Master of Business Administration - General

Program Overview

The General MBA program at Southern Utah University provides significant flexibility, catering to working professionals, continuing undergraduate students, and international students. It is available online and/or through campus/hybrid formats, utilizing a fast-paced 7-week class structure. This allows students to efficiently complete the 33-credit hour degree, often in as few as 12 months. The program focuses on developing a critical understanding of managerial-level accounting, economics, finance, and marketing, and their impact on business operations and strategy. Students gain an in-depth understanding of economics, finance, supply chain management, leadership, and more, preparing them for a wide range of leadership and management roles.

AACSB Accredited: The Dixie L. Leavitt School of Business at Southern Utah University, where the MBA program resides, holds the prestigious accreditation from AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. This accreditation is globally recognized as the hallmark of excellence in management education, achieved by only a select percentage of business schools worldwide. AACSB accreditation signifies that SUU's business programs, including the General MBA, meet rigorous standards for quality in curriculum design, faculty qualifications, scholarly contributions, and student outcomes. This assures prospective students and employers that the degree is of the highest caliber, enhancing graduates' credibility and competitiveness in the global business landscape.

Curriculum: The 33-credit hour curriculum for the General MBA program is structured around a strong core of business fundamentals. It comprises 24 credit hours of core MBA courses and 9 credit hours of elective courses, allowing students to tailor their education to their specific professional interests and goals. Core courses provide a critical understanding of essential business areas, including "Managing People & Organizations," "Operations & Supply Chain Management," "Leadership," "Advanced Managerial Accounting," "Managerial Economics," "Managerial Finance," "Marketing," and a culminating "Strategy" capstone course. The flexibility to choose electives enables students to broaden their knowledge across various business functions or delve deeper into areas of interest, creating a well-rounded business professional.

Research Focus: While the General MBA is a professional master's degree with a strong emphasis on practical application, Southern Utah University's curriculum is underpinned by relevant theoretical frameworks and encourages critical analysis of business phenomena. The program aims to enable graduates to effectively apply strategic analysis and decision-making skills, supported by appropriate quantitative methods and information technology. The capstone strategy course, in particular, focuses on integrating knowledge and skills acquired throughout the program to develop strategic solutions to real-world management challenges. Faculty members, who often possess significant industry experience alongside their academic credentials, integrate current research and best practices into their teaching, fostering an evidence-based approach to business problem-solving.

Industry Engagement: Southern Utah University's School of Business is highly committed to ensuring its MBA graduates are prepared for immediate impact in the workforce. The General MBA program's comprehensive curriculum directly prepares students for a broad range of management roles, including Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operations Officer, Senior Manager, Marketing Director, and Finance Director. SUU emphasizes its strong career outcomes, boasting a 96.5% employment rate for its MBA graduates. This success is supported by a dedicated Career Coach for business students, who focuses on employer outreach to coordinate internship and employment opportunities, demonstrating a strong connection between the academic program and the needs of the business community.

Global Perspective: Southern Utah University's MBA program, including the General Emphasis, actively fosters a global perspective, aiming for graduates to "understand the global, ethical and sociopolitical context of business." In today's interconnected world, effective business leadership requires an awareness of international markets, diverse cultural contexts, and global economic influences. While the General MBA does not have a specific global emphasis course, the core curriculum addresses concepts that are universally applicable to global business operations. Furthermore, the university's commitment to supporting international students and fostering a diverse classroom environment naturally enriches discussions with varied perspectives, preparing graduates to navigate and contribute to the complexities of the global marketplace.