Master of Business Administration (MBA): General

The Master of Business Administration program provides students with the opportunity to advance their knowledge and skills in the field of business. Students may come from a business undergraduate degree or may elect to complete the foundational courses in order to ensure that all students enter the program with a solid background in the field of business. The core program courses provide students with an opportunity to enhance their analytical and practical skills in the areas of accounting, finance, economics, information systems, marketing, quantitative methods, and leadership.

An MBA degree is seen in the business world as an indication that you have a general knowledge of accounting, economics, finance, and management, particularly from a middle or upper management perspective. NAU’s Master of Business Administration will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to meet the needs of today’s leading organizations. Students who select the Generalist MBA without an emphasis area will work with their Graduate Advisor to select 13.5 hours of elective credit that best match their professional interests.

MBA Program Requirements

The MBA degree provided by NAU consists of two academic requirements: master's core courses and elective courses.The degree program consists of 10 courses and successful completion of 45.0 credit hours.

The MBA degree may be earned under a non-thesis or a thesis plan (general only).Under the non-thesis option, the student must satisfy the preparatory requirements, and complete 31 hours of masters-level core courses and 13.5 hours of electives.Under the thesis option plan, the student must complete 31 hours of masters-level core courses, 4.5 hours of electives and nine (9) hours of thesis.

An in-depth analysis of a case, accomplished in the Strategy and Policy course, is designed to integrate the MBA core areas and is required in both the non-thesis and thesis options to satisfy the university's requirement for a comprehensive program assessment.

MT6255 must be completed during the first term and prior to completing the other master's courses. The core MBA courses are as follows:

Core Courses:

• AC6550 Managerial Accounting 4.5
• EC6150 Managerial Economics 4.5
• FN6350 Financial Management 4.5
• MA6600 Quantitative Methods for Management Decisions 4.5
• MG6500 Marketing Administration 4.5
• MT6255 Introduction to Leadership and Quality 4.5
• MT6650 Strategy and Policy 4.5

Elective Courses:

Three elective courses.

Generalist MBA

Students who select the generalist MBA without an emphasis area will work with their graduate advisor to select 13.5 hours of elective credit that best match their professional interests. These electives can be selected from any master's courses not included in the MBA core courses, provided that the student meets any individual course prerequisites. Students wishing to pursue the MBA who have not completed sufficient undergraduate coursework in accounting, business finance, statistics, and economics shall be required to choose the general emphasis.

MBA Thesis Option (Generalist Emphasis Only)

Students who select the thesis option must complete the following courses in place of the program electives and MT6650:

• MT6100 Research Methods 4.5
• MT6805 Master's Thesis I 4.5
• MT6810 Master's Thesis II 4.5

MBA Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the MBA program will:

• Demonstrate well-developed problem-solving skills including the ability to recognize problems; analyze uncertain situations; interpret and use data and evidence in drawing conclusions, and implement the best solution.
• Integrate business administration principles, including accounting, finance, economics, and statistics: in order to formulate analytically sound decisions, and predict their likely outcomes.
• Demonstrate leadership through effective communication and use of technology to achieve project and/or organizational goals.
• Evaluate corporate ethics and social responsibility in the global business environment.
• Demonstrate collaboration and team-building.

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Proof of English Competency
• No GRE Required!
• No Thesis Required!

Associated Careers

• Chief Executives
• General and Operations Managers
• Sales Managers
• Administrative Services Managers
• Industrial Production Managers
• Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
• Construction Managers
• Social and Community Service Managers
• Managers, All Other
• Cost Estimators
• Management Analysts
• Business Teachers, Postsecondary