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2024-2025 Graduate Studies Bulletin
Online Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program
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Dr. Kaushik Sengupta, Executive Director of the Online MBA Program, 516-463-7825
Within its MBA program offerings, the Frank G. Zarb School of Business offers an online MBA program. Online MBA students complete a 16-month program with a rigorous core curriculum and advanced study. The program can be completed within 16 months in a cohort-based option. Students can opt for the non-cohort option based on time and other constraints, allowing them to complete the program within five years. The program requires 36 credits of study in the fundamental areas of accounting, finance, information technology, marketing, international business, operations, communications and leadership skills, global decision-making, compliance, ethics, and sustainability. The program has five concentrations, further strengthening the students’ knowledge. The five concentrations are Strategic Business Management, Strategic Healthcare Management, Finance, Business Analytics, and Marketing.
Students are admitted into the program in both fall and spring semesters.
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Objectives of the MBA Program
The MBA program prepares students for managerial positions in various types of organizations. The program builds on core business competencies and functional specialization to impart to its students decision analysis skills and a strategic perspective of business problems. Admission Criteria
Applicants for admission to the Online MBA program must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. No specific undergraduate course of study is required for admission, nor is any specific course of undergraduate study recommended for those students planning to pursue these degrees. All applications for admission are considered based on their own merits, with weight given to the strength of a student’s previous academic performance, professional experiences indicating increasing levels of responsibility, scores obtained on the GMAT/GRE, and any other pertinent information which the candidate for admission may provide to the Committee on Admissions. GMAT Waiver Policy GMAT waivers are available for candidates who have earned an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher or those with significant years of progressive work experience. Additional waivers may be available upon application review. Internal Program Transfer Students admitted to one of the MS business programs who choose to transfer to the Online MBA program must have successfully completed 18 credits of graduate coursework in the MS program they have been admitted to and meet the admission requirements of the Online MBA program. Transfer of Credit
Opportunities to transfer credit from other institutions into the MBA program are limited, and only course work completed at AACSB-accredited schools will be considered. A maximum of 9 semester hours of core competency level will be considered for transfer credit. Graduate transfer credit in this program is always limited to ensure that a minimum of 27 core competency and higher-level credits are taken in-residence. Statute of Limitation
All credits applied toward the MBA degree must be earned within the period of five years starting from the date of completion of the first course applicable to the degree. Exceptions will be made for any period of intervening military service. MBA students in the Frank G. Zarb School of Business who have no record of attendance in the School for a period of 15 months or more after the last semester completed, including summer sessions, may be required to file for readmission and follow the requirements set forth in the Graduate Studies Bulletin in effect upon such readmission. Pre-program Competencies (Zarb School of Business) – No Credits
Pre-program competencies evaluate the readiness of admitted students to start the program with the appropriate level of skills in certain areas. Specific skills are evaluated for all MBA majors in the following areas – - Economics – Students are expected to have an understanding of basic concepts in microeconomics and macroeconomics. Demonstration of this proficiency can be satisfied either through previous coursework or by completing an online, self-paced module for students with no previous academic background or courses in Economics. There is no cost associated with this module.
- Statistics – Students are expected to have an understanding of the basic statistical concepts. Demonstration of this proficiency can be satisfied either through previous coursework in statistics or by completing an online, self-paced module covering basic concepts in statistics. There is no cost associated with this module.
- Spreadsheet Skills – Students are expected to register for an online module and complete an assessment exam. There is no cost associated with this module.
- Business Presentations – Students are expected to complete an initial evaluation session to evaluate individual speaking skills, followed by additional sessions as required based on the student’s performance in the evaluation session. There is no cost associated with the initial evaluation session. A tuition charge equivalent of 0.7 credits will apply if students require additional sessions, or if students do not participate in the initial evaluation session.
Additionally, Calculus skills are evaluated for Finance, Information Systems, and Business Analytics majors. This is evaluated through an online, proficiency exam. Those students who do not complete the calculus proficiency exam with a satisfactory score and others who feel a need to refresh their knowledge of calculus (finance, information systems, and business analytics majors only) are encouraged to take the appropriate courses to help them gain needed knowledge. The competencies in Statistics and Calculus can be satisfied by previous equivalent undergraduate or graduate course work taken within the preceding period of five years, with a B or better grade at an accredited college or university. Students will receive, with their letter of admission, information about which skillsets have been met through prior course work. Proficiency in Economics can be satisfied if a student completed two undergraduate courses or one graduate course inclusive of both microeconomics and macroeconomics with an average grade of at least B within the previous five years. English Proficiency Requirement for International Students In addition, newly admitted international students are required to take an English placement exam during fall and spring orientation. The exam consists of a short writing task on a topic of general interest and a standardized test including listening comprehension, grammar, and reading comprehension. Students, who do not meet the requirements for English proficiency based on the outcomes of the placement exam, must take ESL 235 (2.0 s.h.). All international students who are placed in ESL 235 (2.0 s.h.) must complete the course during the first semester in which they begin an MBA/MS program and must receive a grade of P (Pass). ESL 235 (2.0 s.h.) will carry no degree credit. A grade of P (pass) is required or the course has to be repeated the following semester. English Proficiency Requirement for International Students
In addition, newly admitted international students are required to take an English placement exam during fall and spring orientation. The exam consists of a short writing task on a topic of general interest and a standardized test including listening comprehension, grammar and reading comprehension. Results are reviewed by the Hofstra English Language Program (ELP) faculty, who make the determination if students must take ELP 235 (2.0 s.h.). All international students who are placed in ELP 235 (2.0 s.h.) must complete the course during the first semester in which they begin an MBA/MS program and must receive a grade of P (Pass). ELP 235 (2.0 s.h.) will carry no degree credit. A grade of P (pass) is required or the course has to be repeated the following semester. Program Requirements – Semester Hours: 36
36 semester hours are required for the Online MBA program leading to an MBA degree. The Online MBA program is composed of the following requirements: - Core (24 s.h.)
- The Major Concentration (9 s.h.)
- Capstone Integrative Course (3 s.h.)
Core Competencies- Semester Hours: 24
The core competencies requirement provides the breadth of knowledge focusing on functional areas of business, such as accounting, management information systems, finance, operations management, marketing, and quantitative analysis. In addition to these, global business decision making, contemporary organizations, leadership skills, and business ethics are also included in the core competencies component. This component is presented within a framework that emphasizes analytical and problem-solving skills. It focuses on professional perspectives in the management of business organizations and the importance of written and oral communication skills. If a student majors at the graduate level in the same discipline as the undergraduate major/minor, he/she may request a waiver of the 203-level Core course in that discipline. If a student majors at the graduate level in a discipline different from his/her undergraduate major/minor, he/she may request a substitution for the 203-level Core course in his/her undergraduate discipline and replace it with another elective in that discipline. To be eligible for a waiver/substitution, a student must have earned a minimum of 18 credits with a B average or above in the specific discipline (accounting, finance, information technology, management, marketing, or statistics) at an AACSB-accredited school within five years before admission to the Hofstra MBA program. A student with significant work experience in a functional and/or discipline area may request a waiver of the corresponding 203-level Core course. The waivers granting is based on advisement, and work experience must span multiple years in the discipline across various roles in organizations with significant responsibilities. No waiver or substitution will be granted for MBA 214 and MGT 207 . Capstone Integrative Course - Semester Hours: 3
Given that all functional areas in an organization work together to ensure success of the organization, this requirement is designed to help students integrate knowledge of various functional areas in order to solve complex problems. The capstone course is an integrative course covering all functional areas of organizations.
The Major Concentration - Semester Hours: 9
The major concentration enables students to establish a strong base of specialized knowledge in one of the study areas represented in the Zarb School of Business. This complements the skills in the various functional areas of business and the professional leadership and management orientation. With permission of the Graduate Programs Office and in consultation with the Online MBA program director, students may pursue a concentration in any of the other graduate concentration areas available at the Zarb School of Business after successfully completing 12 credits with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Two Residencies (no credit) and a Global Practicum on Strategy
Two residencies and an optional Global Practicum on Strategy are an integral part of the online MBA program. As part of the first (orientation) residency, students will participate in orientation sessions to introduce students to the program. Also, students will participate in teamwork and oral communication skills related sessions. As part of the second (capstone) residency, students will take sessions related to the capstone course. Attendance at these residencies is mandatory for students in the program. The optional Global Practicum on Strategy entails a 10-12 days global immersion experience at least a couple of destinations. Students participate in interactive sessions with business leaders and executives. Some business visits also entail participation in short consulting projects at the companies in these destinations. Cultural immersion is an important component of the experience, and students are expected to immerse themselves fully in the culture and overall environment of the countries being visited. The experience usually entails visits to more than one country to enable cross-cultural aspects across two different countries. Students participating in the Global Practicum will use the learning from experience for their Capstone course in the program. |
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