Birmingham-Southern College
Catalog
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GRADUATE PROGRAM
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E. Byron Chew and Cecilia McInnis-Bowers, Dean Partners
Sue A. Blanshan, Director
Master of Arts in Public and Private Management
The Master of Arts in Public and Private Management program
is an innovative graduate program in management education designed
for persons who hold or aspire to hold mid- or upper-level management
or executive positions. The curriculum addresses the following themes:
- Entrepreneurship-Students are challenged to think,
to risk. They are encouraged to question, advance alternative
perspectives and approaches, and engage in learning activities
that press the boundaries of their potential through class work
and independent study.
- Leadership-Through participation in learning activities
in which they connect theoretical and applied knowledge to complex
problems, students are able to respond better to the issues and
situations in the real world of organizational life: change, ambiguity,
and dynamic organizational environments.
- Teamwork-The program focuses on skills to enhance students'
ability to participate in group and team activities and to engage
in disciplined and mutually enriching dialogue. Students are encouraged
to examine assumptions and differing points of view and to generate
critically informed understandings of knowledge and professional
managerial practice.
- Ethics-Students are required to assess decisions,
approaches, and solutions in terms of ethical dimensions. Through
the existence of the Birmingham-Southern College Honor Code, students
experience the application of ethical choice in examinations,
writing assignments, and decisions impacting peers in team or
group situations.
- Strategic and Critical Analysis-The curriculum
fosters strategic thinking, planning and decision-making skills
through developing tangible products that challenge students to
draw upon strategic and critical thinking principles, practices,
and skills. Through completion of core courses providing specialized
knowledge and practice in case work and strategic planning, students
develop critical thinking skills.
- Global Perspectives-Students broaden viewpoints
through increased awareness of the significance of foreign competition
and the growing international focus. Students demonstrate their
understanding of cultural and economic differences in countries
comprising the global marketplace.
- Quantitative Analysis-Effective managers must
be equipped with an understanding of quantitative methods in order
to make better judgments and decisions supported by statistical
data rather than relying only on intuitive decision-making. The
curriculum examines the concept of models and data evaluation
within management settings.
- Innovative and Creative Thinking-Through formal
and informal activities that encourage creativity, students develop
the ability to view problems and circumstances from different
perspectives, to challenge status-quo approaches, and to consider
the impact of technological and social change on traditional patterns
of management behavior.
- Communication-The curriculum fosters understanding
of relevant organizational principles and theories and focuses
on enabling students to make practical application in both oral
and written communications. The aim is to develop management personnel
who can effectively evaluate and use all forms of communications
as management tools for more efficient individual and organizational
functioning.
The Master of Arts in Public and Private Management requires completion
of 16 three-semester-hour course units over a two-year period. The
program is organized around two levels of study including foundations
courses in the basic disciplines of management and electives. Electives
permit the student to pursue an area of concentration in public
sector management, private sector management, or health care management.
An applicant must submit the following to be considered for admission:
- Completed application form.
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work.
- Scores from either the GMAT, GRE, or MAT.
- Application fee of $25.00.
- Two letters of recommendation.
- One essay.
- An interview with faculty and the Deans of Graduate Programs.
Graduate Certificate in Public and Private Management for International
Students
The Graduate Certificate in Public and Private Management for International
Students at Birmingham Southern College consists of a one year program
for professionals with foreign degrees to learn the necessary skills
to become more successful in the global marketplace.
Students take two academic courses during each term and complete
a three- term internship. No more than two and one third courses
may be carried in any one term. The program of study involves eight
courses that may be completed in one year.
The curriculum is organized around core courses, an internship
and elective courses. The internship is a twenty-hour per week opportunity
to be integrated into the American business community. The electives
and internships include options in managerial, legal, health care,
and civil/human rights issues.
This graduate certificate program is designed for students whose
undergraduate degrees have been earned at foreign colleges and universities.
Admission to the program requires a completed application package
which includes all official transcripts; score from either the GMAT,
GRE, MAT, MCAT, or LSAT; two letters of recommendation from individuals
qualified to comment on the applicant's academic preparation and
competencies; a $25 application fee; and evidence of English proficiency,
in the form of the TOEFL (paper based total 550 minimum score/computer
based total 213 minimum score) or comparable proof of oral and written
ability in English.
For admission requirements or additional information, interested
students should contact the office below:
The Graduate Office
Box 549052
Birmingham Southern College
Birmingham, Alabama 35254
Telephone: (205) 226 4803
Fax: (205) 226-4843
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