1. Home »
  2. Widener University

School of Business Administration

Academics

The school offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Taxation (MST), Master of Science in Human Resource Organizational Leadership (MSHROL), and Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) as well as a joint degree in law (JD/MBA), engineering (ME/MBA), clinical psychology and health and medical services administration (PsyD/MBA), clinical psychology and human resources (PsyD/MSHR), and medicine (MD/MBA) with Jefferson Medical College. Other programs include interdisciplinary programs in information systems with the College of Arts and Science. The strongest areas of study are health administration, management, taxation, information systems, ERP and financial planning. The most popular courses are developing management skills, project management, financial planning, and information systems. Regular programs bring distinguished speakers and visiting professors to campus. The Banking and Finance Lecture series brings notable speakers in the area of banking and finance every year. The Economics Department has brought a Nobel Prize winner to campus every year for more than 10 years. There is also an Executive-in-Residence program, and international business leaders give lectures.

Forty-two total credits are required to complete the MBA, including 12 elective credits. Required courses include:

  • Strategic Planning
  • Leadership
  • Information systems
  • Data Mining, Collection and Analysis
  • Customer/Market Focus
  • Managing Human Capital
  • Modeling and Forecasting
  • Process Management
  • Managing for Results

Required courses for the MSTEP include:

  • Overview of Financial Planning
  • Financial Fundamentals
  • Federal Income Tax Taxation
  • Research
  • Federal Corporate Taxation and the Law of Business Entities
  • Federal Estate and Gift Taxation
  • Federal Taxation of Partnership

Required courses for the MSIS include:

  • Project Management
  • Decision Support Systems
  • Business Process Analysis and Process Automation
  • Managing Distributed Technologies
  • Data Base Systems
  • Systems Design, Analysis, and Implementation

Required courses for the MSHROL include:

  • Organization and Management in a Global Environment
  • Developing Management Skills
  • Management of Change
  • Organizational Development
  • Preformance Management
  • Measuring Effectiveness
  • Strategic Policy and Planning in Human Resourse

All foundation courses (12 credits) may be waived because of undergraduate work; candidates may also take the challenge exam.

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, 5 years. For students attending part time, the minimum is 2 years; maximum, 5 years.

There are 31 total full-time graduate business faculty, of whom 97% hold a doctorate; there are 12 part-time faculty, of whom 17% hold a doctorate. Faculty salaries are rated well above average for Category llA institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average number of courses faculty teach is 6; average business class size is 15.

Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required, along with a GPA of 2.5 and a GMAT score of 510. The formula for using the GPA and GMAT scores is (200 x GPA) + GMAT, or minimum 1060. Most important admissions factors are academic accomplishments and ability, GMAT results, and letters of recommendation. A strong mathematics background is required.

The number of applicants for the 2006-2007 class was 259; 164 were accepted; 89 enrolled. The average GPA was 3.13; average GMAT score was 531. Transfers are accepted. Minority students are actively recruited by advertisements in minority publications.

Students may begin the MBA program in the fall, spring, and summer. To apply, students must submit an application form, 2 transcripts, GMAT scores, (the GRE is permitted for the MBA, MSHROL, and MSIS), a nonrefundable application fee of $25, and 2 letters of recommendation. The application deadlines are August 1 for fall entry; December 1, spring; April 1, summer. Students are notified within a month of receipt of application (rolling admission) of the admissions decision. The latest acceptable test date for fall entry is August 1. Once accepted, students may defer admission for up to 1 year.

Financial Aid

About 12% of graduate business school students receive financial aid from scholarships, loans, and graduate assistantships, for a total average of $14,255 annually; maximum $32,012. The FAFSA and the school’s own financial statement are required. Priority deadline is February 15 for summer, April 1 for fall and spring.

Tuition for all students is $680 per credit. Books and supplies cost approximately $2000, for an estimated annual total of $22,400. Graduate student housing is available in on-campus and off-campus facilities. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

Students

Twenty-two percent of the current graduate business school class are enrolled full time; 91% have had an average of 7 years of full-time work experience prior to entering graduate school, a factor preferred by the school. The greatest percentage of students are from Pennsylvania (54%). Thirty-eight percent are women, 22% are minorities, and 9% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 33; ages range from 22 to 53. Six percent enter directly from undergraduate school; 5% already have a graduate degree. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 46%, business; 14%, economics; 11%, math and science; 11%, social sciences; 9%, engineering; and 9%, health. About 11% of entering students leave by the end of the first year due to academic or personal reasons; 75% remain to receive their degree. In 2006, 68 graduate business degrees were awarded.

This website and its associated pages are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by this school.
StateUniversity.com has no official or unofficial affiliation with School of Business Administration.