General Management (MBA)
Plymouth State University offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program in General Management for students who hold a baccalaureate degree and would like to gain a strategic, in-depth understanding of business to support their personal and professional goals. The MBA learning experience is a stepping stone to higher levels of intellectual and career growth, and PSU offers the program in two formats. The MBA program can be completed entirely online, or face to face through PSU's 4+1 cohort option which starts in the summer semester of each year. The 4+1 cohort model is designed to be taken full-time and can be completed in one year. The online program can be taken at a full-time or part-time rate, the part-time rate can be completed in 2.5 years.
The MBA is 36 credits total and 6 of those credits are cornerstone courses. Students possessing an undergraduate degree in business may have the option to waive these Cornerstone courses after an assessment of their undergraduate coursework and grades by the Admissions Review Board. Building on this firm base of business knowledge, the programs extend and refine a student’s business proficiency through a series of theoretical and practical courses. Working with faculty members who have real-world experience in business, industry, and government, students can tailor their program by selecting courses from a variety of business areas and business-related electives.
PSU’s MBA in General Management is accredited by NECHE (New England Commission of Higher Education) and ACBSP (Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs).
For information on Admissions Requirements please visit the Graduate Admissions webpage at https://www.plymouth.edu/prospective/graduate/graduate/admissions/
Transfer Credits
Students who have earned graduate credits from another regionally accredited program prior to enrolling at PSU may request to transfer up to 9 credit hours of business or business-related courses. Once enrolled in an MBA program, only courses completed at other ACBSP-or AACSB-accredited institutions may be transferred into PSU’s MBA programs. All courses considered for transfer must have the approval of the MBA Program Coordinator. Approval prior to taking a course for transfer credit is recommended. Grades for transfer courses must be at the B level or higher and appropriate to the MBA program. For further information on our transfer policy, please reference the transfer credit policy within the catalog.
Curriculum Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Cornerstone Courses 1 | ||
| BU 5070 | Foundations of Accounting and Finance | 3 |
| BU 5075 | Foundations of Management and Strategy | 3 |
| Functional Core Courses 2 | ||
| BU 5110 | Managing Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| BU 5120 | Financial Analysis | 3 |
| BU 5190 | Accounting for Managers | 3 |
| BU 5210 | Economic Analysis | 3 |
| BU 5220 | The Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| BU 5510 | Operations Management | 3 |
| BU 5700 | Marketing Techniques | 3 |
| BU 5720 | Seminar in Executive Management | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Complete six credits of business electives 3 | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
- 1
The cornerstone courses set the foundation and reference points for the entire MBA program. At the time of admission, these two courses (six credits) may be waived for students possessing an undergraduate degree in business with the recommendation of the Admissions Review Board.
- 2
Eight functional courses form the core of the MBA program for a total of 24 credits. These courses cover a common body of knowledge required of all General Management MBA students.
- 3
This requirement may be satisfied using traditional coursework, independent studies, Master’s Research Projects or approved partnership programs.
Graduate Certificates
Two graduate certificate programs have been developed for students to focus their studies in a particular area of the business environment. The certificates consist of 12 credits, and can be pursued as a post-baccalaureate certificate, or in addition to an MBA degree.
Accounting Certificate
The Accounting certificate prepares today’s graduate student with a deeper understanding of practical accounting skills valued by management. If you have ever considered a career in accounting or want to supplement your current accounting knowledge or credits toward certification, this is an opportunity to explore this integral area of business. For students interested in earning an MBA, the four Accounting courses plus an additional six graduate business courses can be applied toward a full MBA General Management degree.
Curriculum Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BU 5120 | Financial Analysis | 3 |
| BU 5190 | Accounting for Managers | 3 |
| Complete two of the following: | 6 | |
| Accounting Information Systems | ||
| Professional Ethics for Accountants | ||
| Budgeting and Fund Accounting | ||
| Federal Taxes and Business Decisions | ||
| Auditing Perspectives | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Health Care Administration Certificate
Plymouth State University’s Health Care Administration certificate addresses issues that challenge today’s health care professionals. The certificate program consists of four courses designed and taught by leaders in the health care industry.
Curriculum Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BU 5410 | Human Resources in Health Care Administration | 3 |
| BU 5420 | Health Care Law and Ethics | 3 |
| BU 5430 | Health Care Administration and Financial Management | 3 |
| BU 5490 | Capstone: Health Care Topics | 3 |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Accounting Certificate:
- Understand technical knowledge of accounting profession.
- Apply accounting to address info needs of organization.
- Ability to use information for financial reporting.
- Technology competence relevant to accounting profession.
- Analyze financial operations of a healthcare organization.
- Report and measure financial results based on financial statements.
- Understand strategic human resources as it relates to a healthcare organization’s mission, goals and direction. 4) Examine methods by which jobs are assessed and the importance of job analysis to workforce planning, recruitment, selection, performance appraisals, training, development and compensation.
- Understand effective workforce management, competition and hardwiring excellence in healthcare. 6) Summarize key challenges in the healthcare industry and propose solutions within the context of current environmental constraints.
The Accounting Graduate Certificate will prepare you for a rewarding career in industry, public, governmental or non-profit accounting.
- The certificate helps students transition into leadership roles in a variety of healthcare contexts including acute care hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, long term care facilities, healthcare corporations, and insurance companies.