College of Business and Industry, Mississippi State University in Mississippi State, MS - Mississippi State University in Mississippi State, MS

Academics

The Graduate Studies in Business offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Business Administration (MSBA), Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA), Master of Taxation (MTX), Master of Arts in Economics (MA), and Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) as well as a doctoral program with concentrations in accounting, economics, information systems, finance, management, and marketing. The strongest areas of study are management, marketing, and economics. The most popular courses are in management. Regular programs bring distinguished speakers and visiting professors to campus. The MBA Association is active in bringing in guest speakers.

Thirty total credits are required to complete the MBA. Required courses include:

Financial Statement and Management Accounting for Decision Making
Managing Information Technology and Systems
Multimedia Presentation and Communication
Law, Business Ethics, and Dispute Resolution
Quantitative Analysis and Business Research
Economics for Managers
Capital Acquisition and Allocation
Corporate Liquidity Analysis
Strategic Marketing Management
Human Resource Issues
Leadership Skills for Management Behavior
Strategic Business Consulting

Required courses for the MBA/Project Management include:

Project Management Field Study
Financial Statement and Management Accounting for Decision Making
Leadership Skills for Management Behavior
Enterprise Systems Engineering
Business Case Analysis Using Statistics
Economics for Managers
Process Improvement Engineering
Human Resource Issues
Marketing Management
Financial Management of Projects
Law, Ethics, and Dispute Resolution
Business Research
Managing Information Technology and Systems

Required courses for the MA/Economics include:

Econometrics I
Macroeconomics I
Microeconomics I
21 hours of economic course work

Required courses for the MSBA/Finance include:

Capital Acquisitions and Allocation
Corporate Liquidity Analysis
Case Problems in Corporate Finance
Advanced Financial Management
Portfolio Management
Financial Institutions Management
Financial Markets, Rates, and Flows
International Financial Management

Required courses for the MTX include:

Auditing and Seminar classes
Research in Tax Practice and Procedures
Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders
Federal Estate and Gift Taxation
Taxation of Partnerships, S Corporations, Trusts, and Estates
Seminar in Financial Accounting Theory

Required courses for the MPA include:

Auditing Seminar and Cases
9 elective credits
Advanced Accounting
Income Tax II
Advanced Managerial Accounting
Seminar in Financial Accounting Theory
Business Assurance Services
6 hours from the following courses:
Municipal and Government Accounting
International Accounting
Fraud Examination
Professional Accounting Policy and Research
Research in Tax Practice and Procedures
Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders
Federal Estate and Gift Taxation
Taxation of Partnerships, S-Corporations, Trusts, & Estates
Advanced Individual Taxation
Tax Topics

Required courses for the MSIS include:

15 elective credits
Management Information Technology and Systems
Advanced Systems Analysis and Design
Advanced Database Design Administration
Business Telecommunications
Information Systems Collaborative Project
MIS Administration

Students may eliminate or substitute requirements by transferring up to 6 credit hours.

Business students may take relevant nonbusiness courses in other departments. The minimum time permitted to complete the master’s degree program attending full time or part time is 2 semesters; maximum, 6 years.

There are 66 total full-time graduate business faculty, of whom 86% hold a doctorate; there are 18 part-time faculty, of whom 17% hold a doctorate. Faculty salaries are rated well below average for Category I institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average number of credit hours faculty teach is 12; average business class size is 25.

Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required, along with a GPA of 3.0 and a GMAT score of 510. The formula for using the GPA and GMAT scores is (200xGPA)+GMAT=1100. Most important admissions factors are grades in upper-level courses, GMAT results, and letters of recommendation. A strong mathematics background is not required.

The number of applicants for the 2006-2007 class was 252; 147 were accepted; 125 enrolled. The average GPA was 3.57; average GMAT score was 470. Transfers are accepted. Minority students are actively recruited by regular visits to predominantly black institutions.

Students may begin the MBA program in the fall, spring, and summer. To apply, students must submit an application form, a transcript, GMAT scores, GRE for MA in Economics, a nonrefundable application fee of $30, and 3 letters of recommendation. The application deadlines are July 1 for fall entry; November 1, spring; April 1, summer. Students are notified within 6 weeks of receipt of the completed application of the admissions decision. The latest acceptable test date for fall entry is July. Once accepted, students may defer admission for 12 months.

Financial Aid

About 45% of graduate business school students receive financial aid from scholarships, loans, and graduate assistantships, for a total average of $13,323 annually; maximum $37,890. The FAFSA is required. The application deadlines are rolling for fall entry; rolling, spring; rolling, summer. The school prefers that FASFA results be received by April 1 prior to the upcoming fall semester.

On-campus room and board costs approximately $11,640; books and supplies, $1425; personal expenses, $2742, for an estimated annual total of $22,701 for in-state residents and $31,635 for out-of-state residents. Graduate student housing is available both on and off campus. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

Students

Fifty-four percent of the current graduate business school class are enrolled full time. The greatest percentage of students are from Mississippi (57%). Thirty-six percent are women, 10% are minorities, and 12% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 26; ages range from 21 to 49. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 63%, business; 8%, economics; 8%, engineering; 7%, math and science; 3%, social sciences; and 2%, liberal arts. In 2006, 135 graduate business degrees were awarded.