Department website: https://manderson.culverhouse.ua.edu/
Program Overview
The objective of the Manderson MBA program at The University of Alabama is to prepare high-achieving, high-potential students for successful business careers in a globally competitive environment. The MBA program has a commitment to providing a high value-added experience within a diverse and collaborative learning environment.
The academic curriculum emphasizes fundamental business concepts, knowledge, and skills through an interdisciplinary perspective. Case studies, projects, teamwork, and technology contribute to a dynamic applied learning environment. Co-curricular involvement is an integral component of the MBA program experience. In addition to satisfactory completion of the academic curriculum, MBA students must participate in co-curricular opportunities to satisfy degree requirements and graduate from the program. Multiple co-curricular opportunities and activities, which are aligned with professional development competencies, will be provided each academic term. Progress toward the completion of the co-curricular requirement will be tracked throughout the duration of the program.
MBA Program Formats
The Manderson MBA Program is offered in a variety of formats. The Traditional MBA is a full-time, two-year program that requires a focused area of study and is entered after the completion of an undergraduate degree. The STEM and CREATE Paths to the MBA are five-year programs integrated with quantitative and creative undergraduate disciplines, respectively, at The University of Alabama. The STEM and CREATE MBA programs also require a focused area of study. Students on one of these paths must graduate with their undergraduate degree before starting their "full-time" MBA year.
Traditional MBA
The Traditional MBA program begins in the fall semester. Students must be enrolled for four consecutive Fall and Spring semesters that span over the two-year program. During the intervening summer, students are expected to be involved in meaningful internships to further enhance their professional experiences. Students take a prescribed program of courses and cross-discipline work that blends the analytical tools of management and the functional areas of business into a general management perspective. Topics include accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing, operations, strategy, communications, information systems, and statistics. In addition, each student pursues elective courses leading to a mandatory focused area of study. Teaching methods combine cases, lecture-discussion, and projects. Small class sizes allow faculty members to use a variety of techniques for enhanced learning.
STEM Path to the MBA
The STEM Path to the MBA is a five-year program designed for entering University of Alabama freshmen majoring in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) area. This program integrates business honors courses with the STEM undergraduate degree and culminates in the MBA program. Students will apply to the MBA program during their undergraduate studies as advised. Upon acceptance to the MBA program, students in the STEM MBA program begin the MBA by taking online courses in the summer semester after the completion of their junior year of their undergraduate major. Students will complete another summer semester of online MBA courses after finishing their STEM undergraduate degree. Upon earning and graduating with their undergraduate degree (mandatory), students are then allowed to enter the full-year portion of the MBA program (in-person) to complete their MBA degree. During the two summertime periods, students are expected to be involved in meaningful internships to further enhance their professional experiences.
During each semester of their four years of undergraduate study, students enroll in a 1.5 credit-hour Business Honors course. These honors courses focus on communication and leadership skills. Students work in teams on community projects to develop both an appreciation for and a basic understanding of the importance of management skills in science and technology careers and to create an opportunity to interact with other STEM/CREATE students, as well as with executives from technology companies and MBA faculty members.
The Business Honors courses are taught by a faculty member who is assigned to the cohort in the freshman year and works with them through their senior year. This provides continuity of contact and allows the faculty mentor to track the students through the program.
During the sophomore, junior, and senior years, STEM discipline students can expect to be off campus and involved in internships, cooperative-learning experiences, and other online learning activities. The Business Honors courses include extensive use of digital technology: streaming video of presentations from guest speakers, teleconferencing for student presentations and class meetings, and the use of course management software that allows off-campus students to remain engaged and participate in coursework.
CREATE Path to the MBA
The CREATE Path to the MBA is a five-year program that targets students majoring in one of the various creative disciplines, including, but not limited to: art, music, fine arts, literature, fashion retailing, advertising, apparel and textiles, interior design, modern languages and classics, theater, and dance. This program integrates business honors courses with the CREATE undergraduate degree and culminates in the MBA program. Students will apply to the MBA program during their undergraduate studies as advised. Upon acceptance to the MBA program, students in the CREATE MBA program begin the MBA by taking online courses in the summer semester after the completion of their junior year of their undergraduate major. Students will complete another summer semester of online MBA courses after finishing their CREATE undergraduate degree. Upon earning and graduating with their undergraduate degree (mandatory), students are then allowed to enter the full-year portion of the MBA program (in-person) to complete their MBA degree. During the two summertime periods, students are expected to be involved in meaningful internships to further enhance their professional experiences.
During each semester of their four years of undergraduate study, students enroll in a 1.5 credit-hour Business Honors course. These honors courses focus on communication and leadership skills. Students work in teams on community projects to develop both an appreciation for and a basic understanding of the importance of management skills in science and technology careers and to create an opportunity to interact with other STEM/CREATE students, as well as with executives from technology companies and MBA faculty members.
The Business Honors courses are taught by a faculty member who is assigned to the cohort in the freshman year and works with them through their senior year. This provides continuity of contact and allows the faculty mentor to track the students through the program.
The program is centered around innovative solutions to real-world problems and runs parallel to its sister program, the STEM Path to the MBA. Using nontraditional classroom methods and experiential learning opportunities, students on the CREATE Path to the MBA have the opportunity to grow both academically deep into their chosen major and functionally broad across different areas like communication, leadership, and professionalism. An added benefit from running parallel to the STEM Path to the MBA is that CREATE MBA students will gain exposure to the technical backgrounds of their peers, further diversifying their frame of reference for problem-solving.
Dual Degrees
JD/MBA Joint Degree Program in Law and Business
The University of Alabama School of Law and the Manderson Graduate School of Business offer students, who are interested in combined business and legal career opportunities, a law and MBA curriculum culminating in the awarding of the juris doctor (JD) and MBA degrees within four years. Admission is required into both programs. Further information about the joint JD/MBA Program may be obtained by contacting the director of the MBA Program and/or the Law School admissions office as well as by visiting the respective websites.
MBA Dual Degrees in Engineering
The Manderson Graduate School of Business and the College of Engineering offer students from an engineering background an opportunity to receive both their MBA and Master of Science in engineering (Civil or Mechanical) within two calendar years. Prospective students must be admitted to both programs before being allowed to pursue the dual curriculum. Further information about the dual MBA/ENG programs may be obtained by contacting the director of the MBA Program and/or the Engineering admissions office as well as by visiting the respective websites.
MBA/MFA Dual Degree
The Manderson Graduate School of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences offer students an opportunity to receive both their MBA and their Master of Fine Arts (Theater Management) within four years. Prospective students must be admitted to both programs before being allowed to pursue the dual curriculum. Further information about the dual MBA/MFA program may be obtained by contacting the director of the MBA Program and/or the Theater Management office as well as by visiting the respective websites.
Admissions
In addition to the minimum Graduate School admission requirements, to be considered for regular admission, an application must include:
- Resume
- Statement of Purpose
- Transcript
- Three (3) Letters of Recommendation
- Applicant Interview
- Test Scores
- GMAT (old version), GMAT (new version); or GRE required
- GMAT/GRE exam waivers possible; waiver requests evaluated on a case-by-case basis
- A TOEFL score of at least 100 or an IELTS score of at least 7.0, or a PTE score of at least 59 for non-native English speakers who are required to submit an English Language test score (see admissions criteria link below)
- Please note the MBA program does not accept a Duolingo English Test score.
See the Admission Criteria section of this catalog for more information.
Admission Deadlines and Information
TRADITIONAL Full-Time MBA
- October 15: 1st round deadline
- January 5: 2nd round deadline
- February 15: 3rd round deadline
- April 15: 4th round deadline (only offered if space remains in the class)
- May 30: 5th round deadline (only offered if space remains in the class)
STEM/CREATE Path to MBA
- Application Deadline: November 15th
- Term Start: Applicants in the Path program only: Select "summer" term for the year you plan to start (summer after Junior year).
- To qualify for the Path MBA option, students must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and be on track to complete 91 credits by the end of spring for their planned Junior year and enrolled in the STEM/CREATE Path Undergraduate program from your Freshman year at the University of Alabama. Please contact the STEM/CREATE Path to the MBA Director for more information.
- Participation in the program as a Freshman through Junior year does not guarantee acceptance to the MBS portion of the STEM/CREATE Path program. Moreover, students must earn and graduate with their undergraduate degree before entering their full-time year in the MBA program.
Co-Curricular Requirements
Manderson’s co-curricular requirement is based on a comprehensive approach to providing students with the skills, experiences, and resources needed to be successful beyond the classroom and graduate school. The premise is to aid students in developing new strategies and skills to enhance business acumen and professionalism.
The goals are closely tied and consistent with the Manderson Standard, with an emphasis on experiential learning, and include the following main competencies:
- Emotional Intelligence
- Global and Cultural Engagement
- Communication Development
- Career Management
Prior to the start of the MBA program, students will learn about co-curricular attendance and participation requirements on both a per term and program basis.
Curricular Requirements
The Traditional MBA program requires the completion of 57 credit hours and offers nine (9) focused areas of study: Business Analytics, Cyber Security, Finance, Financial Risk/Engineering (FERM), Information Systems, Marketing, Real Estate, Strategic Management, and Supply Chain & Operations Management (SCOM). The Traditional MBA program has 36 credit hours of Core Requirements, 12 credit hours related to a focused area of study (FAS), and 9 credit hours of business electives.
The STEM/CREATE MBA program requires the completion of 51 credit hours and also offers nine (9) focused areas of study: Business Analytics, Cyber Security, Finance, Financial Risk/Engineering (FERM), Information Systems, Marketing, Real Estate, Strategic Management, and Supply Chain & Operations Management (SCOM). The STEM/CREATE MBA program has 39 credit hours of Core Requirements. The remaining 12 credit hours are related to a focused area of study (FAS).
The Core Requirements are listed below followed by the Focused Areas of Study (FAS) for the Traditional and STEM/CREATE MBA programs.
Traditional & STEM/CREATE - Core Requirements | Hours |
AC 506 | Concepts Financial Managrl Acc | 3 |
EC 500 | Managerial Economics | 3 |
FI 504 | Financial Management for MBA | 3 |
GBA 525 | Business Policy | 3 |
IBA 550 | Global Business | 3 |
MGT 517 | Leadership & Ethics | 3 |
MGT 542 | Management Communication | 3 |
MIS 511 | Management Information Systems | 3 |
MKT 518 | Mkting Mgmt & Decision Making | 3 |
OM 506 | Business Spreadsheet Analytics (OM 500 for STEM/CREATE) | 3 |
OM 516 | Operations Management | 3 |
ST 509 | Stat For Business Appl (ST 560 for STEM/CREATE) | 3 |
GBA 571 | STEM Business Honors VII (STEM/CREATE ONLY) | 1.5 |
GBA 572 | STEM Business Honors VIII (STEM/CREATE ONLY) | 1.5 |
| |
| |
Traditional MBA Focused Areas of Study (FAS)
For all FAS listings, required FAS core courses (if any) are listed first, followed by elective course options (if any).
- Graduate Certificates are embedded within the Cyber Security, Information Systems, Marketing, and Supply Chain & Operations Management focused areas of study. Contact your MBA Student Services academic advisor for more information on Graduate Certificate Programs (GCP).
- Consult with the designated FAS faculty or graduate advisor before FAS course selections.
Business Analytics
Business Analytics Traditional | Hours |
BAN 500 | Bus Intelligence & Data Visual | 3 |
BAN 501 | Predictive Model with Bus Appl | 3 |
MIS 501 | App Dev Data-Driven Org | 3 |
| Stat Prog & Comp with R | |
| Data Vis and Analytics in R | |
| |
Total Hours | 57 |
Cyber Security
Cyber Security Traditional | Hours |
| Enterprise Network & Security 1 | |
| Applied Cyber Security 1 | |
| Behavioral Cyber Security 1 | |
| Org. Security Management 1 | |
| Intro Cybercrime & Digital For | |
| |
Total Hours | 57 |
Finance
Finance Traditional | Hours |
| Corporate Valuation | |
| Mergers & Acquisitions | |
| Financial Management | |
| Money And Capital Mkts | |
| Investments | |
| Quantitative Investment Analys | |
| Bank Administration | |
| Seminar In Real Estate | |
| Real Estate Invest & Develpmnt | |
| Special Topics: Finance | |
| |
Total Hours | 57 |
Financial Engineering & Risk Management
Financial ENG & Risk (FERM) Traditional | Hours |
FI 419 | Financial Derivatives | 3 |
FI 515 | Quantitative Investment Analys | 3 |
FI 519 | Financial Engineering | 3 |
FI 520 | Financial Risk Management | 3 |
| |
Total Hours | 57 |
Information Systems
Information Systems (IS) Traditional | Hours |
MIS 520 | Systems Analysis And Design 2 | 3 |
MIS 521 | Enterprise App Development 2 | 3 |
MIS 525 | Informatn Systems Project Mgt 2 | 3 |
| Business Analytic Support Sys | |
| Enterprise Integration Methods | |
| |
Total Hours | 57 |
Real Estate
Real Estate Traditional | Hours |
FI 534 | Seminar In Real Estate | 3 |
FI 535 | Real Estate Invest & Develpmnt | 3 |
FI 597 | Special Topics: Finance (Choose 1 FI 597 course from the list below) | 3 |
| Special Topics: Finance (Real Estate Financing) | |
| Special Topics: Finance (Real Estate Management) | |
| Special Topics: Finance (Real Estate Appraisal) | |
| Special Topics In Economics (Urban Economics) | |
| Bank Administration | |
| Personal Selling | |
| Real & Personal Property | |
| Construction Cost Estimating | |
| Constr. Accounting & Finance | |
| Property a | |
| Real Property Security a | |
| Land Use Planning a | |
| Real Estate Development a | |
| |
Total Hours | 57 |
Strategic Management
Strategic Management Traditional | Hours |
MGT 526 | Strategic Analytics | 3 |
MGT 552 | Project Mgmt & Consulting | 3 |
MGT 556 | Data Visualization | 3 |
MGT 597 | Special Topics (Data Visualization and Tableau ) | 3 |
| |
Total Hours | 57 |
Supply Chain & Operations Management
Supply Chain & Operations Management (SCOM) Traditional | Hours |
OM 517 | Supply Chain Modeling & Analys 3 | 3 |
OM 525 | Effective Quality Management | 3 |
| Operations Scheduling Problems | |
| Inventory Management | |
| Operations Scheduling Problems | |
| Inventory Management | |
| Mfg Sched & Control Systems | |
| Purchasing and Sourcing 3 | |
| Systems Simulation | |
| Strategic Analytics | |
| Advanced Marketing Analysis | |
| |
Total Hours | 57 |
Marketing
Marketing Traditional | Hours |
MKT 530 | Advanced Marketing Analysis | 3 |
| Personal Selling | |
| Sales Management | |
| Customer Relationship Mgt | |
| Intro to Digital/Social Media 4 | |
| Digital/Social Media Analytics 4 | |
| Adv Digital and Social Media 4 | |
| Capstone Project | |
| Special Topics In Marketing | |
| |
Total Hours | 57 |
STEM/CREATE MBA Curriculum Path
STEM/CREATE MBA Curriculum Path:
-
Summer 1 (online, OLM): MGT 517*, OM 500*, ST 560*
-
Undergrad Senior Year: GBA 571*, GBA 572*. Both GBA 571 & 572 must be completed before beginning the MBA program full-time
-
Summer 2 (online, OLM): AC 506*, EC 500*,IBA 550*
-
Grad Fall: FI 504*, MKT 518*, OM 516*, FAS courses (x2). Must have earned or graduated with undergraduate degree before taking courses listed here.
-
Grad Spring: GBA 525*, MGT 542*, MIS 511*, FAS courses (x2). Must have earned or graduated with undergraduate degree before taking courses listed here.
* Indicates a core course requirement
STEM/CREATE Focused Areas of Study (FAS)
For all FAS listings, FAS core courses (if any) are listed first, followed by elective course options.
- Graduate Certificates are embedded within the Cyber Security, Information Systems, Marketing, and Supply Chain & Operations Management focused areas of study. Contact your MBA Student Services academic advisor for more information on Graduate Certificate Programs (GCP).
- Consult with the designated FAS faculty or graduate advisor before FAS course selections.
Business Analytics
Business Analytics STEM/CREATE | Hours |
BAN 500 | Bus Intelligence & Data Visual | 3 |
BAN 501 | Predictive Model with Bus Appl | 3 |
MIS 501 | App Dev Data-Driven Org | 3 |
| Stat Prog & Comp with R | |
| Data Vis and Analytics in R | |
Total Hours | 51 |
Cyber Security
Cyber Security STEM/CREATE | Hours |
MIS 505 | Enterprise Network & Security 1 | 3 |
MIS 561 | Applied Cyber Security 1 | 3 |
MIS 563 | Behavioral Cyber Security 1 | 3 |
MIS 564 | Org. Security Management 1 | 3 |
MIS 566 | Intro Cybercrime & Digital For | 3 |
Total Hours | 54 |
Finance
Finance STEM/CREATE | Hours |
| Corporate Valuation | |
| Mergers & Acquisitions | |
| Financial Management | |
| Money And Capital Mkts | |
| Investments | |
| Quantitative Investment Analys | |
| Bank Administration | |
| Seminar In Real Estate | |
| Real Estate Invest & Develpmnt | |
| Special Topics: Finance | |
Total Hours | 51 |
Financial Engineering
Financial Engineering & Risk (FERM) STEM/CREATE | Hours |
FI 515 | Quantitative Investment Analys | 3 |
FI 519 | Financial Engineering | 3 |
FI 520 | Financial Risk Management | 3 |
| Mergers & Acquisitions | |
| Money And Capital Mkts | |
| Bank Administration | |
| Financial Econometrics | |
| Special Topics: Finance | |
Total Hours | 51 |
Information Systems
Information Systems (IS) STEM/CREATE | Hours |
MIS 520 | Systems Analysis And Design 2 | 3 |
MIS 521 | Enterprise App Development 2 | 3 |
MIS 525 | Informatn Systems Project Mgt 2 | 3 |
| Business Analytic Support Sys | |
| Enterprise Integration Methods | |
Total Hours | 51 |
Real Estate
Real Estate STEM/CREATE | Hours |
FI 534 | Seminar In Real Estate | 3 |
FI 535 | Real Estate Invest & Develpmnt | 3 |
FI 597 | Special Topics: Finance | 3 |
| Bank Administration | |
| Special Topics: Finance (Real Estate Financing) | |
| Special Topics: Finance (Real Estate Appraisal) | |
| Special Topics: Finance (Real Estate Management) | |
| Special Topics In Economics (Urban Econ) | |
| Effective Negotiations | |
| Personal Selling | |
| Real & Personal Property | |
| Construction Cost Estimating | |
| Constr. Accounting & Finance | |
| Property a | |
| Real Property Security a | |
| Land Use Planning a | |
| Real Estate Development a | |
Total Hours | 51 |
Strategic Management
Strategic Management STEM/CREATE | Hours |
MGT 526 | Strategic Analytics | 3 |
MGT 552 | Project Mgmt & Consulting | 3 |
MGT 556 | Data Visualization | 3 |
| Change Management | |
| Strategic HR Management | |
| Data Visualization | |
| New Venture Development | |
| Special Topics | |
| Adv. Import/Export Strategy | |
Total Hours | 51 |
Supply Chain & Operations Management
Supply Chain & Operations Management (SCOM) STEM/CREATE | Hours |
OM 517 | Supply Chain Modeling & Analys 3 | 3 |
| Operations Scheduling Problems | |
| Inventory Management | |
| Operations Scheduling Problems | |
| Inventory Management | |
| Mfg Sched & Control Systems | |
| Effective Quality Management | |
| Purchasing and Sourcing 3 | |
| Systems Simulation | |
| Strategic Analytics | |
| Advanced Marketing Analysis | |
Total Hours | 51 |
Marketing
Marketing STEM/CREATE | Hours |
MKT 530 | Advanced Marketing Analysis | 3 |
| Personal Selling | |
| Sales Management | |
| Customer Relationship Mgt | |
| Intro to Digital/Social Media 4 | |
| Digital/Social Media Analytics 4 | |
| Adv Digital and Social Media 4 | |
| Capstone Project | |
| Special Topics In Marketing | |
Total Hours | 51 |
Transfer Credit
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Time Limits for Degree Completion Requirements
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Academic Misconduct Information
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Withdrawals and Leave of Absence Information
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Academic Grievances Information
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Grades and Academic Standing
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Graduate School Deadlines Information
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Application for Graduation Information
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