Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA

Academics

The Byrd School offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA) as well as a joint degree in MBA/PharmD and MBA/DPT. Other programs include internships. The strongest area of study and the most popular course is information systems. Regular programs bring distinguished speakers and visiting professors to campus. These include the Byrd Lecture Series.

Thirty-six total credits are required to complete the MBA, including 6 elective credits. Required courses include:

Accounting for Decision Making and Control
Financial Management
Business in the Global Economy l and ll
Organizational Structure and Behavior
Operations and Supply Chain Management
Management, Policy Formulation, and Systems Analysis
Human Resource Management, Employment Law, and Ethics
Decision Sciences and MIS
Marketing Theory and Practice

Students may eliminate or substitute requirements by transferring graduate credits.

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.

n a recent year, there were 10 total full-time graduate business faculty, all of whom held a doctorate; there were 2 part-time faculty. Faculty salaries are rated average for Category IIA institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average number of courses faculty teach is 6; average business class size is 6.

Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required, along with a GPA of 2.0 and a GMAT score of 450. The formula for using the GPA and GMAT scores is (200 x GPA) + GMAT, or minimum 1000. Most important admissions factors are a successful interview, letters of recommendation, and essays. A strong mathematics background is not required.

The number of applicants for a recent class was 32; 26 were accepted; 14 enrolled. Transfers are accepted. Minority students are actively recruited.

Students may begin the MBA program in the fall, winter, and spring. To apply, students must submit an application form, a transcript, GMAT scores, (GRE, LSAT, or Miller Analogies scores may be submitted in lieu of GMAT), a nonrefundable application fee of $30, 2 letters of recommendation, and a brief narrative describing career and professional development goals as they relate to the MBA. The application deadline is open for fall entry. Students are notified within 2 weeks of receipt of all materials of the admissions decision. The latest acceptable test date for fall entry is within 1 year of enrollment. Once accepted, students may defer admission for up to 1 year.

Financial Aid

In a recent year, about 41% of graduate business school students received financial aid from scholarships, loans, and graduate assistantships, for a total average of $13,088 annually; maximum $19,670. The FAFSA and and the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant Application are required. Check with the school for current application deadlines.

Tuition for all students is $610 per credit, or $10,980 per year. On-campus room and board costs approximately $7220; books and supplies, $800; personal expenses, $2100; and other fees, $800, for an estimated annual total of $21,900. Graduate student housing is available. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

Students

Sixty-nine percent of a recent graduate business school class was enrolled full time; 90% had full-time work experience prior to entering graduate school, a factor preferred by the school. The greatest percentage of students were from the South (66%). Thirty-one percent were women, 3% were minorities, and 32% were foreign nationals. The average age at entrance was 34; ages ranged from 22 to 54. Five percent entered directly from undergraduate school; 5% already had a graduate degree. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 50%, business; 20%, engineering; 10%, math and science; 5%, liberal arts; and 5%, social sciences. About 10% of entering students leave by the end of the first year due to academic or personal reasons; 90% remain to receive their degree. In a recent year, 60 graduate business degrees were awarded.