George Mason University 1997-98 Catalog Catalog Index
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Graduate Business Institute


Institute of Graduate and Professional Business Studies

Faculty

Professors: Anderson (GMU Foundation Professor of Decision Sciences and MIS), Brown, Buzzell, DeKluyver, English, Fulmer, Godfrey, Heller, Ruth

Associate Professors: Chen, Coffinberger, Crawford, Das, Holt, Richmond, Sisodia

Assistant Professors: Boiney, Cramton, Evanchik, Kandelin, Singh, Wilkie, Young

Visiting Assistant Professor: Christie, England, Nutter

Instructor: Schank


The Mission

The mission of the Institute of Graduate and Professional Business Studies, also known as the Graduate Business Institute, is to serve the citizens and major businesses of Northern Virginia and the greater Washington area. Specifically, we seek to work in partnership with firms and other organizations, primarily in the areas of technology and professional services, to provide lifelong learning opportunities for their professional work force and to engage in significant research and service activities relevant to their business and managerial needs.

The Graduate Business Institute offers the Master of Science in Accounting (M.S.A.), Master of Science in Taxation (M.S.T.), and Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) programs. The programs are accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

To receive an application or more information on all programs, send your request to the Graduate Business Institute's Admissions Office at Mail Stop 5A2, Fairfax, Virginia 22030-4444; call (703) 993-2136; send an e-mail to gradadms@sba01.gmu.edu; or fax to (703) 993-1886.



Accounting, M.S.

The M.S. in Accounting (M.S.A.) program is intended to meet the needs of accounting professionals as well as those who desire to enter the accounting profession. It is built on a foundation that assumes an undergraduate degree in accounting and is designed to meet the 150-semester-hour education requirement adopted by many states and required for membership in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants after the year 2000. The graduate accounting curriculum provides quality academic instruction and professional orientation, emphasizing the accounting professional's role and responsibilities in the business environment. Conceptual understanding, analytical abilities, communication skills, and computer literacy are also emphasized.


Admission Requirements

Students registering for graduate-level courses numbered 600 or higher offered by the Graduate Business Institute must have graduate standing. Degree applicants must fulfill the general admission requirements for graduate study. Nondegree student status is not available.

Admission to the M.S.A. program is competitive. The admissions decision is based upon an evaluation of the candidate's academic background, GMAT score, and letters of recommendation. These criteria are applied with flexibility to ensure that individuals with unusual academic qualifications are not denied admission.


Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements

The M.S.A. program requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate course work. However, students who have not earned a recent undergraduate degree in business administration with a major in accounting from an AACSB-accredited school may be required to take additional credit to satisfy the accounting and business administration foundation requirements. The exact number of credit hours for an individual is based on an evaluation by the program director at the time of admission. Core courses, 15 hours
Each candidate must complete the following accounting core courses unless, in the opinion of the program director, the candidate has had previous comparable graduate-level course work that would justify substitution of other graduate accounting courses.



ACCT 712 Accounting Systems
ACCT 713 Managerial Accounting Theory
ACCT 732 Financial Accounting Theory
ACCT 762 Advanced Auditing Theory and Practice
TAX 700 Federal Income Taxation


Electives, 15 hours
Candidates for the M.S.A. must choose from the accounting, taxation, or management information systems tracks. Each track requires satisfactory completion of at least 15 hours of graduate course work that does not repeat previous academic work.

Accounting Track. Twelve hours must be taken from the courses listed below. The remaining 3 hours must be from graduate courses at the 700 level that are not redundant with prior academic work, and they must be approved by the program director.

ACCT: Any 700-level accounting or taxation course
FNAN: Any 700-level finance course
DESC: Any 700-level decision science course
MIS: Any 700-level management information systems course

Taxation Track. Nine credits must be taken in taxation and are listed below. The remaining 6 credits must be from 700-level courses that are not redundant with prior academic work, and they must be approved by the program director.


TAX 701 Accounting Methods and Periods (1.5)
TAX 702 Tax Practice and Procedures (1.5)
TAX 703 Corporate Taxation (3)
TAX 706 Partnership Taxation (3)

Management Information Systems Track. Twelve hours must be taken from the courses listed below. The remaining 3 hours must be taken from graduate courses at the 700 level that are not redundant with prior academic work, and they must be approved by the program director.


DESC: Any 700-level decision science course
MIS: Any 700-level management information systems course


Foundation Courses, 30 hours
Students who have not earned a recent undergraduate degree in business administration with a major in accounting from an AACSB-accredited school may be required to take credits from the courses listed below in order to satisfy the accounting and business administration foundation requirements.

ACCT 311 Cost Accounting
ACCT 330 Intermediate Accounting
ACCT 351 Federal Taxation
ACCT 600 Financial Accounting
DESC 600 Managerial Statistics
DESC 650 Operations Management/Management Science
FNAN 601 Managerial Microeconomics
FNAN 650 Managerial Finance
MGMT 600 Organizational Behavior and Development
MKTG 650 Marketing Management



Taxation, M.S.

The objective of the M.S. in Taxation (M.S.T.) program is to provide a comprehensive, high-quality, and professionally oriented education for professionals who have made a career commitment to the field of taxation. It is built on a foundation that assumes an undergraduate degree in business and relevant accounting or taxation experience. The program is not for students who are changing careers or for those seeking an advanced degree solely to qualify for professional certification. Further, the program does not intend to serve full-time students, nor those who do not possess prior professional experience.


Admission Requirements

Students registering for graduate-level courses numbered 600 or higher offered by the Graduate Business Institute must have graduate standing. Nondegree student status is not available.

Admission to the M.S.T. program is competitive and is based upon three criteria:

  1. Professional experience in the fields of taxation or accounting, or licensure as a Certified Public Accountant;
  2. Undergraduate academic performance; and
  3. Performance on the GMAT.


Degree Requirements

The M.S.T. program requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate course work. However, students who have not earned a recent undergraduate degree in business administration from an AACSB-accredited school may be required to take additional credits to satisfy the business administration foundation requirements. The exact number of credit hours for an individual is based on the evaluation by the program director at the time of admission.


Core Courses, 18 hours
Each candidate must complete the following core courses unless, in the opinion of the program director, the candidate has had previous comparable graduate-level course work that would justify substitution of other graduate courses.


TAX 700 Federal Income Taxation (3)
TAX 701 Accounting Methods and Periods (1.5)
TAX 702 Tax Practice and Procedures (1.5)
TAX 703 Corporate Taxation (3)
TAX 704 Corporate Mergers and Acquisitions (1.5)
TAX 705 Affiliated Corporations (1.5)
TAX 706 Partnership Taxation (3)
ACCT 792 Seminar in Accounting: Management of Professional Service Organizations (3)


Electives, 12 hours
Each student must complete 12 hours of acceptable elective course work including at least 9 credits in taxation selected from the courses listed below. The remaining 3 semester hours may be selected from any 700-level or higher graduate course and must be approved by the program director.

TAX 710 Federal Estate and Gift Taxation TAX 711 International Taxation TAX 712 Seminar in Advanced Tax Topics TAX 713 State and Local Taxation TAX 714 Pensions and Deferred Compensation


Progress Requirement
To ensure that each student is making satisfactory progress toward completion of his/her degree, each M.S.T. student must complete at least 12 credits during the first calendar year of enrollment and 21 credits by the end of the second calendar year of enrollment.


Foundation Courses, 21 hours Students who have not earned a recent undergraduate degree in business administration from an AACSB-accredited school may be required to take credits from the courses listed below in order to satisfy the business administration foundation requirements.

ACCT 600 Financial Accounting
DESC 600 Managerial Statistics
FNAN 601 Managerial Microeconomics
MGMT 600 Organizational Behavior and Development
DESC 650 Operations Management/Management Science
MKTG 650 Marketing Management
FNAN 650 Managerial Finance



Business Administration, M.B.A.

The Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) program provides a high-level professional education in business administration. The curriculum integrates functional areas with an emphasis on group work, information technology, and the global business environment. The M.B.A. program is available for both full-time or part-time study. One part-time program is available: the Fast Track. Students for the full-time program are admitted for the fall semester. Fast Track students are admitted for the fall and spring semesters.


Admission Requirements

All students registering for graduate-level courses offered by the Graduate Business Institute must have graduate standing. Nondegree student status is not available.

Admission to the M.B.A. program is highly competitive. No previous course work in business administration is required, but an elementary-level calculus course must be successfully completed prior to matriculation. Applicants are evaluated primarily on undergraduate record and GMAT performance. These criteria are applied with a certain amount of flexibility to ensure that individuals with unusual academic qualifications are not denied admission.


Fast Track, Part-Time M.B.A.

The Fast Track, part-time M.B.A. curriculum effectively integrates functional areas with an emphasis on the use of information technology, the global business environment, oral and written communication, and teamwork. The Fast Track M.B.A. program requires 48 semester hours. Students complete the degree program in three years by taking six credit hours each semester for nine consecutive semesters. Due to the integration of the course work and the cohort structure, students must commit to attending classes two times per week for three years.


Admission Requirements
Admission to the Fast Track, part-time M.B.A. program is highly competitive. Applications are accepted for both spring and fall semesters. Important consideration will be given to a professional background and academic records, with emphasis on leadership potential. One semester of college-level calculus must be completed before matriculation.


Core Courses, 33 hours
The core courses, offered during the first two years, are designed as 1.5-credit courses. Students take two courses during the first half of the semester and two new courses during the second half of the semester. Every course sets the foundation for the next and builds on knowledge gained in previous courses.


Elective Concentrations, 15 hours
During the final year of the program, students choose from several market-driven concentration areas. These concentrations are designed with input from the business community and combine courses congruent with trends in the marketplace. Current concentrations are:

Global Financial Management
Development and Management of Enterprises
Global Strategies
Managing Economic Information

Self-Designed Concentration, chosen from courses offered by the Graduate Business Institute and other graduate programs in the university.

Other concentrations may be added in accordance with market demands.


Fast Track, Part-Time M.B.A. Courses
All Fast Track M.B.A. students must complete the following required core courses. Each course is 1.5 credit hours and lasts seven weeks.

Semester I (6 credits)
MBA 630 Managing Business Information Using Statistical Techniques
MBA 631 Applied Statistics for Managerial Decision Making
MBA 650 Managing Individuals and Groups in Organizations
MBA 651 Managing Organizational Change

Semester II (6 credits)
MBA 601 Managerial Economics and Decisions of the Firm
MBA 610 Financial Accounting and Statement Analysis
MBA 611 Financial and Managerial Accounting and the Decision-Making Process
MBA 640 Valuation in Global Markets

Semester III (4.5 credits)
MBA 602 Managerial Economics and the Impact of Policy
MBA 612 Managing Costs and Evaluation Performance
MBA 641 Creation of Corporate Value
MBA 660 Emerging Issues in Information for Business

Semester IV (6 credits)
MBA 620 Marketing Basics
MBA 621 Marketing Programs and Processes
MBA 635 Managing Operations for Competitive Advantage
MBA 636 Achieving Excellence in Operations

Semester V (6 credits)
MBA 661 Case Studies in Leveraging Technology
MBA 670 Business Ethics and Regulation
MBA 671 Business Ethics and Regulation II
MBA 675 Business Unit Strategy

Semester VI 6 credits)
MBA 676 Corporate Strategy and Policy
MBA 677 Application of Business Theories--A Simulation
Elective


Traditional, Full-Time M.B.A.

Degree Requirements

The Traditional, full-time M.B.A. program requires 51 semester hours of graduate course work. It is divided into 33 semester hours of required courses and 18 semester hours of elective courses as described below. A thesis option is not available.


Core Courses, 33 hours
The required courses listed below may not be used for elective credit. Students must satisfy ALL course prerequisites for courses offered by the Graduate Business Institute. Students who register for such courses without the prerequisites or without a written waiver from the director of Graduate Student Services may be dropped from those courses.

Decision Analysis Theory and Support
ACCT 600 Financial Accounting
ACCT 650 Managerial Accounting
DESC 600 Managerial Statistics
FNAN 601 Managerial Microeconomics
MIS 600 Computer Systems for Management

Managerial Functions
DESC 650 Operations Management/Management Science
FNAN 650 Managerial Finance
MGMT 600 Organizational Behavior and Development
MKTG 650 Marketing Management

Integrative Functions
BULE 700 Regulatory Structure/Ethics
MGMT 750 Strategy and Policy Management

Electives, 18 hours
Each M.B.A. graduate student must complete at least 18 hours of 700-level M.B.A. electives, including an international elective, in at least two separate disciplines. Disciplines include Accounting, Business Legal Studies, Decision Sciences, Finance, Management, Management Information Systems, and Marketing. The international elective is often chosen from FNAN 717 or MKTG 775. Several other international electives may satisfy this requirement. Each semester, Graduate Student Services publishes a list of electives for each graduate program, including a current listing of approved electives that satisfy the international requirement.


Academic Regulations for Part-Time and Full-Time M.B.A. Programs

Transfer of Courses from Other Institutions
Subject to general transfer policies of the Graduate School and approval from the director of Graduate Student Services, students in the M.B.A. program may transfer up to six hours of graduate course work from other institutions. However, to be considered for transfer credit, such work must have been completed within six years prior to the date of admission to the degree program and may not have been used toward any other degree. Alternately, up to six hours of graduate course work may be completed, with prior approval from the director of Graduate Student Services, through the Washington Metropolitan Area Consortium or in other graduate programs of this university. Such course work must be in graduate-level courses exclusively reserved for graduate students.


Proficiency Exams
Students in the Full-time M.B.A. program may waive ACCT 600 and DESC 600 by passing a proficiency exam administered by Graduate Student Services. For information, call (703) 993-1739. The exam must be taken by the end of a student's first semester.


M.B.A. Core Courses


Required courses generally are offered both fall and spring semesters. However, not all required courses are offered in the Summer Term.

Students registering for graduate-level courses offered by the Graduate Business Institute must fulfill the general admission requirements for graduate study and be enrolled in a graduate degree program. Nondegree status is not available.

ACCT 600 Financial Accounting
ACCT 650 Managerial Accounting
BULE 700 Regulatory Structure/Ethics
DESC 600 Managerial Statistics
DESC 650 Operations Management/Management Science
FNAN 601 Managerial Microeconomics
FNAN 650 Managerial Finance
MGMT 600 Organizational Behavior and Development
MGMT 750 Strategy and Policy Management
MIS 600 Computer Systems for Management
MKTG 650 Marketing Management


Traditional M.B.A. Elective Courses

For additional elective courses, see Focus on Electives. This booklet is published every semester by Graduate Student Services. Copies are available in Enterprise Hall, Room 18. Updates are published via OSF1. Not all electives are offered every semester.

ACCT 733 Corporate Financial Reporting
ACCT 796 Independent Study and Directed Readings
DESC 710 Business Forecasting
DESC 720 Project and Cost Management
DESC 746 Operations Management in the Service Industry
DESC 747 Decision Support Systems for Management
DESC 763 Seminar in Operations Management
DESC 796 Independent Study and Directed Readings
FNAN 700 Applied Macroeconomics
FNAN 711 Corporate Financial Policy
FNAN 717 International Finance
FNAN 721 Investment Analysis
FNAN 731 Financial Markets
FNAN 741 Current Topics in Finance
FNAN 796 Independent Study and Directed Readings
MGMT 711 Organization Theory
MGMT 721 Seminar in Personnel Administration
MGMT 722 Seminar in Staff Planning
MGMT 751 Small Business Ventures and the Entrepreneur
MGMT 791 Seminar in Current Management Problems
MIS 720 Business Systems Development
MIS 740 Business Applications of Telecommunications
MIS 760 Human Engineering Issues in Computer Systems Design
MIS 792 Topics in Management Information Systems
MKTG 724 Promotional Strategy in Marketing
MKTG 725 Marketing Research
MKTG 726 Advanced Consumer Behavior
MKTG 765 Marketing Decision Systems
MKTG 775 Theory and Policies of International Business
MKTG 796 Independent Study and Directed Readings



Executive M.B.A.

The Executive Master of Business Administration program is a 21-month general management program leading to the M.B.A. degree. The program prepares mid-career executives for senior management and enhances the skills and effectiveness of senior executives.

The class schedule of alternating Fridays and Saturdays, two one-week residencies, and one two-week international residency is designed to allow participants to continue their careers while they study and master a broad range of functional and managerial skills.

Faculty and students examine and explain new methods for effective managing, including systematic approaches, creativity and innovation, competitive positioning, strategic decision-making methods, long-term planning, and organizational change. The effects of international variables on management strategy, the necessary background for business planning in a fluctuating world market, are explored.


Participants

The Executive M.B.A. is designed for those with significant business and professional experience. Participants must have the support of their organizations (given the time to attend class). Organizational financial sponsorship is desired but not required.

Sponsoring organizations include AT&T, Bell Atlantic, Cable & Wireless, Freddie Mac, Landmark Systems Corporation, Mobil Oil Corporation, Newbridge Networks, Pierce and Associates, Progressive Consultants, the U.S. government, and Xerox Corporation.


Methods of Instruction

Study groups are an essential part of the Executive M.B.A. experience and are selected by the director. The groups usually meet off campus once a week to discuss course work and prepare class presentations. Between classes and study group sessions, the group members continue to work collaboratively through electronic communications, using the groupware provided by the program.

Faculty encourage classroom discussions in which opinions are shared and experiences reviewed for the benefit of the whole class. The program is designed to mix the theoretical with the practical, so each person's contribution to the discussion is essential.

Residency Weeks

Live-in sessions complete the Executive M.B.A. experience. The first residency, held at the beginning of the program at a local hotel or conference center, is five days long. Participants not only begin their formal course work but learn how to work within a study group, how to use the Internet to do research, and how to use the current groupware platform, Lotus Notes. The second residency is scheduled at the end of the first year. It is a two-week program in Europe, designed to help the participants integrate the managerial disciplines learned during the year. The European program includes one week of study-in-residence at Oxford University where a certificate is earned, and one week in continental Europe where participants visit firms, research centers, and governmental institutions. The final residency week is held at the beginning of the last semester in the program. The week includes formal classroom study, presentations by CEOs, and a computer business simulation. Those interested in pursuing an Executive M.B.A. should visit the Executive M.B.A. website at http://www.gmu.edu/pubs/emba/index.html, or should contact the program office by e-mail at emba@gmu.edu or by phone at (703) 733-2833.

Program Schedule

Fall Semester--First Year
One Week Residency
EMBA 600 Managerial Economics and the Decisions of the Firm
EMBA 610 Financial Accounting and Statement Analysis
EMBA 611 Financial and Managerial Accounting and the Decision-Making Process
EMBA 630 Managerial Business Information Using Statistical Techniques
EMBA 640 Valuation in a Global Market
EMBA 650 Managing Individuals and Groups in Organizations

Spring Semester--First Year
EMBA 612 Managing Costs and Evaluating Performance
EMBA 635 Managing Organizations for Competitive Advantage
EMBA 651 Managing Organizational Change
EMBA 670 Global Marketing and Business Processes
EMBA 735 Special Topics in Decision Sciences: International Political Economy, Technology, and Industry I
EMBA 750 Business Unit Strategy
EMBA 775 Special Topics in Marketing: International Business I

Fall Semester--Second Year
EMBA 641 Creation of Corporate Value
EMBA 660 Emerging Issues in Information for Business
EMBA 715 Special Topics in Accounting: Federal Taxation
EMBA 735 Special Topics in Decision Sciences: International Political Economy, Technology and Industry II
EMBA 745 Special Topics in Macroeconomics: Applied Macroeconomics
EMBA 775 Special Topics in Marketing: International Business II

Spring Semester--Second Year
One-week residency
EMBA 720 Regulatory Structure and Ethics
EMBA 745 Special Topics in Finance: Financial Markets
EMBA 751 Special Topics in Management: Corporate Strategy
EMBA 755 Special Topics in Management: Corporate Governance
EMBA 755 Special Topics in Management: Negotiations
EMBA 755 A Computer Business Simulation

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