Master of Business Administration

Dauch College of Business and Economics

Dauch College of Business and Economics

Ashland University offers a Master of Business Administration degree through the Dauch College of Business and Economics. The MBA program, initiated in 1978, is designed to provide mid-level professionals with a top-management perspective on organizational effectiveness by equipping them with the conceptual frameworks necessary to operate a business or business segment. It also helps them to develop their ability to lead people and manage resources by developing key managerial competencies. Finally, it guides students toward more fruitful ways of integrating their individual efforts with those of their colleagues by employing a team-based, integrated, cross-disciplinary approach to understanding organizational management.

Interim Dean

Daniel Fox, Associate Professor of Law

Interim Associate Dean

Lance Kaltenbaugh, Associate Professor of Sport Management

Administrators

Ronald Mickler, Jr., Executive Director MBA Program

Jacob Moss, Assistant Director MBA Program

Katherine M. Rivera, Administrative Assistant

Mission

The Dauch College of Business and Economics educates students in a comprehensive, innovative, and engaging learning environment, through a competency-based curriculum led by teacher-scholars.

We achieve our mission by:

• Providing an innovative, engaging and transformational learning experience through a competency-based curriculum diverse in experiential and applied learning experiences.

• Engaging current and potential employers and other key stakeholders to enable our students to discover and apply real world industry standards, gain practical experience, and learn skills necessary to succeed in the global business community.

• Monitoring and assessing student learning to ensure that our students develop competence in communication, problem-solving, decision-making, leadership, and other key skill areas.

• Promoting character development, moral integrity, self-discipline, social responsibility, and respect for the diversity of values and faith found in the global business community.

• Recruiting and retaining faculty who are engaged teacher-scholars, proficient in pedagogy, informed through industry engagement, and actively engaged in impactful applied, teaching and learning, and discipline-based scholarship.

• Embracing an innovative culture to enable continuous improvement in key performance areas and ensure that our students and faculty have a positive impact on the stakeholders we serve.

Membership

Ashland University is a member of AACSB International, and is officially engaged in the accreditation process. The Initial Accreditation Committee of AACSB approved our initial Self Evaluation Report in February 2019, and we are working to achieve accreditation.

Admission Procedures

Master of Business Administration Program

An applicant possessing a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, with a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.75 on a 4.00 scale, and a minimum of two years full-time work experience may be accepted for admission to Ashland University’s MBA program on an unconditional basis.

An applicant possessing a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, with a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and less than two years full-time work experience may also be unconditionally accepted for admission to Ashland University's MBA program.

An applicant without these requirements may be admitted on a conditional basis, depending on his or her situation. Students with a GPA less than 2.25 may be considered for conditional admission after the additional review and approval by the Chair of the MBA program. In such cases, the number of courses taken will be limited to two per semester, and a grade point average of 3.0 must be achieved at the conclusion of the first 12 semester hours of course work. In the event a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is not achieved after the first 12 semester hours, the student may be dismissed from the program.

Please see the Graduate Admission Policy earlier in this section of the catalog for more information concerning GPA requirements. If the applicant’s baccalaureate history fails to reflect sufficient course work in business to assure an understanding of the concepts contained in the Phase II courses, the applicant may be admitted, but be required to enroll in MBA Foundations course work.

How to Apply

The following materials must be submitted to finalize the application process:

1. Completed Ashland University Application.

2. Submit a $30 application fee.

3. Submit an updated resume or vitae

4. Submit official academic transcripts(s) from accredited institutions of higher education documenting all undergraduate and graduate degrees awarded.

Transcripts, application fees paid by check or money order, or other correspondence should be mailed to:

Ashland University

Attn: Enrollment Services

401 College Avenue

Ashland, OH 44805

Official Electronic transcripts should be submitted to:

enroll-grad@ashland.edu

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a Master of Business Administration degree will demonstrate competency in several areas found to be important for success in business. These competency areas include leadership, communication skills, problem solving skills, integrity and accountability, specialized knowledge, and international and global perspective.

The assessment of student learning outcomes for all MBA students includes both internal and external assessments in selected courses, culminating in the MBA 517 Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis capstone course.

Specific Student Outcomes include:

• the ability to communicate correctly and purposefully, integrating technology into writing and presentations;

• the ability to identify problems, analyze information, and form conclusions within the business context;

• business knowledge from a variety of sub-disciplines and the ability to apply the knowledge and skills to reach solutions to business needs;

• the ability to inspire a shared vision, foster a realization of that vision, and facilitate a culture to realize goals of the vision;

• an understanding of the ethical behaviors and issues relevant to the business community;

• the ability to apply analytical and quantitative skills appropriate to support business decision making;

• an international and global perspective appropriate to a progressive business community that engages in international business activities.

Program Objectives

1. To provide for the needs of future and practicing executives by offering an education integrating relevant theory with practical application.

2. To offer a curriculum that provides the necessary tools for decision making and problem solving while exposing the student to the functional areas of business that are appropriate in today’s business environment.

3. To meet the needs of diverse groups of students by integrating international students into our American business culture in order to develop a global awareness.

4. To provide fundamental business courses and skills for nonbusiness degree holders and for international students by offering a foundation program to prepare them for graduate studies in business.

Structure

Ashland University offers students the Master of Business Administration course work in three program centers across the state. Classes meet in the evenings, on Saturdays, or in a hybrid online model, and virtual (synchronous online) options are often an alternative to classroom attendance. These options enable students to learn without interrupting their normal working schedules and to choose the format that best fits their individual learning styles. By completing two courses each semester, students may earn their degree in less than two years of study.

Ashland University also offers a totally online MBA program. Our online courses are designed according to the Quality Matters TM Program standards and delivered via the Blackboard Learn learning management system (LMS), ensuring high quality.

The MBA program also is offered in an accelerated, 1-year format, with two international study tours. Cohorts for the 1-Year International MBA program typically begin in January and August, although it is possible to join a cohort at other entry points. Contact the MBA Programs Office for information on timing, pricing, location, and course options for specific cohorts.

Accreditation of MBA Program

The College of Business and Economics received its initial professional accreditation for its degree programs (BA, BSBA, and MBA) at all sites from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) in June 1993. The ACBSP granted the BSBA with a major in accounting, the MBA with a specialization in accounting, and the accelerated BSBA/MBA in accounting specialized accreditation in 2013, the eighth school in the US and the first school in Ohio to be so recognized. These certifications serve to assure the public that the business education at Ashland University meets nationally recognized standards of quality in terms of professors, curriculum, methods of instruction, student services, and financial support.

Degree Completion Timeline

Students must complete all requirements for the Master of Business Administration degree within five years, but this time span does not include Master of Business Administration Foundations course work. The five-year period begins with the date of the earliest Master of Business Administration core course and ends with the last hours applied toward the degree. In extraordinary circumstances, a time extension may be granted through approval of the Master of Business Administration executive director. Students must contact the Master of Business Administration executive director to initiate a time extension appeal.

A student’s file will be removed from the active program status if he or she fails to take courses for a period of two semesters. The student will then be required to apply for reactivation of the records. Although the five-year time limit should be observed, no loss of credit results.

Distinguished Graduate Student Awards

Awards are presented at each commencement ceremony honoring those students who, by the determination of their respective program administrators, have exemplified outstanding academic achievement.

Master of Business Administration students who have completed at least one-half of the Master of Business Administration requirements with a GPA of 3.8 or higher are eligible for membership in Delta Mu Delta, an international honor society in business. Candidates must receive faculty approval to be accepted.

Schedule Changes

Registration materials are available to students well in advance of each semester. Course schedules include registration dates and semester meeting dates; tentative offerings for two semesters are also included with each schedule.

All student registration follows the approved drop, add, and withdrawal dates for the courses set by the Registrar’s Office.

Students wishing to add a course to their registration should immediately contact the MBA Programs Office. If the enrollment in the class has not reached capacity, the course may be added upon the professor’s approval and only if the proper prerequisites are met. A registration request must then be submitted by email to the MBA Programs Office: mba@ashland.edu.

Students wishing to drop a course from their registration may be able to accomplish this online via Self Service if done early enough in the semester. Otherwise, students must e-mail (mba@ashland.edu), with a note to the Master of Business Administration office stating:

1. the course to be dropped(course number, name, and section);

2. a brief but complete reason for withdrawal from the course;

3. future plans, if any, for reenrolling in the same course.

Upon receipt of this notification by the Master of Business Administration Programs Office and approval of the request by the Director of the MBA program, a registration change will be completed and the course instructor will be notified.

A student who merely stops attending, while failing to officially drop the course, will have the final grade as reported by the instructor entered on the official record.

Transfer of Credits

Ashland University will accept up to 9 hours of graduate transfer credit into the Master of Business Administration Program. Several factors should be noted when transferring credit:

• A student must have earned the credit hours no longer than six years prior to acceptance into the master’s program.

• Credit hours transferred cannot have been used for another degree.

• A student must have earned the credit hours at an accredited institution.

• The credit hours must be graduate-level credit hours from a course in which the student received at least a B grade.

• Quarter hours transferred into the University will be converted into semester hours.

The student’s academic advisor approves credit transfers. Any exceptions to this policy, which are granted rarely, must be approved by the program's faculty committee.

To transfer credit, a student should ask the Registrar’s Office of the institution where the credit was earned to send an official, sealed copy of his or her transcript to Ashland University. The transcript should make clear that the credit hours are graduate credits. Transcripts should be sent to:

Ashland University

Attn: Enrollment Services

401 College Avenue

Ashland, OH 44805

Official Electronic transcripts should be submitted to:

enroll-grad@ashland.edu

For prior approval of credit hours to be transferred, the student must submit a letter to the student’s Academic Advisor along with a copy of the other institution’s syllabus for the course. No guarantee exists that credit hours will be transferable. Prior assurances given verbally by faculty or staff at Ashland University must be regarded as estimates or opinions; they do not commit the University to a course of action.

Instructional Facilities

Classes are held on the main campus in the Dauch College of Business and Economics and at two off-campus centers:

• Cleveland MBA Center

6393 Oak Tree Boulevard

Independence, OH  44131

• Columbus Center

1900 E. Dublin-Granville Rd.

Columbus, OH 43229

Academic Advisor

The MBA Programs Office has two recruiter/advisors, one of whom will be the student’s advisor throughout the MBA program. However, students may wish to select a graduate faculty member who will assist in defining their personal and professional objectives. The faculty advisors are not necessarily the research advisors if the student decides to pursue an independent research project.

Academic Probation/Dismissal

The academic records for all MBA students are reviewed at the end of each semester. Students whose cumulative grade point averages fall below 3.00 are automatically placed on probation and are subject to dismissal. Student status is determined by the number of hours of MBA course work completed and the cumulative grade point average (GPA), as shown in the following table.

A student who is placed on academic probation is normally permitted to register for a maximum of six hours per semester until his or her cumulative grade point average reaches 3.00 or higher and he or she is removed from probation. International students must register for six hours. Exceptions to this must be approved by the MBA academic probation committee.

Students who are dismissed from the program should carefully consider their options, as there is no guarantee that they will be able to successfully complete the program, even if permitted to continue. If a dismissed student would like to continue in the MBA program, he or she must make a written request for permission for conditional reinstatement in the program from the MBA academic probation committee. If permitted to continue, the student must retake one or more courses in which he or she received a grade of "B-" or lower. The grade for the repeated course will affect the student's grade point average as described in the "Course Repeat Policy." A dismissed and conditionally reinstated student may not take any new courses until the cumulative grade point average has increased to at least the academic probation range.

If the student is placed under academic probation during his or her last semester in the program, the MBA Academic Standards Committee will determine what additional work, if any, must be completed for the student to continue and graduate. This additional work may include a requirement to retake one or more courses in order to increase the student's grade point average.

The Master of Business Administration Academic Standards Committee and Ashland University reserve the right to dismiss any student at any time for good cause. Please refer to the Academic Affairs section of this catalog for information concerning the Student Appeal Policy.

Degree Requirements

Ashland University's Master of Business Administration degree requires the completion of a minimum of 30 credit hours, excluding Foundation courses that may be required for students without sufficient coursework in business at the undergraduate level.

Master of Business Administration

Course of Study

Courses and Descriptions

See MBA Courses