Charlton College of Business

Graduate Faculty and Fields of Interest

Anderson, Michael H Associate Professor of Finance, PhD 1990 Indiana University. Specialization: Corporate finance, financial institutions.

Braha, Daniel Professor of Operations Management, PhD 1996 Tel-Aviv University. Specialization: Operations research.

Curran, Catharine Associate Professor of Marketing, PhD 2000 New Mexico State University. Specializations:Promotional strategy, advertising.

Forker, Laura Professor of Operations Management, PhD 1993 Arizona State University. Specialization: Operations.

Kowalski, Kellyann B Associate Professor of Management, PhD 1997 University of Rhode Island. Specialization: Management.

Nguyen, Duong Associate Professor of Finance, PhD Florida International University.

Papenhausen, Chris Associate Professor of Management, PhD 2003 University of Minnesota. Specializations: Managerial and decision organization, equity analysis.

Parayitam, Satya Associate Professor of Management, PhD Oklahoma State University.

Rai, Bharatendra Associate Professor of Production and Operations Management, PhD Wayne State University.

Shea, Timothy Associate Professor of Management Information Systems, DBA 1994 Boston University. Specializations: Marketing, management information systems.

Shi, Zhengzhong Associate Professor of Management Information Systems, PhD 2001 University of Toledo. Specializations: Information systems, networking.

Sibdari, Sohiel Associate Professor of Management, PhD 2005 Virginia Technological Institute. Specializations: Stochastic modeling, dynamic pricing, game theory, logistics.

Vasudevan, Gopala Professor of Finance, PhD 1994 New York University. Specializations: Corporate finance, mergers, executive compensation, capital markets.

Wang, Shuhong Professor of Management Information Systems, PhD 1990 McMaster University, Ontario. Specializations: Information systems, systems analysis and design, and artificial intelligence.

White, D Steven Professor of International Business, DBA 1996 Cleveland State University. Specializations: International marketing and international business.

Wu, Jia Associate Professor in Accounting, PhD 2005 Rutgers University. Specialization: Accounting.

Master of Business Administration

The UMass Dartmouth MBA program is AACSB-accredited, the highest international accreditation standard for schools of business.

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program provides students with advanced preparation in Management, enabling them to participate as educated professionals in society and the business environment and compete in a dynamic global economy. The MBA program has the following objectives:

To assist students in understanding, critically evaluating, and contributing to a wide range of business issues needed to effectively manage change in a globally interdependent, diverse world.

To enhance the interpersonal communication and analysis/synthesis skills of our students so that they may work effectively as managers and leaders.

To assist students in developing the necessary knowledge and skills in accounting, finance, marketing, information systems and operations necessary to work effectively as managers and leaders in today’s organizations.

To help students recognize and evaluate the ethical implications of their actions and to act as socially responsible business professionals.

To encourage and reward students’ willingness and ability to think and analyze issues in ways that cross traditional functional boundaries.

The MBA curriculum is designed to develop knowledge of the functions and techniques of management and to blend an understanding of the social, technological, economic, and political environments in which organizations operate. It provides the student with both a strong foundation in the key disciplines of business and an integrative view of how those areas interact. A key objective of the program is to provide a rich opportunity to specialize in an area of particular interest to the student. This capability provides the foundation for successful mid- and senior-level management positions.

MBA Learning Outcomes

On completion of the program, students are expected to have mastered each of the following learning goals:

Global Business: Students must demonstrate an understanding of the problems, potential, realities, and constraints of doing business in an interconnected, global world. They also must recognize and critically analyze the role of the economic, as well as the political, and cultural domains in global business.
Ethics/social responsibility: Students must demonstrate an ability to think critically about ethical issues, to analyze and evaluate situations from opposing ethical perspectives, and to understand social responsibility as an ethical or ideological theory that corporations and organizations have a responsibility to society.
Written Communications: Students must demonstrate the technical skills and craftsmanship needed to develop professionally written business communication that present useful, accurate information, elicit audience interest, effectively convey the intended message, and demonstrate competence in the use of the English language.
Oral Communications: Students must demonstrate informal speaking skills that effectively transmit their own needs without encouraging defensive response. They must also demonstrate the technical skills and craftsmanship needed to make formal presentations present accurate information, elicit audience interest and understanding of the intended message, and show they have competence in the use of the English language.
Problem-Solving/Rational, Analytical Thinking: Students must demonstrate the ability to think systematically and logically, to use analysis, interpretation, evaluation, inference, and explanation to examine reasons and evidence for sound objective decisions and in resolving complex, ill-structured problems.
Information Literacy/Technology: Students must demonstrate the ability to search for, analyze, and identify useful and accurate information, and to effectively use such information for an intended purpose. Students must also provide evidence that they understand the effect of technology on business and are competent in the use state-of-the-art business software applications, including web-based applications and programs for business success.
Management of a Business Enterprise: Students must demonstrate their fundamental knowledge of each of the functional domains of the business enterprises, understand the interdependency existing among them, and analyze business strategies that leverage the competencies of each.

The Master of Business Administration program is designed for students with diverse undergraduate backgrounds. It is suitable for students with non-business undergraduate degrees as well as for those with undergraduate degrees in business. Current MBA students have undergraduate degrees in business and other fields such as engineering, computer science, and liberal arts. Depending on background or experience, these students may waive portions of their required foundation courses to permit both program success and timely progress through the program.

The program is designed with the flexibility needed for full-time or part-time students. Students may take as few as one or as many as five courses per semester. Depending on prior preparation and pace of study, the program may be completed in one to five years. Classes are offered in the evening and in the afternoon Monday through Thursday. Part-time and full-time students attend the same classes, resulting in a stimulating mixture of part-time mid-career professionals from the region and full-time students drawn from world wide.

MBA ePortfolio Program

All MBA students will develop and maintain an ePortfolio. The ePortfolio is an electronic space in which students store and assess their work as they complete it. The ePortfolio approach offers students the opportunity to reflect on how course assignments throughout the program contribute to their mastery of Charlton MBA learning goals. It also provides a holistic understanding of the interrelationships among the various functional areas. Students receive feedback from their instructors on the material they have submitted to the ePortfolio, and the complete ePortfolio is assessed by a faculty committee upon completion of the program. The ePortfolio can be shared with potential employers or anyone else the student chooses, and students can continue to maintain their ePortfolio after graduation for their own use. More information regarding the ePortfolio can be found at:

http://www.umassd.edu/charlton/programs/graduate/eportfolio/

MBA Admission Requirements

Admission to the MBA program is available to qualified individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education. Applicants must submit the required application materials to the Graduate School with two letters of recommendation, the GMAT or an equivalent test and a resume. Applications are reviewed by the MBA Program Coordinator, who considers the following criteria:

Previous College Experience. An official transcript from all institutions of higher education ever attended is required. The transcript must show dates attended, final grades, and credits earned. Applicants who attended a college/university outside the United States must have their official transcript translated into English, by a credit evaluation service, showing final GPA scores.
GMAT exam (or equivalent). During the last academic year the average GMAT score of our students was 510.
Two letters of recommendation (preferably one from a faculty member and one from an employer).
An essay of 200 -300 words describing the applicant’s motivation and goals.
Employment experience/resume.
An essay of 200-300 words describing the applicants motivation and goals. A Current Resume. TOEFL Exam: Candidates whose native language is not English must submit the TOEFL Exam (minimum score of 200 computer based or 533 paper based).

Financial Assistance

A limited number of graduate assistantships are available. They can be awarded based on outstanding achievement to students who enroll in three or more courses per semester during the academic year. A full-time graduate assistantship includes waiver of tuition, a partial waiver of fees, and an annual stipend. Full-time in-residence students may receive teaching, research, or general graduate assistantships. Part-time assistantships are also awarded. Other assistance, such as loans or work study, may be available as well. Consult the chapter on “Expenses and Financial Assistance.”

Three Modes of Delivery

Alternative delivery methods are available for a number of MBA courses. These include traditional face-to-face format, a hybrid format with face-to-face and online delivery, and a fully online format (for students admitted to the online track). For more information, please contact the Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies at the Charlton College of Business (508-999-8543).

Graduate Program Alternative Formats

Full-time MBA

Core courses and electives are offered such that students can complete their degree or certificate program on a fulltime basis in as little as 3 semesters, depending on their prior education and experience. Full-time in-residence students may receive teaching, research, or general graduate assistantships. Resident international students are classified as full-time students.

Part-time MBA

Students may enroll in the MBA program on a part-time basis if it better meets their professional needs. Part time students are not eligible for assistantships and they cannot study full-time unless they notify the registrar of their change in status.

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

The Post-Baccalaureate Business Foundations Certificate

The Post-Baccalaureate Business Foundations Certificate Program is delivered through the University Extension (formerly the Division of Professional and Continuing Education) and students enroll through this program. These students take the MBA foundation and one additional course.

The Post-Baccalaureate Accounting Certificate

This is a one-year (30-credit) certificate program designed for those already holding a baccalaureate degree to continue their education and achieve their career goals with a solid foundation in accounting. The program accepts students with baccalaureate degrees in any field. There are two accounting certificate tracks depending on the applicants’ undergraduate major. For those with degrees in a non-business major, the program will provide an intensive introduction to the accounting discipline. It is appropriate for individuals with current or expected future responsibilities in a managerial position to acquire the accounting skills essential for career advancement. Those employed in the engineering, legal, or medical professions with career goals towards management may find an accounting certificate particularly helpful.

For those holding a baccalaureate degree in a business major, there is an opportunity to acquire the credentials for a career in accounting by taking advanced courses in addition to obtaining a solid foundation in the discipline. Completion of this track in the certificate program qualifies a graduate to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam in the State of Massachusetts as well as in many other states that have recently instituted the 150 hour credit requirement. The 30 credits earned in the certificate program can be used in conjunction with the 120 credits awarded in the standard undergraduate degree program to satisfy the requirements. The curriculum covered in the program is also excellent preparation for taking the examination of the designation as a Certified Management Accountant (CMA).

Entrance to the Programs

Applicants apply for acceptance to the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Programs through the Graduate Studies Office. Applicants follow the procedures for acceptance into the MBA, but in a curtailed form. They fill out the same application form as do MBA applicants and supply an essay and official transcripts of their college, a resume, and other graduate degrees; however, they are not required to submit GMAT scores or recommendation letters.

The programs are compatible with our MBA degree requirements, enabling certificate recipients to transition into the MBA program. Certificate recipients who wish to apply for admission to the MBA program must follow the application requirements. When admitted to the MBA program, graduate courses completed as part of the certificate program within the last five years shall be counted toward the MBA degree with the approval of the MBA director.

Contacts

Dean’s Office
Charlton College of Business
508 999-8423
508 999-8776 (Fax)

Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies
Charlton College of Business
508 999-8543
508 999-8776 (Fax)

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
285 Old Westport Road
North Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300