About the MBA
Shepherd University’s MBA is a 36-credit hour program that creates a stimulating environment that is diverse, challenging, and focused on global connections, while at the same time providing real-world experiences for our graduate students. The degree can be completed in person or fully online.
All students in the M.B.A. program take a 27-credit core that includes courses in leadership and ethics, marketing, management theory, economics, and accounting. Students complete their coursework with a flexible set of electives.
The M.B.A. program finishes with a culminating project or capstone. Here, students work in a collaborative environment with faculty mentors in an open exchange of ideas and information. In the internship experience, students are exposed to new ideas and put theory into practice through contact with influential leaders from a variety of companies and industries. Through these experiences, students heighten their cultural awareness, develop a global perspective, and learn to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse cultural, academic and professional backgrounds.
Other MBA Program Options
- 4+1 Bachelor of Science Business Administration/Master of Business Administration degree
- Joint Master’s in College Student Development and Administration and the Master’s of Business Administration
Core courses, 27 hours:
Courses in the MBA program include the following. Please see the Course Catalog for complete information and course descriptions.
- Challenges to Modern Business
- Management, Leadership, and Ethics
- Project Management
- Advanced Marketing Theory
- Business Analytics
- Managerial Economics
- Managerial Accounting
- Advanced Financial Management
- Applied Research Project/Internship and Capstone
Elective Courses, 9 hours:
- Entrepreneurship
- Business Law
- Fundraising and Grant Writing
- Nonprofit and Service Marketing
- Business in West Virginia
- International Business
- Statistical Analysis
- Human Resources
- Professional Selling and Sales Management
- Select Topics Applied Business I
- Select Topics Applied Business II
- Personal Financial Planning
- Introduction to Networking
- Web Programming
- Management Information Systems
Concentrations and Certificate Programs
See the links below for courses included in the concentrations and certificate programs.
- Health Administration: Concentration | Certificate
- Sport Management: Concentration | Certificate
- Management Information Systems: Concentration | Certificate
- Public Management: Concentration | Certificate
Health Administration Concentration
The Health Administration concentration of Shepherd’s MBA graduate program prepares students to assume a leadership role in health care administration and make important contributions to patient care and health care access. The Health Administration concentration combines a systemic view of health care with the strategic and analytic capabilities of the MBA curriculum.
Courses in this concentration include:
- Health Administration and Strategy
- Healthcare Policy
- Health Economics and Finance
- Healthcare Law
- Introduction to the U.S. Healthcare System
See the course catalog for more information.
Management Information Systems Concentration
The Management Information Systems concentration of Shepherd’s MBA graduate program is designed for students seeking to better understand and work with computers in the workplace. The curriculum covers basic programming concepts necessary to work with information systems and websites, and a hands-on introduction to database concepts.
Courses in this concentration include:
- Web programming
- Management Information Systems
- Introduction to Business Programming
- Systems Analysis and Design
- Database Management Systems
See the course catalog for more information.
Public Management Concentration
The Public Management concentration of Shepherd’s MBA graduate program is designed for students seeking careers in local, state, and federal government. Coursework provides a framework of foundation areas unique to the public sector: policy and program implementation, project management, and budgeting.
Courses in this concentration include:
- Human Resources
- Organizational Development
- Public Policy Analysis
- Public Budgeting and Financial Management
See the course catalog for more information.
Sport Management Concentration
The Sports Management concentration of Shepherd’s MBA graduate program allows students to seek a career in the emerging, complex, and lucrative industry of sports. Coursework covers topics in marketing, compliance, management, sales, facility management, and global issues in sport governance.
Courses in this concentration include:
- Sport Management
- Sport Marketing and Sales
- Sport Law and NCAA Compliance
- Facility and Event Management
See the course catalog for more information.
Health Administration Certificate
The Shepherd MBA certificate in Health Administration prepares students to assume a leadership role in health care administration and make important contributions to patient care and access to health care. The Health Administration certificate combines a systemic view of health care with the strategic and analytical capabilities of the MBA curriculum.
Complete one advisor-approved course from the MBA Core, then complete three from the following:
- Health Administration and Strategy
- Healthcare Policy
- Health Economics and Finance
- Healthcare Law
- Introduction to the U.S. Healthcare System
See the course catalog for more information.
Sports Management Certificate
The Shepherd MBA certificate in Sport Management allows MBA students and business professionals to seek a career in the emerging, complex, and lucrative industry of sports. Coursework covers topics in marketing, compliance, management, sales, facility management and global issues in sport governance.
Complete one advisor-approved course from the MBA Core, then complete three from the following:
- Sport Management
- Sport Marketing and Sales
- Sport Law and NCAA Compliance
- Facility and Event Management
See the course catalog for more information.
Management Information Systems Certificate
The Shepherd MBA certificate in Management Information Systems is designed for students or others seeking to better understand and work with computers in the workplace. The curriculum covers basic programming concepts necessary to work with information systems and websites, and a hands-on introduction to database concepts.
Complete at least one course from the following:
- Project Management
- Business Analytics
Complete three from the following:
- Web Programming
- Management Information Systems
- Introduction to Business Programming
- Systems Analysis and Design
- Database Management Systems
- Program-approved elective
See the course catalog for more information.
Public Management Certificate
The Shepherd MBA certificate in Public Management is designed for students and business professionals seeking careers in local, state, and federal government. Coursework provides a framework of foundation areas unique to the public sector: policy and program implementation, project management, and budgeting.
Complete one advisor-approved course from the MBA Core, then complete three from the following:
- Human Resources
- Organizational Development
- Project Management
- Public Policy Analysis
- Public Budgeting and Financial Management