Master of Business Administration - Part-time MBA

Return to: Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business

Part-Time MBA Program

The Part-Time MBA program offers nearly the same curriculum and encompasses the same teaching philosophies as the Accelerated and Full-Time MBA programs offered in a format that meets the needs of working professionals who don’t want to put their careers on hold in order to pursue their MBA. The Part-Time MBA can be earned in three years by taking approximately 6 credits per term. The program runs year-round with fall, spring, and summer semesters of 12 or 14 weeks each. Classes are conducted on weekday evenings and select weekends, and are offered in both on-campus and hybrid (combined on-campus and online) formats.

The degree program may now be completed entirely online with the exception of required course BIND 2454 Integrated MBA Capstone (1.5 credits) which is an on-campus immersion weekend. Students would also be required to attend an on-campus Orientation which includes completion of required courses BIND 2404 (0.5 credits) and BIND 2406 (0.5 credits). Approximately 5.5% (2.5 of 45 credits) would be required on-campus, with 94.5% online.

Part-Time Degree Requirements

All students must fulfill the following requirements in order to receive the Part-Time MBA degree:

1. A minimum of 45 credits of approved graduate work
2. The appropriate distribution of required core courses and elective courses
3. A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0

Part-Time/Evening MBA Core Curriculum

The following core courses (totaling 19.5 credits) are required of all Part-Time MBA students. Electives are similar to the full-time MBA offerings.

• BACC 2401 - FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
• BQOM 2401 - STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: UNCERT
• BECN 2401 - ECONOMIC ANALYSIS FOR MANAGERIAL DECISION: FIRMS AND MARKETS
• BFIN 2409 - FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 1
• BMKT 2409 - MARKETING MANAGEMENT
• BOAH 2409 - ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR: LEADERSHIP AND GROUP EFFECTIVENESS
• BMIS 2409 - INFORMATION SYSTEMS
• BQOM 2421 - DECISION TECHN IN MFG & OPER MGT
• BSEO 2401 - BUSINESS ETHICS & SOCIAL PERFORM
• BSPP 2409 - STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
• BIND 2454 - INTEGRATED MBA CAPSTONE

In addition to the MBA Core Curriculum, MBA students also complete “professional” coursework (totaling 6 credits):

• Quant Methods for Business
• Programming for Business
• Business Communications

The content of these courses is designed to accelerate a students’ academic and personal development as a business professional. The timing, delivery, and credit-load may vary by program (i.e. Accelerated v. Signature v. Part-Time MBA). Any credits earned count toward the minimum 45-credits required for the MBA degree.

• BIND 2404 - PROBABILITY & STATISTICS: FUNDAMENTALS OF MBA QUANTITATIVE METHODS
• BIND 2406 - BUSINESS MATH: FUNDAMENTALS OF MBA QUANTITATIVE METHODS
• BIND 2506 - TIME VALUE OF MONEY: FUNDAMENTALS OF MBA QUANTITATIVE METHODS
• BMIS 2402 - COMPUTATIONAL THINKING FOR BUSINESS LEADERS
• BOAH 2528 - ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR - COMMUNICATING STRATEGICALLY

Note:

The remaining credits required for the degree are to be taken in the student’s area of study and in other elective course work.

Areas of Study

In place of majors, the Katz School offers areas of study in accounting, business analytics, finance, management of information systems, marketing, organizational behavior, supply chain / operations management, and doctoral studies. Students can customize their MBA to suit their career goals by choosing from electives in these fields.

Students who are pursuing a dual-degree MBA/MS program will complete BOTH the MBA Core Curriculum and the Core Curriculum of the Master of Science degree that they are pursuing.

Areas of Study

MBA students may choose electives from specific areas of study to demonstrate competence in a functional area, or combine electives from multiple areas of study to customize their degree.  A description of each of the areas of study follows:

Business Analytics

The study of business analytics prepares students for data management and business intelligence roles that provide new insights and support strategic decision-making. Methodologies to perform descriptive, predictive and prescriptive statistical analysis, data mining, and data visualization result in data-driven decision-making are learned through course and real-world projects for an integrated learning experience.

Students pursuing the MBA with Business Analytics must meet these additional academic requirements for the MBA core curriculum:

- Minimum grades of B+ (3.25) in BQOM 2401 (Statistical Analysis: Uncertainty, Prediction, and Quality Improvement)

- Minimum grad of B (3.0) in BQOM 2421 (Decision Technologies in Manufacturing and Operations Management)

Finance

The study of finance is designed to prepare students for managerial careers in corporate finance, investment analysis, financial consulting, and financial institutions. The coursework presents an integrated treatment of the economic foundations of finance, and the functions of capital markets and financial institutions. The courses provide a thorough understanding of how capital and financial markets operate, and how to manage corporate assets and financial claims in the marketplace.

Management of Information Systems

An MBA with a focus in information systems prepares students to lead and manage technology projects and organizations to increase operational efficiency, support enterprise integration and growth, and enable innovation. Though course and project work related to the specification, evaluation, and management of technology-enabled business initiatives, students prepare for careers as leaders in a diverse variety of today’s organizations that rely heavily on information technology for success.

Marketing

This area of study is designed to prepare students for careers in marketing management or marketing analytics. Marketing is a critical decision area in both for-profit and non-profit industries such as healthcare, government, and education. Studies include marketing strategy, new product development, marketing research, pricing, distribution, advertising and promotion, brand management, and global marketing.

Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Organizational behavior and human resources management focuses on understanding human behavior at work and developing effective management strategies for maximizing the human capital within organizations. This program examines current issues such as employee involvement, high-performance work systems, and the use of teams within organizations.

Strengths of this area are its interdisciplinary nature that relies on a solid grounding in the behavioral sciences, applied statistics, and economics.

Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Decision Sciences

The “operations” function of a firm deals with the effective production and distribution of goods and services, and thus forms an integral part of supply chain management activity in industries as diverse as banking, financial services, software, telecommunications, electronics, and automobiles. An MBA with a focus in operations prepares students for a line job in such industries as well as for a career in management consulting.

Strategy

Organizations of all sizes and degrees of complexity depend on the planning and implementation skills of their general managers for the attainment of their objectives. The strategic planning and policy field is concerned with the development of frameworks and processes for analyzing and responding to strategic problems and opportunities confronting corporate-level executives and managers of business units. Students are encouraged to pair Strategy with a second area of study in order to demonstrate a strategic functional area of expertise.

Taking electives at other Professional Schools at Pitt

Students may also choose to take elective courses at other professional schools at the University, including the School of Law, the Swanson School of Engineering, the School of Social Work, the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, and the School of Computing & Information.

Students enrolled in a joint-degree MBA program complete all requirements of both degrees, including the MBA core curriculum.

Admissions

Part-Time MBA students are admitted in the fall, spring, and summer terms. Applicants should check the school’s Web site for preferred deadlines.

Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. school or the non-U.S. equivalent, and demonstrated quantitative competence via academic coursework and GMAT or GRE. Applicants should be able to demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills that are evaluated through written essays, test scores, and/or personal interview.

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required, and for international applicants, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is also a requirement.

Tuition and Fees

Part-Time MBA students pay on a per credit basis each term (1.5-8.5 credits considered part-time), which can be found here: http://www.ir.pitt.edu/tuition/index.php. In addition to the University-wide fees, a professional workshop fee is required each term.

Academic Probation and Dismissal Policy

If the student’s GPA falls below 3.0 upon completion of 12 credits or any time thereafter, the student will be subject to academic probation and/or dismissal from the program. Exceptions to the school’s guidelines and procedures may be considered only through written petition to the Director of Graduate Programs.