Master of Business Administration (MBA)

• BUSN 5000 Business (3 hours)

Note: Program prerequisites may be taken concurrently with MBA 5010. Prerequisite courses are required for those students who have not completed an appropriate equivalent within the five years prior to entering the MBA program. In the case of BUSN 5000, Business, students must have completed an accredited undergraduate degree in business or management within five years of starting the MBA program. If the appropriate prerequisite course content was completed more than five years prior to entering the program, the department will allow a waiver if the student demonstrates command of the content area by successfully completing a waiver examination. If you are interested in taking a prerequisite waiver examination, please see the department coordinator.

Total: 30* credit hours

The MBA curriculum is organized into three parts: Value Creation Foundation, Value Creation Components and Value Creation in Practice. The Value Creation Foundation must be completed before progression to the Value Creation Components which, in turn, must be completed before taking the two Value Creation in Practice classes.

Value Creation Foundation (9 hours)

• MBA 5010 Value Creation (3 hours)
• MBA 5020 Quantitative Methods for the MBA (3 hours)
• MBA 5030 Market Analysis and Business Planning (3 hours)

Value Creation Components (15 hours)

• MBA 5100 Adding Value through Human Capital (3 hours)
• MBA 5200 The Financial Value of Capital Projects (3 hours)
• MBA 5300 Providing Value to Customers (3 hours)
• MBA 5400 The Supply Chain and Business Processes (3 hours)
• MBA 5500 Information Support for Decision Making (3 hours)

Value Creation in Practice (3 hours)

• MBA 5910 Cases in Value Creation (3 hours)

Electives (3 hours)

Note: Students lacking a prior ACBSP (or equivalent) accredited degree must take BUSN 5000 Business (3) as a program prerequisite

*Students studying at the Vienna campus must complete two additional research courses, including a thesis, in order to meet Austrian accreditation requirements to receive the Austrian accredited Diploma.

MBA graduates find career opportunities in a myriad of global industries, including logistics, energy, tourism, finance and trade. Previous graduates have found positions as global supply chain consultants, trade policy advisors and as managers in business development, finance and international marketing. Whether you want to grow in your current organization or transition to something new, you'll be prepared for your next step. With Webster Vienna's MBA, you'll combine a carefully selected set of business competencies with personal effectiveness competencies to help you create value within your organization and achieve your professional goals.

Purpose and Scope

This Study Plan and Regulations lays out the specifications of the program Master of Business Administration (MBA), including the profile and learning outcomes, the structure of the curricula, program development and the criteria for admission and conferment of a degree.

This Study Plan and Regulations is applicable to all students pursuing the Master of Business Administration with an Emphasis in International Business starting on or after Sept. 1, 2021. It pertains to the degree (MBA) offered by WVPU which is accredited by the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria in accordance with the Private Universities Act §2 and §3(1). The requirements for U.S. accredited degrees conferred by Webster University based in St. Louis, USA may vary slightly. Students are encouraged to consult with their advisor for details.

Overview Table

Profile and Learning Outcomes

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) curriculum focuses on functional areas of business such as marketing, finance, data systems and human resource management. The program provides training for graduates to be able to identify and efficiently manage activities with the potential to generate the greatest possible value for owners, customers and other stakeholders in their organization. Courses in the MBA program combine a carefully selected set of business competencies (e.g., understanding value creation, implementation planning, business process management, decision making) with personal effectiveness competencies (e.g., effective communication, collaboration, analytical thinking, creative problem solving).

The objective of this program is to develop broadly educated business managers and executives who understand the nature of business as a whole, with the tools and techniques applicable to a wide variety of business situations. Given the breadth of scope, career opportunities are possible in almost any business or industry. The degree is especially suitable for analytical types of jobs requiring critical thinking and ability to communicate effectively within the organization. It does not predetermine a specific career path, but rather provides graduates with set of skills to be sufficiently flexible in the fast-changing labor market. The MBA program focus of preparing students to become tomorrow’s leaders in the private sector keenly matches WVPU’s profile and objectives. Its strong focus on and integration of real-life cases ensure that graduates of the MBA program are fully qualified for the degree they earned and are critical and adaptive thinkers capable of succeeding in a complex and changing labor market.

Learning Outcomes

Students who complete this program will be able to:

1. Analyze a business and identify and evaluate opportunities for value creation.
2. Apply the core business competencies necessary to increase organizational value.
3. Demonstrate the personal effectiveness competencies necessary to achieve their professional goals and to contribute to the accomplishment of the organization's objectives.

MBA Program Learning Outcomes

Curriculum Overview and Workload

The MBA curriculum is organized into three modules: Value Creation Foundation (22.5 ECTS), Value Creation Components (37.5 ECTS) and Value Creation in Practice (15 ECTS) culminating in a thesis (15 ECTS). The Value Creation Foundation Module must be completed before progression to the Value Creation Components, which, in turn, must be completed before taking the two Value Creation in Practice courses. The total required workload is 90 ECTS including a thesis.

Full time students working toward the MBA will usually carry a course load of four courses per semester. For each course in the MBA program with the exception of the thesis, students attend 36 hours of courses and conduct approximately another 151.5 hours of self-learning.

Each of the core Competency Courses (CC), Discipline Courses (DC) and Enrichment Courses (EC) is offered at least once a year. Full course descriptions, individual learning outcomes, details about ECTS, weekly study schedules and assessment criteria are available in each course syllabus, available via WVPU’s publicly accessible course schedule.

Curriculum Overview

Students seeking to begin the Module 1 must demonstrate advanced knowledge in business prior to beginning the program or successfully complete a related prerequisite course of 7.5 ECTS. While the credits earned for the prerequisite courses are recorded in the Diploma Supplement, they do not count toward the degree.
Prerequisite (7.5 ECTS)*

Module 1: Value Creation Foundation (22.5 ECTS)

Module 2: Value Creation Components (37.5 ECTS)

Module 3: Value Creation in Practice (15 ECTS)

Thesis (15 ECTS)

Roadmaps and Course Sequencing

Students working toward an MBA can complete the program in a minimum of four semesters. Curriculum in this program develops as students progress through their studies. For that reason, adhering to prescribed course sequencing is an essential component to success. The course syllabus or WVPU’s publicly accessible course schedule both list course prerequisites, if any.

Advisors are available to assist students with degree planning to help ensure proper course sequencing. Though most students will adhere to their respective program roadmap, advisors can help develop individualized degree plans when the situation warrants deviation from the roadmap. Advisors must approve all course registration requests before they are processed. Advisors also consult on issues related to academic and career goals, and university resources.

The Business and Management Department reserves the right to waive or adjust course prerequisites as necessary.

Program Development and Enhancement

The Master of Business Administration program is subject to WVPU’s systematic Internal Quality Management System that incorporates continuous measures and involves the Executive Board, academic department heads and the University Senate. This ensures that its learning outcomes and the content of its curriculum impart advanced knowledge in the discipline while delivering the skills and competencies requisite for a master’s degree. WVPU’s quality management processes include a triannual program review and assessment of learning outcomes, course evaluations, an annual review of academic polices and processes, semi-annual performance reviews with units and employees and collected stakeholder feedback through semi-annual meetings and surveys supported by the university’s internal information systems.

All incoming Master of Business Administration candidates are interviewed by Business and Management Department faculty, allowing the department to directly assess the quality of candidates and thereby ensure that the high standards of the program are sustained. At the course level, each syllabus (including criteria and methods of assessment) is reviewed and approved by the department at least one semester prior to being published on the university’s course offerings, ensuring that learning outcomes are clearly stated and appropriately paired to the course’s content and assessment criteria. All students have access to the syllabus before the course begins, and in addition, faculty are required to review the syllabus on the first day of class. During the running of any course students interact with both the faculty member and the department’s administration alerting them to any problems that might arise and triggering procedures based on academic policies and procedures, particularly with reference to disputes between students and faculty.

The base selection of course offerings for any academic year is determined two years in advance through regular planning sessions. The process includes consultation with representatives of student government and incorporates additional student feedback through face-to-face meetings, town halls and anonymous course evaluations. Teaching assignments pairing faculty to courses are completed one year in advance. Prior to assigning a course to a faculty member, the department head verifies the individual’s qualifications and experience as an instructor. Students evaluate all first-time instructors in the third week of their course to provide feedback and allow for corrective measures if necessary.

Other continuous processes also play an important role in sustaining and enhancing the integrity of the program. The university solicits semiannual student feedback on degree programs through student focus groups involving 30-minute structured dialogues at the start of selected courses. Additionally, the head of the department takes part in monthly video conferences with global partners to evaluate Business and Management programs, adding and shaping curricula and course content to meet WVPU student needs and national regulations while also integrating partner experiences from around the world. Department representatives participate in on-going process evaluation measures providing suggestions on how to improve subject relevancy, program competitiveness, research components and technology to align with those used in international business, management, and marketing sectors.

Admission to the Study Program

In addition to the General Admission Requirements for Graduate Programs, applicants to the Master of Business Administration program must fulfill the following requirements:

• Applicants must prove that they have two years of relevant work experience documented on the resume/curriculum vitae.
• The Admissions Committee may request additional employment confirmation.

If admitted, applicants who have not completed undergraduate or graduate degrees within the last five years from an accredited business, financial accounting or economics program, must take the following prerequisites prior to taking core graduate courses or satisfactorily pass waiver examinations.

The Master of Business Administration program allows a maximum transfer of 22.5 ECTS, which apply toward residence requirements.

Supplementary Requirements for Conferment of the Degree

WVPU confers the academic degree of Master of Business Administration following the successful completion of all modules as stated in the Curriculum Overview and Workload and in accordance with the following rules:

1. Candidates must complete all modules (90 ECTS) as stated in the Curriculum Overview;
2. Students must successfully earn 75 ECTS in residence;
3. Students must complete and defend a master thesis (15 ECTS);
4. All courses must be completed with a grade of B- or better.

The University reserves the right to approve and assign transferred credits as equivalencies to courses which could result in fewer than 75 overall ECTS completed in residency.

WVPU Policies and Student Obligations

WVPU policies support and maintain the highest quality of education and service level for students. All students attending WVPU are obliged to adhere to university academic policies, including the Study and Examination Guidelines and the Code of Conduct, available on the WVPU website. Students are solely responsible for familiarizing themselves with all applicable university policies and procedures including those dictating academic standards.

Students are also fully responsible for managing their degree progress in compliance with the curriculum. This includes, but is not limited to: ensuring schedule accuracy each semester, adhering to all registration and payment deadlines, proactively addressing any issues that may interfere with degree progress, exclusively using the university assigned email address for all academic-related correspondence and observing course-specific deadlines and policies.

WVPU retains the right to update policies and procedures. Students will be informed of any such changes in a timely manner.

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• Webster Vienna (Log in required)

Business and Management Library Resources

• Library and Learning Center

Databases

• Business and Management Research Guide
• Articles and Database Access
  • Business
  • Finance
  • Human Resources
  • Management