The M.B.A. program within the College of Business at James Madison University emphasizes excellence and continuous improvement in graduate learning by stressing knowledge and technical, interpersonal and experiential skills in the development of managerial decision-making. The mission statement of the M.B.A. program is as follows: We provide our students with exceptional educational experiences, support the professional development of our faculty, provide opportunities for the JMU M.B.A. community to engage with new perspectives and ideas, and help to raise JMU's national profile.
The Master of Business Administration program is fully accredited by the AACSB and received reaffirmation in the spring of 2022.
The College of Business offers three specialized Master of Business Administration concentrations. All three concentrations are designed for part-time students and utilize a blended teaching approach that integrates the classroom experience with various online techniques.
The Executive Leadership M.B.A. concentration takes 28 months to complete. A cohort of students takes fourteen 8-week courses, one course at a time. Each course meets face-to-face for four hours at the beginning and four hours at the end of the session on a Saturday in McLean, Virginia. Instruction between face-to-face sessions is online in the evening, using synchronous and asynchronous teaching methods.
The Information Security M.B.A. concentration takes 28 months to complete. A cohort of students takes fourteen 8-week courses, one course at a time. Each course meets for four hours at the beginning and at the end of the session on a Saturday in McLean, Virginia. Instruction for the eight weeks between the face-to-face meetings is online in the evening, using synchronous and asynchronous teaching methods.
The Innovation M.B.A. concentration takes 21 months to complete. A cohort of students takes sixteen 8-week courses, two at a time in a block format. In this program, students will meet face-to-face with faculty on a weeknight approximately twice every 3 weeks on-campus in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and online the other weeks utilizing a synchronous format, or other advanced asynchronous teaching instruction, such as simulations or multimedia cases.
Admission Criteria
The GMAT or GRE is required unless the applicant holds another master's level degree or advanced degree (e.g., M.D., Pharm.D.), a CPA, and a GMAT waiver has been approved. These instruments measure aptitudes important to the study of business and must be taken prior to admission. Applicants are required to have at least two years of post-baccalaureate work experience prior to pursuing Innovation or Information Security concentrations, and a minimum of five years of post-baccalaureate work experience prior to pursuing the Executive Leadership concentration.
To apply, students should complete the online application and submit the application fee. In addition, students must submit a current resume, unofficial transcripts from colleges/universities attended, a one-page personal statement, and reference letters supporting the work experience listed on the resume through the application site.
Admitted students must also submit the following materials directly to The Graduate School (James Madison University, MSC 6702, Harrisonburg VA 22807):
Official transcripts sent directly from all colleges/universities you have attended.
An official report sent directly from GMAC of the applicant's GMAT score or from ETS of the applicant's GRE score.
The university encourages applicants with degrees in all major fields of study from accredited institutions. No specific undergraduate courses are required; however, students with non-business baccalaureates are required to complete the following three prerequisite courses:
Financial Accounting
Statistics
Economics (Microeconomics is preferred; Macroeconomics is acceptable)
Students must notify the M.B.A. program office upon completion of each prerequisite course.
The final deadline for an application is July 1. However, a rolling admission process is used. All applications submitted by April 15 will be considered. Applications after April 15 will be considered only if the program has an opening.
Degree Requirements
All students take the following core courses and choose one of the three concentrations listed below.
MBA 691 Strategic Management is considered the capstone course in the M.B.A. executive leadership concentration and replaces the comprehensive examination requirement. A minimum grade of "B" must be attained to pass MBA 691.
Concentrations
Executive Leadership Concentration
The M.B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in Executive Leadership is designed around the theme of "Leading Through Change." The concentration is intended for high performing individuals who have potential for organizational leadership and who will likely hold senior management positions. The Executive Leadership concentration is designed to develop skills and abilities required to effectively and ethically lead in dynamic and highly competitive business settings. In addition to addressing the critically important issues in all functional business disciplines, this program has a particular emphasis on accelerating participant skill sets in global competitive issues, supply chain challenges, stakeholder leadership, and in understanding, leading, and creating change across the organization.
The program is primarily intended for working professionals holding full-time positions. While this program is primarily an online program utilizing synchronous and asynchronous techniques, students meet with faculty once every eight weeks on a Saturday in McLean, Virginia.
The curriculum of the Executive Leadership MBA concentration includes the five core courses listed above and nine courses listed below. A cohort of students takes all courses listed below, with one course being completed every eight weeks. The program includes 42 total credit hours.
Advances in information technologies, the globalization of markets, and increased rate of technological change have changed the competitive dynamics in many industries. The management of knowledge and information is a critical source of competitive advantage for firms. To sustain success, firms must protect their information and knowledge-based resources. Thus, the M.B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in Information Security is designed to provide students with a sound foundation in all of the business principles, while also ensuring they have a strong understanding of the business implications of information security.
The program is primarily intended for working professionals holding full-time positions. While this program is primarily an online program utilizing synchronous and asynchronous techniques, students meet with faculty once every eight weeks on a Saturday in McLean, Virginia.
The curriculum of the Information Security concentration includes the five core courses listed above and nine courses listed below. A cohort of students takes all courses listed below, with one course being completed every eight weeks. The program includes 42 total credit hours.
Innovation is a critical component of sustainable firm success in today's complex, global and dynamic business environment. Managers need to understand the technical and human components of innovation and be able to be leaders of the innovation process. Thus, the theme of this program is "Leading through Innovation with Technology and People." The program is designed to provide students with a sound foundation in all of the business principles, while focusing on the various aspects of innovation. The program also emphasizes the development of teamwork, managerial decision-making and leadership skills.
The program is primarily intended for working professionals holding full-time positions in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and other nearby regions.
The curriculum of the M.B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in innovation includes the five core courses listed above and eleven courses listed below. The program includes 48 total credit hours.
One course from another master's program at JMU may be substituted for an elective if the course is related to the theme of the program, and with prior approval from the director of the MBA program.
