Academic Catalog

Business Administration (M.B.A. Program)

Admission (M.B.A.)

Admission to any graduate program is contingent upon admission to the Graduate School. In addition, applicants to the M.B.A. program must comply with the following:

Admission to the Master of Business Administration program is limited to holders of baccalaureate degrees from regionally accredited institutions who demonstrate high promise of success in graduate business study. Several measures of probable success may be included in the evaluation of an applicant; criteria which may be considered are:

  1. Performance on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT); see below.
  2. Undergraduate grade point averages and the trend of grades earned during undergraduate education.
  3. Other indicators of promise of success in the graduate study of business, such as relevant employment and leadership experience.

Appeals to an admission denial may be made in writing to the Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs, Mike Ilitch School of Business. Guidelines for formal appeals are available in the Mike Ilitch School of Business Graduate Programs Office.

Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)

The GMAT must be taken prior to admission to graduate study. This test is a three-hour aptitude test designed to measure certain mental abilities and skills important in the study of management. The GMAT includes verbal, quantitative analytical writing and integrated reasoning sections administered by a computer. 

The GMAT is offered on a continuous basis by appointment at computer-based testing centers throughout North America and at selected international sites. Candidates can schedule a testing appointment by calling 1-800-717-GMAT (4628). A list of test centers is provided in the GMAT Bulletin and on GMAT’s website.

Most prospective graduate business students will take the GMAT for admissions, although the School of Business does offer GMAT/GRE waivers to highly qualified applicants. This is generally defined as those applicants who meet one of the following criteria:

  1. Acceptable score on the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE), Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) entrance exam.
  2. GPA of 3.0 or higher from an AACSB-accredited business program (or GPA of 3.2 or higher from a regionally-accredited university in any major) OR at least three years of relevant professional experience that shows increased responsibility over that period.

Please contact the Graduate Programs Office for more information on GMAT waivers or equivalency requirements

Application

A completed Application for Graduate Admission, the application fee, and an official transcript from each college or university attended are required before a student can be considered for admission to graduate status.

 

Program Requirements

Candidates for the Master of Business Administration degree must complete thirty-six credits of core and elective/concentration course work with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Additional foundation course work may be required prior to beginning these thirty-six credits.

Degrees are granted upon the recommendation of the faculty of the Mike Ilitch School of Business. All course work must be completed in accordance with the regulations of the Graduate School and the Mike Ilitch School of Business governing graduate scholarship and degrees.

M.B.A. students who hold a baccalaureate degree in a field other than accounting and who wish to qualify to sit for the C.P.A. examination in the State of Michigan should contact their advisor in the Graduate Programs Office (313-577-4511) as early as possible. While no formal M.B.A. curriculum is offered to meet the educational requirements of the Michigan State Board of Accountancy, an individualized Plan of Work can be developed. Generally, such a Plan of Work includes more than the minimum number of courses required for the M.B.A.

Online M.B.A. Program

The M.B.A. program is available in a fully online format. Students enrolled in a fully online major are limited to registering for courses listed in the Schedule of Classes with the Instructional Methods: Online — No Scheduled Meetings or Online — Scheduled Meetings. Students who are eligible to enroll in the online program will qualify for Michigan resident tuition rates, more details are available in the Academic Regulations section of the Graduate Bulletin.

Course Distribution Requirements (M.B.A.)

The master's degree program provides a fundamental background in business administration as well as opportunities for advanced specialization in particular areas. The program beyond the common body of knowledge is broad in nature and is directed at general competence for overall business management. There are three phases of course work required:

Depending on the student's academic background, there may be no foundation courses or as many as four foundation courses required. All students must complete nine core courses. Students must also choose three elective courses which can be used as part of a general curriculum. Students in the M.B.A. program may select electives that apply toward the completion of one of the concentrations as listed on the Concentrations tab.

Foundation Requirements (M.B.A.)

The following foundation courses are open only to students who have been formally admitted to a graduate program at Wayne State University — undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and non-matriculated students are not eligible. (Analogous courses offered at the undergraduate level may be taken to satisfy Foundation Requirements prior to graduate admission. However, once a student has been formally admitted to the M.B.A. program, NO graduate credit shall be allowed for subsequent registrations in undergraduate courses analogous to the Graduate Foundation Requirements without approval of the Graduate Committee or its designee. Information regarding such courses is available in the Graduate Programs Office, 2771 Woodward Avenue, Suite 137.) A cumulative grade point average of 3.00 ('B') is required for foundation requirements and no individual grade below 2.0 ('C') is acceptable. All foundation requirements must be completed before a student begins core and elective courses.

BA 6000Introduction to Accounting and Financial Reporting3
BA 6005Basics of Financial Management3
BA 6015Marketing Foundations2
BA 6020Contemporary Principles of Management2

In general, a baccalaureate degree in Business Administration from a regionally accredited institution fulfills most foundation requirements. However, each applicant's background will be individually examined to determine if any foundation course work is needed. If courses proposed to satisfy the foundation requirements of the M.B.A. program are over six years old, the Graduate Committee may require the applicant to demonstrate proficiency in the subject matter either by interview with a faculty member, by taking an equivalent course, or by taking an equivalent course by examination.

Foundation Waivers: While all of the above foundation courses are required, students who have had equivalent course work in their undergraduate programs (except for BA 6005, see below) with a cumulative g.p.a. of 3.00 ('B') or higher may be granted waivers of certain foundation courses at the time of their admission to the graduate program.

BA 6005 Foundation Waiver Criteria:

  1. Students who have earned a grade of 3.00 ('B') or higher in an undergraduate course that is compatible with BA 6005 and the prior course was taken within the last three years from an AACSB accredited college or university. These students must also have quantitative GMAT/GRE scores higher than the 50th percentile.
  2. Students who are Finance or Accounting majors from an AACSB accredited US or Canadian university, have obtained a g.p.a of 3.00 or higher in the major, and have graduated in the last two years.
  3. Students who are not Finance or Accounting major but have completed FIN 3290 or an equivalent course from an AACSB accredited US or Canadian university within the last 12 months and passed the course with a grade of 3.33 (‘B+’) or higher.
  4. Students who do not meet any of these conditions may take and pass a waiver exam administered by the Department of Finance; however, they are strongly encouraged to take BA 6005BA 6005 (Basics of Financial Management) is a prerequisite for BA 7020.

Core Requirements (M.B.A.)

The following nine core courses are required of all students:

BA 7000Managerial Accounting3
BA 7010Global Operations and Supply Chain Management3
BA 7020Corporate Financial Management3
BA 7030Business Analytics3
BA 7040Managing Organizational Behavior3
BA 7050Marketing Strategy3
BA 7060Understanding Emerging Technologies3
BA 7070Social Perspectives on the Business Enterprise3
BA 7080Strategic Management 13
1

BA 7080 is the capstone course and is to be taken in the final twelve credits of the graduate program and only after the completion of the other eight core courses. For those students with an undergraduate major in accounting, management or marketing, a more advanced course in a subject area (approved as part of the student’s Plan of Work) must replace the pertinent core course noted above.

Elective Requirements (M.B.A.)

All elective courses must be at the 7000 level or higher and must be offered by the Mike Ilitch School of Business. The written approval of the Dean or his/her designee is required to take any course as an M.B.A. elective outside the Mike Ilitch School of Business. (Only students holding a bachelor's degree in business administration are eligible to take elective courses outside the Mike Ilitch School of Business.) Students may select any combination of elective courses from the following set of courses.

Accounting

ACC 7100Financial Accounting for Decision Making3
ACC 7115Financial Statement Analysis3
ACC 7120Introduction to Taxation: Individuals3
ACC 7122Advanced Accounting I3
ACC 7130Intermediate Managerial Accounting3
ACC 7145Accounting Systems: Design and Controls3
ACC 7148ERP Systems and Business Integration3
ACC 7155Forensic Accounting3
ACC 7165Internal Audit I3
ACC 7170International Accounting3
ACC 7180Auditing3
ACC 7188Governmental and Not-for-Profit Accounting3
ACC 7190Advanced Auditing3
ACC 7280Accounting Data Analytics3
ACC 7300Accounting and Tax Research and Professional Communications3
ACC 7310Business and Professional Ethics for Managers and Accountants3
ACC 7320Introduction to Taxation: Business Entities3
ACC 7325Advanced Tax Research and IRS Procedures3
ACC 7335Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders3
ACC 7340Taxation of Pass-Through Entities3
ACC 7400Taxation of International Business and Multinational Transactions3
ACC 7410Tax Accounting Methods and Accounting for Income Taxes3
ACC 7420Taxation by State and Local Jurisdictions3
ACC 7450Taxes and Business Strategy3
ACC 7998Seminar in Tax and Accounting Policy3
ACC 7990Internship in Accounting or Tax Practice1-3
ACC 7995Directed Study in Accounting1-3

Business Law

BLW 7220Business Law II3

Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Course List

EI 7000Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Innovation3
EI 7400Management and Leadership for Entrepreneurs3
EI 7600Marketing New Ventures3
EI 7800Special Topics in Entrepreneurship and Innovation3
EI 7850Directed Study in Entrepreneurship and Innovation3
EI 7900Entrepreneurship and Innovation Capstone3

Finance

FIN 7000Applied Financial Analysis3
FIN 7090Money and Capital Markets3
FIN 7200Startup Financing and Profitability3
FIN 7220Advanced Managerial Finance3
FIN 7229Corporate Valuation: Techniques, Models and Strategic Applications3
FIN 7230Investment Policies3
FIN 7270Entrepreneurs' Ecosystem3
FIN 7280Entrepreneurial Finance and Venture Capital3
FIN 7290Topics in Finance3
FIN 7340Futures and Options3
FIN 7870International Finance3
FIN 7890Internship in Finance3
FIN 7900Mergers and Acquisitions3
FIN 7990Portfolio Management/Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF)3
FIN 7995Directed Study1-3

Global Supply Chain Management

GSC 7010Manufacturing and Supply Chain Analytics3
GSC 7260Theory of Constraints: Breakthrough Solutions3
GSC 7620Global Supply Chain Management3
GSC 7670Special Topics in Supply Chain Management3
GSC 7650Strategic Procurement3
GSC 7680Manufacturing Planning and Control3
GSC 7890Internship in Global Supply Chain3
GSC 7910Managing Automotive Supply Chains Sustainability3
GSC 7920Supply Chain Process Analysis and Costing3
GSC 7930Customs Administration and High Tech Purchasing3
GSC 7950Auto Industry SCM Capstone3
GSC 7960Lean Six Sigma3
GSC 7991Principles of Quality Management3
GSC 7992Methods of Quality Management3
GSC 7995Directed Study in Global Supply Chain1-3

Management

MGT 7620Complex Organizations3
MGT 7630Organizational Change and Development3
MGT 7640Management of Human Resources3
MGT 7650Strategic Human Resource Management3
MGT 7660Entrepreneurial Management3
MGT 7700Leadership and Management of Innovation and Technology3
MGT 7730People Analytics3
MGT 7750Managing Employee Relations3
MGT 7780Workplace Negotiations3
MGT 7815Strategic Leadership3
MGT 7816Leading Self and Others3
MGT 7850Management through Constructive Persuasion3
MGT 7895Internship in Management3
MGT 7900Project Management3
or TIS 7900 Project Management
MGT 7950Business and Sustainability3
or MKT 7950 Business and Sustainability
MGT 7995Directed Study in Management1-3
MGT 8000Seminar in Management3

Marketing

MKT 7150Global Automotive Marketing Strategy3
MKT 7430Advertising Management3
MKT 7450Business Research and Methodology3
MKT 7460International Business3
MKT 7470Consumer and Industrial Buying Behavior3
MKT 7500International Marketing Strategy3
MKT 7700Management of Retail Enterprises3
MKT 7860Social Media and Digital Marketing Analytics3
MKT 7870Seminar in Marketing3
MKT 7890Internship in Marketing3
MGT 7950Business and Sustainability3
or MKT 7950 Business and Sustainability
MKT 7995Directed Study in Marketing1-3

Sport and Entertainment Management

SEM 7100Sport & Entertainment Management3
SEM 7110Sport & Entertainment Marketing Communications3
SEM 7120Event Planning and Management3
SEM 7130Managerial Finance in Sport & Entertainment3
SEM 7140Sports & Entertainment Economics3
SEM 7995Directed Study in Sport and Entertainment Management3
SEM 8000Special Topics in Sport and Entertainment Management3

Technology, Information Systems and Analytics

TIS 7290Blockchain: An Accounting and Business Perspective3
TIS 7505Information Analytics: Inbound Information Technology3
TIS 7507Application Development with Swift3
TIS 7520Information Systems Design3
TIS 7530Societal and Ethical Issues in the Information Age3
TIS 7560Survey of E-Commerce3
TIS 7570Advanced Business Analytics3
TIS 7575Corporate Computer Networks and IT Security3
TIS 7680Information Visualization for Business3
TIS 7900Project Management3
TIS 7994Digital Content Development3
TIS 7996Principles for Customer Relationship Management3

Concentration Requirements (M.B.A.)

The purpose of the concentration is to provide depth in a specialization that will contribute to the student's attainment of his or her professional objectives. The Mike Ilitch School of Business currently offers eleven areas of concentration. The following are the areas of concentrations and the list of courses that must be completed to fulfill the concentration requirement.

Accounting Systems Concentration

Select three of the following:9
Financial Accounting for Decision Making
Intermediate Managerial Accounting
Accounting Systems: Design and Controls
ERP Systems and Business Integration
Accounting Data Analytics
Total Credits9

Digital / Business Analytics

Students must complete at least three courses from the following.

Principles
TIS 7505Information Analytics: Inbound Information Technology3
TIS 8000Seminar in Information Systems and Management3
Insight Generation
TIS 7510Database Management3
TIS 7570Advanced Business Analytics3
TIS 7680Information Visualization for Business3
Delivery (Web/Mobile)
TIS 7507Application Development with Swift3
TIS 7994Digital Content Development3

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Concentration

EI 7000Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Innovation3
or MGT 7660 Entrepreneurial Management
Select at least two of the following:6
Management and Leadership for Entrepreneurs
Leadership and Management of Innovation and Technology
Marketing New Ventures
Special Topics in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Startup Financing and Profitability
Entrepreneurs' Ecosystem
Entrepreneurial Finance and Venture Capital
Leadership and Management of Innovation and Technology
Business and Sustainability
Social Media and Digital Marketing Analytics
Information Analytics: Inbound Information Technology
Survey of E-Commerce
Digital Content Development
Principles for Customer Relationship Management
Total Credits9

Financial Accounting Concentration

ACC 7100Financial Accounting for Decision Making3
Select at least two of the following:6
Financial Statement Analysis
Advanced Accounting I
Accounting Systems: Design and Controls
Forensic Accounting
International Accounting
Auditing
Governmental and Not-for-Profit Accounting
Advanced Auditing
Total Credits9

Finance Concentration

FIN 7230Investment Policies3
Select at least two of the following:6
Applied Financial Analysis
Advanced Managerial Finance
Corporate Valuation: Techniques, Models and Strategic Applications
Entrepreneurs' Ecosystem
Entrepreneurial Finance and Venture Capital
Topics in Finance
Futures and Options
Money and Capital Markets
International Finance
Mergers and Acquisitions
Portfolio Management/Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF)
Total Credits9

Global Supply Chain Management Concentration

GSC 7620Global Supply Chain Management3
GSC 7650Strategic Procurement3
Select one of the following:3
ERP Systems and Business Integration
Consultative Analysis and Executive Presentation
Manufacturing and Supply Chain Analytics
Manufacturing & Supply Chain Analytics
Study Abroad
Special Topics in Supply Chain Management
Manufacturing Planning and Control
Supply Chain Process Analysis and Costing
Customs Administration and High Tech Purchasing
Lean Six Sigma
Principles of Quality Management
Business and Sustainability
Business and Sustainability
Total Credits9

Healthcare Supply Chain

Students must complete at least three courses from the following. 

GSC 7670Special Topics in Supply Chain Management (Healthcare Supply Chain Management)3
GSC 7960Lean Six Sigma3
Select one of the following:3
ERP Systems and Business Integration
Consultative Analysis and Executive Presentation
Manufacturing and Supply Chain Analytics
Manufacturing & Supply Chain Analytics
Study Abroad
Global Supply Chain Management
Strategic Procurement
Special Topics in Supply Chain Management (Topic should be chosen with consent of advisor)
Supply Chain Process Analysis and Costing
Customs Administration and High Tech Purchasing
Principles of Quality Management
Total Credits9

Human Resources Management Concentration

MGT 7640Management of Human Resources3
Select two of the following (ELR are Employment and Labor Relations courses):6
Health Care, Retirement, and Employee Benefit Plans
Employment Relations Law in North America
Strategic Human Resource Management
People Analytics
Managing Employee Relations
Workplace Negotiations
Total Credits9

International Business Concentration

MKT 7460International Business3
MKT 7500International Marketing Strategy3
Select one of the following:3
Global Supply Chain Management
International Finance
Business and Sustainability
Business and Sustainability
Total Credits9

Management Concentration

Select at least three of the following:9
Complex Organizations
Organizational Change and Development
Management of Human Resources
Entrepreneurial Management
Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Innovation
People Analytics
Workplace Negotiations
Strategic Leadership
Leading Self and Others
Management through Constructive Persuasion
Project Management
Business and Sustainability
Seminar in Management
Total Credits9

Marketing Concentration

MKT 7450Business Research and Methodology3
MKT 7470Consumer and Industrial Buying Behavior3
Select one of the following:3
Marketing New Ventures
Global Automotive Marketing Strategy
Advertising Management
International Business
International Marketing Strategy
Management of Retail Enterprises
Social Media and Digital Marketing Analytics
Business and Sustainability
Total Credits9

Sport and Entertainment Management

SEM 7100Sport & Entertainment Management3
Select at least two of the following:6
Sport & Entertainment Marketing Communications
Event Planning and Management
Managerial Finance in Sport & Entertainment
Sports & Entertainment Economics
Directed Study in Sport and Entertainment Management
Special Topics in Sport and Entertainment Management
Total Credits9

Technology, Information Systems and Analysis Concentration

Select at least three of the following:9
ERP Systems and Business Integration
Blockchain: An Accounting and Business Perspective
Database Management
Information Systems Design
Societal and Ethical Issues in the Information Age
Survey of E-Commerce
Advanced Business Analytics
Corporate Computer Networks and IT Security
Project Management
Principles for Customer Relationship Management
Seminar in Information Systems and Management
Total Credits9
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