Richard E. and Sandra J. Dauch College of Business and Economics, Ashland University in Ashland, OH

Academics

The Graduate School of Business Administration offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA). The strongest areas of study are executive management, finance, human resource management, global business, and entrepreneurship. The most popular courses are Business and Society, Strategic Planning and Policy, Financial Management, and Entrepreneurship. Regular programs bring distinguished speakers and visiting professors to campus and include the Lucille G. Ford Lecture Series, the Executive-in-Residence program, and the MBA Seminar Series.

Thirty-six total credits are required to complete the MBA including up to 9 elective credits. Required courses include:

Organizational Design and Development
Managerial Economics
Operations Management
Business Statistics
Financial Management
Business and Society
Marketing Management
International Business Management
Organizational Behavior
Managerial Accounting
Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis
Management Information Systems

Students may eliminate or substitute requirements if they have a professional designation recommended for graduate credit by A.C.E.

Business students may take relevant nonbusiness courses in other departments. The minimum time permitted to complete the master’s degree program attending part time is 2 years; maximum, 5 years.

There are 21 total full-time graduate business faculty, of whom 95% hold a doctorate; there are 10 part-time faculty, of whom 60% hold a doctorate. Faculty salaries are rated average for Category IIB institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average number of courses faculty teach is 7; average business class size is 22.

Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required, along with a GPA of 2.75. Most important admissions factors are academic accomplishments and ability, management potential, and work experience. A strong mathematics background is required.

The number of applicants for the 2006-2007 class was 275; 260 were accepted; 230 enrolled. The average GPA was 3.2. Transfers are accepted.

Students may begin the MBA program in the fall, spring, and summer. To apply, students must submit an application form, a nonrefundable application fee of $30, a resume, official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate course work, and a personal competency assessment completed by the applicant’s supervisor. The application deadlines are August 1 for fall entry; December 1, spring; April 1, summer. Students are notified of the admissions decision within 1 week of submitting all relevant materials Once accepted, students may defer admission until they are prepared to enter.

Financial Aid

In a recent year about 10% of graduate business school students received financial aid from scholarships, loans, and graduate assistantships, for a total average of $2000 annually. The GAPSFAS or FAFSA, and the previous year’s tax return are required. Check with the school for current application deadlines.

Tuition for all students is $512 per credit. Graduate student housing is for international students only and consists of off-campus apartments and on-campus dorms. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

Students

Thirty-seven percent of the current graduate business school class are enrolled full time; 99% have had an average of 12 years of full-time work experience prior to entering graduate school, a factor preferred by the school. The greatest percentage of students are from Ohio (92%). Forty-two percent are women, 13% are minorities, and 8% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 34; ages range from 24 to 61. Five percent already have a graduate degree. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 58%, business; 18%, engineering; 10%, education; 4%, liberal arts; 4%, math and science; 4%, social sciences; and 2%, economics. About 10% of entering students leave by the end of the first year due to academic or personal reasons; 78% remain to receive their degree. In 2006, 192 graduate business degrees were awarded.