Graduate Catalog 2026-2027

Business Administration, Master of Business Administration (057)

Department website: http://www.wku.edu/mba


Program Coordinator

Kathryn A. Nicewicz Scott, kate.nicewicz@wku.edu

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) prepares graduates for successful business and organizational leadership careers. To earn the degree, students must complete the MBA core and select at least one of the following concentrations: Executive Decision Making, Supply Chain Management, Business Data Analytics, Cybersecurity Data Analytics, Marketing and Sales, or Dietetic Practice. 

Concentrations

  • Executive Decision Making (EXDM)
  • Supply Chain Management (SCMA)
  • Business Data Analytics (BUDA)
  • Cybersecurity Data Analytics (CYSA)
  • Marketing and Sales (MKTS)
  • Dietetic Practice (DIET)

Program Admission

Applicant materials are reviewed on a rolling basis. Students accepted into the MBA program will receive written notification and additional orientation materials. Students not admitted will be notified in writing and may be encouraged to reapply during the next regular admissions cycle.

The admission process for the MBA program at Western Kentucky University involves the following steps and requirements1:

  1. Completion of Graduate Studies admission application and a current resume with two references listed.
  2. Applicants seeking admission must meet at least one of the following criteria:
    1. Minimum undergraduate overall grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale and at least 3 years of professional experience, OR
    2. An undergraduate degree in a business discipline from an AACSB-accredited program with a minimum GPA of 3.25. 

Applicants who earned an undergraduate degree in a business discipline from an AACSB-accredited program with a minimum GPA of 3.0, and have some work experience (including internships) but who do not meet the full work experience requirement may apply for conditional admission. Conditionally admitted students must achieve a GPA of 3.0 or higher in their first 12 credit hours to gain full admission. Those who fail to meet this GPA requirement will be dismissed from the program. 

1

These minimum requirements establish eligibility for admission, but do not guarantee acceptance. 

Graduate Studies Admission

Please refer to the admission section of this catalog for Graduate Studies admission requirements.

Program Requirements (30 hours)

Students must complete 30 hours to earn the MBA.  Students must complete the 21-hour MBA and choose at least one concentration.  The courses in the MBA core also comprise the Advanced Business Fundamentals graduate certificate, which students may earn while completing their MBA degree. A maximum of two courses with a grade of "C" are allowed in the program. A maximum of one course with a grade of "C" is allowed within a concentration. Students who earn more than the allowable number of grades of “C” will be required to repeat the course(s) in which the "C"s were earned in order to meet program progression and graduation requirements. See the Graduate Catalog policy on repeating courses.  

Required Courses 1
MGT 510Advanced Organizational Behavior3
ECON 511Applied Managerial Economics3
BDAN 513Contemporary Business Analytics3
ACCT 515Managerial Accounting3
MKT 517Advanced Marketing3
FIN 519Advanced Managerial Finance3
MGT 590Strategic Business Concepts and Applications (With a grade of "B" or higher)3
BA 597MBA Portfolio0
BA 596CGFCB Graduate Certificate Assessment - Advanced Business Fundamentals (Must be taken if completing Business Fundamentals graduate certificate)0
Total Hours21
1

These courses may count toward the Advanced Business Fundamentals graduate certificate. 

Executive Decision Making

Select three courses9
MGT 520
Critical Thinking and Business Ethics
MGT 546
Sustainable Business Operations Management
MGT 555
Strategic Leadership
MGT 560
Contemporary Human Resources Management
MGT 596BGFCB Graduate Certificate Assessment - Executive Decision Making (Must be taken if completing Executive Decision Making graduate certificate)0
Total Hours9

Supply Chain Management Concentration

MGT 576Supply Chain Management3
MGT 583Procurement Management3
MGT 584Supply Chain Analytics3
MGT 596AGFCB Graduate Certificate Assessment - Supply Chain Management (Required if completing a graduate certificate in Supply Chain Management)0
Total Hours9

Business Data Analytics Concentration

May not be combined with the Cybersecurity Analytics concentration.
Note: Students who wish to count these courses toward a Business Data Analytics Certificate may require additional coursework if they also want to pursue the Advanced Business Fundamentals certificate. Contact the MBA program coordinator for more information. 

BDAN 515Data Management3
BDAN 517Predictive Analytics3
BDAN 519Visualization and Decision Making3
BDAN 596AGFCB Grad Certificate Assessment - Business Data Analytics (Required if completing graduate certificate in Business Data Analytics)0
Total Hours9

Cybersecurity Management Concentration 

CYSA 520Principles of Cybersecurity for Data Analytics3
CYSA 522Cybersecurity Risk and Compliance3
CYSA 524Cybersecurity Orchestration Using Data Analytics3
CYSA 596AGFCB Graduate Certificate Assessment - Cybersecurity Data Analytics (Required if completing a graduate certificate in Cybersecurity Data Analytics)0
Total Hours9

Marketing and Sales Concentration

MKT 518Contemporary Issues in Sales3
MKT 521Market Research and Consumer Insights3
Any 4XXG or 5XX-level ACCT, BA, BDAN, CYSA, ECON, FIN, MGT, or MGT course not already used in the program3
MKT 596AGFCB Graduate Certificate Assessment - Marketing and Sales (Required if completing a graduate certificate in Marketing and Sales)0
Total Hours9

Dietetic Practice Concentration

HMD 583Foodservice Systems Management3
HMD 584Community Nutrition Program Management3
HMD 587Seminar in Concepts and Methods of Dietetic Practice3
Total Hours9