Master of Business Administration

This is an archived copy of the 2020-2021 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.shsu.edu.

The Master of Business Administration program at Sam Houston State University is designed to develop candidates for positions of leadership in modern organizations. Managerial procedures and practices are continually changing. Therefore, the program emphasizes the integration and synthesis of various disciplines to develop a student’s ability to function in a dynamic environment and make sound administrative decisions that maximize the value and contributions of an organization. The MBA program is suited for qualified students from any academic discipline. The program provides the candidate with a basic managerial background through the core requirements while providing individualized adaptation through elective courses.

Students accepted into the MBA program may elect to take all (or any portion) of the program online or in face-to-face courses at The Woodlands Center. Most courses at The Woodlands Center are offered in the evenings. The MBA requires 36 graduate hours including 27 hours of core courses and 9 hours of electives. There is no difference in the number of hours required based on the delivery method chosen.

Core and elective courses are available to complete our MBA program entirely online; however, not all electives are available at this time. Please see current schedule of classes for the course offerings.

The MBA program may be completed in as few as four semesters; however, it is not recommended that students who are working attempt more than six hours in a semester. A more realistic timeline would be approximately two years.

Applicants seeking admission to the Master of Business Administration program must:

  1. Complete the online graduate application form.
  2. Pay the application fee.

Additionally, applicants must submit the following material directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions:

  1. Official transcript(s) from all previous college work (except SHSU graduates).
  2. An official GMAT score. Effective for the 2020-21 academic year, the requirement to submit a GMAT score is waived for any students with undergraduate degrees from U.S. universities with a GPA of 2.75 or greater.
  3. A current resume.

International Students must submit all of the above information plus:

  1. Official TOEFL score at least 79 (or IELTS score or at least 6.5).
  2. English translations and evaluation of official transcripts.

GRADUATE APPLICATION DEADLINES

U.S. Citizens

  • Fall - August 1
  • Spring - December 1
  • Summer - May 15

International Students

  • Fall - June 25
  • Spring - November 12
  • Summer - April 9

Admission Criteria

Degree from a U.S. university

  • Meet or exceed one of the following admission formulas:

    • 200 (Undergraduate GPA) + GMAT Score >= 11001
    • 200 (Advanced Hours Undergraduate GPA) + GMAT Score >= 11502

Degree from a non-U.S. university

  • Students who earned a baccalaureate degree from a university located outside of the United States must satisfy all of the following to be considered for admission into SHSU's MBA program. 

    • GMAT score of at least 500.
    • TOEFL score of at least 79 or IELTS score of at least 6.5.
    • English translations and evaluations of official transcripts.

GMAT Waiver Requests

  • As noted above, effective for the 2020-21 academic year, the requirement to submit a GMAT score is waived for any students with undergraduate degrees from U.S. universities with a GPA of 2.75 or greater.

  • Undergraduate GPA1 of 2.75 or higher allows for a comprehensive review of academic performance and consideration for a GMAT waiver.
  • Applicants who have an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.5 from their degree granting U.S. institution and have at least three years of significant managerial and professional experience may be admitted without a GMAT score, typically through a review of the applicant's resume. Normally, the required experience is earned after completion of the undergraduate degree. A committee will assist, if needed, in determining if the applicant's experience meets the "significant managerial and professional experience" threshold.
  • Applicants who have an undergraduate degree granted by a non-U.S. institution will not be considered for a GMAT waiver.

Prerequisite Coursework Requirements for Non-Business and Non-Accounting Graduates

Prerequisite courses for graduate business courses are required for students who did not take the equivalent courses as part of their baccalaureate program or for students with a baccalaureate degree from a non-U.S. university. The graduate prerequisite courses (courses listed as 5300) do not apply to the 36-hour graduate credit hour requirement of the MBA degree.

Prerequisite Course Requirements
ACCT 5300Analysis of Accounting Informa3
BANA 5300Quantitative Tools For Busines3
ECON 5300Economic Principles And Policy3
FINC 5300Business Finance Environment3
MGMT 5300Foundations Of Strategic Mgt3
Total Hours15

The M.B.A. degree program requires a minimum of thirty-six hours of graduate credit.

Master of Business Administration
Specified Courses
ACCT 5304Accounting For Management3
BANA 5368Tchnqs Of Statistical Analysis3
BUAD 5310Managerial Communication3
FINC 5310Financial Management3
MGMT 5345Seminar In Team Leadership3
MGMT 5315Seminar Operations Management3
MGMT 5390Seminar-Strategic Mgt & Policy 13
MKTG 5330Marketing Management3
ECON Elective
Select one ECON 5XXX (any 5000 level ECON course, excluding ECON 5080 and ECON 5300)3
COBA Electives
Select three General Electives (may choose from: All graduate courses in the College of Business Administration) 29
Total Hours36

The MBA is designed to prepare business professionals for leadership roles within the business, governmental, or non-profit sectors. Specific marketable skills include:

  • Effective communication: Graduates will be able to demonstrate language and content that suits the intended audience and organize content in a logical sequence.
  • Effective critical thinking: Graduates will be able to distinguish relevant and non-relevant information regarding a business problem and develop a valid argument in support of a conclusion.
  • Effective strategic decision-making: Graduates will be able to consider different strategic options using available evidence through the lens of organizational goals and generate applicable solutions for business problems.