MBA students are working professionals who know a graduate degree will enhance their marketability and earnings. Even more importantly, they know they’re getting an exceptional education that will prepare them to lead responsibly, with integrity and vision. And thanks to Hood’s express curriculum delivery, they’re getting it fast.
Hood’s MBA program is geared to students who want to understand their organizations — and their roles — in the larger context of current affairs, the economy, politics and society. In addition to the versatility of a broad business education, the program empowers students to contribute through ethical management decisions that shape the character of the organization and its employees.
In every class, students sit in the driver’s seat looking at real organizations in real time through projects that examine organizations’ strategies, finances, operations or management. Team projects test team-building, analytical and integrative competencies as well as collaboration and communication skills. The capstone course in strategy synthesizes knowledge and proficiencies.
The MBA schedule is a fast-track combination of full semesters and summer sessions, allowing students to pursue the degree part time and still complete it in two years or less — without compromising quality.
Hood’s MBA is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, the premier accreditor of business schools that focus primarily on teaching and learning.
Program Director, MBA
Program Director, Project Management Certificate
Assistant Director of Graduate Admission & Data Management
Hood alumna, Jennifer Whitmore, earned her certificate in project management in January 2021, and is currently enrolled in Hood's master's in business administration program (MBA). Jennifer is currently an implementation analyst at Heuristic Solutions, a computer software company based in Arlington, VA.
"My message to any student pondering whether or not to pursue the 4Plus Program is to do it! Invest in yourself and your career. You do not know what obstacles may prevent you from getting your master's degree in the future, and the program is seamless right after undergrad."
"When I realized that my passion was to work in Human Resources, I decided that I needed to enhance those skills as well as my business skillset, so the perfect combination was to get an MBA."
For students applying to the MBA program, please submit the following to the Graduate School:
Applicants who have an undergraduate GPA below 3.0, must also submit the following:
No GRE or GMAT required
Students entering the program must exempt or complete six foundation courses designed to provide the appropriate prerequisite background for the cross-disciplined major. The program director determines the required foundation courses or exemptions based on a thorough evaluation of transcripts and other supporting documents. The objective is to ensure the student is well prepared and ready to succeed in the program.
*Applicants who have not taken calculus and accounting courses in the last five years may be required to take the related foundation courses at the program director’s discretion.
Students can complete the MBA program coursework in approximately two to three years depending on the pace of coursework that they choose.
Students should consult their adviser and the course schedule each semester to determine how they will fulfill the program requirements; the program director contact information is located at the bottom of the MBA homepage and students' academic advisers are indicated on their letters of admission. These faculty members can assist in planning a program of study that is based on a student's professional and career goals. All students must consult with their adviser before signing up for any final research project.
At the Graduate School at Hood College, students have the opportunity to work closely with faculty who can assist in the pursuit of academic and professional goals. Students are encouraged to get to know their faculty advisers and course professors to make the most of their graduate school experience.
Six foundation courses (18 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. It is expected that students meet the foundation requirements before they enroll in core requirements. Any exceptions to this must be approved by the M.B.A. director. Any foundation courses required are in addition to the 36 credits required for program completion.
| ECON 551 | Foundations of Economics | 3.0 |
| MGMT 551 | Management Theory | 3.0 |
| MGMT 552 | Quantitative Methods for Managers | 3.0 |
| MGMT 553 | Foundations of Accounting | 3.0 |
| MGMT 554 | Legal Environment of Business | 3.0 |
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| ECMG 556 | Statistics for Management | 3.0 |
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| MATH 500 | Statistics | 3.0 |
Ten core courses (30 credit hours) provide a common body of knowledge and are required of all students in the M.B.A. 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 M.B.A. 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.
| ECON 560 | Managerial Economics | 3.0 |
| MGMT 560 | Leadership & Organizational Behavior | 3.0 |
| MGMT 561 | Financial Management | 3.0 |
| MGMT 562 | Financial & Managerial Accounting | 3.0 |
| MGMT 563 | Marketing Management | 3.0 |
| MGMT 564 | Production & Operations Management | 3.0 |
| MGMT 565 | International Management | 3.0 |
| MGMT 566 | Information Management & Technology | 3.0 |
| MGMT 567 | Organizational Sustainability | 3.0 |
| MGMT 590 | Strategy & Competitive Advantage | 3.0 |
Students are required to complete two elective courses. Students may elect to take courses in one area to receive a focus area (accounting, finance, human resource management, information systems, marketing or public management) or may take courses from two different focus areas to receive a general management MBA. No substitutions are allowed with regard to any focus area courses. Courses may count for requirements in two focus areas, but the credits can only count toward one focus area. Six credits are required for each focus area.
| MGMT 568 | Accounting Information Systems | 3.0 |
| MGMT 580 | Strategic Cost Management | 3.0 |
| MGMT 581 | Financial Statement Analysis | 3.0 |
| MGMT 576 | Advanced Financial Management | 3.0 |
| MGMT 577 | Portfolio and Investment Management | 3.0 |
| ECMG 578/ECMG 478 | International Financial Management | 3.0 |
| MGMT 581 | Financial Statement Analysis | 3.0 |
| MGMT 582 | Negotiation & Conflict Resolution | 3.0 |
| MGMT 585 | Human Resource Management | 3.0 |
Students may select courses in Information Systems by selecting two graduate computer science courses with the consent of their adviser and the director of the Computer Science program.
| MGMT 570 | Marketing Analysis for Managers | 3.0 |
| MGMT 571 | Advertising Management | 3.0 |
| MGMT 572 | Supply Chain Management | 3.0 |
| MGMT 585 | Human Resource Management | 3.0 |
| MGMT 587 | Public Administration | 3.0 |
Hood accepts credits from the National Institutes of Health's Foundation of Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES). Upon acceptance to any of the Hood College's programs listed below, students may submit their official FAES transcript for course-transfer review by the program director. Final Approval must be issued by program chair for any course transfer.
| FAES Course | Hood Equivalent |
| PBHL 517: Health Policy and Administration (with work experience) | MGMT 551: Foundations of Economics |
| TECH 521: Tools for Technology Transfer Managers or TECH 525: Legal and Ethical Issues in Public Health and Biomedical Sciences | MGMT 554: Legal Environ. of Bus. |
| *An FAES student may count up to 9 FAES credits toward their MBA degree pending approval of the program director. | |
| *Additional FAES courses, may be approved for transfer if deemed relevant by the MBA Program Director | |
The 4PLUS program is designed for highly motivated students who have the desire to build career options into their undergraduate curriculum and earn a master's degree in Business Administration.
Hood College students from all majors are eligible to participate in a 4PLUS program that allows for a combined, and in some cases accelerated, master’s degree in Business Administration after the completion of their undergraduate program. The program is especially relevant to Business Administration and Economics majors, but it is also available to students from other disciplines.
