Business Administration (Great Valley)

The Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) program at Penn State Great Valley prepares tomorrow’s leaders in strategic thinking, problem solving, effective communication, innovation, and ethical leadership. The program is fully accredited by AACSB International.

In addition to the campus in Malvern, the M.B.A. program is also offered at Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, and Penn State at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia.

Course work integrates key areas of business, including finance, accounting, marketing, information systems, organizational behavior, leadership, international business, and human resources. The program also offers concentrations in finance, human resource management, and sustainability management Courses are offered in a flexible, online-hybrid optional format designed for working adults seeking a degree without career interruption. Premier faculty combine their research with business enterprise expertise to give students a valuable and innovative classroom experience. Our applications-oriented program explores real-world issues through case studies, projects, simulations, and guest lecturers who are leaders in business and industry.

Admission Requirements

Applicants apply for admission to the program via the Graduate School application for admission. Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-300 Admissions Policies.

Applicants are evaluated on their portfolio of academic performance, relevant work experience, quantitative and analytical skills as evidenced from coursework and/or work experience. Scores from the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) may be waived based on a combination of factors such as experience, performance in undergraduate coursework, or advanced degree.

Admission decisions are based on the quality of the applicant's credentials in relation to those of other applicants. Evaluation criteria include:

• professional and academic accomplishments
• one letter of recommendation
• a personal statement that provides indications of future academic and professional potential
• GMAT scores (if applicable).

Application filing dates: Penn State Great Valley's M.B.A. program has a rolling admission policy. New students may start classes in fall, spring, or summer sessions.

Degree Requirements

Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)

Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-700 Professional Degree Policies.

Completion of the M.B.A. degree will require 30-48 credits of course work at the 400, 500, and 800 level, with at least 6 credits at the 500 level. This includes 9 credits of Required Courses, 18 credits of Foundations Courses, 15 Credits of Essential Courses, and 6 credits of Elective Courses. Students may have up to 18 credits of the required Foundations Courses waived in accordance with the course exemption guidelines for the M.B.A. program, in which case the total credits required for the degree may be reduced in an equivalent manner, down to the base minimum of 30 credits. To be eligible for exemption from a single foundation course, students must have completed at least two equivalent undergraduate courses with a grade of B or higher, no more than seven years prior to admission to the M.B.A. program. At the admission committee's discretion, a competency exam may be required to receive certain course exemptions. Time limits may be waived by the M.B.A. program on the basis of post-graduate training or current and relevant work experience. If a waiver is not granted, students must complete all Foundation Courses prior to starting advanced course work.

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 Required courses provide an overview of the management discipline at the beginning of the program. The capstone course (MGMT 871) is a culminating experience that provides students with an opportunity to strategically integrate and apply what they have learned in their course work.

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 Foundations courses provide an overview of key business processes and functional areas of organizations. One or more foundations courses can be waived based on previous undergraduate coursework.

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 Essential Courses build necessary competencies for effective managerial practice, knowledge of key elements of contemporary business, and ethical decision-making. Electives provide an opportunity for students to pursue their interests.

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 Electives provide an opportunity for students to pursue their interests and develop distinctive competencies by pursuing advanced courses offered or approved by the Management Division. A list of approved elective courses is maintained by the graduate program office.

Minor

A graduate minor is available in any approved graduate major or dual-title program. The default requirements for a graduate minor are stated in Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-600 Research Degree Policies and GCAC-700 Professional Degree Policies, depending on the type of degree the student is pursuing:

• GCAC-611 Minor - Research Doctorate
• GCAC-641 Minor - Research Master's
• GCAC-709 Minor - Professional Doctorate
• GCAC-741 Minor - Professional Master's

Student Aid

Refer to the Tuition & Funding section of The Graduate School’s website. Students in this program are not eligible for graduate assistantships.

Financial aid for students in on-campus programs is in the form of student loans and a limited number of small scholarships, as described on the Penn State Great Valley website.

Courses

Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 699 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the MBA program, our graduates will:

• Learning Goal 1: Integrate theory, research, and practice from all functional areas – accounting, economics, finance, marketing, operations research, management, and organization – to solve business problems within dynamic environments.
  • Demonstrate ability to integrate the various business functions to good effect.
  • Demonstrate appreciation of the role of contexts when developing and executing strategy.
• Learning Goal 2: Critically evaluate and make ethical decisions with consideration for multiple stakeholders.
  • Evaluate and analyze the ethical dimension of decision-making.
• Learning Goal 3: Demonstrate communication behaviors that reflect an awareness of context, relationships, others’ perspectives, and individual as well as organizational goals.
  • Communicate their intended message clearly and professionally to individuals, teams, and external stakeholders.
  • Demonstrate an ability to engage in perspective taking and conflict management
  • Demonstrate an ability to adapt communication behaviors to dynamic, multicultural, and/or complex contexts.
• Learning Goal 4: Demonstrate an appreciation of technology as a strategic tool.
  • Identify and evaluate the functional, financial, operational, and social impact of technology.
• Learning Goal 5: Demonstrate knowledge of business in multicultural contexts and the opportunities and challenges of globalization.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of global markets and finance on business decisions.

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