Apr 19, 2024  
2017-2018 APU Catalog 
    
2017-2018 APU Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Master of Business Administration, MBA


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The following are the degree objectives for the Master of Business Administration. Upon completion of the degree students will have:

  • Gained an appreciation of the local, domestic, and global environments as they relate to business management
  • Enhanced their business judgment and identified sound management methods including the ability to think critically and strategically
  • Attained an understanding of, and ability to appropriately leverage interpersonal relationships and team work
  • Developed analytical expertise and functional frameworks drawn from a broad range of managerial skills including accounting, finance, economics, marketing, management, and law
  • Acquired an ability to incorporate appropriate quantitative and qualitative data, including an appreciation for the value and costs of obtaining data, into management decisions
  • Established outstanding, multi-method communication skills
  • Recognized the value of effective and ethical leadership so they can lead themselves, others, and organizations

Admissions

The general requirements for admission to graduate studies at APU are found in the Admissions section of this catalog. In addition, there are several specific requirements for the MBA, MBA-HSA, and MBA-Finance programs as follows:

  1. A current resume
  2. Three letters of recommendation dated within the past year
  3. Completion of an admissions interview with program area faculty
  4. 500-800 word essay addressing personal and professional goals related to the MBA, the MBA with Concentration in Health Services Administration, or the MBA with Concentration in Finance programs.

Admissions decisions are generally based on academic records of undergraduate, upper division, and graduate work, or alternative indicators of success including innovative leadership or accomplishments in a career field, civic activity, or professional achievement.

Prerequisites

Students are adequately prepared for MBA entry if they have a bachelor’s degree in business or a related discipline which includes courses in accounting, finance, economics, and management, with math competency through algebra and statistics. The faculty encourages students with a wide variety of undergraduate experiences to apply for admission. Students with non-business majors are welcome. If, however, a student’s undergraduate transcript does not demonstrate adequate preparation in mathematics and business, the student may be admitted and required to take prerequisite courses. Prerequisite courses do not count toward the MBA, MBA-HSA, or MBA-Finance degrees. Students may also demonstrate that they have acquired prerequisite knowledge through work experience or self-study.

MBA Course Format 

The format for courses (except Summer MBA Core courses – see below for details) is:

  • 6 weeks of one 2.5-hour class/week: synchronous eLearning
  • 3 full days in class (in-person intensives scheduled Saturday-Monday, Tuesday-Thursday, or Friday-Sunday).

 

MBA Degree Requirements (36 credits)

Quantitative Menu (3 credits, one course)


Thesis Option


Students may choose the Thesis Option to complete electives.  MBA electives are replaced by these two courses:

Minimum Graduation Credit Hour Requirement: 36


MBA students may take up to six (6) credits of upper division undergraduate course work in partial fulfillment of the degree requirements. The student’s advisor and Program Director must approve the courses in advance of enrollment

MBA with Concentration in Finance


For those interested in finance, the MBA with a Concentration in Finance provides the breadth of the MBA with the depth required for a career in finance. It also offers the opportunity to further learn about securities, portfolio management, bonds, and investment theory, and to gain hands-on experience managing the Student Fund. Requirements for admission are the same as those for the MBA program.

The following are the student learning outcomes for an MBA with a Concentration in Fianance:

  • Become familiar with various financial instruments, markets, and institutions and their applicability to portfolio investment and/or corporate finance issues
  • Enhance their proficiency in evaluating data for financial decision making
  • Develop analytical expertise to evaluate risk-return trade-offs and investment strategy and performance
  • Develop an ability to understand optimal portfolio selection in an investment or corporate context
  • Understand challenges in finance and accounting to enable them to apply financial practices ethically and legally

   Concentration Degree Requirements (36 credits)

MBA with Concentration in Health Services Administration


Health Services Administration is a concentration within the MBA Program at APU. This program builds foundational, analytical, and integrated knowledge of the health service industry. The program is aimed at current and future managers and administrators in organizations involved with providing health services, major customers of health service providers, and entities involved with developing and implementing health service policies. The program is based on solid business fundamentals with applications to a variety of health service settings, including the private sector (both for profit and not-for-profit), the public sector (local, state, and federal), and Native health service providers. Courses are scheduled to accommodate the needs of working professionals and can be completed in two years based upon a sustained enrollment in 2 courses per semester (including summers and/or shorter block courses).

The following are the student learning outcomes for Health Services Administration:

  • Understand the US Health Services System and Policies
  • Demonstrate an understanding of effective health care leadership strategic planning, administration and management, sound financial analysis, and program evaluation.
  • Enhance skills in critical thinking, ethics, and information literacy leading to better leadership decisions
  • Apply knowledge of systems to health services in Alaska, relating it to the national and global markets as a business, and to demographics as a provider of care to individuals
  • Investigate technology options that increase the health services administrator’s ability to provide services locally while simultaneously participating in national initiatives of information interoperability and security

   Concentration Degree Requirements (36 credits)

AND - Health Services Administration Specialization (15 credits)


OR - Health Sevices Administration Thesis Option (15 credits)


MBA Health Service Administration Thesis Option replaces 9 credits of MBA/HSA courses (MBA 63600 , MBA 63800 , & MBA 63900 ) with 9 credits of research preparation and thesis work. The student takes the following:

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