What We Need From You

• Completed application form
• An official transcript indicating a bachelor’s degree conferred from a regionally accredited institution of higher education
• For applicants whose native language is not English, a minimum TOEFL test score of 600 on the paper-based test, a score of 250 on the computer-based test, or score of 100 on the internet-based test for international applicants (Minimum passing score may vary as the ETS revises the exam.)

Still completing your bachelor’s?

Send all official transcripts for all colleges attended and an official transcript from a regionally accredited institution of higher education showing all undergraduate coursework completed and a letter from the school’s registrar on letterhead validating the anticipated degree and degree completion date.

How to send transcripts to Baker.

Students will be admitted to the MBA program with one of the following statuses:

• Full admission: Applicants who meet admissions requirements and have earned a minimum 2.75 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) from all colleges and universities attended.
• Conditional admission: Applicants who meet admissions requirements but have earned a cumulative grade point average below 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale) from all colleges and universities attended. Students accepted conditionally must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA upon completing 9 credit hours in the MBA program to be granted full admission.
• Provisional admission: If an SPGS graduate applicant is lacking an official final transcript as described in the admission requirements, the applicant may be admitted on a provisional basis. Students admitted provisionally have until the last day of the first course to submit all admission documents required to be granted either full or conditional admission. Failure to satisfy this provision results in administrative withdrawal from the program.

Based on reasonable projections of faculty availability and appropriate curriculum considerations, the following courses can change as deemed necessary by Baker University to fulfill its role and mission. Students can finish the curriculum requirements in 18 to 20 months. Some students finish in 12. Students may take one or two courses at a time but must maintain a 3.50 grade point average if doubling up.

Pre-MBA Courses | 6 credit hours

MBA 500 Fundamentals of Business Administration
This course provides the knowledge, resources, and essential skills for success at the business graduate level. Students will demonstrate an understanding of common professional components (e.g., marketing, business finance, accounting, management, legal environment of business, economics, business ethics). (3 credits)

MBA 501 Fundamentals of Business Economics and Finance
Students will gain a foundational understanding of business economics and finance to prepare them for their graduate business studies. This course will cover the basics of supply and demand, comparative advantage, opportunity costs, maximization of profit, money, banking, investments, and financial planning. (3 credits)

Foundational Courses | 9 credit hours

MBA 553 Marketing Management and Strategy
This course examines the issues facing today’s marketing managers in a dynamic competitive global environment. The course assesses responsive marketing strategies measured by industry-recognized key performance indicators. Students will explore the various contemporary functions of marketing and build competency for making effective decisions in the area of marketing management. (3 credits)

MBA 557 Accounting Applications for Managers
Students will examine and apply key financial and managerial accounting concepts necessary to effectively operate a business. Students will learn the importance of financial planning and control, and they will understand how costs behave and how to determine financial success. Students will be asked to interpret financial statements, formulate strategies for making sound financial decisions, and build the skills required to effectively evaluate and report business performance. (3 credits)

MBA 554 Managerial Finance
Students learn about methods for determining the optimal volume and composition of firm assets, liabilities, and equity in this course. The focus is on the theory and practice of capital budgeting and asset financing. (3 credits) Prerequisite MBA 557 Accounting Applications for Management

Core Curriculum | 9 Credit Hours

MBA 542 Business Data and Analytics
This course provides students with the ability to comprehend, analyze, and solve business challenges using data from internal and external sources. Students will apply the latest data analysis techniques to support effective organizational decision-making across industries. (3 credits)

MBA 580 Executive Leadership
This course presents a broad survey of theory, research, and the practical application of effective leadership in formal organizations.  Students will examine the major perspectives on leadership and think critically to apply leadership concepts related to leading change, influencing others and organizations, as well as the dyadic relationships between leaders and followers. (3 credits)

MBA 595 Strategic Planning for Competitive Organizations
This course is the capstone of the MBA core. Students will go through the actual strategic planning processes of an organization to identify the firm’s present situation, internal and external competitive positions, financial health, and overall market standing. Students will learn how to formulate realistic and attainable short- and long-term strategies for achieving organizational objectives. (3 credits)

HRM 510 Advanced Employment Law
Students will investigate the legal and regulatory backdrop for the management of organizational human resources. Students will analyze how legislation and legal precedents guide employers’ actions and decisions and affect their relationships with their employees. (3 credits)

HRM 525 Managing Generational Differences
Students will examine the fundamental generational issues that occur in the workplace and the strategies to resolve them. Students will study the two-generation model and the four-generation model. Also, they will learn about the different generations and their common stereotypes. Some of the core concepts of this course include loyalty, work ethics, career development, and innovation. (3 credits)

HRM 540 International Human Resource Management
This course provides students with a robust understanding of international human resources practices and issues. Students will examine the challenges of international business and the role of human resources in worldwide organizations. Special attention is given to the differences between domestic and international policies, procedures, and strategies for effectively managing human resources in the global environment. (3 credits)

HRM 550 Transformative Employee Relations
Students will analyze and understand the factors that affect the relationship between employees and their employers and explore strategies for effectively managing this relationship. Students will study team dynamics, organizational culture, creativity, and problem solving. Students will focus on human resources’ role in fostering organizational ethics, justice, and the fair treatment of employees. (3 credits)

STMG 515 Advanced Business Law
In this advanced study of business law, students will investigate the relationship between business and law by examining the impact of constitutional law, tort law, contract law, employment law, and antitrust law on business. Further, students will compare the legal requirements for creating different types of business organizations. (3 credits)

STMG 525 Business Global Environment
This course provides material describing the institutions and operations involved in international businesses. Students learn to adapt managerial policies and practices to the global business environment. (3 credits)

STMG 535 Managing and Developing Human Resources
This course offers advanced study of personnel management and development necessary for strategic organization sustainability and growth. Course topics will include selection, placement, training, compensation, incentives, performance evaluation, and counseling, with an emphasis on legal and practical issues. (3 credits)

STMG 595 Advanced Organization Management
This is the capstone course for the strategic management concentration. Students will integrate their academic and professional experiences to build strategies for organizational success. By presenting and discussing advanced strategic practices and management concepts, the course explores why some businesses prosper while others flounder in a competitive global marketplace. (3 credits)

FIN 510 Investments and Portfolio Management
In this course, students will investigate the complexities of investments, portfolio management, and security analysis. Students will manage an investment portfolio, distinguishing risk and return, diversification, and the impact of economic and market variables. Students will also examine how the stock market behaves during a financial crisis and build strategies for managing investments during crises. (3 credits)

FIN 520 Advanced International Finance
In this course, students examine the financial complexities of operating a multinational firm.  The unique risks and opportunities presented in the international financial environment are analyzed, and the use of global markets as sources of financing are evaluated.  Current issues in international finance are debated, as well as alternative solutions to address the strategic and financial challenges faced by multinational firms. (3 credits)

FIN 540 Strategic Corporate Finance
In this advanced course, students examine the financial operations of a business, with an emphasis on capital budgeting and cash flow. Students will also explore trend analysis and the ethical management of financial documents.  (3 credits)

FIN 550 Integrated Financial Planning
Students create a financial plan that manages the entire spectrum of personal finance, from credit and insurance needs to estate and retirement planning. Students will develop an in-depth understanding of the impact of government requirements related to estate planning issues and assess the tax advantages that select investments possess. (3 credits)

HCA 520 Advanced Concepts of Health Care Administration
Students analyze organizational dynamics and complex operational and regulatory factors that must be aligned to ensure the highest quality care and greatest efficiency and cost effectiveness. Operational divisions, functions, and groups, including professional providers, care givers, and support services such as finance management, information services, human resources, plant services, and marketing are explored in relation to their integral value, purpose, function, and unique perspectives. Emphasis on the creation of an environment of continuous improvement and organizational adaptability and success are explored. Measures and benchmarks of success are integrated throughout the course. (3 credits)

HCA 540 Integrating Ethics in Health Care
Students explore the ethical components, dilemmas, and obligations in American health care organizations and systems. Specifically, ethical issues related to caregiving and bioethics, demographic trends, relationships among organizational professionals and staff, delivery models, securing and allocating scarce resources, ethical terminology, and technology are examined. Health care organizational ethics and obligations are analyzed, emphasizing the role of manager/leader in creating an ethical culture of care delivery and cost-effectiveness. Various ethical decision-making models are compared and applied to case scenarios while incorporating and using ethical terminology.  (3 credits)

HCA 550 Managing Health Care Information Systems
Students focus on the increasing presence of and reliance on information technology and information systems in health care organizations and systems of all sizes and purposes. Today’s health care manager/leader must understand the use, types, benefits, and limitations of information technology on structure, processes, and work design. Infrastructure requirements and cost, security, and related regulation and law are reviewed. The selection and alignment of information management with organizational strategic planning to achieve high levels of performance are emphasized throughout. (3 credits)

HCA 560 Hospital Management
Hospital Management provides a framework for addressing management problems in hospitals and other health care organizations. By the end of the course, students will have been exposed to many management ideas, theories, and applications. (3 credits)

SCM 510: Supply Chain Concepts & Design
This course examines the supply chain from a holistic perspective, linking key concepts and strategies with the integration of essential activities and stakeholder roles and functions. Emphasis is placed on supply chain planning, forecasting, and management of integrated supply chain activities required for the efficient and effective flow of products, information, and finances to satisfy consumers. (3 credits)

SCM 520: Supply Chain Strategy & Innovation
This course investigates the development of supply chain strategies which integrate with and support organizational goals to promote customer care while increasing supply chain competitiveness, efficiency, responsiveness, and resilience. Focus is on an analysis of seven widely used principles of Supply Chain Management that enable organizations to concentrate on the customer while coordinating key activities across their enterprise, and collaborating with stakeholders to enhance customer service, reduce operating costs, and improve the organization’s financial position. (3 credits)

SCM 530: Procurement & Manufacturing for Supply Chain Excellence
This course assesses the role of operations management and its effective integration with other activities in the supply chain. Supply management & procurement, manufacturing, and service operations are explored as they relate to linking market demand to supplier identification and selection, sourcing activities, as well as manufacturing planning, processes & control, and quality & performance management. The critical role of technology in managing operations is also discussed. (3 credits)

SCM 570: Integrated Logistics Management
This course investigates the planning, coordination, and implementation actions required for distribution of finished goods and services to the customer. Focus is on analysis of efficient planning, execution and the systems that support supply chain logistics, including: inventory, warehousing, transportation, and fulfillment activities to facilitate the balancing of demand and supply across an organization’s supply chain. (3 credits)

DTA 510 Advanced Business Data and Analytics
The goal of this course is to teach applied job skills in close connection to the concepts and theories that drive the daily decisions relevant to data analysis and business intelligence. Each module will focus on a primary theme. Students will start by grappling with real-world cases, then will methodically drill down to solve the problems from a technical approach. A few of these topics include, applications of statistics, data visualization tools in Excel, linear regression, time-series, classification algorithms, and bias in data. (3 credits)

DTA 520 Data Visualization
The goal of this course is to teach the skills, concepts, and theories relevant to data visualization and its applications. Students learn theoretical fundamentals and design principles of data-based visualizations, how to spot misleading and untruthful visualizations, and how to use Tableau, a leading data visualization software. Students also learn visualization best practices, how to design usable dashboards, and will sharpen their analytical skills. This course is hands-on, allowing students to merge, join, and download data from several sources for their visualizations. (3 credits)

DTA 530 Data Management
This course is designed for people who want to learn how to answer questions by using Data. In particular, this course is for aspiring analysts who understand Microsoft Excel but have little to no coding experience. The modules are combined in a manner to provide students in-demand job skills with a focus on real-world applications. Students learn about the different types of SQL, data aggregation, and how to join tables in SQL. (3 credits)

DTA 570 Advanced Data Analytics
The Capstone course provides students with an opportunity to apply skills learned throughout the program – both core analytical skills and soft skills like problem solving and communication – on complex, real-world projects. Students work in small teams to play active roles in project planning, scheduling, and presenting data from a wide array of verticals, such as digital marketing, business operations, finance, and health care. This course serves as a final preparation for students entering into the workforce. (3 credits)

(3 courses selected in consultation with advisor)

TFS 570 Transformational Studies Portfolio
This concentration capstone course is designed to showcase the student’s work completed while in the program to demonstrate how the areas of study the student has chosen synthesize. (3 credits)

VID 510 New Venture Management
In this course students will conduct extensive research and in-depth analysis for starting or expanding their own business venture. Major topics include new venture strategy, sources of capital, and growth management. (3 credits)

VID 520 Building and Sustaining Innovative Organizations
This course will offer a set of frameworks, tools, and concepts in to allow students to develop innovative strategies that support organizational needs. Students will learn how to advance as innovative and strategic leaders within various organizational settings. (3 credits)

VID 530 Venture Capitalism
This course will deal with the sources of capital for early-stage companies and the implications of the decisions a company makes to fund its operations. Students will explore issues in the valuation of ventures and how the achievement of milestones can impact that valuation. Accounting and finance techniques that are vital to monitoring the success of the enterprise will be discussed. (3 credits)

VID 570 Venture and Innovation Development
In this integrated course for the Venture and Innovation Development concentration, students will integrate their academic and professional experiences to analyze a situation concerning a new enterprise to develop and analyze the current business model. Students will analyze various aspects of the business model including the competitive environment, value proposition, revenue model, resources, and capabilities, taking the vantage point of the enterprise and developing a plan for a specific geography. (3 credits)

• Successful completion of the MBA curriculum (30 credit hours)
• A 3.0 overall GPA with no grades below C
• Completion of all coursework within six years of the date of initial enrollment
• Submission of intent to graduate form to the Office of the Registrar
• Payment of all tuition and fees
• Approval by the faculty and Board of Trustees