MBA Degrees Online

Of the total required credit hours, 48 must be satisfactorily completed in business courses. Of these 48, a general business core comprising 39 credit hours is common to all business students. In addition to this general business core (which includes the three zero-credit workshops mentioned above), the student must complete 9 additional credit hours of business electives 9 in one of the following concentration areas: accounting, finance, management, marketing and business information and decision systems. All courses qualifying as business electives must be offered by OSB. Students who do not opt for a concentration must complete the 39 core credit hours, in addition to 9 credit hours in free business electives.

A student may also choose a second concentration by taking for 9 additional credit hours. Thus a student who joined the University as a sophomore would then graduate with a minimum of 99 credit hours, rather than the normal 90, while a student who joined the University at the freshman level would then graduate with a minimum of 129 credit hours, rather than the normal 120. A business student who chooses to pursue two concentrations may not use one (or the same) business elective to fulfill both concentration requirements (i.e., the student must complete two disjoint sets, one for each concentration; each comprising a total of 9 credit hours). A BBA student is allowed to graduate with a maximum of two concentrations, and the student must declare concentration(s) (or lack thereof) no later than the end of the junior year.

The undergraduate program, leading to a BBA degree, requires students to complete 120 credit hours for those beginning at the freshman level and 90 credit hours for those joining the University as sophomores. Of the total required credit hours, the BBA program requires that 48 credit hours be satisfactorily completed in business courses, with the remainder allocated to liberal arts/non-business courses. In addition and as a condition for graduation, all students are required to complete successfully a one-credit internship program and three zero-credit pass/fail workshops designed to enhance their soft skills.

The School of Business and Management at American University of Sharjah strives to provide high-quality, American-style business education. The school serves the needs of students throughout the region by offering programs that provide local and global perspectives, promote critical thinking and develop effective communication skills.

As a part of this mission, the faculty members engage in applied, integrative and pedagogical scholarship. Today’s effective business professional must have competence in many disciplines, an understanding of a variety of relationships and the ability to analyze evolving business, economic and governmental trends.

Regardless of the specialty area, School of Business and Management students must be effective leaders who can organize and motivate groups to serve the goals of their organizations. Effectively adapting business practices to emerging conditions, such as the accelerating growth of technology, communications and the internationalization of the business world, demands a thorough grasp of current business and economic processes, theory and applications.

Through its pedagogy, the School of Business and Management:
Prepares individuals to identify, analyze and understand the interrelationships among business organizations and international, governmental and domestic institutions in the Emirates, the Gulf States and throughout the world
Develops individuals who can ethically lead organizations toward economic success and social and environmental responsibility in the global marketplace of the 21st century
Prepares individuals to integrate information resources and technology to enable them to anticipate and manage change
Advances students’ knowledge of issues and practices affecting business organizations, international and domestic institutions, and governments
Develops an awareness of societal and environmental needs and concerns as they relate to ethical, professional and socially responsible business practices

Furthermore, the School of Business and Management provides its students with a solid core business education that emphasizes the following teaching methodologies:
Utilizing the latest American business methods, techniques and technologies to provide cutting-edge business education
Integrating multidisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning, utilizing the latest business and economic theories coupled with real-world business data analysis and presentations
Integrating multimedia and computer based instruction throughout the foundation business curriculum to assist students in learning the latest techniques in business and management

Through this program, students are prepared for careers in management and leadership positions in both the private and public sectors. Students will acquire a comprehensive foundation in the fundamentals of business in the global environment in which they function. They will also learn the skills and analytical tools for effective communicating and decision making. AUS faculty worked in close cooperation with American University, Washington, DC, to design the program. Individual participation is emphasized through class discussions, case study methodology, and interaction and cooperation with other students in the class. Graduates of the MBA program are prepared to identify, analyze and understand the interrelationships among business organizations and international and domestic institutions in the UAE and throughout the world. Students also develop an awareness of societal and environmental needs and concerns as they relate to ethical, professional and socially responsible business practices.

Students are responsible for fulfilling university and school requirements following a prescribed sequence. Students work closely with their academic advisor in Kogod and their faculty advisor in the Department of Language and Foreign Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences to ensure appropriate course sequencing. However, it is the student’s responsibility to consult course descriptions to identify course prerequisites and when courses are offered.

General Requirements (17 credit hours)

Students must complete the following courses with a grade of C or better:
ANTH-225 Language and Human Experience (3)
ECON-100 Macroeconomics (3)
ECON-200 Microeconomics (3)
MATH-211 Applied Calculus I (4)
or
MATH 221 Calculus I (4)
STAT-202 Basic Statistics (4)

Business Core Courses (33 credit hours)
ACCT-240 Principles of Financial Accounting (3)
ACCT-241 Principles of Managerial Accounting (AT) (3)
FIN-365 Business Finance (AT) (3)
IBUS-300 Fundamentals of International Business (C/W) (3)
ITEC-200 The Edge of Information Technology (AT) (3)
ITEC-355 Production/Operations Management (AT/C) (3)
KSB-100 Business 1.0 (3) (students not taking KSB-100 in their freshman year take a 300- or 400-level course in its place)
MGMT-201 Global Corporate Citizenship (O) (3)
MGMT-353 Principles of Organizational Theory, Behavior and Management (T) (3)
MGMT-458 Business Policy and Strategy (C/O/T/W) (3)
MKTG-300 Principles of Marketing (W) (3)

AT = analytical tool emphasis; provides a strong foundation in business analytical software

C = case analysis emphasis; provides growth opportunities for students to evaluate cases

O = oral communication emphasis; assists in the development of oral presentation skills

T = teamwork emphasis; focuses on teamwork and the importance of interpersonal relationships and communication

W = written communication emphasis; develops business writing skills, written assignments account for a significant part of the course grade

Language Core Requirements (32 credit hours)
24 credit hours in the major language (French, German, Russian, or Spanish) at the 300 level or above
At least 6 credits taken at AU or abroad must be business topics in the foreign language (all business courses in a language must be taken at an AACSB institution or Kogod approved institution).
At least 12 credits must be taken abroad in the foreign language

French
FREN-322 Advanced French I (3) (may be replaced by other 300- or 500-level courses if warranted by language proficiency)
FREN-323 Advanced French II (3) (may be replaced by other 300- or 500-level courses if warranted by language proficiency)
FREN-324 Civilisation Francaise I (3)
FREN-325 Civilisation Francaise II (3)
Remaining credit hours at the 300 level or above in French studies

German
GERM-332 German Conversation and Composition I (3) (may be replaced by other 300- or 400-level courses if warranted by language proficiency)
GERM-333 German Conversation and Composition II (3) (may be replaced by other 300- or 400-level courses if warranted by language proficiency)
GERM-438 German Civilization I (3)
GERM-439 German Civilization II (3)
Remaining credit hours at the 300-400-level independent study projects, internships, and topic courses in German studies

Russian
RUSS-342 Russian Conversation and Composition I (3)
RUSS-343 Russian Conversation and Composition II (3)
RUSS-441 Russian Media and Political Translation (3)
Remaining credit hours at the 300-400-level independent study projects, internships, and topic courses in Russian studies

Spanish
SPAN-352 Spanish Conversation and Composition I (3) (may be replaced by other 300- or 400- level courses if warranted by language proficiency)
SPAN-353 Spanish Conversation and Composition II (3) (may be replaced by other 300- or 400- level courses if warranted by language proficiency)
SPAN-357 Introduction to Latin American Literature (3)
SPAN-450 Spanish Civilization I: Spain (3)
SPAN-491 Internship: Spanish (2-6)
Remaining credit hours chosen from Spanish topics colloquium, and literature courses

University Honors Program

All University Honors students must complete at least 12 credit hours of advanced-level (300-level and above) Honors courses including a 3 to 6 credit hour Honors Senior Capstone Project. Students may graduate with University Honors in the major if they complete at least 12 advanced-level Honors courses including the Senior Capstone Project in the department. Each department has three levels of University Honors requirements: Level I Options (100-200-level Honors classes); Level II Options (300-level and above Honors classes); and Level III Options (Honors Senior Capstone). The department Honors coordinator advises students in the University Honors Program regarding departmental options.

Freshman applicants should have demonstrated above average performance in their college preparatory courses in secondary school. Scores on the SAT or ACT should indicate that the applicant has the potential for success in a rigorous university degree program. Due to the quantitative emphasis of the business administration curriculum, it is strongly recommended that applicants take the SATII Math test for placement purposes.

In addition to university requirements for transfer admission, transfer applicants to KSB should have a minimum grade point average of 2.50 (on a 4.00 scale). This also applies to students transferring from nondegree status at American University. All B.L.C. transfer students are required to take MGMT-458 and at least 18 upper-level credit hours toward their major requirements in residence. Transfer credits for 300-level and above business courses are subject to validation by the appropriate department chair and may be conditional on successful completion of a more advanced course at American University.

University Requirements
A total of 120 credit hours
6 credit hours of college writing
3 credit hours of college mathematics or the equivalent by examination

General Education Requirements
A total of ten courses, consisting of one foundation course and one second-level course in an approved sequence from each of the five curricular areas
No more than 6 credit hours may be taken in the same discipline

Curricular Area 1 should be fulfilled by ANTH-225 Language and Human Experience with grades of C or better (pass/fail grades are not permitted) and an appropriately corresponding foundation course.

Curricular Area 4 should be fulfilled by ECON-100 Macroeconomics and ECON-200 Microeconomics with grades of C or better (pass/fail grades are not permitted).

Language Tracks

French, German, Russian, or Spanish

Major Requirements
A total of 120 credit hours with a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher

Students must complete 45 of the last 60 credit hours on campus, with a minimum of 15 credit hours of upper-level courses
A total of 82 credit hours with grades of C or better for the major requirements

To comply with AACSB accreditation standards, Kogod students must complete at least 50 percent of their course work outside of the business school. (IBUS-200 and FIN-200 are considered business courses and may not count toward non-business course requirements even if they are taken for General Education credit) Students may take more than 60 credit hours of business courses as long as 50 percent of their total credit hours is in non-business course work.
Business core courses: 33 credit hours with grades of C or better (pass/fail grades are not permitted)
32 foreign language credit hours with grades of C or better (pass/fail grades are not permitted). Students declare a language track (French, German, Spanish or Russian) upon entering the program.

24 credit hours in the major language at the 300 level or above

At least 6 credits taken at AU or abroad must be business topics in the foreign language, all business courses in a language must be taken at an AACSB institution or Kogod approved institution

At least 12 credits must be taken abroad in the foreign language
Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 to be eligible to enroll in business or language courses
At least 50 percent of the business credit hours required for the B.L.C must be earned at American University.
Study Abroad Requirement: every B.L.C. student must study abroad and take a minimum of 12 credits in their language track. Students should consult the AU Abroad website and work closely with their advisor to identify suitable options and timelines for their abroad experience.

Internship Program

Qualified business majors are encouraged to participate in the Internship Program, which provides field experience in jobs related to their academic programs and career goals. The program enables students to make career decisions and prepare for the professional job market while earning degree credit. Positions may be with businesses, local, state, or federal governments or community, social service, or not-for-profit organizations. To earn academic credit, undergraduate students must have completed 12 credit hours in business including the 300-level core course in the relevant Kogod department. The credit earned in an internship course can be used only for a free business elective course, and cannot replace a core or area of specialization course.

The Bachelor of Science in Business, Language & Culture (BLC) is a program for students who wish to study business along with either French, German, Russian or Spanish. Arabic and Chinese are not currently available as BLC languages. The program provides students the opportunity to understand the important connections between business and language.

The degree can be completed in four years, even without prior foreign language study, and requires a semester of study abroad in the language declared. Upon completion of the BLC program, students will be prepared to take the American Council on the Teaching of a Foreign Language (ACTFL) oral proficiency interview and prepare for regional fluency certificates, such as the French Chamber of Commerce Certificate. The combination of study abroad, internships, and academic rigor provides students with a competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

The B. S. in Business Administration and Language and Culture Studies (B.L.C) is designed for students with a passion for business and a complementary enthusiasm for a foreign language. Students choose one of four language tracks (French, German, Russian, or Spanish) when entering the program, complete the business core, and spend one semester abroad taking courses in their language track. Upon completion of this interdisciplinary program, students will be prepared to take the American Council on the Teaching of a Foreign Language (ACTFL) oral proficiency interview and qualify for a regional fluency certificate (i.e. French Chamber of Commerce Certificate). Students with a solid academic foundation in business and a strong proficiency in a foreign language will be highly competitive in the global marketplace.

Students are responsible for fulfilling university and school requirements following a prescribed sequence. The academic advisors in the Kogod School’s Office of Academic Programs must be consulted for counseling and advice when preparing class schedules. However, it is the student’s responsibility to consult course descriptions to identify course prerequisites and when courses are offered.

Non-Business Requirements
ECON-100 Macroeconomics 4:1 (3)
ECON-200 Microeconomics 4:2 (3)
MATH-211 Applied Calculus I (4)

or

MATH-221 Calculus I (4)

Students needing to strengthen their quantitative skills should begin with MATH-157 Finite Mathematics: Business.
STAT-202 Basic Statistics (4)
6 credit hours in foreign language or approved international or cross-cultural courses from the following:

Courses from the School of International Service (SIS)

Courses from the Department of Language and Foreign Studies, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)

Curricular Area 3 (Global and Multicultural Perspectives) courses may be used to meet this requirement, but the 6 credit hours must be in addition to those taken to fulfill the General Education Requirement

AU Abroad courses (if not used to fulfill another requirement), international internships, or other approved study abroad programs

Business Core Courses (33 credit hours)
ACCT-240 Principles of Financial Accounting (3)
ACCT-241 Principles of Managerial Accounting (AT) (3)
FIN-365 Business Finance (AT) (3)
IBUS-300 Fundamentals of International Business (C/W) (3)
ITEC-200 The Edge of Information Technology (AT) (3)
ITEC-355 Production/Operations Management (AT/C) (3)
KSB-100 Business 1.0 (3) (students not taking KSB-100 in their freshman year take a 300- or 400-level business course in its place)
MGMT-201 Global Corporate Citizenship (O) (3)
MGMT-353 Principles of Organizational Theory, Behavior and Management (T) (3)
MGMT-458 Business Policy and Strategy (C/O/T/W) (3)
MKTG-300 Principles of Marketing (W) (3)

AT = analytical tool emphasis; provides a strong foundation in business analytical software

C = case analysis emphasis; provides growth opportunities for students to evaluate cases

O = oral communication emphasis; assists in the development of oral presentation skills

T = teamwork emphasis; focuses on teamwork and the importance of interpersonal relationships and communication

W = written communication emphasis; develops business writing skills, written assignments account for a significant part of the course grade

University Honors Program

All University Honors students must complete at least 12 credit hours of advanced-level (300-level and above) Honors courses including a 3 to 6 credit hour Honors Senior Capstone Project. Students may graduate with University Honors in the major if they complete at least 12 advanced-level Honors courses including the Senior Capstone Project in the department. Each department has three levels of University Honors requirements: Level I Options (100-200-level Honors classes); Level II Options (300-level and above Honors classes); and Level III Options (Honors Senior Capstone). The department Honors coordinator advises students in the University Honors Program regarding departmental options.

University Requirements
A total of 120 credit hours
6 credit hours of college writing
3 credit hours of college mathematics or the equivalent by examination

General Education Requirements
A total of ten courses, consisting of one foundation course and one second-level course in an approved sequence from each of the five curricular areas
No more than 6 credit hours may be taken in the same discipline

Curricular Area 4 should be fulfilled by ECON-100 Macroeconomics and ECON-200 Microeconomics.

Major Requirements
A total of 120 credit hours with a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher
Non-business prerequisite and required courses: 60 credit hours

Accreditation standards for business programs require that students complete 50 percent of their total course work outside the Kogod School of Business.

IBUS-200 and FIN-200 are considered business courses and may not count toward the non-business course requirement even if they are taken for General Education credit.

Students may take more than 60 credit hours of business courses as long as 50 percent of their total credit hours is in non-business course work.
Business core courses: 33 credit hours with grades of C or better (pass/fail grades are not permitted)
Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 to be eligible to enroll in business courses
Area of specialization: a minimum of 12 credit hours with grades of C or better (pass/fail grades are not permitted)

Students should declare an area of specialization before the end of their junior year. All areas of specialization must be approved in advance by the Office of Academic Programs. Students must meet the following minimum standards of performance prior to approval:

minimum grade of C in MATH-211 Applied Calculus I and STAT-202 Basic Statistics

minimum grade of C in ECON-100 Macroeconomics and ECON-200 Microeconomics
Free electives: 15 credit hours
At least 50 percent of the business credit hours required for the B.S.B.A. must be earned at American University

Internship Program

Qualified business majors are encouraged to participate in the Internship Program, which provides field experience in jobs related to their academic programs and career goals. The program enables students to make career decisions and prepare for the professional job market while earning degree credit. Positions may be with businesses, local, state, or federal governments or community, social service, or not-for-profit organizations. To earn academic credit, undergraduate students must have completed 12 credit hours in business including the 300-level core course in the relevant Kogod department. The credit earned in an internship course can be used only for a free business elective course, and cannot replace a core or area of specialization course.

Freshman applicants should have demonstrated above average performance in their college preparatory courses in secondary school. Scores on the SAT or ACT should indicate that the applicant has the potential for success in a rigorous university degree program. Due to the quantitative emphasis of the business administration curriculum, it is strongly recommended that applicants take the SAT II Math test for placement purposes.

In addition to university requirements for transfer admission, transfer applicants to KSB should have a minimum grade point average of 2.50 (on a 4.00 scale). This also applies to students transferring from nondegree status at American University. All B.S.B.A. transfer students are required to take MGMT-458 and at least 18 upper-level credit hours toward their major requirements in residence. Transfer credits for 300-level and above business courses are subject to validation by the appropriate department chair and may be conditional on successful completion of a more advanced course at American University.