Graduate School

Friends University, Graduate School History

Friends University, founded in 1898, is a private, coeducational institution. The 52-acre campus is located in an urban area 200 miles west of Kansas City. Total undergraduate and graduate enrollment is 633.

The Graduate School was founded in 1986 and is located on the main campus, in its own building, Olive White Garvey Business and Technology Building. Courses also are offered at Kansas City (MSM and MBA) and Topeka (MBA). The basic educational approach is a mix of both the theoretical and case methods.

Friends University, Graduate School Academics

The Graduate School offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Business Law (MBL), Master of Health Care Leadership (MHCL), Master of Business Administration-Executive Program (EMBA), Master of Management Information Systems (MMIS), Master of Science in Management (MSM), Master of Science in Organization Development (MSOD), and Master of Service/Production Management (MSPM). The strongest areas of study are business administration and management. The most popular courses are business and management. Regular programs bring distinguished speakers and visiting professors to campus.

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

• Organizational Management and Leadership
• Management Information Systems
• Marketing Management
• Managerial Economics
• Financial Accounting and Analysis
• Organizational Behavior and Ethics
• Managerial Accounting
• Strategic Planning
• Business Law
• International Business
• Business Plan Project

Required courses for the EMBA include:

• Executive Action Skills
• Research Applications
• Managerial Economics
• Management Information Systems
• Accounting Analysis and Control
• Managerial Accounting
• Operations Management
• Managerial Finance/Planning/Control
• Business Law for Executives
• Dynamics of Organizational Behavior and Communication
• Strategic Marketing Management
• Executive Integrity and Corporate Ethics
• Executive Action Skills and Strategic Planning
• Global Business Opportunities
• Entrepreneurship
• Business Plan Project

Required courses for the MBL include:

• Foundations of Legal Study
• Legal Research and Writing
• Contracts
• Torts and Insurance Law
• Property
• Law and Economics
• Unincorporated Business Associations
• Employment Law
• Corporations
• Business/Legal Ethics
• Dispute Resolution
• Master’s Research Project

Required courses for the MHCL include:

• Leadership Excellence in Health Care
• Management Information Systems in Health Care
• Health Care Law and Ethics for the Health Care Leader
• Human Resources Management
• Financial Management
• Quality Management in Health Care Organizations
• Competitive Marketing Strategies in Health Care
• Strategic Planning
• Contemporary Issues in Aging Services
• Innovation and Leading Change
• Physician Practice and Joint Venture Management
• Guided Research/Capstone Project

Required courses for the MMIS include:

• Management Information Systems
• Research Methods in MIS
• Systems Analysis and Design
• Data Communications and Networking
• Decision Support Systems
• Management Controls
• Database Systems
• Seminar in MIS
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Project Management for Information Systems
• Information Security and Policy Development
• Special Project

Required courses for the MSM include:

• Management Theory
• Research Methods
• Organizational Behavior
• Human Resources Management
• Management-Labor Relations
• Marketing Management
• Managerial Accounting
• Managerial Decision Making
• Project Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Strategic Planning and Business Policy
• Special Project in Management

Required courses for the MSPM include:

• Service/Production Operations Management
• Research Tools and Methodology
• Supply Chain Management
• Managing Service and Production Lean/Six Sigma
• Project Management
• Operations Management Information Systems
• Global Business Management
• Service/Production Operations Strategy
• Organizational Theory and Behavior
• Facilities Design and Planning
• Ethics in Industry
• Final Project

Required courses for the MSOD include:

• Foundations of Organizational Development
• Organizational Development and the Management of Planned Change
• Training and Development
• Applications of Research Methodology
• Organizational Behavior and Group Dynamics
• Management and Leadership Development
• Industrial/Organizational Psychology
• Performance Improvement Systems in Organizations
• Strategic Thinking
• Performance Consulting
• Practicum
• Applied Project

Students may eliminate or substitute requirements by transferring up to 6 hours of graduate-level course work if grade is B or better and the courses match those in the program curriculum.

The minimum time permitted to complete the master’s degree program attending full time is 1 year; maximum, 5 years.

There are 8 total full-time graduate business faculty, of whom 90% hold a doctorate; there is 1 part-time faculty member. Average number of courses faculty teach is 6; average business class size is 22.

Friends University, Graduate School Unique Programs

Library

The Edmund Stanley Library houses a collection of more than 104,000 volumes, and subscribes to 4000 periodicals. Students have access to databases and networks in the fields of business and allied subject areas.

Computers

Most graduate business students need not have their own PCs; however, Master of Management Information students must provide their own PC. The business school has its own computer facilities, consisting of access to 8 computer labs with HP Pentium and Mac G3 and G4 computers. There is Windows XP or Mac 10.3.2 and Microsoft Office on all workstations as well as Internet access and e-mail. Installed software includes Mathematica, Microsoft Project, Visual Studio, and a variety of multimedia applications.

International Students

International students must take the TOEFL. International students must score 560 on the Paper-Based TOEFL (PBT). They also must submit a translation of their transcripts, proof of health, and proof of adequate funds to cover the entire program of study. There is a $60 application fee.

Calendar

The school operates on a term basis. The summer session is 4 to 8 weeks. Graduate programs are offered during the evening only, weekends, and only full-time.

Friends University, Graduate School Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required, along with a GPA of 2.75. Most important admissions factors are motivation, academic accomplishments and ability, and management potential. A strong mathematics background is not required.

The number of applicants for a recent class was 150; 135 were accepted; 125 enrolled. The average GPA was 3.2. Transfers are accepted. Minority students are actively recruited.

Students may begin the MBA program in the fall, spring, and summer. To apply, students must submit an application form, a transcript, a nonrefundable application fee of $45, and 2 letters of recommendation. A personal interview with the Program Director is required. The application deadlines are open for fall, spring, and summer entry. Students are notified soon after the interview of the admissions decision. The latest acceptable test date for fall entry is open.

Friends University, Graduate School Financial Aid

About 95% of graduate business school students receive financial aid from scholarships, loans, and graduate assistantships, for a total average of $12,000 annually; maximum $18,500. The FAFSA and the previous year’s tax return are required.

Tuition for all students is $495 per credit, or $17,820 per year. Books and supplies cost approximately $1200; and other fees, $45, for an estimated annual total of $19,065. Graduate student housing is not available.

Friends University, Graduate School Students

All of the current graduate business school class are enrolled full time; all have had an average of 14 years of full-time work experience prior to entering graduate school. The greatest percentage of students are from Kansas (98%). Forty-nine percent are women, 26% are minorities, and 2% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 35; ages range from 25 to 54. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 35%, business; 25%, engineering; 8%, liberal arts; 5%, math and science; and 2%, social sciences. About 2% of entering students leave by the end of the first year due to academic or personal reasons; 98% remain to receive their degree. In 2006, 136 graduate business degrees were awarded.