College of Business and Management, University of Illinois at Springfield in Springfield, IL - University of Illinois at Springfield in Springfield, IL

Academics

The College of Business and Management offers the Master of Arts in Accountancy (MAAcc), Master of Business Administration (MBA), and Master of Science in Management Information Systems (MS/MIS). Other programs include work-study programs and public service internships. The strongest areas of study are accounting, marketing, and management information systems. The most popular course is in strategy.

Thirty-six total credits are required to complete the MBA, including 8 elective credits. Required courses include:

Management Accounting
Information Technology Management
Managerial Finance
Marketing Management
Production and Operations Management
Organizational Behavior
Research Methods and Statistical Analysis
Business Strategy

Required courses for the MS/MIS include:

Technical Foundations of Information Systems
Management Information Systems
Managerial Decision Support Systems or
Strategic Decision Support Systems or
Management of Data Base Systems
Systems Analysis and Design
Telecommunications
Project Management
Graduate Project/Thesis

Required courses for the MAAcc include:

20 credit hours of accounting topics
4 to 8 credit hours of business and administrative topics
Accountancy Capstone

Students may eliminate or substitute requirements.

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, 2 years. For students attending part time, the minimum is 2 years; maximum, 6 years.

There are 27 total full-time graduate business faculty, of whom 96% hold a doctorate; there are 4 part-time faculty, of whom 50% hold a doctorate. Faculty salaries are rated average for Category IIA institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average number of credit hours faculty teach is 12; average business class size is 17.

Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required, along with a GPA of 2.5 and a GMAT score of 400. Most important admissions factors are academic accomplishments and ability, GMAT results, and letters of recommendation. A strong mathematics background is not required.

The number of applicants for the 2006-2007 class was 427; 268 were accepted; 142 enrolled. Transfers are accepted.

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 an essay. The application deadlines are June 1 for fall entry; December 1, spring; April 1, summer. Students are notified of the admissions decision within 45. Once accepted, students may defer admission for up to 1 year.

Financial Aid

Stipends and programs available for minority students include 10 graduate assistantships university wide. The FFS or FAFSA, and the school’s own financial statement, the previous year’s tax return, and/ or other need-analysis results as required. Check with the school for current application deadlines.

Tuition for in-state residents is $197 per credit, or $4722 per year. Nonresidents pay $523 per credit, or $12,558 per year. On-campus room and board costs approximately $5850; books and supplies, $1200; personal expenses, $1800; and other fees, $1614, for an estimated annual total of $15,186 for in-state residents and $23,022 for out-of-state residents. Graduate student housing consists of 2- and 4-bedroom apartments, townhouses, and family housing. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

Students

Twenty-nine percent of the current graduate business school class are enrolled full time. The greatest percentage of students are from Illinois (80%). Forty-two percent are women, 15% are minorities, and 7% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 29; ages range from 22 to 50. In 2006, 109 graduate business degrees were awarded.