Master of Business Administration Business Administration with a Concentration in Maritime and Ports Management (MBA)
Martin Goossen, Graduate Program Director
Shanna Wood, Associate Director
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at Old Dominion University is designed to present broad but thorough insights into the issues relevant for effective business management. The curriculum incorporates contemporary business topics yet stresses the core competencies every business professional must possess. Throughout the program, students develop the skills needed to be successful participants in a rapidly evolving, and increasingly global, business environment.
The Old Dominion University (ODU) MBA is structured to provide students flexibility in both delivery mode and time to completion. The MBA program requires the completion of 43 credit hours with an array of flexible program completion schedules available to meet the needs of students and their program completion goals. The program may be completed as a full- or part-time student in as few as four consecutive semesters. To enhance their MBA degree, students may elect to pursue a concentration or additional credential such as a graduate certificate or a complementing graduate degree.
Students have the option to complete their degree in-person on the main campus in Norfolk, synchronously online, asynchronously online or as a blend of all three. The program is accredited by AACSB – International.
Admission
The Strome College of Business welcomes applicants to the MBA program who have earned bachelor’s degrees from regionally accredited institutions. Admission to the program is competitive and is granted only to those who show high ability and likelihood of success in graduate business study; evidence of ability means that successful applicants will stand well above average in most criteria used to measure graduate promise.
Criteria used for admission include the candidate’s score on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT, preferred) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE), undergraduate grade point average and the trend of the grades during undergraduate coursework, letter of reference, a goals statement, and work experience.
The application procedure is as follows:
Submit each of the following to the Graduate (for domestic applicants) or International (for Visa bearing applicants) Admissions Office:
- Graduate Admission Application form specifying Distance Learning (online only) or Professional (on-campus and/or online)
- Official transcripts of all previous college work
- One letter of recommendation
- An essay that addresses personal and professional goals
- Resume
- GMAT or GRE scores (Contact the MBA Program Office for possible GMAT/GRE Waiver exceptions)
Applicants whose native language is not English are also required to submit an acceptable score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Non-native, English speaking applicants may be considered for conditional admission to the ELC's Monarch English Transition Program (formerly known as the Bridge Program). The Graduate Monarch English Transition (MET) Programs combine two English language support courses with one to two courses in the student's academic field. Successful completion of the semester-long MET Program satisfies the University's English proficiency requirement. Details about the program can be found at https://www.odu.edu/elc/courses/met#tab3=1
Application deadlines are posted on the admissions webpage.
For information and forms concerning application, contact:
Graduate Admissions Office
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA 23529
Phone: (757) 683-3685
For information and forms concerning international admissions, contact:
International Admissions Office
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA 23529
Phone: (757) 683-3701
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Business Foundations | ||
| Demonstrated Competence Required | ||
| MBA 600 | Introduction to Statistics | 1 |
| MBA 606 | Mathematical Foundations for Business | 1 |
| MBA 621 | Effective Business Writing | 1 |
| MBA 638 | Spreadsheet Modeling | 1 |
| Skills Development | ||
| MBA 607 | Ethical Decision Making in Business | 1 |
| MBA 646 | Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace | 1 |
| MBA 648 | Building a Professional Brand | 1 |
| Core Courses | ||
| ACCT 609 | Managerial Accounting | 2 |
| ACCT 611 | Financial Accounting | 2 |
| BNAL 606 | Statistics for Managers | 2 |
| ECON 607 | Managerial Economics | 2 |
| FIN 613 | Financial Management | 2 |
| IT 614 | Information and Knowledge Management | 2 |
| MGMT 612 | Managing in Contemporary Organizations | 2 |
| MKTG 608 | Fundamentals of Contemporary Marketing | 2 |
| OPMT 615 | Operations & Supply Chain Management | 2 |
| Depth Courses | ||
| Select three of the following: | 6 | |
| Fundamentals of Business Analytics | ||
| Global Macroeconomics | ||
| Investments and Portfolio Management | ||
| International Business Issues | ||
| Marketing Strategy | ||
| Leadership Dynamics | ||
| Electives | ||
| Choice of three courses from a concentration or general electives | 9 | |
| Capstone | ||
| MGMT 621 | Strategic Management | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 43 | |
Maritime and Ports Management Concentration
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| International Shipping and Supply Chain Management | ||
| International Maritime Transport | ||
| Port Operations and Management | ||
| Port Planning and Economics | ||
| Maritime Security and Risk Analysis | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 9 | |
Business Foundations
The ODU MBA program is designed with both business and non-business undergraduates in mind. All students are required to meet the program’s Business Foundations requirements. This set of four, one-credit hour courses is designed to ensure students are prepared for the rigors of the MBA core.
Sequence of Course Offerings
While there are limited pre-requisites in the MBA program, students are encouraged to follow one of the plans outlined on the program website for the most effective learning plan that meets an individual’s schedule requirements. These plans are designed to both accommodate typical student program time-to-completion needs and ensure a successful path through the coursework to program completion. If one of the plans outlined on the website does not meet a student's professional needs, the student should contact the MBA Program Office for an individualized plan.
MBA Electives and Concentrations
Each MBA student must complete a minimum of 9 credit hours of electives. The elective requirement may be satisfied by selecting from the wide range of electives offered in each of the functional areas in the Strome College of Business. This provides students with the flexibility to choose electives to achieve their desired educational experience. Additionally, elective courses may be used from any graduate program at the University at the 500-700 level; however, the material must be business related and the courses pre-approved by the program office.
Students may choose the option to apply their elective credits in pursuit of one of the ODU MBA program’s high-impact MBA Concentrations. These 9 credit-hour concentrations allow students to meet all MBA graduation requirements while adding a specialization to their MBA degree. Students pursuing a concentration will complete a prescribed set of MBA Depth and elective courses as outlined in the MBA Concentrations table below.
Alternatively, students may pursue a general MBA with no concentration selected or go deeper still by choosing to enhance their learning experience by adding a graduate certificate from those offered at Old Dominion University. Graduate certificates are standalone credentials that typically require a minimum of 9 to a maximum of 24 credits depending upon the certificate and its learning objectives. Selecting this path would add credits to the student's program. However, for certificate courses that are business related, it may be possible for some of the certificate courses to count both toward the certificate and the MBA degree. Students would work with the MBA program advisor to determine how many, if any, credits may count both toward the MBA and the graduate certificate. It is possible to add a certificate to the MBA and have as few as 3 additional credit hours added to the MBA program of study.
Please note that a maximum of 12 credit hours of work at the 500-level can be applied toward the MBA program of study.
Additional Requirements
Graduate Writing Proficiency
Students in the MBA program are required to meet the Old Dominion University writing requirement. This can be achieved by successfully completing MBA 621: Effective Business Writing.
Prior Learning, Internship and Independent Study
Students may apply a maximum of 6 credit hours earned through any combination of prior learning, internship, or independent study (only 3 credit hours are allowed from any category) as elective credits.
Prior learning offers students the opportunity to translate their professional work knowledge into academic credit. 1-3 credits allowed. Internship opportunities offer on-the-job experiences to well-qualified students and are limited to those who have already made significant progress toward the completion of their MBA degree. 1-3 credits allowed. Independent study courses afford students the opportunity to work with a graduate-certified SCB faculty member on a topic of mutual interest, and must be arranged in advance. Faculty are not obligated to accept a student’s petition for independent study. Independent study is reserved for students whose academic accomplishment is meritorious and whose potential for successful independent study is deemed sufficiently high. 1-3 credits allowed.
Transfer Credit
A maximum of 12 credit hours may be transferred from another AACSB-I program, other ODU graduate courses outside of the Strome College of Business, and / or prior learning coursework (including 6 credit hours earned through prior learning, internship, or independent study as noted above) and applied toward the MBA course requirements.
Transfer credit is approved at the discretion of the MBA Program Office in consultation with the corresponding department faculty in the major field of study of the coursework to be reviewed.
Continuance Policy
The MBA Program follows the University's Graduate Continuance Policy.
Non-Degree Seeking Students
Old Dominion University permits non-degree seeking students to take up to 12 credit hours (refer to the catalog section on Non-Degree Seeking Applicants). In the MBA program, a distinction is made between those who can present competitive GMAT/GRE scores and GPA and those who cannot. The MBA Program requires an evaluation of GMAT/GRE scores and GPA to qualify for enrollment in Core Courses as a non-degree seeker. Unofficial copies of both GMAT/GRE scores and all transcripts can be used for this purpose. Details are outlined on the MBA website.
Linked MBA Program
A linked MBA program is available for exceptional undergraduate students currently pursuing a degree at Old Dominion University. Students may begin taking courses toward the MBA degree while still completing their undergraduate degrees. For specific information, please refer to the undergraduate catalog and/or contact the MBA Program Office.