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The College of Commerce and Business Administration (CCBA) offers courses leading to the Master of Business Administration (MBA). It also offers an area of concentration in administrative management within the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program (please refer to the Public Administration section of this Bulletin for admission and program requirements for the MPA program).

The College is accredited by AACSB International - Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

The mission of the CCBA is to educate undergraduate and graduate students for successful managerial careers in a dynamic global environment, to be productive and ethical citizens, and to be prepared for advanced studies.

Research opportunities are available to graduate students under the supervision of the College’s faculty members. Real-world case studies are available through the College’s Small Business Development Center and internships enable students to acquire on-the-job work experience.

Required Application Materials

Deadline dates for application and receipt of all required application materials for the MBA degree are: November 1 for spring semester admission, April 1 for May and summer terms admission, and July 1 for fall semester admission. Applicants for the MBA must submit the following documentation to the College of Graduate Studies, Jacksonville State University, 700 Pelham Road North, Jacksonville, Alabama 36265-1602, to be considered for admission:

Completed JSU Graduate Application for Admission (http://www.jsu.edu/graduate/grad_app.html)
Non-refundable $30.00 application processing fee
A letter of application setting forth career goals
A professional resume including education, employment, and community activity involvement
Official transcript(s) from all postsecondary institutions attended (Students who have previously attended JSU do not need to request a transcript from the University.)
Three “Graduate Reference Forms” completed by individuals who can provide qualitative assessment of the applicant’s potential for success in graduate course work and citing potential professional leadership ability. This form is available online at http://www.jsu.edu/graduate/forms.html or http://www.jsu.edu/graduate/docs/ref_forms.pdf.
Official test scores on the GMAT. The GMAT must be taken within the five year time frame immediately preceding enrollment. Note: A minimum acceptable GMAT score of 400 is required (in addition to the required formula score: 200 x undergraduate GPA + GMAT is greater than or equal to 950).

Information regarding application for this test may be obtained by contacting the organization below:

Graduate Management Admission Test
Educational Testing Service
P.O. Box 6103
Princeton, NJ 08541-6103
Telephone: 1-800-GMAT-NOW or 609-771-7330
Website: www.mba.com
Email: gmat@ets.org

If English is not the applicant’s native language, the applicant is required to submit an official TOEFL score report, an IELTS score report, or a PTE score report (please refer to page 22 of this Bulletin).

Students entering graduate courses must have a working knowledge of Microsoft Office, to include: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Transfer Credit
Transfer credits are accepted from AACSB International accredited schools only.

No transfer credit(s) will be accepted once students are enrolled in the MBA program, except in cases of extreme hardship to be determined by the MBA Director and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

Admission Requirements

All students seeking admission to the MBA program must have completed the application process and been admitted to the program prior to enrolling in MBA classes. Admission to the program requires that all application materials be submitted to Graduate Studies, to include a GMAT score of at least 400 and a formula score (200* undergraduate GPA + GMAT) of at least 950. (See explanation for unconditional and conditional admission).

Deadlines for application will be as follows:

Fall Admission – Deadline for application is July 1^st .
Spring Admission – Deadline for application is November 1^st.
Summer Admission – Deadline for application is March 1^st.

(all deadlines will be strictly adhered to)

Students receiving undergraduate degrees from institutions not accredited by a United States regional accrediting association must meet unconditional admission requirements. The GMAT must be taken within the five year time frame immediately preceding enrollment.

Applicants must meet one of the following admission formula requirements.

For purposes of computing the undergraduate GPA, a 4.0 grade-point scale is used. The plus (+) and minus (-) grades from undergraduate transcripts are not used in calculating the GPA.

Unconditional Admission

To obtain unconditional admission into the MBA program, students must meet one of the following formula requirements:

(200 x undergraduate GPA) + (GMAT) ≥ 950 points.

As a requirement for admission, a minimum acceptable GMAT score of 400 is required. This is in addition to the current formula score.

(200 x undergraduate GPA (last 64 hours attempted)) + (GMAT) ≥ 1000 points.

As a requirement for admission, a minimum acceptable GMAT score of 400 is required. This is in addition to the current formula score.

Conditional Admission

Any applicant failing to meet the requirements for unconditional admission, as defined above, may be considered for conditional admission if the student meets one of the following formula requirements: (Note: International students must meet the requirements for unconditional admission; international students are not eligible for conditional admission.)

(200 x undergraduate GPA) + (GMAT) ≥ 850 points.

(200 x undergraduate GPA (last 64 hours attempted)) + (GMAT) ≥ 900 points.

Students who are granted conditional admission must achieve a GPA of at least 3.0 on the first 12 graduate hours attempted within the time frame specified by the CCBA Graduate Committee and indicated in writing to the student. Failure to comply will result in the student being dropped from the program.

All applications will be reviewed by a Graduate Committee composed of members of the graduate faculty within the College of Commerce and Business Administration and the MBA Director. The Graduate Committee will submit to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies its recommendation on the conditional admission of each applicant. The Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, in conjunction with the MBA Director, will make the final decision on the conditional admission of the student.

The MBA program consists of 30 semester hours of graduate business courses for the general program or 33 semester hours of graduate business courses for the accounting concentration, plus 24 semester hours of foundation courses for a total of 54 semester hours for the general program and 57 semester hours for the accounting concentration. A comprehensive examination is required of all candidates.

Foundation Courses:

Credit for foundation course work may be given for courses already completed as part of a baccalaureate degree. Students without adequate undergraduate preparation are required to complete the 24 semester hours of foundation business and economics courses listed below. The MBA Director will evaluate each student’s undergraduate course work to determine which foundation courses are required prior to the student taking MBA courses. The graduate GPA is computed on all graduate hours attempted. Although grades achieved on undergraduate foundation courses will not be included in the computation of the graduate GPA, a student must earn a grade of B or above in each of these specified, required courses if they are taken after the completion of the baccalaureate degree.

MGT 504 - Business Organization and Administration (3)
BA 500 - Statistics and Quantitative Methods (3)
ACC 200 - Principles of Financial Accounting (3)
EC 222 - Principles of Macroeconomics (3)
FIN 301 - Business Finance (3)
FIN 292 - Legal and Social Environment (3)
CBA 390 - Operations Management (3)
MKT 301 - Principles of Marketing (3)

Students who have adequate undergraduate preparation or who have satisfied the foundation requirements may enroll in MBA courses, given that all individual course prerequisites are met. Students without adequate preparation will only be allowed to take only courses in fields of study in which the prerequisite course work has been completed.

Individuals who do not have a baccalaureate degree in a business field, but who have at least three years of prior mid-level management experience in an approved managerial position(s) may request that a portion of the foundation course work be waived. Students must document their managerial experience(s) and approval must be granted by the graduate committee of the CCBA. Students in this category must complete a total of 18 hours of the foundation course work, including BA 500, EC 222, ACC 200, and FIN 301. The remaining six hours to be taken will be based on an evaluation by the MBA Director. For more information, contact the MBA Director, 110 Merrill Hall, phone 256-782-5778.

After completion of foundation course work, students may select either the general MBA or the MBA with an accounting concentration. The general MBA program is a total of 30 semester hours; the MBA with an accounting concentration is a total of 33 semester hours.

Masters of Business Administration | Accounting Concentration

Required Courses (24 semester hours):

ACC 512 - Accounting Information Analysis (3)
BA 545 - Quantitative Methods for Business Decisions (3)
BA 587 - Business Policy & Strategy (3)
BA 590 - International Business (3)
EC 515 - Managerial Economics (3)
FIN 515 - Financial Management (3)
MGT 537 - Business Leadership (3)
MKT 513 - Marketing Administration (3)

Electives (9 semester hours):
(Electives may be selected from courses numbered 400G and above from among any of the approved accounting courses listed in the Course Description section on the following page of this Bulletin.)

33 Graduate Semester Hours Required for this MBA Program

Master of Business Administration | General Concentration

Required Courses (24 semester hours):

ACC 512 - Accounting Information Analysis (3)
BA 545 - Quantitative Methods for Business Decisions (3)
BA 587 - Business Policy & Strategy (3)
BA 590 - International Business (3)
EC 515 - Managerial Economics (3)
FIN 515 - Financial Management (3)
MGT 537 - Business Leadership (3)
MKT 513 - Marketing Administration (3)

Electives (6 semester hours):
(Electives may be selected from courses numbered 400G and above from among any of the approved CCBA courses listed in the Course Description section on the following pages of this Bulletin.)

30 Graduate Semester Hours Required for this MBA Program

Accounting Courses

Prefix ACC

Students who select the accounting concentration may be required to take additional undergraduate accounting courses to satisfy specific course prerequisites.

476G.		Advanced Income Tax Accounting (3). Prerequisite: ACC 372. Advanced federal income tax topics including property transactions and international taxation issues. The course also focuses on the taxation of corporations, S corporations, and partnerships. Limited coverage is provided on the taxation of trusts and estates as well as the alternative minimum tax. Understanding the implementation of the current regulations as well as tax planning strategies are discussed. (Fall.)
490G.		Advanced Auditing (3). Prerequisite: ACC 477. The practical application of auditing concepts and standards. An understanding of auditing principles is reinforced and explained by exposure to problems and cases. (Spring.)
497G.		Seminar in Accounting (3). Prerequisites: ACC 512 and ACC 490G. Examines critical accounting topics through intensive review of current literature and pronouncements. Assesses student’s ability to effectively communicate accounting information.
512.		Accounting Information Analysis (3). Prerequisite: ACC 200 or equivalent. Analysis and use of accounting data as a tool for managerial decision making; analysis of financial reporting, cost behavior, budgeting, and decision making.
589.		Internship in Accounting (3). Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and approval of the MBA Director. (Grade of Pass or Fail only.) Provides the graduate student with practical experience in the field of accounting via a “real-world” work experience arrangement with an accounting firm.
598.		Independent Research (3). Prerequisite: Completion of 18 semester hours of graduate courses including a three semester hour quantitative course. Permission of the instructor and approval of the MBA Director. In-depth study of selected topic(s).

Business Administration Courses

Prefix BA

500.		Statistics and Quantitative Methods (3). Quantitative methods and statistics as applied to business and economics; topics include optimization, descriptive statistics, probability theory, sampling and statistical inference, hypothesis testing, regression and correlation analysis, and analysis of variance.
501.		Organizational Communication (3). Focuses on prevalent communication skills in complex organizations; students participate in a variety of communication-related activities including questionnaire design, developing presentation materials, presentational speaking, and researching and writing an effective business report; topics include organizational communication, nonverbal com-munication, and communication technology.
545.		Quantitative Methods for Business Decision Making (3). Prerequisite: BA 500 or equivalent. May not be taken for credit if student has completed BA 540. Focuses on quantitative decision-making methodology for contemporary business managers, including such topics as decision-making under certainty, linear programming, queuing models, simulation, inventory modes, PERT, and decision support system.
587.		Business Policy & Strategy (3). Prerequisites: at least 18 hours of MBA course work including ACC 512, FIN 515, and MKT 513. Prerequisite or co-requisite: EC 515. Integrative study of strategic decision-making and policy formulation; extensive reading and case analysis. BA 587 must be taken at JSU.
590.		International Business (3). Provides an integrated treatment of theory and applications relative to international business and the U.S. Includes the impact of cultural, legal, and environmental issues on business; understanding foreign exchange markets, foreign direct investment, and entry modes into developing markets; and analyzes international markets as prospective locations. Presents the world from diverse perspectives, including those of small and midsize international companies and developing country multinationals. Investigates motives and needs of global competitors, customers, and partners.

Economic Courses

Prefix EC

485G.		Field Experiences (3). Field trip to New York City to study important New York business and economic sites, such as the New York Stock Exchange, the Federal Reserve, the Fulton Fish Market, a large international bank, an advertising agency, a bond advisory company, and other tours relevant to economics. Summer only.
515.		Managerial Economics (3). Prerequisite: EC 222. Advanced study of microeconomic principles, with analysis applied to actual business management situations.
589.		Internship in Economics (3). (Grade of Pass or Fail only.) Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and approval of the MBA Director. Provides the graduate student with practical experience in the field of economics via a “real-world” work experience arrangement.
598.		Independent Research (3). Prerequisite: Completion of 18 semester hours of graduate courses including a three-semester hour quantitative course. Permission of the instructor and approval of the MBA Director. In-depth study of selected topic(s).

Finance Courses

Prefix FIN

474G.		Investments (3). Prerequisite: FIN 301 or equivalent. Investment principles and practices; emphasis on security analysis, portfolio management, and the individual investor.
515.		Financial Management (3). Prerequisite: FIN 301. Study of financial decision concepts for maximizing value of the firm involving the financing, investment, and dividend decisions.
589.		Internship in Finance (3). (Grade of Pass or Fail only.) Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and approval of the MBA Director. Provides the graduate student with practical experience in the field of finance via a “real-world” work experience arrangement.
590.		International Finance (3). Prerequisite: FIN 515 or equivalent. Integrated treatment of theory and application relative to U.S. and international financial activities including financial institutions, trade agreements, economic policies, investment action, and multinational enterprise.
598.		Independent Research (3). Prerequisites: Completion of 18 semester hours of graduate courses including a three-semester hour quantitative course. Permission of the instructor and approval of the MBA Director. In-depth study of selected topic(s).

Management Courses

Prefix MGT

504.		Business Organization and Administration (3). Accelerated course in management concepts, functions, and practices; consideration of structural and behavioral aspects of organization and management.
522.		Human Resources Seminar (3). Prerequisite: MGT 504 or the equivalent. Industrial personnel and manpower management including personnel selection and placement, manpower planning, development and appraisal, and the role of human resource management.
530.		Contemporary Issues in Management (3). Prerequisite: MGT 504 or the equivalent. Investigation of current literature and practices in the field of management. A seminar course that includes lecture, discussion, and supervised student research into assigned topics.
537.		Business Leadership (3). Prerequisite: MGT 504 or equivalent. Focuses on leadership as a strategic tool as well as an individual competence; i.e. what leadership means, is, and does. Examines critical strategic functions encountered at both the organizational and individual levels.
589.		Internship in Management (3). (Grade of Pass or Fail only.) Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and approval of the MBA Director. Provides the graduate student with practical experience in the field of management via a “real-world” work experience arrangement.
598.		Independent Research (3). Prerequisite: Completion of 18 semester hours of graduate courses including a three-semester hour quantitative course. In-depth study of selected topic(s). Permission of the instructor and approval of the MBA Director.

Marketing Courses

Prefix MKT

513.		Marketing Administration (3). Prerequisite: MKT 301 or equivalent and ACC 512. Executive level analysis of marketing strategies involved in market segmentation, pricing, promotion, product development, and distribution channels.
530.		Contemporary Issues in Marketing (3). Prerequisite: MKT 513. Investigation of current literature, problems, and changes/opportunities taking place in the field of marketing; seminar course that includes lecture, discussion, and supervised student research into assigned topics.
589.		Internship in Marketing (3). (Grade of Pass or Fail only.) Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and approval of the MBA Director. Provides the graduate student with practical experience in the field of marketing via a “real-world” work experience arrangement.
590.		International Marketing (3). Prerequisite: MKT 513. Impact of cultural differences on target markets and marketing strategy examination; trade barriers and methods of entry considered; course depends heavily on case writing and presentation.
598.		Independent Research (3). Prerequisites: Completion of 18 semester hours of graduate courses including a three-semester hour quantitative course. Permission of the instructor and approval of the MBA Director. In-depth study of selected topic(s).

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