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Opus College of Business

Academics

The Opus College of Business offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Health Care UST MBA (MBA), Executive UST MBA (MBA), Master of Business Communication (MBC), Master of Science in Real Estate Appraisal (MS), and Master of Science in Accountancy (MS) as well as a joint degree in law (JD/MBA). Other programs include internships, cooperative programs, work-study programs within the university, and foreign exchange with 13 countries. The strongest areas of study are finance, marketing, entrepreneurship, international management, health care management, human resource management, general management and accounting. The most popular courses are in management, finance, and marketing. Regular programs bring distinguished speakers and visiting professors to campus. Visiting professors and speakers come to campus through the Opus Distinguished Speakers Program and through the Faculty Seminar Series.

Sixty-one total credits are required to complete the Part-Time MBA, including 15 elective credits. Required courses for the Part-Time MBA include:

  • Financial Accounting
  • Management and Organizational Behavior
  • Legal Environment of Business
  • Economics of Organization and Management
  • Managerial Accounting
  • Financial Management
  • Marketing Management
  • Business Ethics
  • Operations Management
  • Statistics Methods for Decision Making
  • Strategic Management

Required courses for the Full-Time MBA include:

  • Marketing Management
  • Management of Organizational Behavior
  • Financial Accounting
  • Statistics for Management Decision Making
  • Economics of Organization and Management
  • Financial Management
  • Managerial Accounting
  • Operations Management
  • Applied Business Research
  • Business Ethics
  • Information Technology Management
  • Strategic Capstone Management

Students may eliminate or substitute requirements up to 12 credits in the part-time MBA. Core may be waived through examination. Full-time students may not waive core courses.

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 21 months; maximum, 21 months. For students attending part time, the minimum is 3 years; maximum, 7 years.

There are 72 total full-time graduate business faculty, of whom 84% hold a doctorate; there are 180 part-time faculty, of whom 33% hold a doctorate. Faculty salaries are rated below average for Category I institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average number of courses faculty teach is 6; average business class size is 21.

Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required. Most important admissions factors are academic accomplishments and ability, work experience, and management potential. A strong mathematics background is not required.

The number of applicants for the 2006-2007 class was 112; 75 were accepted; 45 enrolled. The average GPA was 3.24; average GMAT score was 578. Transfers are accepted. Minority students are actively recruited through local and national education and career fairs, advertisements in minority publications, and an annual multicultural forum.

Students may begin the MBA program in the fall. To apply, students must submit an application form, GMAT scores, GRE or GMATscores (MBC), a nonrefundable application fee of $60, 2 letters of recommendation, a resume, and short essays. The application deadline is July 15, December, February, and April for fall entry. Students are notified on a rolling basis of the admissions decision. The latest acceptable test date for fall entry is July 15. Once accepted, students may defer admission for up to 1 year with permission of the program director.

Financial Aid

Stipends and programs available for minority students include diversity grants. The FAFSA is required. Check with the school for current application deadlines.

Tuition for all students is $708 per credit; an estimated annual cost of $21,863. Graduate student housing consists of limited on-campus accommodations and commercial apartment rentals nearby. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

Students

Five percent of the current graduate business school class are enrolled full time; 95% have had an average of 5 years of full-time work experience prior to entering graduate school, a factor preferred by the school. The greatest percentage of students are from Minnesota (92%). Forty-one percent are women, 6% are minorities, and 4% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 34; ages range from 23 to 55. Two percent enter directly from undergraduate school; 2% already have a graduate degree. About 17% of entering students leave by the end of the first year due to academic or personal reasons; 56% remain to receive their degree. In 2006, 580 graduate business degrees were awarded.

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