including marketing, finance, operations management, management information systems, accounting, and organizational behavior. The understanding and applications pertain to the areas of planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating enterprise initiatives.

2) Demonstrate the ability to make managerial decisions and execute organizational initiatives, while considering the impact of technology, globalization, emerging markets, and demographic diversity on the organization.

3) Demonstrate development and application of teamwork, communication, critical thinking, decision-making, and strategic planning competencies and apply these competencies in formulating, executing, and evaluating organizational initiatives and decision-making processes.

4) Demonstrate an understanding and application of the legal and ethical framework that applies to both business and the professions, and the implications associated with making decisions that do not meet these criteria.

Most program classes are held in the evening on the main campus. The MBA is also offered by cohort in a 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.

The Master's Degree
The MBA program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of contemporary organizational theories and practices and to provide students with enhanced capabilities in analytical problem solving, decision-making, and leadership skills.

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 Records 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 36 hours of core coursework 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 Finance 3 Hrs.
BUS 312 Principle of Marketing 3 Hrs.
BUS 322 Production and Operations Management 3 Hrs.
MGT 310 Managing Organizational Behavior 3 Hrs.
Total 20 Hrs.

Core Coursework (minimum 36 Hrs.)
*BUS 500 Business Perspectives 3 Hrs.
ACC 509 Management Accounting 3 Hrs.
MIS 525 Information Systems Management 3 Hrs.
BUS 502 Managerial Finance 3 Hrs.
BUS 512 Marketing Management 3 Hrs.
BUS 521 Research Methods/Statistical Analysis 3 Hrs.
BUS 522 Production/Operations Management 3 Hrs.
BUS 541 Organizational Behavior 3 Hrs.
**BUS 583 Business Strategy 3 Hrs.

Elective courses (3) minimum 9 Hrs.

Total minimum 36 Hrs.

* Must be taken during student's first semester of core coursework.
** Must be taken during student's final semester of 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 (1 hr. audit) each semester (excluding summer terms) until the course requirements are met.