Behrend’s 30-credit hybrid MBA program is offered on both a full-time and a part-time basis. Content is delivered online with in-person meetings one night per month per class taken. These in person meetings allow students to build relationships, enhance networking opportunities, improve communication skills, and engage in vibrant discussions. Our hybrid approach also meets the requirements for international students to join our program.

In-person meetings are held at the Penn State Behrend campus in Erie or at the RLA Learning and Conference Center in Cranberry Township, near Pittsburgh.

MBA students are required to complete 21 credits of Advanced Required coursework. Nine elective credits allow students to pursue in-depth study in areas of special interest. 

MBA students can also add a specialization to their degree by completing one of our graduate certificates:

See the MBA Student Handbook for more information.

MBA Course Descriptions

All MBA courses are 3 credits.

Advanced Required Courses (21 credits)

BADM 510 Cost Management for Decision Making and Control: The study and use of accounting information for cost management, product costing, planning and controlling operations, and managerial decision making.

BADM 512 Managing Effective Organizations: Understanding the critical and changing role of management in contemporary organizations.

BADM 513 Quantitative Methods for Business: Effective management of the flow of goods, services, and information through the supply chain.

BADM 514 Strategic Planning and Business Policy: Formulation of objectives and implementation of programs to promote long-range success of the organization in a changing environment. Prerequisites: B ADM 510, B ADM 512, B ADM 513, B ADM 554

BADM 526 Leadership and Ethics: A multi-perspective review of leadership theory and research with special emphasis given to the ethical dimensions of leadership.

BADM 532 Corporate Finance: Application of modern corporate finance theory to corporate practice.

BADM 554 Marketing Strategy: An application of marketing theoretical principles from popular press publications.

Elective Courses (9 credits)

Electives allow students to pursue areas of further interest, and most elective courses are offered fully online. Electives include courses offered in a variety of disciplines, including Accounting, Finance, Organizational Leadership and Change, Project Management, and Financial Engineering. Students may select other electives from courses offered by other academic programs at Penn State after consultation with and approval by Dr. Charles Brown, academic program chair. While not required, students may choose to select courses that meet the requirements for a Graduate Certificate.

To increase their degree-specialization options, MBA students may take up to two 400-level undergraduate Penn State courses to satisfy 6 of the 9 required elective credits. 400-level electives are subject to consultation and prior approval by Dr. Charles Brown, academic program chair, and cannot be courses previously taken to satisfy an undergraduate degree requirement.

For more information on electives, contact Dr. Brown at [email protected] or 814-898-6432.

Suggested Course Schedule

Behrend MBA students may begin their studies in either the fall or spring semester. Most full-time MBA students complete the degree in two or three semesters, including one summer session. Part-time students often take two courses per semester, completing the degree in five semesters, including summers.

Semester dates can be found on the Academic Calendars page. Course registration dates can be found on the Registration Timetable page.

See a typical full-time MBA course schedule and part-time MBA course schedule in the MBA Student Handbook.

Grade-Point Average and Time Limit

A 3.00 (out of 4.00) minimum grade-point average is required for the award of the MBA degree. The Fox Graduate School allows eight years from the date of admission to complete a graduate degree.