Nov 12, 2024  
2015-2016 Graduate Studies Bulletin 
    
2015-2016 Graduate Studies Bulletin [ARCHIVED 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 offerings, the Frank G. Zarb School of Business  offers an online MBA program. Online MBA students complete a two-year program with a rigorous core curriculum and advanced study. The program can be completed within two years in a cohort based option. Students can opt for the non-cohort option based on time and other constraints after being in the cohort option for at least one semester. The program requires a 41 to 48 credit course of study in the fundamental areas of accounting, finance, information technology, marketing, international business, operations, communications and leadership skills, global decision making, economics, and the legal environment. The program has two concentrations with five specialized courses in each concentration which further strengthen the knowledge of the students. The two concentrations are in Strategic Business Management and Strategic Heathcare Management.

Students are admitted into the program in the fall semester only.

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 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. Undergraduate majors represented in the MBA program include, but are not limited to, business, education, the natural and social sciences, engineering, the humanities, and nursing.

All applications for admission are considered on the basis of their own merits, with weight given to the strength of a student’s previous academic performance, scores obtained on the GMAT, professional experiences indicating increasing levels of responsibility, and any other pertinent information which the candidate for admission may provide to the Committee on Admissions.

Applicants for admission are required to take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), which is administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). Applicants are encouraged to take the GMAT well in advance of applying to a graduate program. To schedule an appointment to take the GMAT, applicants may call 1-800-462-8669 or visit the GMAC website at www.mba.com. Scores obtained on the GRE are also acceptable in lieu of the GMAT. In addition, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination is required of international applicants and typically cannot be waived.

Transfer of Credit


Opportunities to transfer credit from other institutions into the MBA program are extremely limited, and only course work completed at AACSB-accredited schools will be considered. A maximum of 9 semester hours beyond the core competency levels will be considered for transfer credit. Graduate transfer credit in this program is always limited to ensure that a minimum of 30 post-core competency 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.

Program Requirements – Semester Hours: 41-48


A range of 41-48 semester hours is required for the MBA degree in all majors except professional accountancy, which has a range of 62 to 69 semester hours.

Previous course work is evaluated by the Graduate Programs Office of the Zarb School of Business upon a student’s admission. Some residency workshops, core competencies, and advanced core courses may be waived based upon previous academic work, and this will determine the total number of workshops and semester hours required for the MBA degree. No credit will be allowed for core competency or graduate courses with D grades. These courses must be repeated.

The Online MBA program is composed of the following requirements:

  • Core Competencies (2-6 s.h.)
  • Advanced Core (21-24 s.h.)
  • The Major Concentration (15 s.h.)
  • Capstone Integrative Course (3 s.h.)
  • Two Residencies (No credit) and a Global Practicum on Strategy

Core Competencies - Semester Hours: 2-6


The core competency requirement provides students with exposure to a survey of economics and the legal, political, regulatory, and ethical environment of business. These areas of business provide the base of knowledge necessary to understand how a business organization functions. Up to two 200-level core competency requirements may be satisfied through the successful completion of appropriate previous course work with grades of B or better taken within a specific time frame prior to enrollment in the MBA program or through satisfactory performance on a proficiency examination administered by the appropriate department within the Frank G. Zarb School of Business .

Previous course work is evaluated by the Graduate Programs Office of the Frank G. Zarb School of Business  immediately upon a student’s admission. The results of this evaluation, including notification of the core competencies required as part of each individual student’s course of study in the MBA program, will be communicated to all students with their letter of admission. Further evaluation of core competencies after admission will only be undertaken for those students admitted directly from their baccalaureate program of study and for whom final undergraduate transcripts were not available at the time of admission.

Students should note that in-service training courses, corporate training, and other nondegree bearing credit courses are not acceptable for credit toward the core competencies. Courses taken at junior or community colleges are generally not acceptable for credit toward core competency courses.

Advanced Core - Semester Hours: 21-24


The advanced core 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 and leadership skills are also included in the advanced core component. This component is presented within a framework that emphasizes analytical and problem solving skills and focuses on the professional perspectives in the management of business organizations, as well as 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 Advanced 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 Advanced 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 prior to admission to the Hofstra MBA program. No waiver or substitution will be granted for IB 207  and MGT 207 .

The Major Concentration - Semester Hours: 15


The major concentration enables students to establish a strong base of specialized knowledge in one of the areas of study represented in the Zarb School of Business. This complements the skills in the various functional areas of business, as well as 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 successful completion of 18 credits with a minimum GPA of 3.0. These concentrations are in Accounting, Business Analytics, Finance, Information Systems, International Business, Management, Marketing, Quality Management, Real Estate, Sports and Entertainment Management, and Taxation. In such cases, online MBA students will have to take the concentration courses on campus.

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.

Two Residencies (no credit) and a Global Practicum on Strategy


Two residencies based in the New York area and a Global Practicum on Strategy are an integral part of the online MBA program. As part of the first residency, students will take sessions in library resources, teamwork and oral communication skills. In addition, orientation sessions will introduce students to the program. Applicants without prior course work or knowledge in spreadsheet skills must take a proficiency test or complete a self-paced, online workshop on Spreadsheet Skills. Depending on previous academic preparation, students may be required to take an online workshop Statistics for Business Applications . These workshops have to be completed prior to the start of the program. As part of the second residency, students will take sessions related to the capstone course. Attendance at these residencies and the Global Practicum on Strategy are mandatory for students in the program.

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