Business Administration, E.M.B.A.

I. Contact Information

Kambiz Raffiee, Associate Dean and Program Director
College of Business
Ansari Business Building, Room 409
(775) 682-9142
raffiee@unr.edu

Caitlin Rock, Program Coordinator
Online and Independent Learning
Continuing Education Building, Room 225
(775) 784-4652
crock@unr.edu

Department website:
http://www.coba.unr.edu
Program website:
http://www.emba.unr.edu

II. Brief Introduction

The Executive MBA (EMBA) program provides an opportunity for mid-career executives and experienced professionals to obtain a master’s degree in Business Administration on a schedule that minimizes disruption of work and personal obligations.

The program offers an integrated blend of theory and practice and provides a general management emphasis suited to the needs of mid-career executives and experienced professionals. It integrates professional experiences with graduate-level academic management curriculum. It familiarizes students with cutting-edge issues of disciplines in business that encompasses management science for managerial decision making. It crystallizes the philosophy and capabilities of experienced professionals and, thus, fosters their professional growth. The courses of the program are sequenced to assure continuity in learning. The functionally integrated curriculum provides opportunity for gaining cross-functional skills and knowledge.

The program includes a cohort online class structure that offers a lockstep, planned curriculum for mid-career executives. The students of each cohort begin the program at the same point, move through the curriculum together, and complete the degree requirements for graduation at the same time. Executive MBA students are required to complete their degrees in two years. During that period, they gain a wide range of new skills and sharpen their analytical abilities by combining coursework with day-to-day professional experience. A unique aspect of the proposed EMBA program is the collective professional experience of its participants, which greatly enriches the educational environment. EMBA students possess several years of significant, post-baccalaureate professional experience. Most students continue to work full-time while enrolled in the program.

III. Program Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes

The EMBA program will teach executive leadership by integration of knowledge, skills, and experience. The EMBA program is oriented towards managerial skills in problem identification and analysis, and application of managerial skills to discovery of alternative solutions. The program encourages application of theoretical solutions to real world business problems. The objective of the program is for the graduates to lead organizations, apply knowledge in new and unfamiliar circumstances through a conceptual understanding of relevant disciplines, and to adapt and innovate, solve problems, cope with unforeseen events, and manage in unpredictable environments.

Specifically, the learning objectives and outcomes of the program are the following:

• The ability to use evidence-based reasoning to understand, manage, and lead complex organizations.
• Development of skills that facilitate problem solving in a complex and dynamic environment.
• The ability to integrate qualitative and quantitative information into the decision making process.

IV. Admission Requirements

The EMBA program is open to those who hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution. Any undergraduate major is acceptable. In addition the following are the minimum standards required for admission to the EMBA in the College of Business:

1. The applicant must have an overall grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale.
2. The applicant must have five or more years of professional work experience beyond undergraduate studies.
3. Applicants must submit results for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE).  Exceptions to this are only granted if the applicant has completed an accredited graduate degree (Master’s, Ph.D.) or professional degree (JD, MD, DVM, etc.).
4. International students must have a minimum TOEFL score of 550 or above (paper-based test) or 213 or above (computer-based test) or 79 or above (internet based TOEFL). For IELTS, you must have a score of 7 or above. The TOEFL is waived for students who have completed degree programs conducted in English in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia or New Zealand.

The primary concern for admission is a candidate’s fitness for graduate study and promise of effective business performance. A judgment of these qualities is made from the following information:

• Undergraduate record
• Results of the GMAT or GRE
• Letters of recommendation
• Written personal statement indicating the candidate’s educational and career objectives
• Applicant’s resume detailing professional experience

Applicants will be expected to demonstrate proficiency in oral and written communication in English. To fulfill the written communication requirement, applicants must submit a written statement indicating their educational and career objectives, along with other writing samples the applicant may wish to have considered.

Information Technology Requirements
Given the importance of information technology in delivery of courses of the online EMBA program, successful applicants should:

• Be proficient operating in a conversant online environment (e.g. a current and active LinkedIn profile).
• Have access to computer technologies that will allow them to interact with others online (e.g. webcam and microphone).
• Be proficient with MS Excel, PowerPoint, and other MS Office or related business productivity software packages.

Application Process
To apply to the EMBA program, submit the following to the UNR Graduate School:

1. A completed online Application for Admission.
2. Official transcripts from each college or university where work has been completed. 
3. The official report of the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

The following is to be submitted to the EMBA Program Coordinator:

1. A current detailed resume,
2. A two-page personal statement indicating the applicant’s educational and career objectives, and
3. Three letters of recommendation on company or department letterhead.

Application Period
All admission applications and credentials must be received by May 1 to be considered for the fall semester.
The EMBA Admissions Committee reviews all applications and makes admissions decisions.

V. Program Requirements

The program includes a cohort of 12 online courses in a lockstep, planned curriculum. The students of each cohort begin the program at the same point, move through the curriculum together, and complete the degree requirements for graduation at the same time in 2 years.

VI. Total Units (36 units)

VII. Notes

Academic Standards and Probation
Graduate students in the College of Business Administration who do not maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.0 in all graduate courses are placed on probation. Students on probation may be prohibited from further enrollment if they fail to raise their overall GPA to at least 3.0 by the end of the first probationary semester. Exceptions are made only at the discretion of the COB director of graduate programs and the graduate school dean and may then be for a single additional semester if warranted. Additional information on graduate academic standards requirements is included in the Graduate School section of this catalog.

Continuous Matriculation
Graduate students are required to maintain continuous enrollment during their participation in the online Executive MBA program. The program includes a cohort of 12 online courses in a lockstep, planned curriculum. The students of each cohort begin the program at the same point, move through the curriculum together, and complete the degree requirements for graduation at the same time in 2 years.