Here is another question for all you experts out there that I was thinking about today. For some reason I have started to think way into the future about an MBA as it is a couple of years away and it is never to early to come up with plan. As some of you know I have enrolled in the BSB/SEM program at UOP. When I decide that I want to get my MBA which could be soon after my bachelors, if I transfer to another school for my MBA, will I have to take more classes going into it with the bachelor of science in business/ green and sustainable enterprise management than I would with a bachelor of science in business administration? Another words is it beter to go into an MBA program with a BSBA than it would be for a specialized degree such as the BSB/SEM? The BSB/SEM is still a business degree it just concentrates on sustainability. I hope this is a legitimate question because it could have an effect on the BSB/SEM program that I will be starting in October. I still have time to change if I want too and am still just weghing all of my options before I am completely committed. AARGH!!!! the mind does wander working nights at the powerplant.

                                             -Steven-

Hi Steven, the BSBA is certainly the most common prereq for an MBA.  That being said I think in most cases a Bachelor of Science in Business would be too.  Generally you have to have a minimum of X amount of hours in finance, X amount of hours in statistics and x amount of hours in accounting.  If you don't you may have to take a leveling course, like I did, or some catch up classes.  I don't think that will be the case with your BSB so long as those 3 subjects are included in the program.  That being said, have you ever considered getting a lesser expensive BSBA or BSB, then going into a MBA program and wrapping the whole thing up with a Certificate of Completion or a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Enviromental Management?  That might be not only cheaper, but look more impressive on paper. 

If you want a really top tier MBA program you might need a few catch up courses.  But I would say that the Bachelor's in Sustainability Management would be sufficient preparation for almost any MBA program as is, and if not you'll probably have elective space within your Bachelor's that you can fill with the extra courses you'd need.

In other words since you're planning for it now, yes, you could set things up so that you could major specifically in Sustainability Management but are also prepared for a general purpose MBA program without taking more courses than you would have to take otherwise.  Your academic advisor at the school where you do your Bachelor's should be able to help you put together the right schedule to accomplish this.

-=Steve=-

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B.S., Info Sys, Charter Oak State College
M.A., Educational Tech Leadership, George Washington University
Doctor of Health Education, A.T. Still University, in progress

If your interested Steve, the University of Houston has online program where you can get your BSBA and your MBA in 5 years instead of the customary 6.  However, you must get your bachelors degree from them in order to shave off the extra year.

Cajun:

Hi Steven, the BSBA is certainly the most common prereq for an MBA.  That being said I think in most cases a Bachelor of Science in Business would be too.  Generally you have to have a minimum of X amount of hours in finance, X amount of hours in statistics and x amount of hours in accounting.  If you don't you may have to take a leveling course, like I did, or some catch up classes.  I don't think that will be the case with your BSB so long as those 3 subjects are included in the program.  That being said, have you ever considered getting a lesser expensive BSBA or BSB, then going into a MBA program and wrapping the whole thing up with a Certificate of Completion or a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Enviromental Management?  That might be not only cheaper, but look more impressive on paper. 

Yes I am thinking about getting the sustainability part at the MBA level and just going for the BSBA now at a cheaper school than UOP. What about a BSBM degree is it similiar to the BSBA?

donald11:

If your interested Steve, the University of Houston has online program where you can get your BSBA and your MBA in 5 years instead of the customary 6.  However, you must get your bachelors degree from them in order to shave off the extra year.

Thanks for the feedback and the recommendations!!!!!!!!! So if I went into the program with my associates already is it still 5 years?

As far as whether your associates degree will transfer, I don't know.  You'll have to ask them.  Here is some info from their website:

 54-hour curriculum may be completed part-time in 3 years, or full-time in 2 years

Recent BBA graduates may need as few as 30 hours: up to 24 hours may be waived by excellent performance in comparable undergraduate coursework within the last five years

http://www.uhv.edu/bus/gmbao/default.asp 

donald11:

As far as whether your associates degree will transfer, I don't know.  You'll have to ask them.  Here is some info from their website:

 54-hour curriculum may be completed part-time in 3 years, or full-time in 2 years

Recent BBA graduates may need as few as 30 hours: up to 24 hours may be waived by excellent performance in comparable undergraduate coursework within the last five years

http://www.uhv.edu/bus/gmbao/default.asp 

Are you currently attending that School Donald? How do you know about it? I am going to get some information from them to look at, Thanks!!!!!!!

 

                                                                                        -Steven-

Steven:

So if I went into the program with my associates already is it still 5 years?

Most of the time Associate degrees transfer into Bachelor degree programs as two years of credit, or nearly so.  The exceptions are usually when the receiving institution has a problem with the accreditation of the sending institution, or when the subjects being studied are radically different.

-=Steve=-

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B.S., Info Sys, Charter Oak State College
M.A., Educational Tech Leadership, George Washington University
Doctor of Health Education, A.T. Still University, in progress

No, I am not attending the school.  However, several weeks ago I contacted them and gave them serious consideration about doing my MBA from them since I'll be graudting with my bachelors degree from Kaplan later this month.  One thing I liked about the school is that they are AACSB accredited, which is the best type of accrediation a business schoolc an have.  (Univ. of Phoenix and Axia are not AACSB accredited).

donald11:

One thing I liked about the school is that they are AACSB accredited, which is the best type of accrediation a business schoolc an have.  (Univ. of Phoenix and Axia are not AACSB accredited).

Phoenix does, however, have a different special accreditation of their business programs called ACBSP.  Personally, I don't think either of them are that important, unless one eventually wants to teach business at the university level, and then I'd agree that AACSB (specifically) is very important.

-=Steve=-

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B.S., Info Sys, Charter Oak State College
M.A., Educational Tech Leadership, George Washington University
Doctor of Health Education, A.T. Still University, in progress

In regard to the original question the answer is, it depends.  Some MBA programs don't require a business undergrad at all, but may ask you to take a few prerequisite courses.   Other MBA programs require an undergrad in business with certain courses taken at the undergrad level.  Others consider you a full-fledged MBA student after you take and pass the first few courses with at least a "B".  You will definitely want to check the admissions requirements of the program you want to enter.

In most cases you don't need an undergraduate degree in business.  However, in most cases, you will have to take "foundation" courses at either the school you will get your MBA from or any other acceptable school.

Steven:

Cajun:

Hi Steven, the BSBA is certainly the most common prereq for an MBA.  That being said I think in most cases a Bachelor of Science in Business would be too.  Generally you have to have a minimum of X amount of hours in finance, X amount of hours in statistics and x amount of hours in accounting.  If you don't you may have to take a leveling course, like I did, or some catch up classes.  I don't think that will be the case with your BSB so long as those 3 subjects are included in the program.  That being said, have you ever considered getting a lesser expensive BSBA or BSB, then going into a MBA program and wrapping the whole thing up with a Certificate of Completion or a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Enviromental Management?  That might be not only cheaper, but look more impressive on paper. 

Yes I am thinking about getting the sustainability part at the MBA level and just going for the BSBA now at a cheaper school than UOP. What about a BSBM degree is it similiar to the BSBA?

I think either would be fine.