Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration

University of Missouri-Kansas City, Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration History

University of Missouri/Kansas City, founded in 1933, is a public, coeducational institution. The 93-acre campus is located in an urban area in Kansas City. Total undergraduate and graduate enrollment is 14,213.

The Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration was founded in 1953 and is located on the main campus, in its own building, Bloch School. The basic educational approach is to provide the knowledge and skills needed for today’s business professionals through a variety of teaching formats, including case studies, group projects, and interactive dialogue, and using the most up-to-date technologies available.

University of Missouri-Kansas City, Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration Academics

The Bloch School offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA), and Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) as well as a joint degree in law (JD/MBA). Other programs include foreign exchange with 5 countries, internship programs, and joint research. The strongest areas of study are finance, entrepreneurship and innovation, and leadership. The most popular courses are Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Finance.

Thirty total credits (maximum of 48) are required to complete the MBA, including 12 elective credits. Required courses include:

• Managerial Accounting
• Economics for Administration
• Operations Management
• Financial Management
• Statistical Methods for Administrative Decisions
• Organizational Behavior
• Legal and International Business Environment
• Competitive Strategies

Required courses for the MSA include:

• core requirements (see MBA), except that MSA students complete Accounting Controls instead of Management
• Accounting, accounting electives, and Business and Accounting
• Information Systems

Required courses for the EMBA include:

• Financial Reporting Systems
• Leadership and Organizations
• Applied Statistical Methods
• Marketing Management
• Organizational Finance
• Managing People for Strategy Execution
• Managerial Economics
• Operations Management for World Class Competitiveness
• Strategic Marketing
• Information Systems for Management Planning and Control
• Advanced Organizational Finance
• Power, Influence and Negotiation
• Strategic Management
• Public Policy Context for Business Decisions
• Management of Organizational Change
• Aggregate Economic Analysis and National Policy
• Organizational Valuation and Financial Modeling
• Managing Quality and Suppliers for Competitive Advantage
• Innovation and Enterpreneurship
• Strategic Organizational Design
• Legal Issues for Today’s Leaders
• Information Technology as a Strategic Tool
• Pricing Strategy for New and Ongoing Enterprises
• Corporate Governance
• Global Initiatives in Management
• Leadership Accountability and Ethics
• Integrated Business Strategies (Capstone)

Students may eliminate or substitute requirements through previous course work.

Business students may take relevant nonbusiness courses in other departments. The minimum time permitted to complete the master’s degree program attending full time or part time is 1 year; maximum, 7 years.

There are 38 total full-time graduate business faculty, all of whom hold a doctorate; there are 11 part-time faculty, of whom 36% hold a doctorate. Faculty salaries are rated below average for Category I institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average number of courses faculty teach is 5; average business class size is 25.

University of Missouri-Kansas City, Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration Unique Programs

Library

The university’s main library houses a collection of more than 1,323,786 volumes, 1,983,830 microform items, and 421,669 audio/video tapes/CDs, and subscribes to 6848 periodicals. The business library is particularly strong in management, finance, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Students have access to such databases and networks as ABI/Inform Global, Business Course Premier, Lexis/Nexis Academic, Mergent Online, EconLit, Gale Virtual Library, JSOTR, Wilson Omnifile V, Business Regional News, ScienceDirect, STAT-USA, SAGE Public Administration Abstracts, PAIS, and S&P Research Insight. Other opportunities for research consist of MERLIN, MOBIUS, the Center for Research Libraries, and interlibrary loans; regional public libraries offer on-line access to an extensive array of business databases including Standard & Poors and Value Line.

Computers

Graduate business students need not have their own PCs. The business school has its own computer facilities, consisting of a 38-screen computer lab, 2 computer classrooms, and PCs in individual classrooms. Access to the computer lab is available every day of the week. Available software can be found at the website, http://www.umkc.edu/is/labs/software.

Career and Job Placement

Placement services are limited, since most students are already employed full time. Placement services for alumni include the same as those for current students. 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 and proof of adequate funds to cover the entire course of study. Financial aid is available for these students and consists of university and privately funded merit-based scholarships.

Calendar

The school operates on a traditional semester basis. Semesters are 16 weeks long; summer sessions, 8 weeks. Graduate programs are offered during the evening only and weekends.

University of Missouri-Kansas City, Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required. Most important admissions factors are GMAT results, academic accomplishments and ability, and essays. A strong mathematics background is not required.

The number of applicants for the 2006-2007 class was 309; 184 were accepted; 147 enrolled. The average GPA was 3.29; average GMAT score was 548. Transfers are accepted. Minority students are actively recruited.

Students may begin the MBA program in the fall, winter, and summer. To apply, students must submit an application form, a transcript, GMAT scores, a nonrefundable application fee of $35, a resume, and a statement of purpose. The application deadlines are May 1 for fall entry; October 1, winter; March 1, summer. Students are notified of the admissions decision approximately 2 weeks after the priority deadline. The latest acceptable test date for fall entry is during the week before classes start. Once accepted, students may defer admission for 1 to 2 semesters if qualified. Students should contact the Student Services Office.

University of Missouri-Kansas City, Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration Financial Aid

About 41% of graduate business school students receive financial aid from scholarships, loans, and graduate assistantships, for a total average of $15,932 annually. Stipends and programs available for minority students include diversity scholarships and the Chancellor’s Historically Underrepresented Minority Scholarship. The FAFSA and the school’s own financial statement are required. Check with the school for current application deadlines.

Tuition for in-state residents is $336 per credit. Nonresidents pay $773 per credit. Graduate student housing is available on a limited basis. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

University of Missouri-Kansas City, Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration Students

The greatest percentage of students are from Missouri (60%). Forty-three percent are women, 12% are minorities, and 8% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 29; ages range from 22 to 56. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 52%, business; 15%, social sciences; 11%, liberal arts; 10%, engineering; 8%, math and science; and 4%, economics. About 19% of entering students leave by the end of the first year due to academic or personal reasons; 61% remain to receive their degree. In 2006, 156 graduate business degrees were awarded.