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.
GMAT Waiver Policy
The GMAT will be waived for Zarb School of Business undergraduate students earning a minimum 3.2 GPA in their BBA program. The GMAT will also be waived for Hofstra Honors College Graduates and Associates with a minimum GPA of 3.2. Consideration will also be given to waiving the GMAT scores for business undergraduates who have earned a minimum 3.2 GPA from another AACSB school. Eligibility for such waivers will be evaluated upon request.
The GMAT requirement may also be waived for candidates with significant years of progressive work experience. Eligibility for such work experience based waivers would be evaluated on a case by case basis for qualified applicants under this category.
Internal Program Transfer
Students admitted to one of the MS business programs who choose to transfer to the Flex MBA program must have successfully completed 18 credits of graduate course work in the MS program they have been admitted and meet the admission requirements of the 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 in Statistics, Spreadsheets, and Presentations are evaluated for all MBA majors. Additionally, Calculus skills are evaluated for Finance, Information Systems and Business Analytics majors. Both full-time and part-time students must complete these proficiency evaluations in the first semester. Statistics and Calculus skills may be satisfied through one of the following means:
- Take an online, proficiency exam administered by the Zarb Graduate Programs Office. Self-paced, online modules may be used by students to prepare for the exam. Two separate exams will be administered, one for Statistics and the other for Calculus. There is no cost associated with the proficiency exams.
- 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 appropriate course to help them gain needed knowledge. The following is recommended:
- MATH 203W - Calculus for Business Applications
- Those students who do not complete the statistics proficiency exam with a satisfactory score and others who feel a need to refresh their knowledge of statistics are encouraged to take appropriate course to help them gain needed knowledge. The following is recommended:
- MBA 204W – Statistics for Business Applicationss
- 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.
The following modules are required of all MBA students.
- MBA 206W – Business Presentations (An initial evaluation session will be scheduled 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.
- MBA 208R – Spreadsheet Essentials (A self-paced online module that must be completed by the end of the first semester in the program). There is no cost associated with this module.
Economics Proficiency Requirement
Students are expected to have an understanding of basic concepts in microeconomics and macroeconomics. Students with undergraduate degrees in business disciplines can demonstrate this competency based on appropriate coursework completed as a part of their undergraduate degree program. Other students will have to complete the following course:
ECO 200 may also be waived 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 past five years.
Legal Studies Proficiency Requirement
Students are expected to have an understanding of basic concepts in legal, political, and regulatory environment of business. Students with undergraduate degrees in business disciplines can demonstrate this competency based on appropriate coursework completed as a part of their undergraduate degree program. Other students will have to complete the following course or its equivalent:
LEGL 200 may also be waived if a student completed equivalent course(s) with a grade of at least B within the past 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. 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: 38-45
A range of 38-45 semester hours is required for the MBA degree in all majors except professional accountancy, which has a range of 62 to 69 semester hours.
The MBA program is composed of the following requirements:
- Core Competencies (23-26 s.h.)
- The Major Concentration (12 s.h., except MBA in Professional Accountancy, which is 36 s.h.)
- Capstone Integrative Course (3 s.h.)
Core Competencies - Semester Hours: 23-26
The core competenciesrequirement 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 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 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 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 prior to 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 granting of the waiver 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 IB 207 and MGT 207 .
The Major Concentration - Semester Hours: 12
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, in consultation with the department chairperson to set general policy, students may substitute an elective course outside of their major area for one of these courses (except for Professional Accountancy where the substitution may only be in the major area).
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.