EARN YOUR PROFESSIONAL MASTER’S OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AT SC!
Total Credit Hours: 33
Transfer Credits: Up to 6
Program Length: Approx. 14 months
The Southwestern College Professional Master’s in Business Administration (PMBA) program is offered completely online to ensure working professionals have the ability to balance coursework and their current career. Learners acquire the skills and knowledge in business management and leadership they can apply to their current profession as well as the upper-level management roles they will be qualified for upon degree completion.
- Apply knowledge gained through coursework to develop and implement real-world leadership and organizational strategies relevant to today’s various business environments through globally focused case studies and a complete global business simulation
- Ranked Best Online Master’s in Business Administration Degrees
- Discover more reasons to choose SC!
Recently ranked by U.S. News and World Report for its online MBA program, Southwestern College offers quality online degrees to adult learners. With courses taught by expert faculty and access to a variety of student resources, SC learners are provided with the tools and flexibility needed to succeed in their education while preparing for professional advancement.
CAREER OUTLOOK
Projected Job Growth (BLS): 10%
Average Salary (PayScale): $91k
Graduates of the online MBA program at Southwestern College will be prepared for a variety of careers, including:- Project manager
- Operations manager
- HR manager
- Marketing manager
- Director of operations
STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES
“I looked at different colleges to begin my degree program… Southwestern was one of the colleges that transferred most of my previous college work with me and that’s why I chose Southwestern…so I was halfway through my process and then joined Southwestern College and now I’ve completed it – not only most of my bachelor’s hours…but also my master’s hours.”
Donna, 2015 Graduate
FACULTY
Visit our faculty page to view current MBA instructors.
View Courses & Program Details
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
Students enrolled in the online MBA program at Southwestern College can expect to:- Integrate theories, practices, and tools from multiple disciplines (i.e., finance, marketing, and operations, etc.) to solve business problems (Career Preparation).
- Employ effective leadership, management, and administration practices to address strategic, operational, and functional challenges encountered by dynamic domestic and global organizational environments.
- Use qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate and solve business problems.
- Apply appropriate technologies to support organizational initiatives and processes.
- Create an environment that fosters, supports, and successfully leads and manages innovation.
- Approach business decision-making in an ethical, legal, and socially responsible manner.
- Communicate effectively in a variety of business contexts.
RESOURCES
Article: Choosing an MBA Program: Traditional MBA vs. Professional MBA vs. Executive MBA
Article: 4 Factors to Consider when Choosing an MBA program
Webinar: Lean vs. Six Sigma
Webinar: Financial Ratios
RELATED PROGRAMS
Executive Leadership Certificate
Executive Quality Management Certificate
Master of Science in Leadership
Master of Science in Management
PROFESSIONAL MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM DETAILS
The Professional Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program provides the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully formulate, plan, execute, and administer sustainable business strategies and operations. This program emphasizes broad knowledge and skills in business leadership and management, organizational character development and ethical behavior, and global and regional strategy development and execution. Students demonstrate the acquisition, mastery, and value of the knowledge and skills gained throughout the program through their application to realistic scenario and simulation‐based activities and applied projects.
Admission Process
- Complete graduate application forms
- Provide current resume
- Submit two professional letters of recommendation (at least one from a current or former employer)
- Turn in one-page personal essay
- Submit an official transcript from a bachelor’s degree-granting institution. Official transcripts must be received within 8 weeks following the start of class.
Core Major Requirements
MBA505: Business Law and Ethics
Businesses must meet the legal and ethical standards imposed by a changing society. Decisions must be made that reflect the legal obligations of our world and the ethical standards by which a company will be known. Any company can face challenges in the form of globalization of the business enterprise, potential of hostile takeovers, concerns with market strategies, and continuing developments in international law and administrative regulation. Learners examine the legal, social, historical, and political/economic regulatory environments to understand that the legal and ethical perspectives are crucial in all business transactions markets.
MBA512: Financial Management, Analysis, and Decision Making
Learners explore and apply the principles of financial management and examine the use of accounting and financial information to plan, analyze, and implement business decisions and activities. Topics include concepts such as time value of money, risk and valuation, cost of capital, capital structure and budgeting, long-term financing decisions, working capital policy and management, and financial analysis and planning. The course concludes with a focus on strategic and operational performance analysis and evaluation for effective decision-making.
MBA514: Global Economics
This course combines the application of economic theory and methodology to managerial decision-making within the context of global organizations and the diverse economic environments of which they are apart. The emphasis in this course is on comparative economics, systemic change, and the assessment of a global economy.
MBA530: Marketing Strategies
Learners explore marketing concepts of importance to managers, including product development and brand management, price determination, distribution strategy, and advertising/promotion management in both a global and regional context. Emphasis will be on strategic implications of these topics, rather than the theories themselves. Learners will be required to exhibit mastery of the topics through the development of a complete, case-based integrated marketing strategy.
MBA535: Knowledge‐based Decision Making
In this course, learners develop the skills necessary to apply the principles and practices of knowledge management and business intelligence, and qualitative and quantitative knowledge to strategic and operational business decision making. Learners study specific business modeling applications include forecasting, decision analysis, simulation, and linear programming. Learners also examine and apply methods for capturing, analyzing, and applying tacit knowledge to decision-making. Learners explore the application of knowledge exchange and decision-making process tools and software technologies to effective decision making. Prior study of business research recommended.
MBA540: Global Operations
This course focuses on the central role operations plays in a global organization’s success. Learners gain an understanding of the strategic advantages provided by the operations function to successful organizations and the analytic tools that are required for effective operations decision-making. Topics of study include global operational strategies and supply chains; process design and analysis; lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and other approaches to managing quality.
MBA544: Organizational Dynamics and Change
This course provides a foundation in organizational change theory and practice. Learners gain a framework for understanding and changing organizations from a micro to macro level as they learn how to create an organization that is responsive to environmental forces. Change in large and small, and public and private entities will be examined through analysis of real-world businesses.
MBA545: Technology and Innovation Management
This course examines information technology and innovation from a strategic management perspective. Learners will explore the strategic management of high technology companies, investigate emerging technologies in a global marketplace, and gain an understanding of the importance of aligning product development and system design.
MBA580: Globalization in Organizations
The course will examine how globalization influences strategy and performance within firms. Learners will develop a framework for analyzing opportunities and risks in a global marketplace. Learners will study the political and economic forces that shape production, trade flows, capital flows, interest rates, exchange rates, and other variables that create the global economic landscape.
Prerequisite: MBA 514.
MBA585: Global Strategies
Learners synthesize and apply the knowledge gained in previous MBA courses and from examining the principles and practices for developing and implementing organizational strategies. Learners engage in a global business project, preparing and executing business strategies for a global company.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of all MBA courses with the exception of CAPS590.
CAPS590: Graduate Project
Learners engage in an applied research project that demonstrates their mastery of the knowledge and skills gained from the program and professional experience. Each learner will prepare a comprehensive report and presentation of the research findings by the conclusion of this course.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of all major courses.
Graduation Requirements
- Complete the specific program requirements for the master’s program
- Have an overall grade point average of 3.0, with no grade below a C (2.0)
- Complete a minimum of 30 credit hours
All degree requirements are subject to change. Please see Southwestern College Professional Studies Catalog for the most current degree requirements.