Overview of the EMU MBA Program

The EMU MBA Curriculum

You will join a cohort of students who will take all of their core classes together. Classes will be delivered in a variety of formats including lecture, case study, and group discussion.

The MBA curriculum is designed to strengthen your abilities to analyze business situations and solve complex business problems, as well as provide strategic direction to your firm. The program includes 12 prerequisite hours, a 33-hour core, and a 4-hour capstone course.

Curriculum overview

Prerequisites

Students without an undergraduate business degree will be required to show credit in the areas of Accounting (3 hours), Finance (3 hours), Economics (3 hours), and Statistics (3 hours). EMU offers a set of 8-week concentrated prerequisite courses covering these requirements in 12 semester hours in an online format (pending sufficient enrollment), or the student can fulfill these prerequisite courses at a community college.

Prerequisite course descriptions

MBA Core

The MBA core program includes courses covering topics in Accounting, Business Law, Economics, Finance, Human Resources, Information Systems, International Business, Management, Marketing, Production and Operations, and Strategy. The individual courses are designed to develop your ability to integrate theory and practice, and to synthesize ideas, theory, skills and experience.

In addition to studying the traditional business disciplines, EMU's MBA core program goes "beyond the briefcase" to look at issues and questions regarding the proper role of business in society, as well as the role of faith in business. Throughout the Core, you will have the opportunity to reflect on and further develop your framework of beliefs, values and ethics to guide your business decisions. The final course, MBA 690 Integrated Leadership as a Calling, is a 4-credit capstone course that will constitute an holistic approach, integrating the management and organization functions with the special role of faith-based leadership in today's world.

Schedule for completing the program

You will complete the in-class portion of the core program (33 credit hours) in four semesters and two summers over 24 months, followed by a four credit-hour capstone course.

Regular semester classes will be offered as one three-credit-hour subject over eight weeks, or two three-credit-hour subjects over 16 weeks, alternating subjects on either a weekly, or bi-weekly basis. Classes meet one night per week, four hours per night as a full cohort during the semester. In addition to the weekly cohort meetings, you meet approximately two hours/week in small study groups.

Summer classes will be offered in the evenings, with an occasional Saturday, if needed.

The students

The program is targeted toward mid-career individuals with a minimum of two to five years work experience and an undergraduate degree who are seeking advancement in their current career, or a change of careers. Most students will continue to work part- or full-time during the entire program.

EMU's MBA program assumes that students enter the program with some experience, skills and expertise. Regardless of the level of prior experience, students will continue the life-long process of strengthening the skills, knowledge, attitudes and values necessary to good business management and administration.

Application and entrance

You are required to submit an MBA application, a $25 processing fee, transcripts from your undergraduate program(s), GMAT scores and two letters of recommendation (at least one from an employer).

Upon submission of the above, you will be considered for admission into the program by a committee composed of business and economics faculty. Once admitted into the program, students will be assigned to graduate faculty who will act as advisors throughout the program.

Students may register as conditional students for the prerequisite courses without full admission to the core program with the approval of the MBA program director.

For more information, contact...

Ronald L. Stoltzfus/Anthony Smith, Co-Directors
Eastern Mennonite University
Harrisonburg, VA 22802

phone: (540) 432-4150
toll-free: (866) 574-0023
fax: (540) 432-4071
e-mail: MBA@EMU.EDU