Graduate School of Management, Lewis College of Business, Marshall University in Huntington, WV

Academics

The GSM/LCOB offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA), Master of Science in Health Care Administration (MSHCA), and Master of Science in Human Resource Management (MSHRM). Other programs include 3-2 degrees, graduate assistantships, international graduate assistantships, and an articulation agreements with 1 institutuion in a foreign country. The strongest areas of study are management and accounting. The most popular course is Management.

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

Managerial Economics
Profit Planning and Controls
Advanced Marketing Management
Financial Management
Government and Business Relationships
Management Information Systems
Theories of Management
Business Policy and Strategy
Quantitative Controls in Business
Production and Operations Management
2 electives

Required courses for the MSHRM include:

Marketing and Management
Economic Analysis
Human Resource Management
Organizational Behavior
Development of Labor Relations
Human Resoruce Economics
Negotiation and Dispute Resolution
Ethics and Global Aspects of Business
Employment Law
Compensation and Benefits
Business Policy and Strategy
Elective

Required courses for the MSHCA include:

Marketing and Management
Human Resource Management
Organizational Behavior
The Health Care System
Health Care Financial Management
Health Care Economics
Legal Issues in Health Care Management
Integrated Health Care Delivery Systems
Health Care Marketing
Management of Medical Technology and Information Systems
Field Research in Health Care Management
Business Policy and Strategy

Students may eliminate or substitute requirements some courses may be waived in the event that the student took the equivalent undergraduate courses and obtained a B or better at that leval: other substitutions for courses may be made with advisor approval.

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 13 months; maximum, 2 years. For students attending part time, the minimum is 2<1/2> years; maximum, 7 years.

There are 32 total full-time graduate business faculty, all of whom hold a doctorate; there are 3 part-time faculty, all of whom hold a doctorate. Faculty salaries are rated below average for Category IIA institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average number of courses faculty teach is 5; average business class size is 24.

Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required, along with a GPA of 2.5, a GMAT score of 500, and GRE scores of 860. The formula for using the GPA and GMAT scores is (200 x GPA) + GMAT, or minimum 1050. Most important admissions factors are GMAT results, grades in upper-level courses, and work experience. A strong mathematics background is required.

The number of applicants for the 2006-2007 class was 170; 157 were accepted; 150 enrolled. The average GPA was 3.5; average GMAT score was 520. 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 $30. The application deadline is open for fall entry. Students are notified on a rolling basis of the admissions decision. The latest acceptable test date for fall entry is open.

Financial Aid

The FAFSA and I-9 form for assistantships are required. Check with the school for current application deadlines.

Tuition for in-state residents is $189 per credit, or $3402 per year. Nonresidents pay $564 per credit, or $10,152 per year. On-campus room and board costs approximately $4100; books and supplies, $700; and other fees, $1440 to $2970, for an estimated annual total of $9642 for in-state residents and $27,564 for out-of-state residents. Graduate student housing is available in residence halls and apartments for single and married graduate students. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

Students

Forty-five percent of the current graduate business school class are enrolled full time; 55% have had an average of 1 to 2 years of full-time work experience prior to entering graduate school. The greatest percentage of students are from West Virginia (71%). Fifty-seven percent are women, 25% are minorities, and 20% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 24; ages range from 21 to 63. Sixty percent enter directly from undergraduate school; 5% already have a graduate degree. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 80%, business; 7%, engineering; 5%, economics; 5%, liberal arts; and 3%, math and science. 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 2006, 157 graduate business degrees were awarded.