Prerequisites, Rationale, and Guidelines
MBA

It should be understood that prerequisites for the graduate degree, Master of Business Administration (MBA) are intended to provide a minimal common base of knowledge concerning topics that permeate and are critical to the pedagogy, graduate course content, and outcomes of this graduate program. Prerequisites are really enhancements to one’s educational experience.

Defiance College believes this common base should include: basic computer skills, quantitative reasoning, microeconomics, basic accounting, and a rudimentary understanding of concepts in finance and marketing. However, this should be accomplished as efficiently and quickly as possible. The program attempts to do that with several alternative processes designed to provide flexibility and convenience for students.

The Graduate Admission Committee reviews the applicant file to determine what prerequisites have already been met by previous undergraduate or graduate course work. Many students will have had all or many of these topics earlier. The committee may also waive prerequisites based on interviewing the applicant and evaluating work experience or non-credit training if it can be determined that there is equivalent content. If some prerequisite topics still remain, the following additional options may be used:

1. Successful completion of three semester hours of basic computer skills, modules in word processing and spreadsheet, or demonstrated proficiency in the college designed examination.
   
2. Successful completion of three semester hours of microeconomics.
   
3. The college offers an accounting course that meets both the accounting and finance requirement.
   
4. The college offers courses specifically designed to meet the requirements for quantitative reasoning and marketing. These courses are offered during the fall semester.
   
5. Individual undergraduate equivalent courses are available for all prerequisite topics: computer literacy, accounting, microeconomics, statistics, finance, and marketing.
   
6. National CLEP and DANTES tests are available for most topics. This is useful if one has some knowledge of the topic and time and discipline to prepare with some guidance.
   
7. College prepared proficiency tests are available for some prerequisites.
   Please note that these are alternatives. Even if a student needs all the prerequisites, they can be completed in just four courses (items 1-4). Prerequisites should precede most graduate courses so that the base of knowledge is available for use in the graduate course.
   

The following is a list of specific prerequisite courses that should be taken before the corresponding graduate course or courses.

Accounting & Financial Management (AC400)

• BA540 Accounting Issues
  
• BA550 Issues in Financial Management
  

Marketing (BA495A)

• BA530 Organizational Marketing
  *CJ track students are exempt from this prerequisite.
  

Quantitative Reasoning (MA105) - All BA courses

• This course must be taken at the first available offering.
  

Microeconomics (EC201)

• BA520 Managerial Economics
  

Computer Skills (IT102, IT103, IT104) - All BA500 level courses

• This course must be taken at the first available offering.