Business Administration with a Specialization in Financial Planning (MBA) - Accelerated Online Program

Overview

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is accredited by AACSB International. The MBA)program provides students with advanced study in a multicultural business environment with the goal of enhancing their business and administrative careers. Specifically, the program is designed to meet the career needs of those who:

  • Wish to enhance their professional opportunities in executive or administrative positions in business, industry, government and service industries.
  • Seek to broaden their knowledge in the functional business areas to increase the effectiveness and self-assurance in their management abilities.
  • Are initiating their own business or business career.
  • Are preparing to seek admission to a doctoral program.

This program is accelerated and is 100% online. Students are not allowed to alternate enrollment in accelerated and traditional program courses.

Scope

The MBA degree is a broad-based 36-hour program designed to empower students with management and analytical decision-making skills needed to function in a changing business environment. The program may be completed within 12 calendar months. Program courses are scheduled to be fully completed online asynchronously thus providing students with the flexibility of time and place.
The MBA program is open to students who have a bachelor's degree in any discipline. However, MBA foundation courses or their equivalents must be taken prior to enrolling in core courses requiring those foundation courses as prerequisites.
The MBA with a Financial Planning specialization allows students to select three electives in financial planning. The specialization in Financial Planning supports students seeking to to take the next step in their career at a brokerage house, trust company, insurance business, or private advising business. This MBA with a specialization in Financial Planning program provides you with a solid business base, as well as the knowledge to deliver sound professional advice in the areas of personal wealth management, retirement, estate, insurance and tax planning.

Coursework includes:

  • Financial planning fundamentals such as time value of money, cash and debt management, and education planning.
  • Wealth management including investment portfolio design, fund selection and evaluation.
  • Retirement plans and planning from both the employer/employee and individual settings.
  • Advanced communication skills and peer networking.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the graduate program in business administration, prospective candidates must first meet all requirements for graduate admission to UT Rio Grande Valley, as well as the other requirements listed below:

  1. Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a recognized international equivalent with a minimum of 3.0 GPA in the last 60 semester hours or a minimum of 3.0 GPA in the UTRGV Pre-MBA Graduate Certificate with no C grade.  
  2. Applicants with a GPA less than 3.00 will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
  3. Official transcripts from each institution attended (must be submitted directly to UTRGV).
  4. Respond to 5 short answer questions provided on application to demonstrate writing competency and communication skills.

Application for admission must be submitted prior to the published deadline. The application is available at www.utrgv.edu/gradapply.

Academic Standing

Three C Rule

A student who earns three C’s in the MBA Program will be placed on suspension and is ineligible to continue. The student may appeal the suspension to the MBA Committee.

"F" Rule

A student who receives a grade of F will be automatically dismissed from the MBA Program. The student may appeal the dismissal from the MBA Program to the MBA Committee

Program Requirements

Leveling Courses - 9 Hours

All students entering the MBA Program can comply with the Leveling Courses requirement by completing equivalent undergraduate coursework with a grade of B or higher. Students without the required background must complete the following courses as applicable:

ACCT 6301Accounting for Managers

3

FINA 6303Introduction to Finance

3

QUMT 6303Statistical Foundations

3

Required Courses - 27 Hours

ACCT 6320Accounting and Financial Analysis

3

ECON 6350Managerial Economics

3

FINA 6340Advanced Corporate Finance

3

INFS 6330Information Systems for Managers

3

MARK 6310Marketing Strategy

3

MGMT 6330Organizational Behavior

3

MGMT 6360Operations Management

3

MGMT 6390Strategic Management

3

QUMT 6310Business Research

3

Specialization Courses - 9 Hours

Choose three from the following:

FINA 6345Contemporary Issues in Global Financial Markets

3

FINA 6351Fundamentals of Financial Planning

3

FINA 6353Retirement Planning

3

FINA 6355Wealth Management

3

FINA 6359Capstone in Financial Planning

3

Total Credit Hours: 36