MBA program adds additional emphases

(Tahlequah, Oklahoma)--The College of Business & Technology recently made big changes to its Master of Business Administration program, making it more beneficial and accessible to Northeastern State University students.

The six-hour ElectiveEmphasis/Masters Research Project has been replaced by a choice of one of the following 12-hour Emphases: General Management, Managerial Accounting or Finance, and Native American Enterprise.

A second change included a reduction in the number of required courses from 10 to 8, as managerial economics and capstone practicum were dropped from the required list.

In the area of admissions, the minimum acceptable score from the admissions formula was adjusted to 1000.

The changes take effect from fall 2016, creating aprogram that offers students more flexibility to select an emphasis that fits their needs, making them more marketable as job seekers after graduation.

According to Dr. Sandra Edwards, director of graduate business programs, these changes are expected to facilitate a better use of faculty resources for the college and to provide students with a more targeted set of courses for their career pursuits.

The new degree plan will allow students to work on specific areas of emphasis, which allow them to have four courses in their emphasis versus the two general electives that were in the previous degree plan.

She said the college plans to add further emphasesin the future.

We are working on a potential emphasis in Environmental and Safety Management, a potential emphasis in Supply Chain and a potential emphasis in Health Care Administration.

By changing the minimum acceptable score for admission, the program becomes much more inclusive.

The lowering of the total points for admissions will assist good students with a bit lower GPA to become part of our program, Edwards said.

Following a unanimous vote in support of these changes by the CBT Curriculum Committee, approval was secured from the Graduate Council, as well as the University Curriculum Committee.

The colleges commitment to continuous improvement in its curriculum demonstrates a progressive move toward even more industry marketability for its students.

Applications are open for the fall 2016 semester and the College will work with students on developing their preferred MBA emphasis.