Master of Business Administration
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.
The MBA requires 30 graduate hours including 21 hours of core courses and 9 hours of electives.
Core and elective courses are available to complete our MBA program entirely online. Please see the current schedule of classes for the course offerings.
The MBA program may be completed in as few as three 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.
Additional information: Reference the Program Landing Page for additional information, such as cost, delivery format, contact information, or to schedule a visit.
Admission Process Requirements
Applicants seeking admission to the Master of Business Administration program must:
- Complete the online graduate application form.
- Pay the application fee.
Additionally, applicants must submit the following material directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions:
- Official transcript(s) from all previous college work (except SHSU graduates).
- Undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher.
International Students must submit all of the above information plus:
- Official TOEFL score of at least 79, IELTS score of at least 6.5, or Duolingo EPT score of at least 105.
- English translations and evaluation of official transcripts.
Graduate Application Deadlines
U.S. Citizens
- Fall - August 1
- Spring - December 15
- Summer - May 15
International Students
- Fall - June 25
- Spring - November 12
- Summer - April 9
Admission Criteria
Degree from a U.S. university
- Undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher.
Degree from a non-U.S. university
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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.
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Undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher as determined by independent evaluations of official transcripts.
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TOEFL score of at least 79, IELTS score of at least 6.5, or Duolingo EPT score of at least 105.
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English translations and evaluations of official transcripts.
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Prerequisite Requirements for Non-Business Graduates
Prerequisite requirements can be completed through Peregrine Global Services - Business Administration Assessment. Contact the MBA program advisor for details.
The M.B.A. degree program requires a minimum of 30 hours of graduate credit.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Business Administration | ||
| Specified Courses | ||
| ACCT 5304 | Accounting For Management | 3 |
| BANA 5368 | Techniques Of Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| ECON 5357 | Seminar in Managerial Economics | 3 |
| FINC 5310 | Financial Management | 3 |
| MGMT 5390 | Seminar in Strategic Management and Policy 1 | 3 |
| MKTG 5330 | Marketing Management | 3 |
| SCMG 5315 | Seminar Operations Management | 3 |
| Prescribed COBA Electives OR Concentration | 9 | |
| COBA Electives | ||
| Select three General Electives (may choose from: All graduate courses in the College of Business Administration) 2 | ||
| Concentration | ||
| Select from Concentration options below | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
This is a capstone course that satisfies the comprehensive exam requirement. A grade of "B" or better is required for graduation.
- 2
Excluding ACCT 5300, BANA 5300, ECON 5300, MGMT 5300, and FINC 5300.
MBA Concentrations
For those students that would like to concentrate on specific disciplinary areas, the COBA electives can target the following course options. Students wishing to add a second concentration would need to complete additional coursework beyond the minimum 30 hours required within the MBA program.
Concentration Options
Accounting
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting Concentration | ||
| Select three from the following: | 9 | |
| Advanced Financial Reporting I | ||
| Advanced Financial Reporting II | ||
| Information System Auditing & Assurance | ||
| Personal Tax Planning | ||
| Analytics in Accounting | ||
Economics
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Economics Concentration | ||
| Select three from the following: | 9 | |
| Mathematical Methods for Applied Economics | ||
| Microeconomics | ||
| Macroeconomics | ||
| Econometrics | ||
| International Economics | ||
| Development Economics | ||
| Applied Topics in Health Economics | ||
| Seminar In Labor Economics | ||
| Energy Economics | ||
| Economic Analysis Of Strategy | ||
| Economic Theory | ||
| Urban Economics | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Executive Communication & Collaboration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Communication & Collaboration Concentration | ||
| Select three from the following: | 9 | |
| Managerial Communication | ||
| Ethics for Business Executive | ||
| Tech-Enhanced Business Communication | ||
| Managerial Law | ||
| Seminar In Team Leadership | ||
Finance
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Finance Concentration | ||
| Select three from the following: | 9 | |
| Seminar in Commercial Banking | ||
| Financial Statement Analysis | ||
| Selected Topics in Money, Capital, and Security Markets | ||
| International Finance | ||
| Seminar in Investments | ||
| Administrative Problems in Finance | ||
| Seminar in Commercial Lending | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Human Resource Management
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Human Resource Management Concentration | ||
| MGMT 5355 | Seminar in Human Resource Management | 3 |
| MGMT 5360 | Staffing Organizations | 3 |
| MGMT 5365 | Seminar In Compensation Management | 3 |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Management
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Management Concentration | ||
| Select three from the following: | 9 | |
| Seminar In Team Leadership | ||
| Leading Organizational Change and Development | ||
| Seminar in Human Resource Management | ||
| Staffing Organizations | ||
| Seminar In Compensation Management | ||
| Supply Chain Management | ||
| Quality Management | ||
| Management of Innovation and Technology | ||
| Tools of Project Management | ||
| Project Management | ||
| Operations Planning & Control | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Project Management
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Project Management Concentration | ||
| SCMG 5325 | Project Management | 3 |
| SCMG 5327 | Agile Project Management | 3 |
| Plus, select one from the following: | 3 | |
| Quality Management | ||
| Tools of Project Management | ||
| Operations Planning & Control | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Real Estate
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Real Estate Concentration | ||
| REAL 5350 | Real Estate Debt | 3 |
| REAL 5351 | Real Estate Equity | 3 |
| REAL 5352 | Real Estate Market and Development Feasibility Analysis | 3 |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Supply Chain Management
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Supply Chain Management Concentration | ||
| SCMG 5316 | Supply Chain Management | 3 |
| Plus, select two from the following: | 6 | |
| Project Management for Business Systems Development | ||
| Quality Management | ||
| Operations Planning & Control | ||
| Enterprise Resource Planning Business Process Integration | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) marketable skills initiative is part of the state’s 60x30TX plan and was designed to help students articulate their skills to employers. Marketable skills are those skills valued by employers and/or graduate programs that can be applied in a variety of work or education settings and may include interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skill areas.
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.
