Graduate Study
Business Administration
Program Overview
The master of business administration (MBA) degree program provides students with the capabilities for strategic and critical thinking needed for effective leadership in a global economy where creative management of both people and technology is vital.The curriculum begins with a solid, mainstream grounding in the functional areas of business and combines that foundation with the flexibility that allows students to specialize in one or two areas of expertise. In the classroom, students learn the latest theories and concepts, and how they can be immediately applied to solve problems in the workplace.
The program is available full-time and part-time in the evening.
Curriculum Review
The MBA program requires 72 quarter credit hours and consists of 18 courses, nine of which are devoted to core functional areas and nine available in concentration areas and as electives. All courses in the Saunders College of Business carry four credit hours. Students create at least one concentration field of study by selecting a four-course sequence in a particular area of specialization.
Concentrations include accounting, e-business marketing, entrepreneurship, environmentally sustainable management, finance, international business, management and leadership, management information systems, marketing and sales management, marketing research, operations management, product commercialization, quality and applied statistics, quality and organizational improvement, supply chain management, and technology management.
Concentrations are available outside the college from departments within RIT's other colleges. Some of these concentrations include communication and media technology, health systems administration, human resource management, industrial and systems engineering management, information technology, printing management, and public policy.
The Saunders College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).
Course offerings
Since it is sometimes necessary to make changes in course schedules or instructors, up-to-date information about courses to be offered in a given quarter is available online at www.cob.rit.edu. RIT makes no guarantee that every catalog course will be offered in any given year or that courses will be offered in a particular quarter or sequence. All MBA students take the following eight foundation courses:
0101-703 Accounting for Decision Makers*
0102-740 Organizational Behavior and Leadership*
0102-759 Competitive Strategy
0103-705 Economics for Managers*
0104-721 Financial Analysis for Managers*
0105-761 Marketing Concepts*
0106-743 Operations Management*
0106-782 Statistical Analysis for Decision Making*
Choose one from the following:
0102-742 Introduction to Technology Management
0113-710 Global Business Environment
0104-760 Finance in a Global Environment
0112-710 Management Information Systems Concepts
0112-715 Information Technology and Globalization
*Up to six of these courses can be waived, thus reducing the number of courses required to graduate.
Students have the option of choosing one or two concentration areas. A concentration is a sequence of four courses in a specialized area of business, thus giving students in-depth knowledge in that particular field.
Students with one concentration area take:
Students with two concentration areas take:
Notes:
Career Outcomes
Job TitlesSenior Financial Analyst, IS Manager, Project Manager, Quality Supervisor, Senior Accountant, Risk Analyst, Business Analyst
Functions
Financial and budget analysis, auditing, financial planning, investment and securities, market research, information systems management, project planning and technical specialist
Recent Employers
Xerox, Merck & Company Inc., First Empire/M&T Bank, Coopers & Lybrand, Deloitte & Touche, Eastman Kodak Co.
Admission Requirements
Applications are accepted for all four academic quarters. Most full-time students begin their program of study in the fall. Prerequisites for admission include a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and a working knowledge of algebra and statistics. All entering students are required to successfully complete math review courses in algebra and statistics during their first quarter of study. This requirement is waived for students who pass a math diagnostic exam administered during orientation.
MBA-accounting students must begin studies in the fall quarter. Any exceptions must obtain the approval of a graduate adviser.
All full-time students are required to complete Professional Skills Seminar I and II (0102-070, 071). These noncredit courses give students the skills to successfully complete their graduate degree and prepare them to obtain a job or co-op position.
Completed applications for admission should be on file in the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services four weeks prior to registration for the upcoming academic quarter for students from the United States, and up to 10 weeks for students applying for student visas. Transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate work, a Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score OR Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score, relevant professional experience, a personal statement, and resume are evaluated by the Graduate Admissions Committee. International applicants must submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 580 (paper-based), 237 (computer-based), or 92 (Internet-based) as part of the application. The TOEFL requirement is waived for native speakers of English and for those submitting transcripts and diplomas from American institutions.
Accepted students can defer enrollment for up to one year. After one year, a new application must be submitted and will be evaluated on then-current admission standards.
Nonmatriculated status
Students with strong undergraduate records are permitted to take two graduate courses on a non-matriculated basis. To become a matriculated student and admitted formally to the MBA program, the regular admissions process should be followed. Graduate credits earned while a non-matriculated student may be applied to the student’s degree program.