Business Administration (M.B.A.)

Degree Conferred: Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)

The Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) program provides graduate training in management to adult business professionals. The goal of our program is to produce graduates who are adept at solving strategic problems and trained in multimedia communication technologies. Students can elect to become experts in the relation of human resource management to the long-range planning process, or the management and marketing of new technologies and products. Students will have the use of a laptop computer for the duration of their studies. The Master of Business Administration degree is accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE).

Concentrations:
Financial Planning
Strategic Human Resource Management
Strategic Management

Program of Study:
The M.B.A. program provides a four-level course of study designed to be responsive to the student's prior academic training and career objectives.

Level I Foundation Courses. Level I consists of five foundation courses in economics, accounting, mathematics, statistics, and information technology. Students with sufficient background may be exempted from some or all Level I courses.

Level II Core Courses. Six advanced courses required of all students at Level II cover multimedia applications, human resources management, organizational behavior, managerial aspects of accounting, marketing, and financial management.

Level III Concentration or Electives Option. Level III provides a wide diversity of advanced electives. Students may choose a concentration in Financial Planning, Strategic Human Resource Management, or Strategic Management. It is not necessary, however, to declare a concentration; for those students, a General Management Electives Option is available.

Level IV Capstone Sequence. A two-course capstone sequence at Level IV addresses the major strategic alternatives open to enterprises. This sequence requires completion of a team-based project/case study.

Foundation Course Waiver
Generally, the graduate foundation courses will be required of students entering the program. A decision to exempt a student from foundation level courses is made at the discretion of the Graduate Admissions Committee after examination of all appropriate documents, including official transcripts of prior course work.

Admissions and Financial Aid Requirements
Medaille College has a rolling admissions policy and students may be admitted for the fall, spring, or summer semesters. Applicants are encouraged to apply in accordance with the following schedule:

Fall Semester Deadline August 15

Spring Semester Deadline January 1

Summer Semester Deadline June 1

Successful admissions candidates will generally have met the following selection criteria:: o An undergraduate GPA of at least 2.7: The Graduate Admissions Committee reviews the undergraduate record, noting the total GPA, the area of concentration, and the trend of grades. A minimum 2.7 GPA is recommended, although all applications will be reviewed. Students under 2.7 will require convincing evidence of intellectual ability, communications skills, and initiative.
o Two applicant reference forms: The committee reviews references of applicants as they contribute to an understanding of the applicant's academic ability, leadership skills, and aptitude for graduate study. All applicants are required to have two forms submitted for review.
o Satisfactory GRE or GMAT scores: A good balance of scores in verbal and quantitative areas is needed. No minimum total GMAT is required, but the average entering student is above the 50th percentile. Students may be accepted provisionally pending receipt of exam scores or successful completion of the first 12 credits of course work.
o Demonstrable computer skills: Applicants must have a basic understanding of computers, including business application software, such as electronic spreadsheets, database management systems, and word processing applications. Appropriate undergraduate course work or work experience will be considered.
o Appropriate work experience: Job responsibilities of both a full-time or part-time nature are reviewed with regard to the applicant's leadership skills, promotability within the organization, aptitude for a management career, and general knowledge of the business environment. Applicants without significant work experience will also be considered.
Provisional Admission
Students may be admitted provisionally to the M.B.A. program pending receipt of credentials such as original transcripts or scores from the Graduate Management Admission Test. Students admitted as provisional students may take no more than 12 semester hours of credit (four courses) prior to formal admission.

Tuition
The tuition for the M.B.A. program for the 2003-2004 academic year is $517 per credit hour. Tuition includes the use of a laptop computer for the duration of the program. Modest changes may be expected for the following academic year; this information will be available at the appropriate time.

Financial Aid
Applicants interested in obtaining financial assistance are encouraged to contact the Medaille College Office of Financial Aid, 18 Agassiz Circle, Buffalo, New York 14214. Financial aid programs include:

New York Tuition Assistance Program
Federal College Work Study Program
Stafford Loans

Additional Information

Degree Requirements
The program of study leading to a Medaille M.B.A. consists of five Level I foundation courses, six Level II core courses, three Level III electives, and two Level IV capstone courses. Any or all of the foundation courses may be waived if prior study is deemed of sufficient value. Thus, the minimum number of courses required to obtain a Medaille M.B.A. is 11 (6 core, 3 electives, and 2 capstone); the maximum number for those with no previous academic work in business administration is 16 (5 foundation, 6 core, 3 electives, and 2 capstone).

Academic Performance Requirements
Good academic standing means that a student is making acceptable progress towards a graduate degree. Minimum academic requirements for good academic standing established by the Business program are as follows. The average of the grades for all courses taken in fulfillment of degree requirements at Medaille must be at least a B (3.0). It is the student's responsibility to monitor his or her cumulative grade point average, ensuring that any grades falling below B are offset by corresponding grades above B. A student whose grade point average falls below a 3.0 is automatically placed on academic probation.

M.B.A. students must earn a grade of B- or better in each of the six core courses. A student earning less than B- in a core course is required to repeat the course.

Time Limit
Students entering the M.B.A. program normally have five (5) years to complete their graduate studies. Since continuous active participation in the M.B.A. program is essential for proper graduate training, all graduate students must be registered for a minimum of three credit hours during each fall and spring semester. Graduate students in good academic standing who cannot maintain continuous registration should apply for a leave of absence by the beginning of the semester in which the leave is to begin.

Academic Review/Probation/Dismissal
Any graduate student who receives a grade of F in any course required for completion of the M.B.A. degree or who indicates a lack of ability as determined by the program faculty, will receive an immediate academic review by the graduate program faculty. Upon completion of the academic review, the graduate program faculty may place the student on academic probation. Such notice will be made in writing by the department chairperson or designee prior to the end of the drop/add period of the next semester and will indicate the terms of the probation and its removal. Any student placed on academic probation is limited to three (3) credits per module while on probation and is required to sign and adhere to a prescribed probationary contract. Any graduate student not meeting the written terms of their academic probation may be academically dismissed from the College.

Transfer Credit
Credit for study deemed equivalent to graduate foundation courses or for graduate work completed at other regionally accredited institutions may be offered in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Medaille M.B.A. when the work is of acceptable quality and appropriate to the program.

Prerequisite Requirements
Students are required to adhere to the following prerequisite conditions:: 1. For students who have yet to complete their foundation courses (500, 501, 502, 503, 504), 50% of their course work must be in the foundation element during any particular mod session.
2. Students must complete four core courses prior to taking any elective course.
3. Students must complete all six core courses prior to taking the capstone sequence (630, 631).
Convenient Evening Format
Medaille's M.B.A. is offered through the College's well-known evening studies program. The schedule consists of two nine-week modules per semester. Each module consists of classes that meet two evenings per week (either Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday).

You may take up to 12 credits per semester in this format. You'll be considered a full-time student by attending only two classes and evenings at a time. This powerful format enables you to complete your M.B.A. degree in less time than other evening programs.

Depending on individual circumstances, students may complete the program in three to four semesters. Given Medaille's unique approach to scheduling, it may be possible to earn your M.B.A. degree in 14 months.

Curriculum
Course Descriptions

MBA 500 ECONOMIC ANALYSIS This course surveys micro- and macroeconomic principles, with an emphasis on strategic applications. Microeconomic topics covered include: demand and supply, elasticities, firm cost structure, market structure, and pricing. Macroeconomic topics covered include national income accounting, national income, employment, and price level determination, money supply determination, and fiscal and monetary policy. Three credit hours.

MBA 501 ACCOUNTING ANALYSIS An introduction to the principles of accounting with emphasis on preparation and analysis of the four general purpose financial statements, the accounting cycle, and the types of business entities. Issues covered include cash, receivables, inventory, long-term assets, liabilities, stocks, and bonds. Three credit hours.

MBA 502 MATHEMATICS FOR MANAGERS This course surveys elementary algebra and calculus, emphasizing practical applications in management and economics. Topics covered include: systems of linear equations, matrices, linear programming, techniques of differentiation and integration, nonlinear optimization and applications. Three credit hours.

MBA 503 BUSINESS STATISTICS This course provides the basis for building decision models reflecting strategic business decision making. Various statistical methods will be analyzed that are crucial to various areas of business behavior. These include: data summarization, probability theory, statistical decision analysis, sampling and hypotheses testing, and simple linear regression. Three credit hours.

MBA 504 E-SKILLS FOR MANAGEMENT This course surveys the computer skills required to prosper in today's networked organizations. By designing and running a computer-based communications center, students will gain more control over strategically relevant software tools. They will demonstrate their competencies during oral presentations. Three credit hours.

MBA 600 MULTIMEDIA APPLICATIONS IN BUSINESS This course presents principles of multimedia to the business professional. Several major categories that will be discussed include: the use of video and animation in design, preparation of graphic files, and imaginative use of clip art materials. As part of this course, students will create a multimedia presentation using audio, video, still images, graphics, and text. The majority of class time will be spent in the lab familiarizing oneself with the various software applications available to create multimedia presentations. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: Basic understanding of the Macintosh Operating System.

MBA 601 STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT The way we manage the people in our organizations needs to be aligned with our business strategies. The means for this alignment is human resource strategy-a directional plan for managing human resources that addresses important people-related business issues. The purpose of this course is to examine how managers may implement more effectively the people-intensive strategies that are rapidly becoming a primary source of competitive advantage. Only by addressing human resource issues in the context of overall strategic management will managers and human resource staffs together achieve the results needed to sustain and develop a business. Three credit hours.

MBA 602 ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND DEVELOPMENT The objective of this course is to provide a broad survey of the field of organizational behavior on three distinct levels of analysis-individuals, groups, and organizations. Specific topics to be examined from these three perspectives include but are not limited to: motivation, job design, leadership, diversity, organizational design, communication, decision-making, conflict management, power, innovation and the work environment. Special attention will be given to the most common organizational development methods used in solving managerial and organizational problems. The course examines such intervention strategies as team building, team skills training, survey-feedback, sensitivity training, behavior modification, job enrichment, and management by objectives. Three credit hours.

MBA 603 MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING This course is an in-depth study of cost behavior and its implications on cost-volume-profit analysis and variance analysis. Current topics in product costing are reviewed including process costing, job order costing, activity based management and just-in-time inventory. Operational decision making, pricing decisions, strategic planning and strategic cost analysis are examined. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: MBA 501.

MBA 604 MARKETING THROUGH NEW MEDIA This course looks at the graphical user interfaces of multimedia presentations and the effectiveness within the business marketplace. Various authoring software packages will be analyzed for their effective use of QuickTime movies, animation, graphics, and still images. Interactive design elements will be a main focus. For example, the layout, choice of interface design elements (e.g., buttons, menus, popups, sliders, etc.), use of color, choice of background textures, and typography, within the multimedia presentation will all be studied. Discussions of the copyright laws that are in effect and not yet in effect regarding fair use and distribution will be debated. Throughout the course an emphasis will be planned on any new media tools to serve businesses. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: MBA 600.

MBA 605 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT This course develops the theoretical and practical uses of financial management principles, including the concepts of risk, return, and value. Areas of concentration include working capital management, capital budgeting, the cost of capital, and capital structure. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: MBA 500, 501, 502, 503, and 504.

MBA 610 LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW This course provides a comprehensive approach to labor and employment law, legislative foundations of labor laws, and the legal processes and institutions that add to their effectiveness. The course will address a variety of topics including the National Labor Relations Act, contract negotiations, strikes, unfair labor practices, federal and state employment law, and equal employment opportunity legislation. A wide range of contemporary issues will also be addressed, including contractual interpretation, discipline and discharge matters, and conduct off the job. Current industrial relations policies and practices are highlighted with case problems and leading court decisions that offer additional insights into employee-management relations. Three credit hours.

MBA 611 STRATEGIC PLANNING AND STAFFING This course deals with the processes, concepts and techniques relevant to the manpower planning, recruitment, and selection functions of personnel management. It is designed to expose students, practitioners, and professionals to the entire range of activities associated with staffing work organizations. Specific attention will be given to major areas of interest in personnel psychology, including job analysis and job evaluation, personnel recruitment, screening, and selection, training and development, and performance appraisal. The course is intended to provide valuable insights to human resource professionals, operating managers, students, and others seeking practical guidance on staffing procedures, policies, techniques, and problems. Three credit hours.

MBA 612 COMPENSATION, ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY, AND FIRM PERFORMANCE This course focuses on pertinent theoretical and applied issues in compensation. Relevant topics include job analysis and job evaluation, pricing and job structure, performance appraisal systems, making wage decisions, compensation systems, performance standards, incentive methods, salary administration, and analytical and empirical evaluation of payment techniques and procedures. The focus is multidisciplinary with economic, psychological, sociological, and legal perspectives interjected where appropriate. Three credit hours.

MBA 613 STRATEGIC TRAINING AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT Training and development is viewed by experts in the field as a process that increases the capacity of the human resource through development. As a consequence of this process, value is added to individuals, teams, and the entire organization as a human system. The purpose of this course is to equip students with the skills necessary to assess individual and organizational needs, to design training sessions, to utilize effective training methods, to transfer learning to the work environment, and to evaluate training. Three credit hours.

MBA 614 THEORY AND PRACTICE OF NEGOTIATIONS Negotiation and bargaining skills are essential characteristics of effective management. Whether a manager has formal responsibility for negotiating inter-firm agreements or not, he or she must contend with fellow managers for a share of organizational resources. In simply resolving disputes among subordinates, a manager will regularly be involved in negotiations and bargaining. While these negotiations may yield what appear to be satisfactory outcomes, this course provides a substantive grounding in the analytics of negotiations, which can ultimately improve the chances that satisfactory agreement is achieved in the first place. Three credit hours.

MBA 620 ECONOMICS OF STRATEGY This course applies economic reasoning to develop a coherent analytical basis for the formulation and evaluation of the external and internal strategies of the firm. The course emphasizes practical managerial applications of topics from industrial economics and strategy: economies of scale and scope, industry analysis, market structure, commitment, dynamic competition, entry/exit, and the economics of competitive advantage. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: MBA 500, 501, 502, 503, and 504.

MBA 621 OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT In this course, techniques of managerial decision making are applied to problems in the management of production and operations in both manufacturing and service organizations. Quality management is emphasized throughout the course. The course emphasis is on people operating in teams for improved delivery of goods and services to customers. Topics covered include: quality assurance and control, forecasting, aggregate planning, scheduling, inventory planning and control, facility location, and process and job design. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: MBA 500, 501, 502, 503, and 504.

MBA 622 MULTINATIONAL BUSINESS This course is about how firms become and remain international in scope. It deals with the experiences of firms of all sizes, from many countries, as they come to grips with an increasingly competitive global environment. It is about the practice of management when a home market perspective is no longer enough. Through carefully selected comprehensive case studies and integrated text material, this course bridges both the internationalization process and multinational management. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: MBA 500, 501, 502, 503, and 504.

MBA 623 STRATEGIC MARKETING This course presents the importance of the marketing function in the strategic management of the organization. Within the framework of the marketing discipline, students will learn how to ascertain customer needs and to strategically plan to fill those needs while serving an increasingly diverse population. Also considered in this course are issues such as environmentalism, consumerism, consumer life style and government regulation. As part of this course, students will identify actual consumer needs and devise a comprehensive strategic marketing plan to fill them. Three credit hours.

MBA 624 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION A text- and cases-based course on the strategic management of change. Emphasis is on decision making as a learning activity in a context of transformational uncertainty. Topics include: the role of innovation in competitive advantage, designing and implementing a technology strategy, forecasting the advent of novel technologies, appropriating the benefits of new technologies without undue risk exposure, and managerial styles and corporate cultures that enhance technological leadership and innovation. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: MBA 500, 501, 502, 503, and 504.

MBA 630 ADVANCED STRATEGY The first of a two course integrative capstone experience, this course will teach managers to think and act strategically. Emphasis will be placed on the creation of competitive advantage within a dynamic environment. A variety of analytical techniques will be discussed that will enable managers to thoroughly analyze the organization's environment in order to clearly identify its competitive advantage and how the organization will seek to utilize this advantage. Topics to be covered include various strategic management decision models, industry analysis, competitive position analysis and the analysis, choice and implementation of strategic options. Case studies will be utilized as the primary method of familiarizing students with the strategic analysis process. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: Completion of all MBA Core Courses and at least 6 additional MBA elective credits.

MBA 631 INTEGRATIVE CASE STUDIES A final capstone experience, this course is intended to provide a complete integration and application of previous course work. The course consists of three parts: a series of case analysis discussions, a business simulation game in which student teams will compete with each other in a computer simulated business, and a final presentation. The final presentation is to be a significant portion of the grade in this course. For purposes of this presentation, student teams will do an extensive analysis of an existing business and report on their findings in both a written report to management and a full period oral presentation. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: MBA 630.

MBA 640 FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL PLANNING This course provides an in-depth consideration of the fundamental concepts central to a professional's understanding of personal financial planning. It surveys the economic, legal, ethical, and regulatory issues affecting financial planners. Construction of personal financial statements, and application of time value of money concepts are mastered. A rigorous understanding of the six step financial planning process is developed, providing a basis for further study of the major topical disciplines covered in subsequent courses in the financial planning curriculum. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: MBA 500, 501, 502, 503, and 504.

MBA 641 INSURANCE PLANNING This course provides a rigorous consideration of the principles of risk management. A sound understanding of the supporting legal theory is provided, with coverage of tort law, agency law, and contract law. Fundamental insurance theory, including policy pricing analysis, provides the basis for an overview of the insurance industry, surveying the property and casualty, life, disability, and medical sectors, as well as group contracts and social insurance. Risk management techniques, including use of the insurance device, are applied in the context of a comprehensive personal financial plan. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: MBA 640.

MBA 642 INVESTMENT PLANNING This course provides a survey and examination of the various investment vehicles and markets. Investment analysis, selection, and management are considered from the perspective of an investor's risk tolerance and profile. The elements of investment risk, and the quantitative measurement of risk, are examined in the context of the modern portfolio and pricing theories and investment strategies. Rigorous application of the time value formulae to investment pricing models is required. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: MBA 640.

MBA 643 TAX PLANNING The federal and state income tax codes primarily applicable to individuals will be studied. The tax ramifications of various financial and investment alternatives will be considered, and facility in making financial planning recommendations in contemplation of the pertinent tax implications will be developed. Case study problems will be utilized to assist the student in understanding the practical application of tax code. Particular attention will be devoted to those topics emphasized in the financial planning context. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: MBA 640.

MBA 644 RETIREMENT PLANNING AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS This course provides a consideration of the various alternatives available to the individual in planning and saving toward retirement. A survey of the individual and employee-sponsored retirement programs and employee benefits, including tax benefits, as provided by the tax code, provides a basis for the development of proficiency in making retirement planning recommendations to individual clients. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: MBA 640.

MBA 645 ESTATE PLANNING This course studies the estate planning process. A practical understanding of the federal estate and gift tax code, and its application in the personal estate planning context, is developed. Study of the probate process, wills, trusts, property ownership forms, charitable transfers, and business transfers, and the applicable tax implications, provides a basis from which to formulate a comprehensive estate plan, within the framework of a comprehensive personal financial plan. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: MBA 640.

MBA 650 FOUNDATIONS OF PUBLIC POLICY This course is designed to inform students with respect to what public policy is, how it is formulated, and implemented, and what public policy analysts do. It presents the prevailing theories and practices of contemporary policy analysis. Further, the issue of ethics is highlighted in the articulation of the interplay of moral and political values and how they are expressed in the American policy process. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: MBA 500, 501, 502, 503, and 504.

MBA 651 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND THE NONPROFIT SECTOR-A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE This course examines the structural character of present day nonprofit organizations that are legally empowered to deliver human or public services. This includes state government, municipal corporations and the subordinate entities they create, authorities, special districts and not-for-profit corporations. This study will spotlight the current trend to reorganize service delivery on a consolidated or regionalized basis. Emphasis will be given to the service quality, the service quantity and the cost implications inherent in such organizational efforts. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: MBA 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, and 650.

MBA 652 HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES This course will examine both the health and human service problems of people who live in large metropolitan areas and the political economy of urban health and human services delivery system. Many large urban centers are experiencing an increase in low-income population as well as proliferation of new morbidities such as AIDS, TB, substance abuse, and the exacerbation of social pathologies such as violence and homelessness. Further, mental health issues present demands for increased resources. At the same time, the health care networks are consolidating and many community hospitals have closed; this has placed greater strain on the public health care system. This course will discuss the public policy responses of different cities to these challenges. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: MBA 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, and 650.

MBA 653 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: THEORY AND PRACTICE Economic development is examined in the context of theories, strategies, and practices. The advantages and disadvantages of economic development programs and strategies for communities and cities are discussed. Approaches to economic development in Western New York are compared with other areas. Successful strategies from other regions are also presented. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: MBA 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, and 650.

MBA 654 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: A WESTERN NEW YORK REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE This course examines current programmatic attempts by government to influence private-sector location and development decisions to strengthen local economies, generate and upgrade job opportunities, and improve the viability of cities. The class analyzes the rationales of a variety of development strategies and assesses their effectiveness. Approaches to economic development in Western New York are compared with other areas. Successful strategies from other regions are also presented. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: MBA 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, and 650.

MBA 655 REGIONALISM The delivery of government services on a regional rather than local basis promises benefits for both the taxpayer and the service consumer. The reorganization of a multiplicity of small overlapping units of government into fewer, more cost effective service delivery organizations presents itself as an imperative in the quest for a higher quality of life. This course analyzes the theories and practices that pertain to the movement to regionalize as well as the economic and service trade-offs that must be managed in such a transition. There is strong emphasis upon the interrelationship between the evolution of metropolitan regions and the impact of political institutions on regional economies. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: MBA 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, and 650.

MBA 656 NEO-URBANISM This course analyzes new patterns of metropolitan development and the planning for decentralized metropolitan region and edge cities. Urban sprawl, urban growth boundaries, the preservation of communities, and environmental systems, infrastructure and transportation improvements and the roles that public and private institutions play are all included in this analysis of the 21st century trend. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: MBA 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, and 650.

2003 Business Advisory Board Members
Robert Anderson
Director of Compensation Management
Computer Task Group, Inc.

Mark Brand, Esq.
Partner
Phillips, Lytle, Hitchcock, Blaine & Huber, LLP

Lee Burns
Chief Financial Officer
Servotronics, Inc.

Geri Grossman
Consultant
My Executive Coach

William P. Montague
President
Mark IV Industries, Inc.

Michael Rossi
District Pharmacy Manager
Eckerd Drugs

*Francine Z. Schaefer
President
HR On-Site Consulting

Marsha Young

*Alumna

Office of Academic Affairs; page updated 9/21/04 (lak)
Medaille College, 18 Agassiz Circle, Buffalo, New York 14214 USA
Phone: (716) 884-3281; Fax: (716) 884-0291
email: Academic Affairs Office