The Lakeland College Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree, designed with the working adult in mind, provides a broad-based professional education consisting of coursework that integrates research, case studies, technology and other learning processes. Objectives include an understanding of business and economic problems, and the development of managerial skills to address these problems in the context of an ethical and global workplace. In addition to the traditional M.B.A. degree, four M.B.A. degree concentrations are also available: Accounting, Finance, Healthcare Management and Project Management. Lakeland carefully reviews and admits those adults it believes will thrive and succeed in the M.B.A. program as well as professionally. An undergraduate degree in a business area is not required.

Admission Requirements for the MBA in Addition to Those Listed Under General Admission Requirements

General Admission Requirements  

• Typically a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 or a minimum score of 450 on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is required for admission. However, admissions decisions are made with consideration of the candiate’s application in its entirety.
• A written statement of purpose is required, indicating how an M.B.A. educational experience would help the applicant meet professional goals and what leadership or managerial skills the applicant would bring to this program. The statement should be limited to 250 words.
• A current resume must also be submitted.

Foundation Courses:  Foundation course work with a “C” or better grade in the areas of economics, statistics, finance and accounting is preferred. If no evidence of completed course work is provided, students have the option to complete two courses at the graduate level focusing on economics/statistics and finance/accounting to meet these requirements. Students also have the option to take undergraduate courses to fulfill these requirements.

Conditional Admission Policy

Applicants not meeting the above requirements may be conditionally admitted to the program. In this case, the applicant’s conditional status will be reviewed once he/she completes six (6) semester hours of graduate coursework. An applicant in conditional status who achieves a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher may be granted full admission.

Exceptions to the Policy Regarding Enrollment Prior to Admission

A student who is not interested in completing the Lakeland M.B.A. degree, but wishes to enroll in only one or more courses in the CMA or CPA sequence, may do so without being admitted to the college. Such a student may enroll in these courses without applying for admission to the M.B.A program provided he/she meets the program and course requirements. Should this student subsequently decide to pursue the Lakeland M.B.A. degree, he/she will need to apply for admission as a degree-seeking applicant. The CPA and/or CMA coursework may then be applied to the M.B.A. degree program requirements.

A non-degree-seeking student is not required to complete BA 700 - Business Research Methodology  within the first nine (9) semester hours of coursework. If he/she subsequently decides to pursue the Lakeland College M.B.A. degree, he/she will need to be formally admitted into the M.B.A. program and will need to complete BA 700 - Business Research Methodology  within the next nine (9) semester hours of coursework.