Bowling Green State University - Schmidthorst College of Business

MBA Program Philosophy

MBA programs are as varied as the business schools that offer them. Some are big. Bowling Green State University's MBA is not. The incoming class of full-time students consists of only 40 people. This means small class sizes and easy access to faculty. Some programs appear to prefer an undergraduate business degree. BGSU does not. The full-time MBA can be completed in 14 months with or without an undergraduate business degree. A specialization requires only an additional semester. Some schools require business experience for admission. BGSU does not. The full-time program is designed for students who will be new to their chosen fields. Most business schools (75 percent) are not AACSB accredited. BGSU is AACSB accredited. Accreditation is one way to demonstrate how serious BGSU is about their business programs.

The College of Business Administration has created a small-school atmosphere within a major research university. The outstanding students who comprise the MBA cohort reap the benefits of these resources without facing the cutthroat competition common in larger programs.

The College of Business Administration

The College of Business Administration serves approximately 2,200 undergraduate students and 250 graduate students. The College offers two undergraduate degrees (BS Business Administration and BS Economics) and six master's programs (Master of Business Administration, Master of Organization Development, Master of Accountancy, Master of Science in Applied Statistics, Master of Arts in Economics, and Operations Research Specialization in the Master of Science in Computer Science). The College consists of seven academic departments: Accounting and Management Information Systems, Applied Statistics and Operations Research, Economics, Finance, Legal Studies and International Business, Management, and Marketing.

The Business Administration building is a modern facility providing classrooms and office space for faculty, staff, and graduate assistants. MBA classes are generally held in small seminar-style classrooms or computer laboratory classrooms.

University Overview

Bowling Green State University is a diverse, mid-size institution located in northwest Ohio, approximately 23 miles south of Toledo. BGSU was founded in 1910. The 1,338-acre campus houses more than 100 buildings in a small-town setting.

The University serves approximately 17,000 undergraduate and 2,900 graduate students. BGSU combines the resources of a first-rate research institution with the friendliness and ambience of a small college. The work of MBA students is supported by excellent facilities, including a modern Business Administration Building, an outstanding library collection, excellent computing facilities, and a network of campus research centers.

The University's degree offerings include more than 165 undergraduate degrees, 15 master's in more than 60 fields, 2 specialist degrees, the EdD, and 16 PhD programs. The heart of the University is its 550 full-time faculty members, who are engaged in teaching, research, and public service activities.

In order to function effectively in a professional world that is more diverse, more team-oriented, more global, and more dynamic than ever before, the BGSU MBA program is designed to prepare graduates who:

• Know the fundamentals of business well.
  
• Recognize the ethical obligations of leadership.
  
• Engage problems creatively.
  
• Learn on their own, continuously.
  
• Work well in teams with diverse memberships.
  
• Understand change and know how to adapt and succeed in the midst of change.
  
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

The MBA program provides a broad curriculum organized around three principle components: foundation, core, and capstone courses. The foundation courses cover Financial and Managerial Accounting, Economic Analysis, Statistics, Quantitative Analysis, and Information Technology. The core courses include Financial Management, Operations Management, Marketing Management, and Ethics and Law in Business. The capstone courses cover Economic Policy, Leadership and Change, Strategy Design and Implementation, and International Business and Management. For full-time students, the program includes modules on Computer Skills, International Business Principles, and the Foundations of Ethical Leadership. In addition, students take part in a series of co-curricular professional development seminars dealing with topics such as presentations and report writing, team facilitation, effective negotiations, career planning, and organizational politics.

Although students may choose to do a general MBA, they also may pursue a formal specialization in Accounting, Finance, or Management Information Systems. Or, a student may pursue the dual degree option and earn a second master's degree in any of a variety of fields, such as Organization Development, Public Health, Industrial Technology, or Public Administration.

The MBA degree requires a minimum of 42 semester hours (47 semester hours for full-time students). The general MBA may be completed in 14 months regardless of the student's prior undergraduate preparation. An MBA with a specialization requires 12 additional semester hours (one additional semester of full-time study). The full-time MBA program primarily serves students who will be entry-level professionals upon graduation and does not require business experience as a requirement for admission. The evening MBA program serves students with professional experience and an ongoing career. Neither the full-time nor evening program requires prior academic preparation in business.

Bowling Green State University has been offering an Executive MBA program since 1977. The EMBA program is a rigorous, accelerated program that requires 12 graduate courses. The program serves students with extensive professional experience and is designed to accomodate the demmands of professional travel and relocation. Prior academic preparation in business is not required for the EMBA program. However, candidates must be nominated by their employers, unless self-employed.

A comprehensive and carefully designed career planning and placement program is an integral part of the BGSU MBA experience. Career planning activities begin during orientation week and continue throughout the year.

The Career Services office, which has been recognized nationally and regionally for the quality of its programming, assists with career development and job placement from the student's first semester through actual job placement.

Career Services provides students with personal help with interviewing skills, resume preparation, alumni and professional networking skills and opportunities, and access to on-campus recruiters. These services are provided using state-of-the-art Web-based computer systems that have received national recognition.