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Master of Business Administration

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is designed to prepare students to apply concepts and principles offered in the various business disciplines to the responsibilities of management in a variety of endeavors.  The program is designed for both business and non-business undergraduate majors.  Students on the "fast track" can complete the 36 credit hour MBA program in a period of 15 months (May - August).

The program is intended to serve the needs of the state with particular focus on the needs of employers in North Central West Virginia. Organizations such as the FBI, NASA, DOE, NIOSH, Mylan, the local hospitals, the WVHTC Foundation, software and biotech firms, and others in the state need employees with human resources and project management skills.  Accordingly, two different specializations are offered within the MBA degree - Project Management and Human Resources Management.

Program Description:

Students who satisfy admission criteria and complete the MBA Essentials prerequisite course will require thirty-six (36) graduate credit hours to meet degree requirements. Of these, twenty-four (24) hours will consist of a required business core courses covering functional areas of business such as business law, economics, finance and accounting, marketing, information systems, technology, research and analysis.  An additional twelve (12) hours from a list of elective courses complete the degree requirements.

All graduate courses will draw upon the expertise of current members of the School of Business faculty members and faculty members from other Schools and Colleges within Fairmont State University.  In addition, adjunct faculty from colleges and universities, and practicing professionals, within and outside of West Virginia may be employed.

Criteria for assessment, methods of instructional delivery and desired learner outcomes will be determined by individual course instructors and the M.B.A. Program Director, with the Dean of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Studies Council providing guidance.  Instructional pedagogies may include, but not be limited to, technology based instruction, readings, examinations, research papers, case studies, simulations, field-based internships and/or a co-op experience(s) with local business partners.  A major goal of the program is to promote and develop the networking, leadership and interpersonal communication skills of the graduate students.

Graduate School Admission Requirements:

All students seeking admission to this graduate program must first meet the minimum standards of the Office of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also be approved for admission to the department where the program will reside, where the admissions standards may be more rigorous than those of the Office of Graduate Studies. Regular admission to any graduate degree program at Fairmont State University requires a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, and a minimum 2.75 overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA) (4.0 scale) or a 3.0 GPA on the last 60 hours attempted.

Official transcripts are required to be submitted from all institutions attended. Additionally, the Office of Graduate Studies requires applicants to submit scores on a graduate aptitude test such as the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), Miller Analogies Test (MAT), or the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT).  Scores more than five years old are not accepted. While test scores will be one measure used to determine a prospective student’s chances of success, letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose and interviews may also be utilized.  Applicants who do not meet all minimum admission criteria may be admitted provisionally.

Program Requirements:

Fairmont State University  offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a total of 36 credit hours required for graduation.  The MBA Essentials course is a required prerequisite for admission to the program.  To graduate with the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, a student must successfully complete twenty-four (24) credit hours of required core courses and twelve (12) credit hours of graduate level elective courses with a minimum GPA of 3.0.  Students may take elective courses as they are offered on the schedule. 

Prerequisite Course:

  • MSBA 5000 MBA Essentials

Required Core Courses:                                                                                   24 Hours

  • MSBA 5110 Leadership Workshop   
  • MSBA 5200 Management Information Systems
  • MSBA 5300 Managerial Economics  
  • MSBA 5400 Business Environments
    •
  • MSBA 5550 Financial Accounting
  • MSBA 5600 Marketing for Managers
  • MSBA 5700 Quantitative Analysis
  • MSBA 6000 Strategic Management

Elective Courses:                                                                                              12 hours

  • MSBA 5100 Personal Development Workshop
  • MSBA 5120 Tactical Human Resources Practices (HR Track)
  • MSBA 5130 Labor Relations and Dispute Resolution (HR Track)
  • MSBA 5140 Strategic Human Resources Management (HR Track)
  • MSBA 5710 Operations Management
  • MSBA 5800 Knowledge Management
  • MSBA 5810 Project Management (PM Track)
  • MSBA 5820 Advanced Project Management (PM Track)
  • MSBA 5850 Project Management Capstone (PM Track)
  • MSBA 6000 Managerial Practicum (HR Track)

MBA Model Schedule

Program Objectives:

The primary objective of this program is to provide a high quality Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree program of study that meets the needs of traditional and non-traditional students (students 25 years of age or older, primarily seeking late afternoon, early evening or online courses), as well as the needs of the business community.

Students earning the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree will be able to pursue a terminal degree such as a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or a Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), gain promotions and achieve professional growth.  Graduates of the program will have a thorough knowledge of management concepts, frameworks and theories and the capability to apply that knowledge in practical, competent, accountable, and ethical ways in a variety of organizations.

Employment Opportunities:

  • Geographical employment opportunities include: growing local business partners, other West Virginia businesses, and regional Out-of-state businesses
  • Functional employment opportunities include
    • Technology – an accelerating industry in North Central West Virginia
    • Medical – a critical and core industry expected to grow more rapidly as the “baby boom” generation moves toward retirement age, WV is becoming known as one of the leading retirement states
    • Government – increase in federal agencies in the region have increased the demand from this sector
    • Education

These four sectors also leverage the current graduate offerings for elective coursework at Fairmont State.  All four sectors increasingly demand knowledgeable business professionals.