Executive Master of Business Administration

Program Design & Structure

This fully-online graduate program consists of 10 graduate-level courses totaling 30 credit hours. The MBA program allows individuals to take one 5-week course at a time in a consecutive one-year format or over one or more years, depending on the needs of each student. Students may enroll in the program at 10 entry points throughout the year or at the start of any one of the 10 course offerings.

Program Objectives for the Executive MBA

1. To prepare one for advancement in a wide range of positions requiring graduate business education.
2. To enhance one’s knowledge and skills for management functions.
3. To develop an understanding of and an appreciation for statistical and quantitative reasoning.
4. To enhance one’s knowledge of current managerial practices and trends.
5. To augment one’s skills in critical thinking and decision making for strategically positioning the institution or organization.
6. To prepare managers to be cognizant of economic conditions in the operations of business organizations.
7. To acclimate students to the role of accounting in budgeting and decision making.
8. To create an awareness of international business practices and related issues.

Admission to the Executive Master of Business Administration Program

Prospective students who wish to enroll in the Executive Master of Business Administration program must meet the following admission requirements:

1. A completed graduate application
2. A Bachelor’s degree from an institutionally accredited university with a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
3. A resume which includes both education and work experience.
4. Official transcripts from all institutions attended must be submitted. Official (unopened) transcripts must be received. Hand-delivered copies, photocopies, and printouts of grade reports are not acceptable.

Any exceptions to the admissions criteria above are considered by the MBA program staff and the administration of the Harris College of Business & Executive Education.

Disenrollment and/or Administrative/Academic Withdrawal

Administrative and/or academic withdrawal

Administrative and/or academic withdrawal can be initiated by the Graduate Enrollment office, the MBA Department, the College of Business, Student Accounts, or the Registrar’s Office as a consequence of a variety of issues. Examples include behavioral misconduct, lack of academic performance, low GPA, academic performance that does not exhibit progress toward successful continuation of graduate study, exceeding the limit of two grades of “C” or lower within the program, lack of official transcripts, or any other reason that leads to an incomplete file, Financial Aid, or Student Accounts issues, etc. The list above is not exhaustive and only intended to illustrate certain scenarios.

Re-enrollment

All requirements of the Executive Master of Business Administration degree must be completed within five (5) years of the initial enrollment to the program. Prior to re-enrollment, students who withdraw from the program must satisfy the requirements based on the current curriculum/catalog.

Re-enrollment into the graduate program after a voluntary or involuntary withdrawal for any reason, including but not limited to, academic deficits pertaining to grade point average, withdrawal from the program, either voluntary or involuntary, poor academic performance with grades of C’s, D’s or F’s, or any other reason leading to an inability to complete the program within the proper academic sequence, is strictly handled on a case-by-case basis. Some cases/circumstances will need to be reviewed by the MBA program staff and the administration of the Harris College of Business & Executive Education before a decision can be made. The reviewers fully reserve the right to deny re-enrollment.

In addition to the factors mentioned above, the MBA program staff and the administration of the Harris College of Business & Executive Education may, at their discretion, consider factors including, but not limited to the following:

The academic standing of the student as reflected by GPA and overall performance.

The motivation of the student as determined by class presence (number and pattern of absences), and timely submission of assignments and class participation.

Maturity, attitude, disposition, and demeanor exhibited with faculty and staff of the MBA program.

The length of time from last enrollment in the program (within four years). If it has been more than one year since last enrollment, the student may be asked to re-apply to the program to ensure the most current information is on file.

Previous academic probation and/or disenrollment.

Re-taking Courses

In the event that a student retakes a course, the course must be completed at Faulkner under the Executive MBA degree plan. Outside credit is not accepted in lieu of the specific Executive MBA program courses.

Course retakes are handled on a strictly case-by-case basis. Reasons for retakes may include academic deficits pertaining to grade point average, poor academic performance with grades of C’s, D’s or F’s, or any other reason leading to an inability to complete the program within the proper academic sequence. Approval for retakes will only be considered for courses in which a student earned a grade of C or lower. The MBA program staff, in consultation with the administration of the Harris College of Business & Executive Education, fully reserves the right to deny retakes.

Financial aid policies and awards may not cover retaking Executive MBA courses. Students are advised to contact the Financial Aid Office regarding funding guidelines.

Dual Enrollment

Due to the nature of an executive program and its workload, the Executive MBA administration does not authorize students to engage in multiple programs or enroll in additional classes while attending the Executive MBA program. This includes additional Executive MBA classes, such as retakes.

Withdrawal Policy

A request to withdraw from an MBA course must be made and/or confirmed by the student. A withdrawal form must be completed and submitted through the Executive MBA Director’s office by any student choosing to withdraw. No student is officially withdrawn from class or school until this form has been cleared by the Registrar’s Office, Financial Aid Office, Student Accounts Office and, as applicable, Veteran’s Affairs office.

The importance of following withdrawal procedures must be stressed. Inattention to proper procedures may result in the student receiving an “F” for the course(s) and being charged for the entire course(s).

Students Contemplating Graduate or Transfer work, Additional Discipline Specific Study, Licensure or Specialized Certification

All students contemplating graduate or transfer work must consult with the educational institution at which such graduate work is to be undertaken or to which such work is to be transferred; the same is true for students seeking to undertake additional discipline specific study at Faulkner or another educational institution. Different institutions have different requirements and it is the sole responsibility of the students to ensure that their specific course work at Faulkner will be accepted for transfer or as an appropriate foundation for entry into graduate study or as an appropriate basis for further discipline specific study.

Students seeking licensure or specialized certification must consult in advance with the organization awarding such licensure or certification to ensure that their specific course work at Faulkner will be accepted in satisfaction of the organization’s requirements.

Attendance Policy for the Executive Master of Business Administration

Regular online participation is expected of all students and is essential for academic development. Class interaction through activities such as discussion board threads and individual participation are such vital parts of the course objectives that lack of participation negates the value of the course. An education, being more than just the gathering of facts and skills, includes the development of attitudes, appreciations, and understandings which are experienced within the class environment, be it online or otherwise.

Attendance in Online Courses

The following policies and procedures are to be followed in regard to online courses:

1. Each online course will be divided into five sessions that correspond with the Executive MBA 5- week calendar. Please note that each individual professor may have specific deadlines within each session.
2. At the close of each scheduled Executive MBA online session, the professor will review student participation and monitor attendance. The professor will determine whether or not the student has completed assigned tasks for that session and then mark the student as either present or absent for that session.
3. Students are required to regularly participate in all scheduled online activities, assignments, exams, etc. as specified in the course syllabus and/or on the Learning Management System. Partial or insufficient completion of a task is unacceptable and may be counted as an absence at the discretion of the professor.

Due to course format in the 5-week schedule, lack of attendance could result in being removed from the course or program. Class attendance is mandatory and grades are based on actual performance.

Participation and performance are an integral part of success in the Executive MBA program.

Academic Issues

Academic Appeal

If a student has reason to question the decision of an instructor with regard to course content or to a grade received, the student should follow the below protocol. A written appeal must be made within six (6) weeks of the completion of the course in question.

The academic appeal process generally takes four (4) weeks.

1. The appeal is first made to the instructor of the course.
2. If the student has further concerns, he/she may appeal (in writing) to the Program Director. The Director will investigate the student’s concerns and respond.
3. If further appeal is required, the appeal should be made to the Dean of the College of Business & Executive Education.

Only after steps 1-3 have been completed, if the student so desires, the appeal can next be taken to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Please be informed that the Vice President of Academic Affairs represents the final academic appeal for Faulkner University. Students not following the above protocol will be deemed as not abiding by the guidelines of their academic program at Faulkner University.

Students contacting any other external (outside of Faulkner University) person, agency, or institution will also be deemed to be in noncompliance with the guidelines of the academic program at Faulkner University.

Action taken may include, but not be limited to, withdrawal from the program, dismissal, probation, suspension, or any other action as deemed necessary by the administration of Faulkner University.

Academic Misconduct and Inappropriate Behavior

Academic misconduct includes but is not limited to plagiarism (including AI-generated content), falsification on tests or assignments, attempting to take credit for another’s work, and abuse or inappropriate behavior toward an instructor, student, staff member, or administrator. Inappropriate behavior includes disrespect for an instructor/administrator’s authority, calling members of the administration at home with complaints, or any non-professional behavior during an academic session. Aggressive and/or offensive communications with instructors, staff, administrators, and/or fellow students will not be tolerated.

Faulkner University reserves the right to disenroll a student at any time for any academic or behavior-related cause as deemed necessary by the Academic Division or Administration of Faulkner University.

Depending upon the circumstances and if applicable, a tuition refund for that term may not be granted.

For a more complete description of the MBA Program policies, please refer to the program handbook.

Consultation with Administration

The Dean of the College of Business is the Chief Academic Officer of the College of Business. Faulkner University is striving to make your year in the Executive MBA program productive, pleasant, and free from problems or frustrations. Occasionally, however, situations arise in which the student feels the need to have an individual consultation with the Program Director or the Dean of the College of Business. In these situations, we request that you call and schedule an appointment. An appointment ensures that you will receive personal and uninterrupted attention. Please be assured that these individuals are anxious to serve you and will meet with you at the earliest possible time. However, please do not call the administration at home as such calls constitute inappropriate behavior.

Transferability of Executive MBA Credits or Applicability to Doctoral Programs

Faulkner University’s graduate programs in Business are offered in the format of an executive education program. Because of the diversity in post-graduate or doctoral programs (numerous programs across the nation and in various fields within the broad area of business, related to business, or outside of business) and the variety of entrance competencies required for entry, it is not feasible for the University to advise students as to whether their programs of study at Faulkner will satisfy the prerequisites of other studies at other universities. Thus, the student contemplating transfer, post-graduate or doctoral work at another institution bears the sole responsibility for ensuring that the work done at Faulkner will satisfy program requirements at a different university.

Graduation Requirements

Successful completion of all coursework and a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. A maximum of two grades of “C” and no grade lower than a “C” in the entire program of study will be allowed. All financial accounts must also be cleared by the Student Accounts office in order to receive a diploma. More information can be found in the program’s student handbook.

Curriculum

Total Hours - 30