Professional M.B.A.

The Boler College of Business offers graduate coursework leading to the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree. The mission of this program is to prepare students to become managers and leaders fully utilizing their skills and abilities in making ethical contributions to their organizations and to the well-being of society. This mission is implemented in the Jesuit tradition of educational excellence for the purpose of becoming agents of positive social change. To achieve this mission, the program emphasizes the quantitative and behavioral tools of business analysis and strategic decision-making so that students develop an understanding of the various functional fields along with the creative and problem solving skills required to manage and lead successful enterprises.

We have developed a unique across-the- board systemic approach to our graduate programs. We framed this approach as the Boler College of Inspired Business Graduate Programs. We believe that our faculty, our curricula, our labs, our internships, our regional and international partners, and visiting thought leaders all serve a singular purpose: helping students to experience how new and sustainable prosperity is created in an increasingly complex, changing world. The Boler Inspired Business Forum — an orientation into the mindsets students need to manage the performance of the Triple Bottom Line: Economic, Environmental and Societal — is the first class in the journey towards an Inspired Life. People, profit and planet considerations are integrated into all graduate level classes. Students learn how effective leaders make responsible, data-driven decisions that are grounded in their concern for profitability and for humanity.

Managing for the triple bottom lines of environmental, economic and societal performance requires a fundamental shift of how business leaders think. Thus, educating and cultivating the next generation of inspired business leadership means going beyond just developing the skillsets that accountancy, finance, marketing, supply chain management, or business analytics demand. This is why the Boler graduate programs developed four critical mindsets that are integrated within the framework of the TBL: An Ethical Mindset is unselfish, open, reflective and grateful for others — attentive to love, truth, fairness, equity and justice. A Systems Mindset recognizes that all people and all things are interconnected. A systems thinker is morally aware of how human actions create outcomes that impact current and future generations of people. An Innovation Mindset is driven to solve problems and make a difference by creating. It is inclusive and welcomes the diverse contributions and experiences of others. Because it is observant, curious, constructive and fearless, the innovative mind is able to synthesize seemingly divergent strains of thought into new breakthroughs. A Dynamic Mindset embraces disruption and perpetual change in all its forms — new technologies, new data, new methods, new ideas. The dynamic mind is uncomfortable with the status quo, and actively seeks out what’s next. Together we believe that these mindsets will form the foundations for students’ decisions and actions in their future careers.

John Carroll University is a member of JEBNET, the network of Jesuit M.B.A. programs linking 30 AACSB- accredited Jesuit colleges and universities by means of an articulation agreement. This agreement provides students with unparalleled flexibility to transfer graduate credits and complete their M.B.A. at another Jesuit or Catholic university in the event they relocate to another region of the country. More information can be found at the JEBNET website: http://jesuitmba.org/.

Admission Requirements

The Boler M.B.A. program is open to individuals who have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university and who show high promise of success in graduate business study. New students may enter the program at the beginning of the fall, spring, or summer semesters. Completed applications and all supporting documentation must be received at least thirty (30) days (domestic students) and sixty (60) days (international students) before the beginning of the intended semester. Admission decisions are based on an evaluation of:

Official transcripts from all colleges previously attended.
Official scores on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). These may be waived for admission. However, they may be required for consideration for fellowships, graduate assistantships, and GMAT-based scholarships.
At least one letter of recommendation.
An essay entitled “Graduate Business Education: Enabling Me to Achieve My Personal Goals and Become a Leader.”
A detailed resume indicating employment and educational background. International students must also provide evaluation of foreign credentials by an independent evaluation service, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and a certified statement of financial ability.

Program of Study

The Professional M.B.A. program is designed primarily for those with two or more years of meaningful work experience who wish to obtain an advanced degree, part-time, during the evening, without interruption of work.

The M.B.A. program has two alternatives: 1) the Emerging Leader M.B.A., for which students may apply for in-person or online attendance and 2) the Professional M.B.A., which is designed for students with 2 or more years of professional business experience. All pathways require a minimum of 33 credit hours.

Both options in the M.B.A. program consist of four curriculum areas: Business Foundation Courses, Core Courses, Elective Courses, and Capstone Courses. The Emerging Leader M.B.A. differs in Core, Elective, and Capstone Courses from the Professional M.B.A., but are identical for the Business Foundation Courses.

	Emerging Leader M.B.A.	Professional M.B.A.
Business Foundation Courses	4 courses (12 credit hours) The Business Foundation Courses are the foundation or prerequisite courses and may be waived for those students with comparable undergraduate coursework. Standards for waiving foundation courses depend on which M.B.A. option the student has chosen. In all cases the student is responsible for proficiency in all work described in these courses.
Core Courses	9 courses (24 credit hours)	10 courses (22 credit hours)
Elective Courses	2 courses* (6 credit hours)	2 courses* (6 credit hours)
	* 1 elective course (3 credit hours) is recommended to be an international business course.
Capstone Course	1 course (3 credit hours)	3 courses (5 credit hours)
Internship (recommended, but not required for online students)	1 course (0 credit hours)

The minimum number of credit hours for the degree (beyond the Business Foundation Courses) is 33 for all M.B.A. programs. Consult with the Office of Graduate Business Programs for more information.

Program Learning Goals & Objectives

The M.B.A. program is designed to develop in students the skill sets necessary to be successful in a variety of management situations. Specifically, our MBA students will:

Objective 1: integrate and apply evidence-based business knowledge to advance business practice, strategy & creation within a broader societal framework.
Objective 2: identify and utilize analytical procedures, processes and technology to synthesize data and advance business practice, strategy and creation within a broader societal framework.
Objective 3: demonstrate communication skills that synthesize complex data to inform and engage a diverse audience in individual, team and organizational settings to advance business practice, strategy and creation within a broader societal framework.
Objective 4: demonstrate personal integrity in action, through ethical awareness, and a capacity to apply an ethical framework to make decisions.
Objective 5: demonstrate the capacity to apply managerial and leadership skills in a dynamic team environment, in order to advance business practice, strategy and creation within a broader societal framework.

Sequence of Courses in the Emerging Leader M.B.A.

Coursework is to be completed in the following curriculum areas. To be prepared for advanced courses, students must complete all of the Business Foundation requirements before the Core or Elective Courses.

Business Foundation Courses*

AC 521	FUNDAMENTALS OF ACCOUNTING	3
EC 521	FUNDAMENTALS OF ECONOMICS	3
EC 522	INTRO TO APPLIED BUSINESS ANALYTICS	3
FN 521	FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCE	3

Subtotal: 12

*Subject to waiver for undergraduate equivalent

Core Courses

MB 501	INSPIRED BUSINESS FORUM	0
MB 560	LEADERSHIP LAB	3
MB 562	ORGANIZATIONAL AND TEAM LEADERSHIP	1
MB 563	MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING	3
MB 566	EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATION	1
MB 567	IMPLEMENTATION AND KEY PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT	3
MB 571	ANALYTICS-DRIVEN BUSINESS INSIGHTS	2
MB 574	MARKETING STRATEGY	3
MB 575	FINANCIAL STRATEGY	3
MB 594	BUSINESS ETHICS AND COPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY	3

Subtotal: 22

Elective Courses

Two courses that pursue an in-depth study of a specific areas of business. Students desiring a concentration in a specific area of business would take both in-depth courses in that area. These in-depth courses may be taken at JCU if available or online through one of our partner Jesuit schools.

One Elective Course (3 credit hours) is recommended to be an international business course.

ELEC	ELECTIVE COURSE	3
ELEC	ELECTIVE COURSE	3

Subtotal: 6

Capstone Courses

MB 568	STRATEGY	3
MB 590	EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP	1
MB 593	CEO INSIGHTS	1

Subtotal: 5

Total: 33

Grade Requirements in the M.B.A. Programs

Students are allowed no more than two grades of C and must achieve a minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to graduate. A grade of D does not earn graduate credit.

Concentrations

Concentrations, though not required, can be taken in any of the areas listed in the Elective courses section of the Course Descriptions. Students desiring a concentration should take two in-depth courses in the preferred area of business. These courses may be taken at JCU, if available, or online through one of our partner Jesuit schools. At least three credit hours of electives are recommended to be from an approved international business course.

Accountancy Concentration	TWO AC ELECTIVES	6
Economics Concentration	TWO EC ELECTIVES	6
Finance Concentration	TWO FN ELECTIVES	6
International Business Concentration	TWO ELECTIVES IN GLOBAL BUSINESS**	6
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Concentration	MHR 564 and MK 582	6
Management & Human Resources Concentration	TWO MHR ELECTIVES	6
Marketing Concentration	TWO MK ELECTIVES	6
Tax Concentration	AC 551 requirement waived AND AC 564, AC 573, and AC 586	9

**Students should consult their M.B.A. advisor for approved global electives

Program Faculty

Alan Miciak	President, John Carroll University; Marketing
Scott Moore	Interim Dean; Associate Dean for Academics and Accreditation, Boler College of Business; Finance
Walter Simmons	Associate Dean for Graduate and International Programs, Boler College of Business; Economics
Scott Allen	Management, Leadership; Reid Chair
Robert Bloom	Accountancy
Tom Bonda	Management; Marketing; Supply Chain; Entrepreneurship
Allison Dachner	Management
William Elliott	Finance; Mellen Chair; Department Co-Chair
Tina Facca-Miess	Marketing
Richard T. Grenci	Business Information Systems
Robert Giacalone	Business Ethics; Smiley Chair
Simran K. Kahai	Economics: Koch Professor International Business
Jisok Kang	Finance
Sokchea Lim	Economics
Marc P. Lynn	Business Information Systems
Rosanna Miguel	Management
Albert L. Nagy	Accountancy
Tripp Petzel	Accountancy
Brian Saxton	Management
Charles A. Watts	Management; Marketing; Supply Chain
Mariah Webinger	Accountancy
Andrew M. Welki	Economics; Finance
Doan Winkel	Management; Entrepreneurship; Kahl Chair; Director, Muldoon Center; Director, Donnelly School
Yinglu Wu	Marketing
Xianwu Zhang	Finance
Executives in Residence
Richard Busby	Marketing
Alissa Choi	Accountancy
Jack Kleinhenz	Economics; Finance

Departments: