STEM Business Administration (MBA)

Submit official transcripts from all institutions attended.

Students applying for the MBA program must complete an essay of 250 words or less that includes background experience and future goals. Students whose cumulative GPA from their conferring institution is below 3.0 must also submit a resume and two letters of recommendation, which can be emailed to the Graduate School at gofurther@hood.edu.

NOTE: Course substitutions are not permitted. A student may be exempted from these requirements by petition to the program director. The petition must be in writing and, if approved, written evidence of the exemption must be forwarded to the Office of the Registrar by the program director. The exemption is made a part of the student’s record. When a course is formally exempted, another course must be taken. Exemption from a course does not constitute credit towards the MBA degree.

Foundation Courses

Five foundation courses (15 credit hours) are designed to provide a background for students who did not take courses in business administration at the undergraduate level. Students who have completed appropriate undergraduate coursework may be exempted from foundation courses. Students who have taken appropriate undergraduate coursework over an extended period (five years or longer) may be required to take foundation courses. The MBA director will make the decision on a case-by-case basis. It is expected that students meet the foundation requirements before they enroll in core requirements. Any exceptions to this must be approved by the MBA director. Any foundation courses required are in addition to the 36 (thirty-six) credits required for program completion.

Core Requirements

Ten core courses (30 credit hours) provide a common body of knowledge and are required of all students in the STEM MBA program. These courses provide a solid foundation in the functional areas of business, such as finance, marketing and accounting, and expose students to the environmental factors affecting business operations. Included in the core is a capstone course, MGMT 590 Strategy and Competitive Advantage, which is taken by STEM MBA students in their final semester of study after all other core courses have been completed. Students must meet the prerequisite requirements before enrolling in a class. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by the academic adviser.

Electives

Students are required to complete two STEM-focused elective courses (3 credits each) from the list below.

The student learning outcomes (SLOs) for the STEM MBA are developed under the guidelines of the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). These outcomes emphasize the program's rigor, breadth and modalities, ensuring graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills required to address contemporary business and technological challenges. Students will develop expertise in data analytics, strategic management, leadership and entrepreneurship. These competencies align with industry needs and prepare graduates for leadership roles in technology-driven business environments. Students will collaborate with regional and international partners, corporations, NGOs and government agencies through coursework and practical applications to gain insights into dynamic global markets.

Graduates will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the functional areas of business, supported by practical applications. Specific outcomes include:

• Marketing: Perform a marketing strategy analysis, including segmentation, positioning and competitive analysis.
• Financial Management: Apply financial analysis techniques to evaluate investment decisions, capital budgeting and risk management strategies.
• Operations Management: Conduct an operational strategy analysis, addressing topics such as inventory control, quality management and resource optimization.
• Accounting: Analyze financial and managerial accounting statements to assess organizational performance and support decision-making.
• Information & Technology Management: Develop an information strategy analysis, leveraging technology to enhance organizational decision-making and competitive advantage.
• Financial Analysis Proficiency: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to conduct detailed financial analysis using tools such as spreadsheets and specialized software to evaluate investment decisions, capital budgeting and cost management. 
• Economic Data Integration: Graduates will be able to gather, interpret and present economic and market data to support organizational decision-making and strategy formulation.
• Operations Optimization: Students will apply quantitative tools, including linear programming, simulation models and inventory control techniques, to optimize production and service delivery processes, ensuring operational efficiency. 
• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Graduates will leverage data analytics, including predictive modeling and statistical techniques, to inform strategic decisions and provide actionable insights.
• Global Strategic Analysis: Students will critically analyze opportunities and challenges presented by the global business environment, using quantitative data to draft strategies that account for international economic, political, and cultural complexities.
• Real-World Application: Key assignments and projects will require students to solve industry-specific problems, combining analytical reasoning with business acumen to address challenges in fields such as life sciences, data analytics, and technology
• Analytical and Quantitative Reasoning: Graduates will develop and apply advanced quantitative and analytical skills, preparing them to address complex organizational challenges in a data-driven, technology-rich global economy.

The following distinct learning outcomes ensure alignment with ACBSP standards and MSCHE guidelines for program differentiation: 

• Core Analytical Skills 
• STEM-Specific Analytical Applications 
• Problem-Solving in Context

1. Global Awareness: Graduates will be able to identify how the global environment presents opportunities and challenges for organizations and draft appropriate strategies to respond to them.
2. Identify and analyze opportunities and challenges in the global environment.
3. Draft appropriate organizational response strategies to global opportunities and challenges. 
4. Leadership and Teamwork: Graduates will demonstrate effective leadership and team membership skills.
5. Critically evaluate their leadership skills.
6. Illustrate the ability to effectively communicate relevant business information to organizational stakeholders in writing. 
7. Show competence in effective oral and visual presentation of data and information.
8. Demonstrate effective teamwork skills.
9. Ethics and Business Sustainability: Graduates will be able to make decisions based on ethical considerations and the triple bottom-line paradigm of business sustainability.
10. Apply an ethical framework to a decision situation and recommend the best course of action.
11. Critically evaluate an organization's strategy with respect to its subscription to economic, social, and environmental sustainability and recommend suggestions for improvement.
12. Strategic Integration: Graduates will have a comprehensive capstone experience where they will create a strategic plan for an organization based on external and internal situation audits.
13. Conduct external and internal situation audits for an organization.
14. Able to create a strategic plan for an organization.