Liberty U MBA without business undergrad

Discussion in 'Business and MBA degrees' started by CavTrooper, Aug 9, 2012.

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  1. CavTrooper

    CavTrooper Member

    Hi folks,
    Just found out last night that there's a way to complete the 36 credit LU MBA without a business undergrad, or business prerequisites. You must enroll in the MAML program, complete the first four courses (which are transferrable into the MBA program), and if you maintain a certain GPA (I think it's 3.0?) you are then eligible to pursue the MBA. This allows one to bypass the 15 UL undergrad credits in a business discipline.. very good information if you're considering a distance MBA but have a non-business UG degree.

    On that note... I'm considering switching over to the MBA. I'm about five classes deep into the MA in Public Policy program, but the MAPP is fairly new, so after the 18 credit core curriculum it's all electives.... most of which are in business. So, instead of completing the MAPP I could transfer into the MBA, then hope LU offers a Grad Cert in PP later. I plan to work in Public Policy/Administration/Legislative affairs after the military, but I want to prepare myself for maximum employment flexibility and thought the MBA might help (I'll be attending GWU for the MPS in Legislative Affairs next year regardless).

    Thoughts?
     
  2. curtisc83

    curtisc83 New Member


    I knew of LU's MBA work around for awhile and thats one reason they're are on my short list. And the Military/Vet tuition rates are very attractive as well. Question, are you concerned with LU's reputation at all? I'm not saying its bad just some people automatically think anyone attending LU believes in creationism and are religious zealots. It does have me concerned but not overly so.

    I have a question for you. I'm considering going to a small State School in Texas called Sul Ross State University for a MBA program. Its a NCAA D3 school and part of the Texas State University System. I'm a native Texas and love the idea of attending a Texas Uni. Would not having a large Alumni be hurt full later on? Is being too well know like LU a bad thing vs a no name State school like Sul Ross? I'm just weighting my options and am having a hard choice choosing. What are your thoughts?
     
  3. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  4. major56

    major56 Active Member

    Ah Sul Ross State in Alpine, TX; the “University of the Big Bend”. Have you also considered these (Texas) online MBA programs (no particular order)?

    1. The recently AACSB accredited West Texas A&M University online MBA?
    West Texas A&M University: Online Master of Business Administration Degree
    2. Sam Houston State (AACSB):
    Business Administration - Graduate Studies - Sam Houston State University
    3. Prairie View A&M University (AACSB):
    MBA Program Online Option
    4. UT-Permian Basin (AACSB)
    MBA Online Option :: The University of Texas of the Permian Basin
    5. UT-Tyler (AACSB)
    Program Information - UT Tyler Online
    5. University of Houston-Victoria (AACSB)
    Welcome to the University of Houston-Victoria School of Business Administration, offering the AACSB-accredited Strategic MBA Online, Globa MBA Online, and Master of Science in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship Online
    6. University of Houston-Clear Lake (AACSB):
    MBA
    7. Texas A&M-Commerce (AACSB):
    Texas A&M University-Commerce: Online Programs
    8. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (AACSB)
    Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi Online MBA
    9. Tarleton State University (ACBSP):
    Master of Science - Information Systems - College of Business Administration - Tarleton State University
    10. Texas A&M-Texarkana
    http://www.tamut.edu/tamutonline1/degrees.html
    11. Texas A&M-Kingsville
    Master of Business Administration Degree
    12. Texas A&M University-Central Texas
    TAMUCT Online Learning: Online Degree Programs
     
  5. curtisc83

    curtisc83 New Member


    Wow thats some list. Would be cool to go to a A&M school. The thing is my undergrad is from a NA school so that rules out some right off the bat. Also I'm currently in Afghan and can't take a GRE or GMAT either so that takes some of the list. The work around in some cases is to have a Masters degree and that satisfies all the requirements. So my current options are a tad limited. But not the end of the world by any means. I just have to be a tad creative :p

    So any beef with Sul Ross? Or is it just one of those schools that's invisible till someone brings it up? I keep wondering if that a good or bad thing. I'm inclined to think it could be a good thing. LU might offend someone because they are openly religious. Sul Ross State is small enough people would just google it just to see if its real. Any thoughts/opinions?
     
  6. major56

    major56 Active Member

    Absolutely nothing derogatory intended toward Sul Ross State University! I do believe its online MBA is a relatively new offering though, and the SRS College of Business does not have programmatic accreditation –this may or not be relevant to your academic requirement /need. BTW, I have a cousin who completed his Masters at Sul Ross and later a PhD at Texas A&M-College Station.

    As regards your NA baccalaureate degree; will Sul Ross accept the degree? If so, perhaps other RA universities on the Texas list may also (?). Why not give it a try … admission requirements can sometimes be negotiated (e.g., conditional admission status). Moreover, state universities in Texas are very military /veteran friendly.

    P.S. An additional AACSB online MBA offering (University of North Texas):
    Graduate Programs « College of Business « UNT
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 10, 2012
  7. curtisc83

    curtisc83 New Member

    I get my BSIT in Oct of this year and after I will see what I can do about getting into other TX schools. I do love the idea of Sul Ross thou. I spend some of my childhood in West Texas and those memories are my happiest growing up. So I suppose nostalgia has something to do with why I can be perfectly fine with SR. Maybe its silly but LU seems like a place to get a degree because its needed for a check box.
     
  8. CavTrooper

    CavTrooper Member

    I can agree with some of the qualms about LU in regards to it's overtly religious agenda as well as it's overwhelmingly conservative leanings. But, it is a well ranked RA institution, it is non-profit, and the tuition absolutely cannot be beat for military folks and veterans. At $250 a credit for classes all the way through the doctoral level, the degree programs are a steal. I do struggle a bit with whether or not my MA in Public Policy will end up being a political liability as folks may see my resume and immediately brand me as a right wing extremist or something. I am conservative but I'd rather let my rhetoric and legislative (or whatever) record communicate my beliefs, not a single line on my resume. All in all though, whether you get your MBA from Sul Ross State or LU, I really think it makes no substantial difference (not withstanding local name recognition factors and other related matters).

    From my limited understanding, there are five basic categories of MBAs (correct me if I'm wrong, for those of you who actually know what you're talking about):

    Tier 1 - schools like Harvard, Northwestern, University of Pennsylvania, etc.., where your MBA alone will bring recruiters from large firms willing to pay a ton.

    Tier 2 - schools like Penn State, UMass, Northeastern, Georgetown, etc.., which have good name recognition and will make a splash on a resume.

    Tier 3 - any AACSB accredited school without necessarily big name recognition, but nevertheless possessing that gold standard of accreditation.

    Tier 4 - pretty much all other RA schools. If an employer doesn't require AACSB, they probably won't sit there poring through resumes to figure out whether an applicant graduated from Sul Ross, or LU, or Juniata University, or Walden U.

    Tier 5 - NA schools.

    Now I know within Tiers 4/5 there are also other factors like ACBSP accreditation, or IACBE accreditation, or even RA vs. NA factors, but my point is, unless you have a MBA from a well known college, or unless the MBA is AACSB accredited, I doubt it makes a world of difference which RA school it comes from. Some difference, yes. Just not an absolute world of difference.

    Thoughts?
     
  9. major56

    major56 Active Member

    Go Lobos (NCAA Div. III) ... :usa2:
     
  10. curtisc83

    curtisc83 New Member


    I think your post sums up things really well. LU is a steal for Military/Vets 250 a credit is hard too beat for sure.

    Let me bounce this idea off you and tell me if my thinking is flawed. AACSB is the gold standard and anything else is just silver or bronze. With that said even if a school has ACBSP does it matter? I've seen MBA programs that required candidates to have a BBA thats AACSB accredited. I've also seen job postings that specifically mention the AACSB. Never seen anything remotely similar with the ACBSP. So I've come to the conclusion if a school isn't AACSB it doesn't matter if its ACBSP or not.

    Also I think location of the school matters a lot. I'm from Texas so a Texas school would be looked at better then a out of state school. When I say that I'm just talking about Tier 3 and 4.

    I'm just playing the devils advocate right now. I'm going to either LU or SR at this point but both seem relativity equal. Its nice reading peoples opinion on all of this. I know whichever I pick I will get a quality education for sure. But please keep on posting I'm enjoying this thread immensely.
     
  11. curtisc83

    curtisc83 New Member

    Sorry I sorta hijacked this thread....LOL. To answer your OG question about a Non Business UG with a MBA. I can't speak for all fields but I can speak for my own. I'm in the IT/Telco field and its actually preferred to have a IT UG and a MBA. BBA to MBA is just more of the same but at a more advanced level. With a CS/IT UG and a MBA you could see the technical side of things and the business side. Also its a good way to re-brand yourself. IT Specialist one day the next day Director of Operations.
     

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