The curriculum
The MBA program allows students to complete the program at their own pace. Taking one course per semester allows you to finish the degree in 33 months, or, if you prefer, take two classes per semester and finish in 18-21 months. Accommodating the busy schedules of working professionals, the flexible design of the Elon MBA also allows for semesters off. You decide your own timetable. Students may take up to six years to complete the program.
And with the opening of classes in the Solution Center in RTP, students will have even great flexibility about course options and locations.
Accounting and Finance Preparation
The MBA program requires that all students demonstrate adequate preparation in accounting and finance prior to enrolling in the core MBA accounting and finance courses. Satisfaction of this requirement can be demonstrated in one of two ways:
One example could be evidence of prior undergraduate coursework in accounting and/or finance. To be acceptable, such coursework should have been completed within five years of entering the MBA program. Students with prior coursework must also pass qualifying exams in accounting or finance.
Students also can successfully complete foundation classes, usually taken at the undergraduate level, in accounting and/or finance. Such foundation classes can be taken at Elon or at some other approved institution. Approval must be granted by the MBA program.
Graduate Courses
Two Required Non-Credit Workshops
Core Courses (27 credits)
Organizational systems requirement (select from one of the following three courses: (3 sh)
Elective Courses (3 courses) (9 credits)
Students can choose any three elective courses from the group below OR three elective courses from a specific concentration.
Concentrations:
Entrepreneurship
Marketing
Human Resources
Organizational/Analytics
Corporate Communications
| COM 512 | Organizational Communications | 3 |
| COM 522 | Reputation Management | 3 |
| COM 532 | Corporate Presentation and Writing | 3 |
| COM 542 | Global and Intercultural Communications | 3 |
Other classes that can be taken as electives:
Any of the three Organizational Systems classes (MBA 561; MBA 565; MBA 568) can be taken as electives; the first class you take counts towards your core requirement, but the other(s) may be taken for elective credit.
The study abroad (MBA 581-IS) can be taken as an elective if you’ve already taken the in-class International Business class (MBA 581). You may also take two study abroads, with the first counting as your core requirement and the second for elective credit. Note: You cannot, however, take the study abroad for your core requirement and then take the in-class option for an elective.
Class schedule and course load
The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business schedules classes to allow MBA students who are working full-time to attend graduate school part-time. All courses are taught year round in the evenings at both Elon and RTP.
During the fall, winter and spring semesters, classes are scheduled Monday – Wednesday from 6 – 9 p.m. Thursday evenings are set aside for guest speakers, special events and student group activities. Each class meets one evening per week for 10 weeks (fall, winter and spring). Each class will include approximately 45 minutes of additional instruction outside of class time (for example, an online component). Many students enroll in two courses each semester and attend classes two nights a week.
Two 5-week semesters are also offered each summer. During these summer semesters, classes are taught two nights per week, Monday and Thursday. Both core and elective classes are offered in the summer. Summer classes will also be offered at the RTP-Solution Center location.
Program learning objectives
The goal of the Elon MBA program is to provide instruction and experiences for students so they graduate with the knowledge, skills and character essential for responsible business leadership in the 21st Century.
The Elon MBA program will provide students with the opportunity to:
- Acquire knowledge and understanding of the concepts that can assist managers effectively and measure and analyze business performance.
- Acquire an understanding of the ethical implications of business decisions as they impact their organization, their community and the society at large.
- Acquire the ability to communicate effectively.
- Acquire knowledge and understanding of the concepts that will enable them to assist their organizations and achieve and maintain competitive positions in the global economy.
Acquire knowledge and understanding of leadership concepts that can enable them to become effective leaders in their places of work, their communities and in the development of their careers.
The faculty of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business have a well-earned reputation for their enthusiasm in bringing their knowledge and experience to the classroom. They have earned postgraduate degrees from some of the finest business schools in the country. They have varied executive experience with large and small, well- established and entrepreneurial firms, and manufacturing, service, scientific and financial organizations. Therefore, they bring to the classroom a mixture of practical and theoretical experience and training, assuring their students an exposure to many viewpoints and many methods of approaching business problems.
The business school faculty are theorists, practitioners and teachers. They are engaged in research and actively consult with business and industrial firms. All, however, put teaching and serving the students first. Research and consulting are pursued to improve effectiveness in the classroom, not as ends in themselves.
Elon’s classes are small and faculty members are accessible. This atmosphere of personal attention, combined with dedication to teaching and reasonable cost, sets the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business MBA program apart from others.
Costs
Reasonable cost is one of the major benefits of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business MBA. Tuition is priced well within the reach of today’s professionals. Many companies, recognizing advanced education as an investment, will pay all or part of an employee’s expense.
In addition, Elon offers a deferred payment plan for fall, winter and spring semesters, and loans are available. (Please see Forms of Financial Assistance for Graduate Students in the front section of this catalog.)
| Graduate tuition (per credit) |
$827 |
| Miscellaneous: |
|
| Late payment |
$30 |
| Late registration/re-enrollment during term |
$25 |
| Payment plan fee |
$10 |
| Returned check fine |
$25 |
| Transcripts |
$8 |
| Auditing (per course) |
$270 |
Grades, diplomas and transcripts will be withheld until a student’s financial obligations to the university are settled.
A student cannot register for further coursework until financial obligations to the university are paid.
Refunds
Fall, winter and spring terms
Tuition and fees are refunded on a pro rata basis during the first six weeks of the semester. Any part of a week will be considered as a full week for all pro rata charges.
| 1st week pro rata charge |
5% |
| 2nd week pro rata charge |
20% |
| 3rd week pro rata charge |
40% |
| 4th week pro rata charge |
60% |
| 5th week pro rata charge |
75% |
| 6th week |
no refund |
Summer Sessions
In the summer sessions, enrollment dropped by 4 p.m. on the days listed below will warrant the corresponding refund:
| 1st day of class |
100% |
| 2nd day of class |
90% |
| 3rd day of class |
50% |
| 4th, 5th, 6th day of class |
25% |
| 7th day of class |
no refund |