Master of Business Administration

The MBA programs at Southeastern University are grounded in Christ-centered servant leadership and ethics. They prepare managers for overseeing numerous business functions, including accounting, finance, information systems, and marketing. Students will learn the economic underpinning and global relevance of these concepts, as well as quantitative analysis tools and strategy models to hone their business decision-making skills.

The curriculum is designed to lead students to:

• Practice servant leadership with biblically informed values.
• Critically think, plan, and research contemporary business issues.
• Make intelligent and ethical business decisions informed through a Christian worldview.
• Communicate results clearly and concisely through appropriate and effective media.
• Demonstrate effective decision-making skills in new and unfamiliar circumstances through an understanding of the various business functions and analysis tools.
• Apply theory to business problems in dynamic global environments.

Flexible MBA—Full or part-time, evening/online blend

The flexible MBA program allows students to focus their education within tracks, taking coursework in either face-to-face or online formats.. Depending upon the start date and course availability, the program may be completed in 12 to 24 months taking two to four eight week long courses per semester. There are four tracks from which to choose:

Executive Leadership is the default MBA track, providing executive leadership foundations in an array of business functions along with a six credit hour capstone course to build strategic planning skills across those functions.

Criminal Justice explores policy, administration and management of law enforcement agencies in particular while also providing a foundation in leading business functions.

Missional Leadership promotes the development of practical ministry skills in addition to laying the foundations for success in the business aspects of leadership within a faith-based or non-profit organization.

Sport Management emphasizes the business fundamentals of sport with a focus on management, marketing, finance and accounting, preparing students for careers in the sport industry. 

Admission Requirements for the Flexible MBA Program

Students are accepted into the MBA program based on evidence of their aptitude and motivation for graduate business education at Southeastern University, as well as their understanding of basic business functions.  Below are the minimum basic requirements; however, admission acceptance is considered given the applicant’s entire application package:

• A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above. Applicants with a lower GPA may be considered if GMAT or GRE scores exceed requirements.
• A GMAT score of 470 or above, or the equivalent GRE score as determined by ETS’s GRE Comparison Tool taken within five years prior to student’s admission to the program. An expectation is that applicants will also score at or above the 25th percentile in each of the verbal and quantitative reasoning sections of the exam. Provisional requirements may apply for lower scores.
• A sample writing assignment addressing the prompt: Why I want to pursue an MBA at Southeastern University. The essay should address how the MBA will help the student in his or her career and how he or she can integrate Christian faith into his or her profession as a manager. The paper should include the student’s full name and be 300-600 words in length.
• Two recommendations: An academic or a professional, and a personal/character, submitted by those providing references.
• Fulfillment of foundational knowledge requirements (see the Foundational Courses and Competencies, below). A determination of any prerequisite requirements will be made at the time of the admissions decision.

Students with five or more years of full time equivalent relevant work experience may apply without a GMAT or GRE admissions test, providing a resume.  If a student applies for admission without an admission test, another indicator of quantitative skills is needed.  A determination of the sufficiency of the alternative indicator will be made prior to admission.  Several alternatives are possible for meeting this requirement:

• Holding an earned masters of science including appropriate math coursework from a regionally accredited university. 
• Having earned 15 or more graduate credit hours from a regionally accredited institution including appropriate math coursework. 
• Demonstrating career experience including approved, appropriate application of quantitative skills.
• Earning a grade of B- or higher in one of the following prior to, or concurrently with BUSI 5003 (as approved by the MBA Director, based on a holistic evaluation of the student’s application). This provision also applies to students who score less than the 25th percentile on the quantitative section of the GMAT/GRE exam:
  • CTIS 2133 Data Management and Analysis or equivalent.
  • CTIS 5003 Data Management and Analysis, which as a graduate course qualifies for financial aid but which does not reduce the course requirements for the MBA. An advisor’s assistance is required to register for this course.

Foundational Courses and Competencies for the Flexible MBA
(9 credit hours – waived with appropriate undergraduate preparation)

In order to ensure student success, three foundational courses are required for students without an undergraduate degree in a business-related field. Students are also expected to be competent in Microsoft Excel prior to beginning MBA course work (Microsoft Excel Basic Certification or equivalent is the recommended minimum).

When these courses are required, admission to the online MBA program may be made on a provisional basis until the courses, or an approved substitute, are completed with a B- grade or higher and prior to enrolling in BUSI 5003, the first MBA level course in the program.  The requirement for these courses may also be met by successfully completing assigned brief academic leveling courses at a nominal fee.

• BUSI 2203 - Microeconomics or an assigned online economics academic leveling course.
• BUSI 1013 - Introduction to Accounting and Finance, or BUSI 2233 - Principles of Managerial Accounting, or an assigned online accounting academic leveling course.
• MATH 2023 - Introduction to Probability and Statistics or an assigned online statistics academic leveling course.

The follow course is recommended for gaining foundational competencies in using Microsoft Excel for MBA course work.

• CTIS 2133 Data Management and Analysis

Provisional admission to the Flexible MBA

• Should an applicant be admitted provisionally with a GMAT or GRE exam quantitative score below the typical minimum, he or she is required to earn a B- or higher as prescribed by the MBA Program Director in any remedial/pre-requisite courses prior to taking BUSI 5003 and to transition from provisional admission to regular standing. 
• Should an applicant be admitted provisionally due to missing pre-requisites, he or she must complete the missing coursework with a B- or better or earn a score of 80 or better on an appropriate academic leveling course for each missing pre-requisite to transition from provisional admission to regular standing.

Flexible MBA Program Courses

Note: BUSI 5003 is a pre-requisite for all other courses in each track and must be completed with a B- or greater before continuing beyond the first eight weeks. Unless provisional requirements bar concurrent courses, students may take other courses concurrently with BUSI 5003 in their first eight week session.