John F. Welch College of Business

Sacred Heart University, John F. Welch College of Business History

Sacred Heart University, founded in 1963, is a private, coeducational institution affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. The 56-acre campus is located in a suburban area 55 miles northeast of New York City. Total undergraduate and graduate enrollment is 5775.

The John F. Welch College of Business was founded in 1977 and is located on the main campus, in its own building, Roncalli Hall. Courses also are offered at Stamford and in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The basic educational approach is to combine the case method with a theoretical background. The program has a broad-based general management emphasis, with the option to concentrate in 1 of 3 specialty areas: finance, accounting, or management.

Sacred Heart University, John F. Welch College of Business Academics

The Welch College of Business offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA) as well as a joint degree in nursing (MBA/MSN) and business (BS/MBA). Other programs include work-study, cross-registration, internships, and foreign exchange with Luxembourg. The strongest area of study is management, accounting, finance, and international business. The most popular courses are in management and finance. Regular programs bring distinguished speakers and visiting professors to campus. Guest lectures are held 6 to 9 times per year featuring distinguished speakers and local executives from Fortune 500 companies.

Thirty-six total credits are required to complete the MBA, including 15 elective credits. Required courses include:

• Accounting for Decision Making and Control
• Organizational Management and Business Communication
• Organizational Behavior
• Legal Environment of Business
• Dynamics of Information Technology
• Operations Management
• Global Management Integration
• Leadership and Ethics
• Managerial Economics
• Financial Management
• Marketing Management
• International Business

Students may eliminate or substitute requirements. To apply for prerequisite undergraduate credit equivalents, a student must have had an average grade of B or better and courses must have been taken within the past 6 years.

Business students may take relevant nonbusiness courses in other departments. The minimum time permitted to complete the master’s degree program attending full time is 1 year; maximum, 3 years. For students attending part time, the minimum is 1 year; maximum, 6 years.

There are 35 total full-time graduate business faculty, of whom 81% hold a doctorate; there are 27 part-time faculty, of whom 50% hold a doctorate. Faculty salaries are rated above average for Category IIA institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average number of courses faculty teach is 2; average business class size is 17.

Sacred Heart University, John F. Welch College of Business Unique Programs

Library

Publications for the business school contained in the main library consist of more than 250,000 volumes, 71,782 microform items, and 11,594 audio/video tapes/CDs, and subscriptions to 2911 periodicals. The business library is particularly strong in general and international business. Students have access to such databases and networks as InfoTrac, Dialog, Wilsonline, Proquest, and Lexis/Nexis. Other opportunities for research consist of audiovisual materials, interlibrary loans, company profiles, annual reports on microfiche, and a career development library.

Computers

Graduate business students need not have their own PCs. The business school has its own computer facilities, consisting of 120 PC terminals with software including Lotus, WordPerfect, dBASE, and Microsoft Office. Campus-wide wireless Internet access and e-mail are available.

Career and Job Placement

Placement services are extensive. Placement services for alumni include referrals. Placement is available through the university placement office.

International Students

International students must take the TOEFL. International students must score 550 on the Paper-Based TOEFL (PBT). They also must submit a translation of their transcripts, proof of health consisting of measles and rubella vaccination verification, and proof of adequate funds to cover 1 year of study. There are special fees of $100.

Calendar

The school operates on a trimester basis. Trimesters are 13 weeks long; summer sessions, 6 weeks. Graduate programs are offered during the day and evening and weekends.

Sacred Heart University, John F. Welch College of Business Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required, along with a GPA of 2.8 and a GMAT score of 400. Most important admissions factors are academic accomplishments and ability, work experience, and motivation. A strong mathematics background is not required.

The number of applicants for the 2006-2007 class was 107; 45 were accepted; 39 enrolled. Transfers are accepted. Minority students are actively recruited by working closely with diverse groups such as the National Society of Hispanic MBAs.

Students may begin the MBA program in the fall, spring, and summer. To apply, students must submit an application form, GMAT scores, a nonrefundable application fee of $50, 2 letters of recommendation, a resume, and a writing sample. The application deadline is rolling for fall entry. Students are notified of the admissions decision on a rolling basis. The latest acceptable test date for fall entry is the first week of class. Once accepted, students may defer admission for up to 1 year after formal acceptance, providing there are no admission criteria changes.

Sacred Heart University, John F. Welch College of Business Financial Aid

The FAFSA, the school’s own financial statement, and the previous year’s tax return are required. Check with the school for current application deadlines.

Tuition for all students is $575 per credit. Graduate student housing is not available. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

Sacred Heart University, John F. Welch College of Business Students

Sixteen percent of the current graduate business school class are enrolled full time; 90% have had an average of 5 years of full-time work experience prior to entering graduate school, a factor preferred by the school. The greatest percentage of students are from Connecticut (88%). Fifty percent are women, 18% are minorities, and 5% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 32; ages range from 21 to 64. Five percent enter directly from undergraduate school; 10% already have a graduate degree. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 50%, business; 20%, liberal arts; 13%, social sciences; 8%, engineering; 2%, economics; and 2%, math and science. About 20% of entering students leave by the end of the first year due to academic or personal reasons; 60% remain to receive their degree. In 2006, 88 graduate business degrees were awarded.