Academic Programs Catalog

The global business world is highly competitive, driven by economics, technology, and innovation, and change is constant. In many fields, the career assumptions of the past will not be valid for occupations of the future. Increasingly, fast-paced decisions must be made by professionals in many roles who can work across company divisions and take into account many different perspectives. It is important to develop professionals from many field who have an integrative view of business and can provide insightful business perspectives.

The Master of Science Degree in Management Studies offers a broad range of business disciplines directed at early-career professionals. Essential business knowledge and skill sets are represented in accounting, finance, marketing, supply chain, and management. The program features courses in teamwork and leadership, persuasive communication, analytics for decision-making, and project management principles. Meeting at the crossroads between undergraduate degree completion and career, it combines classroom and online learning with work experience, providing a unique on-the-job platform directed at early career professionals in collaboration with the employing organization. The program culminates with a management project class that brings together the various business topics into a comprehensive framework that can be applied as a practicum, paper, or other approach based in the company environment.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Admission

To be admitted to the Master of Science degree in Management Studies degree, an applicant must:

1. Have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized educational institution. If a candidate applies within 15 credits of graduation for an undergraduate degree, the bachelor’s degree is waived if the applicant has a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 in the last two years of undergraduate work.
2. Have a cumulative undergraduate grade-point average of 3.00 in the last two years of their program.

International applicants are required to complete the TOEFL or IELTS with minimum scores set by Michigan State University and the program.

Applicants to the program who do not meet the above requirements may provide further documentation of their aptitude by securing a strong score on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Michigan State University graduates with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.25 or higher are not required to complete the GMAT or GRE. Waivers of this requirement are only considered for students that have graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree.

Admission to the program is selective and meeting the minimum standards listed does not guarantee admission. The applicant's overall record is considered, including the student's statement of objectives, recommendations, academic transcripts, and other documentation as required.

Requirements for the Master of Science Degree in Management Studies

The Master of Science degree in Management Studies degree is available only under Plan B (without thesis). A total of 30 credits are required for the degree. Other courses as approved by the program director may be used to fulfill degree requirements.

1.	All of the following courses (30 credits):
	ACC	822	Information Systems Project Management						2
	FI	801	Managerial Finance						2
	MBA	804	Applied Data Analysis for Managers						2
	MBA	812	Accounting for Decision Making and Control						2
	MBA	814	Applied Economics						2
	MBA	821	Introduction to Supply Chain Management Concepts						2
	MBA	823	Information Technology Strategy						2
	MGT	805	Special Topics in Management						2
	MGT	824	Developing Managerial Skills						2
	MGT	840	Leadership and Team Management						2
	MGT	850	Competitive and Business Strategy						2
	MGT	873	Strategic Decision Making						2
	MGT	881	Creating an Ethical Organization						2
	MGT	888	Communication Strategies for Business						2
	MKT	805	Marketing Management						2
2.	Completion of a final oral examination or evaluation.

Academic Standards

Students must achieve a minimum 2.0 grade in a course in order for that course to count toward the 30 credit degree requirement. Students must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 or higher in all graduate courses in order to graduate from the program.