TAMU Commerce or GCU for MBA/MS in MGT

Hi y'all!

Long time lurker, first time poster! I appreciate the wealth of knowledge and different perspectives. I plan on graduating from APU with a BA in MGT, conferral date set for 2/15/10! APU has been great but I want to complete my master's at another institution to showcase some diversity in my education career. I really like what I see from TAMU Commerce sine they have a 10 course MBA and a 10 course MS in MGT. The MBA has 6 leveling courses while the MS in MGT has 3, 2 of which I've already taken.

Grand Canyon U has a 13 course dual degree MBA/MS in Leadership program. Both schools are AACSB accredited. It could be me but I like TAMU's name recognition much better than GCU.

My preference is to complete whichever program I choose in 12-18 months. I currently have been taking 3-4 classes at APU every 8 weeks while staggering every 4 weeks and that has been manageable so I feel 2 graduate courses at a time will be fine.

I prefer no GAT requirement. I don't mind taking it, but prefer if I don't have to. I will graduate wih a 3.8 so I know some schools, like TAMU Commerce, will waive the requirement if the GPA is 3.o or better.

Which school would you choose? Also, I live in San Antonio so TAMU "fits" better than GCU located in AZ. Does that really matter though? If so, I plan on staying in TX for a very long time but may eventually move back to Northern CA.

Are there any other schools that are online, AACSB accredited that I can complete in 12-18 months that would be better than these two? Also, my employer will pay up to $10k per year so I would like to keep the program at less than $20k total.

Thanks in advance for your advice!!!

 

Anyone have any advice? Thanks in advance!

 

"I prefer no GAT requirement. "

I meant GMAT LOL. Although a no GAT requirement is always a good thing too.

 

I like TAMU better as well based off the local name recognition you would have. Didn't look at how much GCU's program runs but being a Texas resident TAMU would probably be the better financial value as well. Looking here: Online MBA Rankings AACSB - Top Affordable Best Distance MBA | Ratings & Rankings | GetEducated.com, there are a number of decent on-line options for Texas residents... another one I like is the UNT program.

On a side note, the GMAT is not a beast by any means. I pulled a 690 with a quick review of the study materials they send you when you register, so it may be worth sitting for it to increase your options.

 

Thanks for the advice. I looked into the UNT MBA and they have a whopping nine "background" courses, which I've only taken three. I am very good at taking tests so I don't think the GMAT would be a problem. With a newborn, I was just thinking that it may be challenging right now to find time to study. But it sounds like you scored very well without taking too much time to study at all.

 

Yeah, I see that now with the 9 background courses, but those would've been knocked out by the CBOK in an undergrad business degree. On a general level we're talking: stats, accounting, biz law, management, marketing, CIS, economics, finance, and biz math.

 

I took the GMAT blind as well and scored in the mid- to upper- 600s. If youredecent at math and have a solid grasp of the English language there is no reason youshouldscore below a 600.

 

Grand Canyon University is accredited by HLC-NCA; its Ken Blanchard College of Business has programmatic accreditation via Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) … not AACSB. If an AACSB accredited MBA is precedence … then TAMU-Commerce wins hands-down.

Two additional Texas programs you may want to consider (both members of the TAMU system):

Tarleton State University (ACBSP) Degree Programs - Tarleton State University

West Texas A&M University West Texas A&M University: Master of Business Administration Degree

Also:

UTPB (AACSB) Master of Business Administration Online :: The University of Texas of the Permian Basin

UT Online Consortium (UTOC) UTOC · MBAO Program Information

Disclosure: I am an online MBA student at Tarleton State

 

In that you reside in San Antonio, have you considered the UTSA MBA (AACSB)? There is an online MBA http://business.utsa.edu/graduate/mba_online.aspxand and their (UTSA) Noon MBA program University of Texas at San Antonio - College of Business: Graduate - Noon MBA Program

 

No, they aren't. TAMU-Commerce is, but GCU is not.

The only AACSB schools in Arizona are the three big public universities (U of Arizona, Arizona State U, and Northern Arizona U) plus Thunderbird.

GCU is ACBSP-accredited, as are other Arizona-based for-profits (including U of Phoenix and Northcentral)

 

Incidentally, I don't know of any for-profit school that has AACSB accreditation. As I understand it, AACSB has no rules against for-profits, but they do look for full-time faculty, and this is generally not a strength at for-profit schools.

There are a few for-profit ABA law schools, and at least one for-profit ABET engineering program, but I don't think there are any for-profit AACSB business programs.

 

Thanks for the clarification on GCU being ACBSP. From what I understand, AACSB is the gold standard while ACBSP is a close second, is this true?
So how how would you rate the MBA program at Tarleton State? What does the work load consist of? Would two classes per semester be feasible given the fact that I'm taking 4 classes at a time at APU currently?

 

I am presently in the TAMU MS in Management program with a concentration in Marketing. I live in CT and so far have taken 4 classes. I love this online program - it is challenging, most of the teachers are great, it is AACSB, no GMAT (at least I didn't need to take one - I'd double check waiver policy), and one of the most appealing aspects for me: they have Fall, Spring, Summer I, Summer II, August Mini, Winter Mini and May Mini semesters so you can move quickly through the program if you have the time, energy and $.....as with any school - OL or B&M - there are some real duds for teachers.....I have found the TAMU Yahoo Group of fellow students fantastic for getting the "dish" on who to take and who not to take.........so far, very pleased with this program (and this will be my 3rd Masters, 1st online so I have some B&M programming to compare it to...).

 

Thanks for the response, your experience really has helped me make a decision. I was already leaning towards TAMU Commerce for the MS in Management but was not sure on a few details so thanks for shedding some light. I want to eventually teach and this will give me the 18 credits required to do so. I like all of the semesters available too. I talked to someone there and they mentioned the program has been completed by some in 9 months, but the average is 2 years. Have you taken 2 classes at a time and do you think it's manageable? Also, what does the typical work load consist of? Thanks again.

 

Sorry for the delay in responding -- due to life events hitting me every semester, I started out with 2-3 classes and ended up only taking 1 per semester - and then I had to take a leave for personal-family reasons, etc. the full-semester courses are much less workload then the mini's and summer accelerated sessions. You really have to devote full time to the shorter semesters - especially a December, August or May mini-mester -- then it is flat out. There is quite a bit of work in the classes - usually quizes, postings on discussion board and generally 1-2 big papers depending on the teacher. The classes that I am not looking forward to are Finance I and II -- they are really difficult if you are not a numbers person -- but if you get the right teacher, they appear to be manageable. There is also a Yahoo Tamu-commerce group that is majorily helpful for feedback on particular teachers, course syllabi, etc.

 

That's okay, I appreciate your response. Based on your suggestion, I became a member of the TAMU Commerce yahoo group and there is a ton of great info out there. Now I just need to make up my mind as to whether I want to go with the MBA or MS in Management program. Both would help my career about the same with my current employer, however I think the MBa may be more versatile with other employers. I do want to eventually teach so I think the management degree will allow me to do that over the MBA due to the 18 credit requirement. Well, I'll have my BA in MGMT in February and would start either program until June so I have a little time to decide. Decision decisions. Thanks again!

 

You could also consider doing both the MBA and the MS in MGT -- you can choice electives in the MBA that are MGT and do a 2nd masters in MGT - you can transfer over some of the credits.....this is what I am considering doing with my chosen MS in MGMT but I'm also doing classes toward MS in Mktg......I too am focusing on the 18 credit subject matter requirement for teaching......

 

I've looked into doing both and was exited to see that if you take the right electives, about 7 classes are the same in both programs. The downside is that they only allow 3 classes to transfer from one program to the other. Still, at only 7 additional classes, an MBA from a reputable B&M school may be worth it. I guess I can always reevaluate once I finish the MS in MGMT. Good luck and maybe I'll see you in class!