Gannon University

Director: Constantine K. Kliorys, Ph.D.

OFFERINGS
We offer the Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree, a specialized Five Year Bachelor’s Degree with an MBA Degree Program, and a number of Graduate Certificates (Accounting, Environmental Sciences, Financial Management, Human Resource Management, Investments, Marketing, Risk Management, and Public Administration). In addition we provide customized packages of graduate courses in business administration (and related topics) for working professionals who wish to upgrade skills or retrain. The MBA can be designed either as a general degree or with a concentration. Concentration areas include Accounting, Environmental Sciences, Finance, Human Resources Management, Information Systems, Investments, Marketing, Pastoral Ministry, Operations Management, Public Administration, and Risk Management.
The MBA program may be pursued on either a full-time or part-time basis.

INTRODUCTION
Gannon is a student-oriented teaching university. This philosophy guides our approach to curriculum design, teaching, and advising. We recognize and understand the dramatic changes ongoing in the world of work. Our mission is to provide students with the vision, values, and skills required to lead successful professional and rewarding personal lives within this exciting new world. Our approach is to pay careful attention to each student, challenge them to grow, and help them to reach their own objectives. Courses are rigorous and challenging by design, but the faculty is prepared to work with each student to build the skills needed for the business world of the next millennium. Our experience as the region’s oldest and largest graduate school of management has taught us some important lessons. Simply having a master’s degree, regardless of the type of degree or apparent status of the degree-granting institution, is no assurance of success or happiness. To succeed in business, individuals need real skills, an understanding of the world of business and an appreciation for life. Our network of over 1,300 MBA alumni is a proud testament to Gannon’s ability to make success happen for its graduate students. Gannon MBA Alumni include 52 Presidents/CEO’s, 72 Vice Presidents, 32 CFO’s or Treasurers, 10 Managing Partners, and 17 Consultants. In addition, 30 have earned advanced degrees, including doctorates from some of the most prestigious academic institutions in North America (Indiana University, University of Michigan and University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, to name a few). More than 40 Gannon MBA’s are currently teaching in colleges and universities.
One of the common dreams of graduate business students has traditionally been to own a business. Our alumni currently include over 50 individuals who are owners/operators of their own businesses. Gannon has continued to provide both instruction and motivation for these entrepreneurs and our faculty is proud of its supportive efforts in helping these alumni businesses to succeed. The affiliation of the MBA program with Gannon’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) continues to facilitate this thrust.

OBJECTIVE
To help students achieve long term professional success in combination with personal growth, happiness, and fulfillment.

ACCREDITATION
The Business Administration program is accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, a national accreditation body for business schools.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
For all students:

• a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline
• a completed application
• transcripts from all prior institutions
• three letters of recommendation
• TOEFL scores if English is not a first language

For degree or certificate seeking students:

• GMAT scores (for applicants whose undergraduate grade point average is less than 3.2)

Degree Status is awarded to students whose undergraduate grade point average was 3.2 or higher or who score at least 1050 using the formula below:
200 x (Undergraduate GPA) + GMAT Score

Provisional Academic Status is awarded to students who show academic promise but do not achieve 1050 on the formula above. These students may petition for Degree status after completion of 9 credits with at least a 3.0 GPA.

Non-Degree Status is awarded to students who are seeking professional development. A maximum of 9 credits may be taken as a non-degree student.

  CURRICULUM
The MBA is a professional degree program. Students begin studies with a wide variety of academic and work backgrounds. MBA curriculum requirements range from 30 to 48 credits depending upon these experiences. Courses are presented in four general categories:

• From 0 to 18 credits of Foundation (500 level) classes. This series is designed to bring all students up to the same preliminary level before commencing with the common body of course work. Foundation courses are waivable (or challengeable) on the basis of academic and professional experience.
• Eighteen (18) credits of Core (600 level) classes. The 600 sequence represents the common body of topics and skills that MBA’s are generally expected to possess.
• Nine (9) credits of Elective (700 level) courses allow the student to customize a curriculum or build a concentration.
• The three credit Business Policy Course (GMBA 799) is designed to integrate the curriculum, teach teamwork, and challenge MBA students to make real world applications of their MBA skills.

Note: New students should attend the MBA orientation held at the start of every semester to review their prior academic coursework and determine the particular courses they are required to take.

1. Foundation Series (0-18 credits)
   GMBA 501 Financial Accounting 3
   GMBA 521 Quantitative Techniques 3
   GMBA 525 Statistical Analysis 3
   GMBA 531 Management Concepts 3
   GMBA 561 Fundamentals of Financial Management 3
   GMBA 571 Economic Environment of the Firm 3
   Waivers may be granted for the above courses on a course-by-course basis. See “Waiver of Courses” for details.

2. Core Series (18 credits)
   GMBA 601 Managerial Accounting 3
   GMBA 631 Organizational Behavior 3
   GMBA 641 Operations Management 3
   GMBA 651 Marketing Management 3
   

   GMBA 661 Financial Management 3
   GMBA 671 Managerial Economics 3

3. Elective 700 Series (9 credits)
   To be selected with permission of the MBA Director or advisor, from the regular MBA (or other department) offerings of the graduate school.

4. Capstone Course (3 credits)
   GMBA 799 Business Policy 3
   

WAIVER OF COURSES
Students must complete the waiver process within one year of beginning coursework. The “500” level courses may be waived in either of the following two ways:

1. Waiver by Transcript
Students should make an appointment with the MBA office to determine which (if any) 500 level courses can be waived. A waiver request is based upon previously completed undergraduate or graduate courses which are equivalent to the 500 level course in question. The student must demonstrate the equivalency of the prior courses by completing a Course Waiver Form. The form is completed and returned to the MBA Office. To waive a 500 level class the student must have taken the following courses within 7 years and obtained at least a grade of B.

GMBA 501 Financial Accounting
  2 courses in Introductory Accounting
GMBA 521 Quantitative Techniques
  2 courses in Calculus or Business Math
GMBA 525 Statistical Analysis
  2 courses in Statistics (at least one course beyond the intro level)
GMBA 531 Management Concepts
  Principles of Marketing and Principles of Management
GMBA 561 Fundamentals of Financial Management
  2 courses in Financial Management or Corporate Finance
GMBA 571 Economic Environment of the Firm
  Introductory Micro Economics plus Intermediate Micro
  or
  Managerial Economics

2. Waiver by Proficiency Examinations
  Students who feel that they have a strong background in an area which is not reflected on their transcript may request challenge exams to demonstrate their proficiency. See the MBA Office for details.

FIVE-YEAR BACHELOR’S DEGREE/MBA DEGREE
This program is designed to allow outstanding undergraduate students the opportunity to earn both an undergraduate degree and the MBA within a five year period. Students from any major may apply and should do so before they begin their junior year. Working with both the undergraduate advisor and MBA Director, the student will customize a schedule in which 500 level course work (Foundation Series) will be completed during the undergraduate years. These MBA classes will be used as substitutes for undergraduate requirements, electives, or cognates. At the completion of the undergraduate work, the 18 credits of foundation work will be met and the student will need only 30 more graduate credits to earn an MBA.

GRADUATE CERTIFICATES
Gannon offers graduate certificates in a number of business and business related disciplines. Most certificate students are graduate students who are unable to commit to a degree program but wish to bundle a select group of courses that leads to a particular expertise. However, a number of certificate students are individuals who already have master’s degrees but wish to upgrade skills or retrain. Most of the certificate programs include 12 to 15 hours of graduate work. For details, see the MBA office.

CONCENTRATIONS
Although it is not necessary to declare a concentration within the MBA curriculum, most students do so in an effort to become more attractive in the job market. There is no hard-and-fast rule for the number of courses required to declare a concentration. Instead, each student should consult his or her advisor (or the program director) prior to selecting elective course work so that a systematic plan including the choice of electives and a graduate project may be developed.

INTERNSHIPS AND COOPERATIVE EDUCATION
MBA students may, with permission of the Program Director, accept placements in fields that are related to their academic studies. The University generally has a number of professional opportunities available for its graduate students, and for the younger, less experienced MBA’s these placements can be valuable resume and portfolio builders. Placements range from short term assignments to full-time positions and are often administrated in cooperation with either the Co-op Office or the Small Business Development Center. Interested students are advised to check with both for placement opportunities. In some circumstances, these placements can be credit bearing, supervised by a graduate faculty member, and substituted for an elective course.

SECOND MASTER’S DEGREE MBA/MPA

A student who has earned an MBA or MPA can obtain the second master’s degree with a reduced number of courses. See Program Director for details.

  COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

500 Series Courses

GMBA 501 Financial Accounting
3 credits
A study of basic accounting concepts, techniques, and systems with a focus on reporting, analysis, and interpretation of accounting data used for decision making.

GMBA 502, GMBA 503 Intermediate Accounting 1 & 2
3 credits each
Prerequisite: GMBA 501
An in-depth investigation of accounting theory and practice through an examination of major financial statement accounts. Specific topics include a study of the conceptual framework of accounting, income determination/reporting, accounting for leases and pensions, and financial statement presentations.

GMBA 521 Quantitative Techniques
3 credits
An introduction to scalar and matrix algebra and differential and integral calculus.

GMBA 525 Statistical Analysis
3 credits
A survey of the elements of probability theory and methods of statistical inference which are useful for decision making. Correlation, regression, and significance testing are also covered.

GMBA 531 Management Concepts
3 credits
An overview of managing the modern organization, including a discussion of the functional areas of the organization, history of management thought, the structure of industrial and non-industrial organizations. Approximately half the course involves discussion of the elements of marketing management.

GMBA 540 Forecasting Methods
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 525
A survey of the popular and current methods of forecasting and data analysis using available computer programs.

GMBA 561 Fundamentals of Financial Management
3 credits
A survey of financial decision making, using ratio analysis, the time value of money, the cost of capital, and capital budgeting concepts. Considerable time is spent outlining the environmental (macro-finance) factors that affect financial decisions.

GMBA 562 Risk Management
3 credits
This course exposes students to the technical knowledge and skills used in risk management operations. It includes the conceptual framework of risk management and life, health, and property and casualty insurance.

GMBA 563 Commercial Liability
3 credits
In this course students learn how to assess the legal liabilities of the organization and the damages that can be levied against it in the case of legal action. The use of insurance and preventative measures to reduce risk is explored. Students are also exposed to the investigation process.

GMBA 564 Workers’ Compensation
3 credits
A comprehensive analysis of workers compensation and employers liability requirements. Students will learn how to minimize the cost of providing workers compensation coverage.

GMBA 565 Claims Adjusting
3 credits
This is an introductory course that instructs students about the legal and financial issues in claims settlement. Students are also taught the process of claims settlement.

GMBA 566 Health Care Management
3 credits
Students are exposed to various forms of healthcare delivery, such as HMOs and PPOs. The costs and benefits of these healthcare delivery systems are analyzed.

GMBA 567 Corporate Risk Management
3 credits
This course exposes students to the elements of a sound corporate risk management program. Topics covered include: loss control, asset protection, methods of risk transfer, and self-insurance programs. Also covered is the analysis of product development and advertising liabilities.

GMBA 571 Economic Environment of the Firm
3 credits
Selected topics in the economic theory of the business firm. A mathematical approach will cover those areas of both micro and macro economics which are critical to economic decision making at the management level.

600 Series Courses

GMBA 601 Managerial Accounting
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 501
A study of the accounting information utilized in the control and evaluation of managerial decision making. The focus is cost accumulation, cost allocation and control. Critical attention is placed upon budgeting, cost-volume-profit relationships, and variance analysis as they relate to production, working capital management, and marketing decisions.

GMBA 631 Organizational Behavior, Theory, and Structure
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 531
The course addresses the application of the behavioral sciences to management. The focus is on the analysis of structure and behavior in work organizations as well as classical organizational theory.

GMBA 641 Operations Management
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 521
A survey of the formulation, solution, and analysis of the popular models of Operations Management, including applications to both manufacturing and service organizations.

GMBA 651 Marketing Management
3 credits
Prerequisites: GMBA 531
An examination of the marketing system and the use of market research, advertising research, and consumer psychology to assist the marketing manager in major decision areas of product planning, channels of distribution, personal selling, sales promotion, and development of integrated marketing programs.

GMBA 661 Financial Management
3 credits
Prerequisites: GMBA 525, GMBA 561
A study of risk and risk management, including advanced analysis of the investment decision using the Markowitz portfolio model and the capital asset pricing model. Other areas of study include the financing and dividend decisions, sources of short and long term capital, and current asset management.

GMBA 671 Managerial Economics
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 525, GMBA 571
The application of economic analysis and statistical techniques to problems of the firm related to demand, pricing, cost, production and investment. The emphasis is on the formulation of guides to decision making in these problem areas using the case method.

700 Series Electives

Courses in the 700 series represent advanced studies which serve as electives or required courses for specializations.

GMBA 701 Financial Accounting Theory
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 601
A comprehensive study of accounting theory and examination of the concepts of asset and equity evaluation and income measurement. The focus is an in-depth review of the external reporting requirements resident in the pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

GMBA 702 Contemporary Issues in Accounting
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 601
A study of contemporary issues in accounting, with emphasis on new directions in accounting research. Areas of study include financial and managerial accounting models, empirical and behavioral research in accounting, and the determination of accounting policy.

GMBA 703 Advanced Management Accounting
3 credits
Prerequisites: GMBA 525, GMBA 601
A study of basic cost principles from the viewpoint of cost determination, cost analysis, and cost control. The focus is on specific approaches to managerial planning and decision making which are dependent on the cost accounting function. The students are provided with an exposure to the sophisticated quantitative techniques which are associated with the modeling decisions.

GMBA 705 Advanced Accounting
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 601
A study of accounting methods of partnership and consolidated entities. The focus is on current accounting procedures related to mergers and acquisitions, including multinational operations. An emphasis in external reporting requirements of regulatory agencies, including various taxing authorities.

GMBA 707 Income Taxation
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 601
A survey of the application of current federal tax law to individuals, proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, trusts, estates, and gifts. Provides an initial exposure to the tax code, revenue rulings and interpretations, and tax court cases. An emphasis is placed on procedural applications of federal tax law to individuals.

GMBA 708 Tax Planning and Research
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 707 or its equivalent
A study of the effects of federal tax law on decision making by businesses with an emphasis on corporate accounting. Current tax reporting services and tax research constitute a significant portion of the emphasis of the course.

GMBA 709 Auditing
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 503
A study of the professional practice of auditing, focusing on generally accepted auditing standards and their application to the examination of financial statements by the independent accountant. Emphasis is placed upon internal controls, measures of materiality and risk, audit testing techniques, and audit reports. Issues of legal liability and professional ethics are discussed.

GMBA 710 Management Information Systems
3 credits
Prerequisites: GMBA 631
A study of the use of information as a corporate resource in the support of decision making by managers. The position and role of the MIS manager are discussed. A study of technology, foundations and support systems for the corporate information system is included.

GMBA 715 Accounting Information Systems
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 601
A theoretical and practical discussion of the process and procedures for the analysis, design, and implementation of accounting information systems. The focus is on the organizational decision making inherent in a broad range of computerized system applications.

GMBA 733 Research in Organizational Behavior
3 credits
Prerequisites: GMBA 525, GMBA 631
An exposure to the relationships between theory, research, and practice in the organizational sciences emphasizing the classical methods of research. An empirical research project of organizational and practical significance is required.

GMBA 736 Human Resource Management
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 631
A study of the traditional skills/issues which occur within a human resource unit, including analysis, human resource planning, testing, recruitment and hiring, training, performance appraisal and compensation. The student constructs a model of self-development which includes strengths/weaknesses assessments and a strategic plan for self improvement.

GMBA 737 Total Quality Management
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 631, GMBA 525
This is a course in the study of leadership and the organizational improvement process. Students will be exposed to contemporary thought on process and organization improvement and will obtain an understanding of the strategic importance of quality. Topics include the cost quality, assessing organizational performance, and the development of a customer orientation.

GMBA 741 Advanced Operations Management
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 641
A comprehensive study of the literature of management science and operations research, discussing specific models and problems.

GMBA 752 Consumer Behavior
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 651
An advanced treatment of the marketing problem from the perspective of the consumer. Use of psychological and social psychological theory for the evaluation of products and services as viewed in their markets is discussed.

GMBA 753 Marketing Research
3 credits
Prerequisites: GMBA 525, GMBA 651
A survey of the current methods of research which provide knowledge of the markets in which the firm’s products/services sell. The course includes design of the marketing research study (writing of the research proposal), the collection of data (design of questionnaires, interviewing, experimentation), analysis of data (statistical techniques), and reporting of research results.

GMBA 754 International Marketing
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 651
A survey of international marketing concepts and practices, with a focus on the current problems and issues of international firms in the U.S. and the respective governments. International marketing strategies, policies and structures are evaluated.

GMBA 761 Advanced Financial Management
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 661
Advanced topics in finance, such as forecasting, lease and buy considerations and advanced working capital management.

GMBA 762 Cases in Financial Management
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 661
The case method is used to study problems in capital budgeting, the financial and dividend decisions, as well as working capital management decisions.

GMBA 764 Investments
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 661
A survey of financial instruments and financial markets focusing on the risk and return characteristics of such financial instruments as stocks, bonds, options, futures, tax shelters, real estate, and precious metals.

GMBA 767 Security Analysis and Portfolio Management
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 661
A study of security valuation models, discussed in light of the Efficient Market Hypothesis. Also study of security aggregation techniques for increasing portfolio returns and/or risk reduction.

GMBA 770 Entrepreneurial Management
3 credits
Prerequisites: GMBA 601, GMBA 651, GMBA 661
For those considering going into business for themselves. Topics include marketing, financing, and production of a new product or service. The course will take a seminar approach. For the student who is not considering an entrepreneurial venture, the course should provide several insights into the macroscopic aspects of business. The course includes one research project in the form of a feasibility study in the area of the student’s interest.

GMBA 772 Labor Law
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 631
A survey of labor law issues designed to give the student a fundamental, practical, working knowledge of the various federal, state and local laws, regulations and ordinances regulating an employer’s conduct in the workplace.

GMBA 773 Labor Management
3 credits
Prerequisite: GMBA 631
A study of the problems which accompanied the emergence of labor unions as a social, economic, and political force in American business. The focus is on collective bargaining and includes the structure, direction, and financial management of unions and the influences of technological change and public policy toward labor.

GMBA 774 Strategic Management
3 credits
Prerequisites: GMBA 651, GMBA 661
A study of how the organization plans for its long term survival based on analysis of the impact of changes in the economic, social, and technological environments. Uses of long range planning techniques for competitive advantage are discussed.

GMBA 790-794 Special Topics
3 credits
Prerequisites: Permission of Program Director and Instructor
A vehicle for special projects and/or concentrated readings in areas of study which are appropriate to the 700 level. Only students who present detailed proposals for concentrated study at this level will be permitted to utilize the course as an elective credit.

GMBA 795 Research Project
3 credits
Prerequisites: Final year standing, permission of Program Director and Instructor.
In conjunction with a faculty supervisor, the student will choose a topic within an area of interest to the student, do a literature search, present an initial proposal, and a final project which will be an in-depth and concentrated study of the topic chosen.

Professional Series

GMBA 797 Internship
No credit
Prerequisite: Permission of the MBA Director
Students are placed in work roles related to their professional interests and supervised by both a faculty member and a field coordinator.

GMBA 798 Co-operative Education Placement
3 credits
Prerequisite: Permission of the MBA Director
Students working with the university co-op office are placed in professional work roles related to their academic interests and supervised by both a faculty member and a field coordinator.

Capstone Course

GMBA 799 Business Policy
3 credits
Prerequisite: Open only to students who are in their final semester of MBA course work.
Students are organized into self-directed work teams and assigned projects from the “real world.” Working with professional clients, they develop strategic solutions to problems using all of the MBA skills which were presented in the curriculum.

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