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Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

 

The Westcliff MBA program prepares you for a career in business, management, or entrepreneurship. At Westcliff University, you will:

  • Analyze, synthesize, and present case studies using evidence-based decision making
  • Work in cooperative groups with diverse teams solving comprehensive problems
  • Understand and use management principles to solve complex business problems
  • Develop your ability to think critically and problem-solve creatively
  • Receive education through online and on-campus formats to suit your schedule
  • Network with students and faculty working in a wide range of industries
  • Learn from practitioners/scholars who are senior managers or business owners
  • Gain hands-on experience with companies in our SMART™ MBA consulting capstone program

MBA Program Description

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program prepares individuals for careers in management. More specifically, its aim is to provide an opportunity for men and women to develop knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and understanding that will constitute a foundation for growth into competent business management professionals, qualifying graduates to seek employment in major industries, including computer-related services, investment banking/securities and consulting in the areas of marketing, research, analysis, and/or finance.

The performance outcomes which are required for the completion of the program include: class participation, response to discussion questions, writing research papers, group assignments, case study analyses, quizzes, mid-term and final examinations (Comprehensive Learning Assessments).

 

 

MBA Program Learning Outcomes

MBA Program Learning Outcomes

Westcliff University’s Master of Business Administration program seeks to develop persons who can function successfully in upper middle management and top management positions. The emphasis is on strategic management concepts and principles. The MBA program makes use of recent research findings, uses complex computer models, stresses the importance of human relations skills, and integrates strategic management processes through an objective worldview.

The following are the educational Program Learning Outcomes for the Master of Business Administration:

1
Develop mastery of functional components of business—economics, marketing, accounting, finance, law, organizational behavior, and leadership
2
Demonstrate effective presentation of business analyses and recommendations through written forms of communication appropriate to the intended audience
3
Demonstrate effective presentation of business analyses and recommendations through oral communication of conventions and forms appropriate to the intended audience
4
Appraise current information technology effectively to support business decision making
5
Value and integrate diversity and a global perspective in business decisions
6
Compile independent, critical thinking, and reasoning skills to critique problems and develop problem solving and decision-making abilities
7
Integrate ethical issues in a business context and formulate alternatives that demonstrate ethical values
8
Facilitate the use of research and information from all mediums for the purpose of promoting critical thinking as it is applied to learning complex business concepts
9
Evaluate, analyze, and communicate quantitative data to improve and sustain strategic business initiatives

Program Requirements

  • Admissions Requirements

    For acceptance into a Master of Business Administration degree, applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

    An applicant with a Bachelor-level degree from a regionally or nationally accredited institution can apply for entrance into Westcliff University. Undergraduate degrees obtained outside of the United States will only be accepted if they have been evaluated by a member in good standing of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or another nationally recognized credentialing service. In this case, the listed U.S. degree equivalency will be used.

  • Graduation Requirements

    Students must complete thirty-six (36) prescribed credit hours with a program GPA (PGPA) of 3.0 or higher—including eight (8) core courses (24 credit hours) and four (4) concentration courses (12 credit hours)—and complete one (1) Practical Learning Experience (PLE) to graduate. Students may complete all 36 credit hours at Westcliff University, or apply for course waivers for up to six (6) credit hours of the required Master of Business Administration courses as an alternative. Please refer to the Transfer of Credit Policy for more detailed information and requirements. 

    Students must apply for graduation. Upon graduation and fulfillment of all academic requirements, students receive a Master of Business Administration degree.

  • Practical Learning Experience Requirements

    Westcliff University requires all students enrolled in graduate-level degree or certificate programs in the College of Business to successfully complete a Practical Learning Experience (PLE) as a graduation requirement. Westcliff University degrees and certificates are designed to prepare students for the professional workforce, and the knowledge and skills learned throughout their program are directly applicable to the industries to which they are associated. Practical learning allows students to further refine the associated knowledge and skills through guidance, oversight, and feedback from industry experts and professionals while also building a stable network and gathering references to support their career needs. Students are encouraged to take full advantage of the opportunities afforded to them in practical learning and maximize their potential career placement or advancement upon graduation.

    The graduate PLE requirement is satisfied by completing a credit-bearing internship course that is assessed on a Credit/No Credit basis. During practical learning, students engage in empirical experiences, in addition to participating in assigned course activities. This practice reflects Westcliff’s commitment to a practical and relevant education and the value of applied, experiential learning. Students who have this experience demonstrate a more successful transition into a new career or career advancement. Students are encouraged to complete as many PLEs as their schedules will permit in pursuit of the completion of their program(s).

    Graduate practical learning opportunities exist on- and off-campus. Off-campus practical learning requires prior University approval, and F-1 students must have Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization to participate in off-campus practical learning. Students are responsible for developing and demonstrating the skills necessary to be successful in a PLE. In addition to contemporary and growing industry knowledge, students should also be prepared to demonstrate professionalism, effective communication (written, oral and digital), and integrity while engaged in practical learning. The faculty facilitating internship courses associated with Practical Learning Experience assess these qualities and provide valuable feedback regarding their development to students throughout each experience. Students may reach out to Career Services with any questions about practical learning at the graduate level.

Program Information

  • Required Courses

    Masters of Business Administration Core Required Courses - 21 Credit Hours Total

    ECO 500 Managerial Economics - 3 credit hours
    FIN 500 Financial & Accounting Skills for Managers - 3 credit hours
    LDR 500 Organizational Leadership - 3 credit hours
    MGT 500 Strategic Management in a Globalized Economy - 3 credit hours
    MIS 500 Managing Information Systems & Technology - 3 credit hours
    MKT 500 Marketing Management - 3 credit hours
    ORG 500 Organizational Behavior 3 credit hours

    Capstone Course - 3 Credit Hours Total

    CAP 611 SMART Capstone* 3 credit hours

    *All MBA students are auto-enrolled into CAP 611 SMART capstone. They have the option to opt-out and enroll into the traditional capstone, CAP 600 Applied Methods Capstone, or another one of the university’s options for fulfilling the Practical Learning Experience (PLE) requirement.

  • Program Concentrations

    In addition to the core requirements, students may choose a concentration within the Master of Business Administration program. In order to graduate with a concentration, students must take three (4) courses, totaling 12 credit hours in the area of their chosen concentration while at Westcliff University in addition to all of the Master of Business Administration core course requirements.

    Strategic and Innovative Leadership - This concentration is for those who desire to lead with integrity and innovative perspective. Students explore the skills and capacity needed to influence others, manage change, set strategic direction, build teams and support networks, and navigate the complex dimensions within leadership roles.

    Digital and Strategic Marketing - This concentration introduces students to topics such as marketing strategy, development, research, and consumer behavior. Students will learn to develop and implement contemporary digital marketing campaigns for any type of organization and learn to make data-driven decisions.

    Financial Management - This concentration is designed to provide a theoretical and practical framework on managing money in public and private organizations. It encompasses a wide array of theory, concepts, applications, and analytical tools needed for effective decision-making. Students will explore how organizations and individual investors make decisions in accessing and deploying capital.

    Global Business - This concentration focuses on the complex global business environment and the knowledge and skills needed to compete domestically as well as in international markets. Students will explore industry structures and competitive dynamics in global markets.

    Organizational Management - The purpose of the concentration in organizational management is to provide students with the skills and practical and theoretical concepts that will assist them when seeking promotions or positions in management and supervision. This concentration is designed to prepare diverse adult learners to become effective, change-oriented leaders in an international society by adding distinctive and challenging curricula.

    Entrepreneurship - Innovation and flexibility are the secrets to success in today's business marketplace. The entrepreneurship Master of Business Administration fosters the enterprising spirit and managerial autonomy that businesses rely on to stay competitive in this dynamic economy. Westcliff Master of Business Administration students who specialize their program in entrepreneurship also learn how successful entrepreneurs gain access to the resources needed; launch their venture; grow their business; and, finally, exit their business.

    Healthcare Administration - This concentration teaches students the important aspects of managing a healthcare facility. Business management, managed care, and health care policies are covered with a focus on quality assurance and decision making in managed care.

    MBA STEM Concentration Options:

    In the Master of Business Administration degree program, students have the option to apply one (1) or two (2) undergraduate concentrations from the College of Technology and Engineering to satisfy the requirement to have a concentration.

    To complete a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Cybersecurity, Information Technology Management (ITM) or Information Technology Project Management (ITPM), students must complete 15 credit hours total. To complete a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Web Development & Design, students must complete 18 credit hours total.

    Cybersecurity - The concentration in Cybersecurity covers the different cyber-threats in today’s digital age and how we can implement the best technical and business security practices to mitigate and counter these risks. Cyber security can be defined in a nutshell, as follows: It is the set of technologies, processes, and practices designed to protect networks, computers, programs, and data from attack, damage or unauthorized access. Cybersecurity knowledge becomes a cornerstone in the development of individuals and teams that are prepared to protect governmental, military, and commercial institutions from cyber-attacks. Graduate students will complete one additional graduate level assignment in each course.

    Data-Driven Decision Making - This concentration focuses on data science and organizational management, facilitating the exploration of how data and technology impact and interact with culture. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between these forces and how they are evolving amid current events and an increasingly data-driven landscape.

    Information Technology Management - The Master of Business Administration concentration in IT provides students the opportunity to learn aspects of Information Technology as they apply to the attainment of organizational goals, management, and the use of information technology as a means of sustaining competitive advantage. Curriculum pertaining to information systems, computer hardware and software, emerging technologies, business intelligence (BI) tools such as online analytical processing (OLAP), data mining, business performance management (BPM), predictive and data analytics, data science, and big data and informatics will be investigated.

    Information Technology Project Management - The IT Project Management program is designed to provide students with a foundation in IT Project management based on the Project Management Book of Knowledge and Project Management Professional certification. This program is ideal for professionals who are interested in the field of project management and who may have experience but do not have formal training. Students will learn common methodologies used by project managers today focusing on project integration, scope, time, cost, leadership, schedule, risk, quality, and communications management.

    Web Development & Design - The concentration in Web Development & Design bridges a path for students who want to pursue careers in the growing and exciting field of web development. The program focuses on creating dynamic and interactive experiences through a rigorous full stack coding curriculum. Students pursuing this program will gain the necessary skills for front-end and back-end development, all while preparing them for success in the professional world.

  • Course Catalog and Student Handbook

Scholarship Opportunities

  • Scholarship Application

    As a Westcliff student, you have access to a powerful network of support from staff, faculty, alumni, and many others who take pride in investing in you. Scholarships are made possible by generous benefactors who are passionate about supporting your success.

  • Scholarship Application Deadlines

    2023-2024 Academic Year Calendar

    Semester Session Scholarship Deadline Start Date End Date
    FALL Session 1 07/07/23 Start: 8/28/23 End: 10/22/23
      Session 2   Start: 10/23/23 End: 12/17/23
    SPRING Session 3 11/17/23 Start: 01/08/24 End: 03/04/24
      Session 4   Start: 03/05/24 End: 04/28/24
    SUMMER Session 5 03/16/24 Start: 05/06/24 End: 06/30/24
      Session 6   Start: 07/01/24 End: 08/25/24

     

Program Requirements