Master of Business Administration

The Business Administration and Business programs are designed to provide students with a range of analytic, strategic and leadership skills which will prepare them for increasingly competitive careers in business management in the corporate and public sectors. These programs offers a grounding in fundamental business areas such as accounting, finance, organisational behaviour, economics, marketing and management. Analytic and problem solving skills are emphasised through an applied understanding of the theoretical framework within which today's managers must operate, as well as the acquisition of practical skills in teamwork, writing, presentation and time-management. The ability to cope with rapid organisational and technological change is developed through and understanding of organisational behaviour, information systems and organisational change and development.

Students completing the business administration programs have career opportunities such as Managerial positions in an extensive range of commercial and public sector organisations.

Applicants must have a recognised Bachelor degree or Postgraduate Diploma or a recognised Graduate Certificate; or a recognised Diploma and two years work experience; or a GMAT score of 550.

The program in which a student enrols is largely determined on the basis of qualifications and experience. Students with substantial work experience but who lack formal qualifications will probably enter at Graduate Certificate level. Students with relevant experience and a first degree will most likely enrol directly into the MBA program.

Students may receive credit into the MBA on a case by case basis as approved by the Pro Vice-Chancellor.

The Master of Business Administration is accredited by the Graduate Management Association of Australia (GMAA)

International students will be supported by the University and NGSB current support mechanisms. There will be a requirement for a minimum 6.5 IELTS result or equivalent. Students studying offshore will be supported by staff travelling overseas to approved locations to provide intensive face to face instruction. Staff will also be in contact via email.

Domestic students with a disability or chronic illness will have their needs met by the NGSB in liaison with the Student Support Unit. Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander students will draw on the assistance and support provided by the Indigenous Higher Education Centre, Umuliko. Students from rural and isolated areas and those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds will be supported through existing University and NGSB support mechanisms.

Program duration is 3 trimesters full-time or part-time equivalent.

The MBA program consists of twelve courses (120 units). Student are required to complete eight core courses (80 units) and four directed courses (40 units.

Specialisations: a "specialisation" in a 120 unit Masters program requires completion of a minimum of 40 units identified by the Faculty from a specific discipline or identified specialty within a discipline and excluding any undergraduate courses offered within the postgraduate program.

Students can be awarded the degree with a specialisation if they complete 40 units of directed courses from one of the following areas:

Applied Finance

Entrepreneurship

General Management

Human Resource Management

International Business

Marketing

Note: eBusiness cannot be taken as a specialisation.

Grading of Degree

A Master degree shall be conferred as an Ordinary Degree, except that, in cases where a candidate has achieved a Grade Point Average of 6.0 or above, the degree will be conferred "With Merit".

The Newcastle Graduate School of Business runs courses on a trimester system, i.e. three terms per year. Students may commence studies in January, May or September. Some directed courses in this program are held in the semester system, i.e. two terms per year.

Current students will be given the option of completing their program under the previous program structure or the proposed structure. Accounting and Financial Management will continue to be offered as prescribed courses in the revised program. Organisational Behaviour, Marketing Concepts and Strategies and Microeconomics and Business Decisions will also be offered as prescribed courses in the revised program; however these courses will be revised and called Management and Organisational Behaviour, Foundations of Marketing Theory and Economics of Competitive Advantage. Information systems courses (E-Business for Managers, Management Information Systems and Strategic Business Systems) will continue to be offered as elective courses within the revised program structure.