Department of Business Administration, Sul Ross State University in Alpine, TX

Academics

The Department of Business Administration offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA). Other programs include cross-registration with the University of Chihuahua, Mexico. The strongest area of study is international trade. Regular programs bring visiting professors to campus from the University of Chihuahua, Mexico.

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

Business Strategy
Seminar in Management or Problems in Business Administration
Seminar in Marketing
Seminar in Financial Management
Accounting for Management
Quantitative Analysis and Decision Theory
Managerial Economics
Management Information Systems
Mexican Management and Trade Seminar

Students may eliminate or substitute requirements by transferring up to 12 hours of credit.

The minimum time permitted to complete the master’s degree program attending full time is 1 year; maximum, 6 years.

There are 6 total full-time graduate business faculty, of whom 75% hold a doctorate; there is 1 part-time faculty member. Faculty salaries are rated well below average for Category IIA institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average number of courses faculty teach is 4; average business class size is 6.

Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required, along with a GPA of 2.75 and a GMAT score of 400. Most important admissions factors are GMAT results, grades in upper-level courses, and academic accomplishments and ability. A strong mathematics background is not required.

The number of applicants for the 2006-2007 class was 9; 4 were accepted; 4 enrolled. The average GPA was 3.1; average GMAT score was 445. 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, GMAT scores, and a nonrefundable application fee of $25. The application deadline is April 1 for fall entry. Once accepted, students may defer admission for up to 1 year.

Financial Aid

About 60% of graduate business school students receive financial aid from scholarships, loans, and graduate assistantships, for a total average of $6013 annually; maximum $11,700. The FFS is required. Check with the school for current application deadlines.

On-campus room and board costs approximately $4050. Graduate student housing is available on campus. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

Students

Sixty-seven percent of the current graduate business school class are enrolled full time; 80% have had an average of 3 years of full-time work experience prior to entering graduate school, a factor preferred by the school. The greatest percentage of students are from Texas (79%). Forty-seven percent are women, 60% are minorities, and 20% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 29; ages range from 23 to 50. Twenty percent enter directly from undergraduate school; 5% already have a graduate degree. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 65%, business; 15%, economics; 10%, liberal arts; 5%, engineering; 3%, social sciences; and 2%, math and science. About 5% of entering students leave by the end of the first year due to academic or personal reasons; 95% remain to receive their degree. In 2006, 9 graduate business degrees were awarded.