Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Saint Joseph’s College Online Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Saint Joseph’s College Online Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Master of Business Administration (Leadership MBA)


The Leadership Master of Business Administration (LMBA) prepares students to provide leadership in business organizations and not to simply provide administrative oversight.  Given its leadership focus, this distinctive graduate business program prepares students to be both technically competent and inter-personally skillful.  Leadership has to do with the qualitative (e.g. the personal & interpersonal, ethics, quality and change), as well as, the quantitative and measurable (e.g. profit, costs, and market share).

The curriculum prepares future business managers to be leaders by deepening their understanding of the interplay between revenue, profit and costs along with meaning, relationships and values in business organizations.  Accordingly, ethics is as important as economics, psychology as important as finance, communication as important as commerce, and quality as important as quantity.  This approach challenges “bottom line” reactive thinking and fosters recognition of the inherent value of perspective on both short term decision-making and long term strategic thinking.

The program outcomes for the Leadership MBA include the abilities to:

  • Think analytically and critically
  • Think statistically
  • Think strategically
  • Think holistically through a systems perspective
  • Understand the dynamics of business
  • Communicate with clarity and credibility
  • Act responsibly

As a result, graduates of this program will:

  • Gain the necessary knowledge and skills to develop productive relationships (individual to individual, individual to organization, organization to society) and to positively and productively influence others;
  • Be technically competent and inter-personally skillful;
  • Develop an understanding of the influence of culture on both individual and organizational performance;
  • Influence, collaborate and provide creative solutions for organizations;
  • Be leaders of people and managers of organizational systems.

Credits

Candidates with a minimum of 2 years professional work experience must satisfactorily complete 42 graduate credits, with an overall GPA of Saint Joseph’s College courses of 3.0 or higher.

With Program Director approval, candidates without a minimum of 2 years of professional work experience, must satisfactorily complete up to 60 credits, (42 graduate credits, plus up to 18 preparatory credits - 9 required graduate and up to 9 undergraduate) as determined, with an overall GPA of Saint Joseph’s College courses of 3.0 or higher.

About the Curriculum

The “leveled” curriculum consists of four reciprocally interdependent groups of courses that reflect a developmental approach to the art and discipline of leadership, thus ensuring students achieve a high level of mastery in each of the program outcome areas.

  • Each level builds on the lessons of the previous coursework.
  • Personal advisors work closely with students to ensure they choose courses from the schedule that will ensure optimal progress as they advance through the program.
  • Students can expect that although each faculty member brings their unique perspective and knowledge to their teaching, they share the same mission: to help students meet the program outcomes, as well as course outcomes.

Students can also expect a high degree of quality and genuine caring in the guidance they receive on their learning journey

Curriculum and Course Progression

**Preparatory Graduate Coursework

Thinking Ahead

Foundational in content and preparatory in strategy, with a focus on what is needed to be successful.

Level 1

A Framework for Leadership

A framework of language, concepts and theories for understanding the levels of the system-the individual, the organizational and the institutional.

Level 2

Understanding the Role of Relationships

An exploration of the value of influence in the formation of relationships one is able to develop at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, community and societal levels.

Level 3

Sustainability

The knowledge, tools and techniques for approaching sustainable competitive advantage through sound decision-making, improvement of quality, and innovation.

Level 4

Strategic Leadership

A balanced examination of the perspectives, strategies, and techniques required for responsible leaders to exercise the necessary insight and foresight that ensure an organization’s continuing viability.

** MB 515 Leadership & Lifelong Learning

MB 500 - Organizational Dynamics  

* MB 520 - Self Leadership  

* MB 505 - Knowledge-Based Decision-Making  

* MB 510 - Financial Principles & Policy  

** MK 500 Strategic Marketing

* MB 540 - The Economy as a System  

* MB 530 - Ethical, Social & Environmental Responsibility  

* MB 560 - Quality Leadership  

MB 550 - Corporate Strategic Leadership  

** HR 500 Human Resource Management

* MB 642 - Systems Thinking  

MB 650 - Cross Cultural Leadership  

* MB 641 - Statistical Thinking  

* MB 651 - Strategic Leadership of Human Capital  

     

* MB 643 - Leadership, Order & Change  

MB 600 - Economics: Past, Present & Future  

* MSN / MBA Required Courses.

** Preparatory Gaduate Courses.
 

Schedule

Courses must be taken in the sequence defined by the levels. Exceptions may be made with approval from the Program Director. 

Courses are offered in five terms per year and are 10-weeks in length.

This asynchronous online program provides opportunity for students to engage and participate in a fashion much like they would in a traditional class but without the requirement of everyone being online on the same day or at the same time.

 

Admission Requirements


Backgound / Experience / Preparatory

  • Matriculates in the Leadership MBA program must hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited academic institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.5.
  • Applicants are also required to have at least two years of full-time professional work experience.

OR,

  • In lieu of full-time professional work experience (with Program Director approval):
  • Preparatory Undergraduate Coursework: successful completion (B- / 2.5 GPA or better) for the following three courses prior to graduate course (500 level or above) enrollment is required.  Students with undergraduate degrees who have not yet completed any or all of these courses may do so through our online offerings with conditional acceptance for the Leadership MBA program.  SJC courses are indicated in parentheses and include both on campus and online courses.
    • Financial Accounting (AC 210)
    • Managerial Accounting (AC 211)
    • Business Finance (FI 301)
  • Preparatory Graduate Coursework:  Successful, sequential completion of the 3 required preparatory courses.
    • Leadership and Lifelong Learning (MB 515)
    • Strategic Marketing (MK 500)
    • Human Resource Management (HR500)

Submissions

Applicants must submit the following two items for evaluation of preparedness for success in the program:

  • Resume
  • A 750-word Essay

Essay Requirements

The essay synthesizes the applicant’s reflections on their personal beliefs and life experiences and why they believe that the Leadership MBA program suits their values, ethics, professional goals and aspirations. This self-assessment essay should explain what the applicant believes is the gap between where they perceive their current leadership skills to be and where they would like those skills to be upon completion of the MBA program.

To this end, there are two areas of self-assessment and reflection that the essay must address:

1. Who are you as a person? Who do you aspire to become?

Example questions that might be considered for critical introspection include: Who am I? What do I care about? What matters to me most? What lessons have my life taught me? What kind of person do I aspire to be?   How do I hope others will be influenced by my example?


2. What is it about this Leadership MBA program that aligns with who you are and who you are seeking to become?

This portion of the essay should explain how you believe that the Leadership MBA program aligns with your values and ethics, personal and professional goals, and life experiences.

PLEASE NOTE: 

  • The essay must not be a biographical accounting of the applicant’s positions held, accomplishments and skills, but rather an in depth self-analysis of the person who he/she is.
  • Applicants must demonstrate that they are able to speak directly to the two required areas of self-assessment and reflection, as this is a required ability for success throughout the program.
  • The essay will be evaluated for clarity and quality of expression.
  • The essay will also be evaluated for evidence of the ability of the applicant to connect their values and experiences to their understanding of the focus of the MBA program.