Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Program Highlights

• We offer a face-to-face master's level program, which is increasingly difficult to find.
• With small class sizes and a small cohort, you can make meaningful connections with both faculty and your peers.
• You will be part of a different team each semester, which allows for building skills as team members and as team leaders.
• Our master's level program will have many networking opportunities with alumni and professionals in the local business community, and through faculty introductions.
• Our special topics course has a global theme, allowing you to apply your knowledge to current events. 

Learning Outcomes

Leadership and Teamwork Skills
Students graduating with an MBA degree will be able to form, lead and work effectively on diverse organizational teams.

Knowledge
Students graduating with an MBA degree will be able to synthesize knowledge from all functional areas of business into appropriate applications.

Critical Thinking
Students graduating with an MBA degree will be able to think critically through complex business problems and provide viable solutions.

Communication
Students graduating with an MBA degree will be able to communicate effectively with advanced written, oral, analytical and presentation skills to function effectively in complex business environments.

Ethical Reasoning
Students graduating with an MBA degree will be able to guide and distinguish ethical and socially responsible behavior in the workplace.

Multicultural/Global Business
Students graduating with an MBA degree will be able to utilize alternate viewpoints in order to compare and contrast multi-cultural/global issues related to business.

Courses Overview

Below are the master's level courses completed during the MBA program as a full-time student (10 units=10 courses):

Summer (2 units)

BUAD 500 Leadership & Ethics
BUAD 548 Supply Chain Management & Logistics

Fall (3 units)
BUAD 525 Accounting
BUAD 554 Organization Behavior & HR (1st 7 weeks of the semester)
BUAD 560 Special Topics

Spring (4 units)

BUAD 533 Strategic Marketing
BUAD 542 Finance
BUAD 521 Managerial Economics
BUAD 570 Research & Analysis

Summer (1 unit)

BUAD 599 Community/Corporate Project

Course Descriptions

All full semester courses are 3 hrs./week; the prerequisite for all courses is admission to the 4+1 MBA program.

BUAD 500 – Leadership and Ethics
This course provides an examination of theoretical principles and applications as they relate to ethical leadership. The course will also include the fundamentals of team dynamics and team leadership. (1)

BUAD 521 – Managerial Economics
Applies economic analysis to managerial decision-making in market contexts shaped by domestic and international developments.  Topics covered include cost-benefit analysis, pricing and profit maximization, market structures, foreign exchange markets, and uncertainty. (1)

BUAD 525 – Managerial Accounting
This course provides an overview of managerial accounting with support to management decision-making.  The course emphasizes the methods available to measure and evaluate costs for decision-making and performance evaluation purposes. (1)

BUAD 533 – Strategic Marketing
This course offers an advanced view of marketing with focus on a systematic process for developing, planning, and evaluating strategic marketing decisions. While the course builds on the function and the tactics of marketing, considerable attention is given to enhancing capacity to thinking strategically.  The combined roles of social media and analytics will be examined for their prominence in marketing strategy and practice.  (1)

BUAD 542 – Managerial Finance
This course will explore the financial management of an organization. The scope of the course includes historical, theoretical, and procedural analysis of the firm’s finance function with specific emphasis on maximizing shareholder value. Focus areas include capital structure, dividend policy, working capital management, and valuation. Through analyzing cases, as well as completing assigned exercises and problems, you will further develop and strengthen your financial management skills required to meet the challenges facing today's complex organizations.  (1)

BUAD 548 – Supply Chain Management & Logistics
Develop a strategic understanding of supply chain management through end-to-end analysis of the supply chain by building knowledge and experience across the areas of procurement, operations, modeling, analytics, and logistics.  Giving individuals the skills to identify and manage supply chain issues, as well as recommend strategies for improved supply chains. (1)

BUAD 554 – Organizational Behavior & Human Resource Management
Organizational behavior and human resource management is concerned with managerial decisions focused on the principles of managing people, teams, and organizations. This course introduces the strategic role of human resource management through organizational behavior theories in attaining a competitive advantage for organizations. (1)

BUAD 560 – Global Special Topics in Business Administration
A course offered on various topics, designed to educate students on topics not regularly offered with a global impact.  Topics are selected on the basis of faculty and student interest.

BUAD 570 - Business Research & Data Analysis
The course is designed to give a detailed examination of the research process as applied to business decision making.  Experience is gained in defining research problems, collecting data, analyzing data, interpreting data, and writing a report based on the data.  There will also be case studies and analysis in the course.  This course is designed to work in conjunction with the final project for the RC MBA Program.  The initial stages of research for the corporate/community project will be conducted in this course.  (1)

BUAD 599 – Corporate/Community Team Project
The course is designed for students to create the business plans for a corporate or community project synthesizing the knowledge gained from all previous courses in the program.  The business plan will include strategy, marketing, human resources, production/operations, and finance aspects.  The course will include numerous presentations on the component parts and a final presentation on the comprehensive plans. (1)

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is open to all students who have completed an undergraduate bachelor’s degree. Applicants from all academic backgrounds are welcome to apply, but must meet the academic requirements outlined below and complete an application for admission.

• Two letters of recommendation (one must be from a faculty member)
• Resume/CV
• Official undergraduate transcript

1. Complete and submit application for admission – Early Deadline December 6^th
   • Submit resume
   • Provide contact information for two references
     • One must be from a faculty member
     • Both recommendations should address your ability to work in a team and your communication skills
2. Submit academic materials
   • Request official transcript
3. Check your email for any important action items regarding your application status

Apply Now

Roanoke College reads applications holistically. To do so, MBA applicants are reviewed by a committee and are based on the following: the student’s academic achievements, letters of recommendation, and resume.

Unofficial transcripts may be submitted with the application; however, an official transcript will be required once an offer of admission is accepted.

Deposit of $1,000 due by March 15, applied to first MBA class
Tuition for the MBA program (2026-27 Academic Year): $26,664.00 (10 courses, $2,664/course) 

June – 1 class         $2,664.00 
July – 1 class          $2,664.00 
Fall – 3 classes       $7,992.00 
Spring – 4 classes   $10,656.00 
May – 1 class           $2,664.00 

Technology fee
$465 commuters, $625 residential students (billed fall & spring semester)

Parking decal
$150 for academic year

Print Allotment - Students are allocated $50.00 per academic year on their Maroon Card for printing at computer labs on campus. This fund is only for printing and is not refundable to the student.

The Office of Residence Life offers limited housing options for students enrolled in the graduate program, however housing if applicable will be charged at the same rates as undergraduate students.  Housing is not included for spouses or families. 

Graduate students may choose any meal plan currently available for the fall and spring semesters.  While there are no summer meal plans, meals may be purchased as desired at open campus food locations. 

Per Roanoke College policy, students should have tuition paid, or have sufficient loan coverage or payment plan in place prior to the start date of the term.