Master of Business Administration (MBA) - 2009

• General information
• Contacts

• Available in Auckland - Full-time, 15 month, Internal or Executive MBA, 2 year (weekends)
• Available in Palmerston North, Executive MBA, 2 year (weekends)
• Available in Wellington, Executive MBA, 2 year (weekends)
• Available in Christchurch, Executive MBA, 2 year (weekends)
• Switch to 2008 information for this programme

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is recognised as the international business qualification for graduates which signals that the holder has attained a broad range of business skills and competencies to an acceptable standard in the field of management and business administration. Other business masterates tend to be more highly focused on a particular business discipline. The purpose of the MBA is to provide students with a broad foundation in applying the various business functions - accounting, finance, management and marketing to develop business strategies. The degree focuses on building both analytical and communication skills. It emphasises applying problem solving skills to real-world business problems in order to develop effective business strategies and solutions. Team-based learning, computer-based technology and business case analyses are used extensively in the courses. Team interaction is a key to the learning process. Significant work experience is expected of an MBA applicant.

• Entry requirements
• Delivery
• Programme structure
• Papers
• Credits and prior learning

Introduction

As a nationwide provider and the only continuously running MBA programme in New Zealand, the multiple mode location and delivery provides flexibility, thereby being of benefit to timely and successful completion.

Over the last decade there has been a proliferation of providers and programmes worldwide - of which many only bear a passing resemblance to what constitutes a real MBA. Your selection of a business school that achieves personal and prolonged impact through rigorous and challenging professional education will ensure that your investment has lifelong value.

At the College of Business we set out to deliver a programme that develops the skills, knowledge and competencies required to achieve immediate impact on business performance. The academic programme of 15 papers sets out to lay a broad foundation of business knowledge through Part A, integrating that knowledge, and then directly applying that knowledge to business problems and opportunities in Part B.

In parallel with the academic programme we provide a more skills-oriented Leadership Development Programme. The leadership programme is designed to develop the softer skills necessary for enhancing business performance through the effective management of people - the only real sustainable source of competitive advantage.

At the College of Business we only employ the very best faculty selected for their ability to span the academic-practitioner divide. The instructional methods are tailored to meet the demands of time-starved practitioners in the Executive MBA, and also full-time students in the MBA. The aim of both challenging and rigorous courses is to develop critically reflective practitioners capable of enhancing business performance.

Yes, it will be demanding.
Yes, we are selective.
Yes, it will be rewarding, and
Yes, we think you will love every minute of it.

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Entry requirements

Admission to the MBA Programme is by selection and includes:

• A full CV and application form.
• A comprehensive statement of personal goals.
• Transcripts of previous university or professional qualifications.
• Attendance at a selection interview by a panel.
• An acceptable TOEFL or IELTS score for candidates for whom English is a second language.
• The GMAT test is optional but an acceptable GMAT score may enhance entry.

Candidates will be university graduates or hold professional qualifications, university diplomas or other significant tertiary qualifications. All candidates must have practical working experience of usually not less than seven years with at least two at management level. This requirement ensures that all candidates are able to contribute significantly to group discussions and debates from a position of experience and knowledge. Consequently, candidates who lack such experience are unlikely to be considered for entry.

For general entry requirements see Massey University entry requirements.

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Delivery

The Massey University MBA course is available in two modes:

• A 15 month full-time option. The course will run at Auckland.
• A two calendar years plus one month (25 months) part-time Executive MBA conducted on every 3rd weekend in Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North and Christchurch. Candidates are required to spend up to 20 hours per week in individual and group study between the weekend classes.

This course is designed for full-time working executives who must study part-time.

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Programme structure

To qualify for the degree, candidates shall meet coursework requirements and pass examinations in both Parts A and B. To qualify for the degree candidates must meet course work requirements and pass examinations in Parts A and B.

Part A consists of eight prescribed papers totalling 120 credits.

Part B consists of 120 credits comprising the MBA Applied Research Project (30 credits), four prescribed papers (60 credits), and two electives (30 credits).

For further information on the MBA please contact Ms Julie Williams (see Contacts tab for details).

Start dates

Details about start dates, fees and locations are available on the Graduate School of Business - MBA web pages.

Course regulations

Postgraduate Generic Part I Regulations for the College of Business
Entry requirements

1. Approval of admission to a postgraduate diploma, bachelor honours or master’s degree requires that the candidate will have:
   1. (i) qualified in an appropriate bachelor degree with an appropriate grade point average; or
      (ii) an approved academic qualification; and
      (iii) been granted Admission to Postgraduate Study as entitled to proceed to the specified diploma or degree; and where appropriate
      
   2. provide evidence of practical/professional experience of an acceptable standard in an area(s) relevant to the qualification.
2. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Regulations, the Academic Board may require a candidate to demonstrate fitness for admission to the course by undertaking such tests, carrying out such work, and passing such examinations as the Board may determine.
3. Enrolment for a postgraduate programme of study in the College of Business at Massey University requires:
   
   1. approval of admission to the programme by the Academic Board;
   2. assurance from the relevant academic unit that the financial, human and physical resources relevant to the proposed programme of study are available; and
   3. enrolment in papers that meet the academic requirements of the programme.

Academic requirements

4. An academic programme shall consist of the number of credits for taught papers and/or research as specified in Part II (Schedule) for the qualification.

Notes

Candidates shall not cross-credit papers from a completed postgraduate qualification to another postgraduate qualification.

A candidate who has passed papers under previous Regulations at Massey University, but who has not graduated, may have such papers transferred to the equivalent qualification as determined by the Academic Board.

Research Reports and Theses

5. 1. A research report will consist of either 30 or 60 credits; a thesis will consist of either 90 or 120 credits.
   2. The research component of postgraduate programmes will be 0, 30, 60, 90 or 120 credits with the proviso that bachelor honours and master's degrees should normally have a minimum research component of 30 credits. Postgraduate diplomas may have a research component of zero and be based entirely on taught papers.

Examination

6. 1. The Head of the academic unit, or nominee, will recommend the appointment of one independent internal examiner for a research report or thesis, together with an external examiner for a thesis.
   2. For the award of the degree or diploma, a pass is required in all papers in the qualification. At the discretion of the examiner(s), a candidate may be examined orally on the subject of the research report or thesis.
   3. A candidate may re-enrol and be re-examined once in a failed paper(s). A research project or thesis may be resubmitted if necessary and may be subject to re-examination. Following successful re-examination, the candidate will only be eligible for a pass in a bachelor honours degree, a master's degree or a postgraduate diploma.

Honours/Distinction

7. 1. Postgraduate diplomas and 120-credit master's degrees will carry the award of Distinction for excellence if completed at a superior standard within one year full-time or three years part-time.
   2. Bachelor (honours) and 240-credit master's degrees will be awarded with First Class Honours, Second Class Honours Division I, Second Class Honours Division II or a pass, unless the Part II regulations provide otherwise.

To qualify for the award of Honours, bachelor (honours) degrees must be completed in one year full-time or three years part-time; Masters (240 credits) degrees must be completed within two years full-time or five years part-time.

Endorsements

8. Programmes for which subjects are listed may have these specified as endorsements at the time of course approval by the Academic Board. Endorsements will be specified with the name of the degree or diploma received by the candidate.

Exceptions

9. The Academic Board may, in such cases as it thinks fit, approve a personal programme of study that does not conform completely with the Regulations for that degree or diploma.

Part II
Course requirements

1. Candidates shall complete the requirements for the award of the degree within the following periods of first enrolling for the degree. These periods may in exceptional circumstances be extended by the College of Business Board:
   1. full time candidates - 15 months;
   2. part time (executive) candidates - two calendar years plus one month (25 months); or
   3. modular candidates - three calendar years plus six months (42 months) (Not offered in 2009).
      
      Failure to complete the degree within the time allowed may result in the candidate being removed from the programme.
2. To qualify for the degree, candidates shall meet coursework requirements and pass examinations in all of Parts A and B. The degree is awarded on the basis of meeting specific performance standards in both papers and executive skills/leadership programme. Failure to attend the executive skills/leadership development programme and failure to demonstrate satisfactory performance in that programme will normally mean that the degree will not be awarded.
3. In cases of sufficient merit, the degree may be awarded with Distinction provided that the requirements for the award of the degree are completed within the periods specified in Regulation 1, which periods may in exceptional circumstances be extended by the Academic Board.
4. The course of study shall comprise two parts, A and B:
   1. Part A shall consist of the papers (totalling not less than 120 credits) shown in the Schedule to this Regulation.
   2. Candidates will be permitted to enrol in Part B only after passing all of the papers for Part A with a grade-point average of at least 4.0.
   3. Candidates who fail Part A will not normally be permitted to re-enrol.
   4. Part B shall consist of papers and the MBA Applied Research Project (totalling 120 credits) shown in the Schedule to this Regulation.
   5. Should there be a demand from a group of students or from other Schools and/or Colleges, and at the discretion of the College of Business Board, 30 credits of papers from the College of Business may be substituted for the 30 elective credits.

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Papers

Schedule of papers for regulation 4

Part A
115.721 Business Law and Ethics (15 credits)
115.723 Accounting I (15 credits)
115.724 Business Finance (15 credits)
115.725 Leadership and People (15 credits)
115.726 Marketing (15 credits)
115.727 Entrepreneurship and Innovation (15 credits)
115.728 Contemporary Strategy (15 credits)
115.745 Economics - Applied and International (15 credits)

Part B
115.732 Operations and Logistics (15 credits)
115.734 Strategic Management - Planning and Application (15 credits)
115.735 Applied Business Research (15 credits)
115.750 Investments and Risk (15 credits)

Plus 30 credits from the following papers:
115.729 Accounting and Management (15 credits)
115.731 Change Management (15 credits)
115.743 Information Technology and e-Commerce (15 credits)
115.738 Corporate Governance Best Practice (15 credits)
115.739 Special Topic I (15 credits)
115.740 Special Topic II (15 credits)

AND:
115.737 MBA Applied Research Project (30 credits)

Credits and prior learning

1. All applications for credit from incomplete and abandoned postgraduate qualifications to College of Business postgraduate qualifications are assessed individually. An Application for Credit towards a Massey University Qualification form is contained in the Supplementary Enrolment Forms book, and can be downloaded from the Enrolment web pages.
2. It is not possible to cross credit papers from a completed postgraduate qualification to a College of Business postgraduate qualification.

Note: There is a limit of 25% of credit which may be approved into a College of Business qualification, eg a 120 credit PGDipBusAdmin may contain up to 30 credits from an abandoned postgraduate qualification elsewhere.

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