Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Overview
The online Master of Business Administration program is an independent study graduate degree program. The Program is of particular interest to individuals interested in acquiring the skills and educational qualifications needed to succeed in almost any business environment. The M.B.A. program benefits those in executive and managerial positions as well as individuals providing consulting services to enterprises of varying size and structure.
The objectives of the Program are:
1. To offer a program of coursework and practical exercises in business administration, leadership, management and sound operational practices that will enhance the professional and personal lives of its students.
2. To prepare professionals with the business skills necessary to start or consult to a small business venture.
3. To explore the intricacies of effective management and marketing of businesses of varying size and structure.
4. To allow for a number of electives, focused on various entrepreneurial and business issues and procedures.
5. To employ faculty who are accomplished in their respective fields from both an academic and practical perspective.
Successful graduates of the Program will demonstrate:
- Application of knowledge in the legal, regulatory, theoretical, ethical and practical aspects of operating businesses of varying size and structure.
- The ability to evaluate common business and related legal issues and make appropriate decisions and recommendations based on sound research, reasoning and analysis.
- Appreciation for making socially responsible and environmentally sustainable choices when designing and implementing business strategy.
- How to author a properly formatted and presented Business Plan or Capstone project that represents substantive original work that ties together the learning objectives of the coursework.
The University acts to fulfill the purposes of the M.B.A. program through appropriate coursework, coupled with continuing direction, evaluation of student progress, and regular assessment of student learning outcomes, supervised and administered by qualified faculty.
The online M.B.A. program is presented on a Semester basis. Students are generally enrolled in 12 units per Semester. Each Semester consists of a minimum time period of 16 weeks from the date study commences. Students not completing all Semester coursework in the 16-week period will be granted an automatic 2 month extension of time to complete the Semester. Students may take a leave-of-absence between Semesters however, except in special circumstances, the entire degree program (3 Semesters) must be completed within 5 years.
“To a group of Stanford graduating students in 2005, the late Steve Jobs said these words which he quoted from The World Earth Catalog “…Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish…” Simple words, yet, powerful in meaning. The Taft University MBA program was a challenging project. The MBA program kept me yearning for more learning through the books and articles I read, the problems I solved (Stay Hungry) and the wonderful and quick feedback I obtained from my teachers. Being an online program, one is required to be disciplined and to keep trying (Stay Foolish) in order to succeed. I don’t regret my decision to do the Taft University MBA program, as I appreciate the school’s real commitment to providing good quality education at an affordable cost and with the use of contemporary technology.”
Elliot SN – Taft University MBA Graduate, current Taft University DBA Student W. Edwards Deming School of Business 
Adding an MBA to my professional portfolio has been extremely rewarding. The combination of leadership skills acquired through my military service, along with William Howard Taft University’s academic tools and resources, accelerated my progression in civil service. This was my favorite academic experience!
Sam Gotti – Taft University MBA Graduate, W. Edwards Deming School of Business 
Presentation
The University’s Directed Independent Study modality recognizes that education is an individual process where individuals with different learning needs and study schedules can be accommodated. It emphasizes learning that is meaningful, where individuals enjoy the learning process, and acquire knowledge to better understand and manage their own careers.
The Program’s faculty members recognize individual learning styles and needs, and emphasize the relevance of the material to the individual’s situation.
Each course in the Program contains a series of lesson assignments generally consisting of reading requirements and research projects. Students are evaluated through examinations and/or research assignments which are submitted for faculty evaluation. Students conclude the Program with the preparation of a comprehensive business plan or capstone project.
All assignments are submitted electronically. As set forth in the University’s General Catalog, Internet access and minimum computer requirements and skills are required as a condition of admittance.
Curriculum
To earn the Master of Business Administration degree, a student must complete the courses outlined below with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00. The requirements may be completed in as little as twelve months, and must be completed within five years from the date of initial enrollment.
Elective Focus Area Options
Enhance the business foundation by majoring in one or two management focus areas. Focus areas give you the opportunity to gain specialized knowledge in the following disciplines:
MGT511
Managerial Perspectives
4 units
MKT511
Marketing Management
4 units
FIN515
Money and Capital Markets
4 units
BUS511
Entrepreneurship
4 units
BLW513
The Legal and Regulatory Environment of Business
4 units
ACC513
Managerial Accounting**
4 units
Choose a minimum of 8 units from the courses below or elective track options:
BUS503
Valuing a Small Business or Professional Practice
4 units
BUS512
Franchising and Licensing
4 units
BUS516
Commercial Leasing
4 units
BUS602
Business Research
4 units
FIN502
Financing the Business Venture
4 units
FIN514
Financial Planning Principles
4 units
MKT513
Public Relations
4 units
BUS596
Business Plan
4 units
BUS597
Capstone
4 units
**Accounting graduates or CPA’s may substitute an elective.
Total Semester Units Required for Graduation: 36
Admission Policies and Requirements
Applicants who have earned a Bachelor’s or first professional degree from a college or university accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education may apply to the Program. The majority of applicants to this Program are mature adults working in a variety of professional settings. Many have not attended college for several years. Consequently, prior class rank and grade point average are not significant factors in the admission process.
An applicant may be conditionally admitted into the Program based on a completed Application for Admission, receipt of the $75.00 Application Fee, and student copies of transcripts reflecting the applicant’s highest relevant degree. It is not necessary to submit official transcripts at the time of application. (However, official transcripts must be received by the University within 60 days of enrollment. The University provides students with a form which may be used for this purpose.)
Should additional information be required the applicant will be contacted.
All payments must be payable in U.S. dollars. Payments may be made by MasterCard®,Visa®, American Express® or Discover®.
Foreign Applicants and Applicants with International Credentials
It may be necessary for applicants who have attended colleges or universities outside of the United States to obtain an evaluation of their education from a credential evaluation service approved by the University. Upon request, the Admissions Office will provide a list of approved evaluators. In addition, applicants whose native language is not English and who have not earned a degree from an appropriately accredited institution where English is the principal language of instruction must receive a minimum score of 530 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or 71 on the iBT, or its equivalent.
For more information on TOEFL visit the website: www.ets.org/toefl
Transfer Credit and Portfolio Credit
The acceptance of transfer credits between academic institutions lies within the discretion of the receiving college or university. Credits earned at William Howard Taft University may or may not be accepted by another institution depending upon its own programs, policies, and regulations.
The University is committed to providing students the greatest opportunity to apply previously earned credit toward their chosen degree program. Subject to the limitations of state and accreditation regulations and academic comparability, students may apply to have credit awarded through completion of:
- Transfer Credit: Transfer credit toward a degree may be awarded for postsecondary courses completed by the student at other institutions if such courses are found to meet the standards and learning objectives of the specific course for which credit is sought. Transfer credit must be from an appropriately accredited institution.
- Portfolio Credit: Academic credit may be given for adequately documented and validated experiential equivalent learning of a postsecondary nature. Examples include credit for learning acquired through achievement of select certifications, college level equivalent tests, or other postsecondary level equivalent experience. Students with prior military experience may also apply to have military coursework evaluated for possible equivalent college credit.
MBA students may apply to transfer up to a total of 18 units of Transfer Credit (or a combination of transfer credit and portfolio credit). A maximum of 9 units may be awarded for adequately documented and validated portfolio credit.
Notwithstanding the above, the awarding of transfer credit or portfolio credit is considered on a case-by-case basis and awarded at the sole discretion of the University.
Financial Information
The tuition for the Program is $225.00 per unit. Tuition rates are “locked” for two years at the time of matriculation. An enrolled student will be protected from future tuition increases during this period of time.
Current information on financial aid is set forth on the University’s website. Enrollment in the Program will generally qualify students for payment deferrals on existing federally insured student loans. Applicants seeking deferrals on existing student loans should check with their lenders prior to enrollment. Additional information on financial aid and tuition financing can be found under Tuition, Financial Aid and Financing.
The cost of books and materials, other than each course syllabus, is not included in the tuition. Most books and materials may be purchased at local colleges, retail bookstores, directly from publishers or over the Internet. The cost is estimated to average approximately $125.00 per course.
[The following information applies to California Residents only.]
* California Student Tuition Recovery Fund
The Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) is a fund administered by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (Bureau) that relieves or mitigates economic loss suffered by a student while enrolled in a qualifying institution – generally one that is approved or registered by the Bureau. At the time of his or her enrollment, the student must have been a California resident or enrolled in a California residency program, prepaid tuition, and suffered economic loss.
STRF REQUIREMENTS
- “You must pay the state-imposed assessment for the Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) if all of the following applies to you:
- You are a student in an educational program, who is a California resident, or are enrolled in a residency program, and prepay all or part of your tuition either by cash, guaranteed student loans, or personal loans, and
- Your total charges are not paid by any third-party payer such as an employer, government program or other payer unless you have a separate agreement to repay the third party.
- You are not eligible for protection from the STRF and you are not required to pay the STRF assessment, if the following applies:
- You are not a California resident, or are not enrolled in a residency program.”
- “The State of California created the Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) to relieve or mitigate economic losses suffered by students in educational programs who are California residents, or are enrolled in a residency programs attending certain schools regulated by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.
- You may be eligible for STRF if you are a California resident or are enrolled in a residency program, prepaid tuition, paid the STRF assessment, and suffered an economic loss as a result of any of the following:
- The school closed before the course of instruction was completed.
- The school’s failure to pay refunds or charges on behalf of a student to a third party for license fees or any other purpose, or to provide equipment or materials for which a charge was collected within 180 days before the closure of the school.
- The school’s failure to pay or reimburse loan proceeds under a federally guaranteed student loan program as required by law or to pay or reimburse proceeds received by the school prior to closure in excess of tuition and other costs.
- There was a material failure to comply with the Act or this Division within 30 days before the school closed or, if the material failure began earlier than 30 days prior to closure, the period determined by the Bureau.
- An inability after diligent efforts to prosecute, prove, and collect on a judgment against the institution for a violation of the Act.”
Application Fee
Transfer Credit Evaluation Fee
Portfolio Credit Evaluation Fee
Registration Fee (Per Semester)
Graduation Check/Diploma Fee
Computer Library Fee (Per Semester)
Transcript Fee (Two Provided at No Cost)
Late Payment Fee
(Returned Check/Declined Credit Card/ACH) (Per Item)
Student Tuition Recovery Fund *
(California Residents Only)
How to Enroll
If the applicant is accepted for admission to the Program, a formal enrollment agreement will be prepared and sent to the applicant for review and signature. Students may elect to begin the Program on the 15th of any month. All payments submitted for tuition and fees must be payable in U.S. dollars. Payments may be made by MasterCard® / Visa® / American Express® or Discover®.
Applicants are encouraged to call the Admissions Office if there are any questions regarding enrollment procedures.
Course Descriptions
- ACC513 - Managerial Accounting (4 Units)
- BLW513 - The Legal and Regulatory Environment of Business (4 Units)
- BUS503 - Valuing a Small Business or Professional Practice (4 Units)
- BUS511 - Entrepreneurship (4 Units)
- BUS512 - Franchising and Licensing (4 Units)
- BUS516 - Commercial Leasing (4 Units)
- BUS550 - Self Leadership (2 Units)
- BUS552 - Business Operations Innovations (2 Units)
- BUS555 - Product and Operations Quality (2 Units)
- BUS559 - Strategic Planning for Competitive Advantage(2 Units)
- BUS560 - Strategic Staffing (2 Units)
- BUS562 - Performance Management (2 Units)
- BUS565 - Human Resource Management (2 Units)
- BUS572 - Data Visualization and Presentation (2 Units)
- BUS596 - Business Plan (4 Units)
- BUS597 - Capstone(4 Units)
- BUS602 - Business Research (4 Units)
- FIN502 - Financing the Business Venture (4 Units)
- FIN514 - Financial Planning Principles (4 Units)
- FIN515 - Money and Capital Markets (4 Units)
- MGT511 - Managerial Perspectives (4 Units)
- MKT511 - Marketing Management (4 Units)
- MKT513 - Public Relations (4 Units)
ACC513 - Managerial Accounting (4 Units)
This course offers a balanced coverage of concepts, methods, and uses of managerial accounting with a strong emphasis on management issues. The principal course objective is to help the MBA student focus on concepts and managerial uses of accounting information, rather than the techniques of cost accounting.
Prerequisites: First Semester courses.
BLW513 - The Legal and Regulatory Environment of Business (4 Units)
This course highlights the legal and regulatory environment in which people and companies conduct business activities. It emphasizes public rather than private law.
Prerequisites: First Semester courses.
BUS503 - Valuing a Small Business or Professional Practice (4 Units)
This course explores the most commonly accepted valuation methods for closely-held businesses and professional practices. It also covers defining value for different purposes, the impact on value of cash versus financing options, as well as how to work with professional business appraisers and business brokers.
Prerequisites: Second Semester courses.
BUS511 - Entrepreneurship (4 Units)
This course presents an overview of all aspects of entrepreneurship including developing a viable concept, organizing the enterprise, market and financial planning, and controlling the organization with a special emphasis on concepts of goal setting, motivation and the psychology of achievement.
Prerequisites: First Semester courses.
BUS512 - Franchising and Licensing (4 Units)
This course explores concepts of franchising, benefits and problems from both a franchisor and franchisee perspective, as well as legal requirements. Students research actual franchise opportunities.
Prerequisites: Second Semester courses.
BUS516 - Commercial Leasing (4 Units)
Often the largest financial commitment of the small or developmental stage business, this course covers lease negotiations, the lease document, and tenant improvements for both office and retail leases.
Prerequisites: Second Semester courses.
BUS550 - Self Leadership (2 Units)
This course is a comprehensive examination of Leadership grounded in sound principles and research. It explores methods for achieving personal goals using self-assessment, self-reward, self-talk, mental imagery, team-think, and other cutting-edge concepts. The emphasis of the course is on Self-Leadership and application, with some review of theories related to leading others; however the focus here is in self-leadership tools as a means to the successful leadership of others.
BUS552 - Business Operations Innovations (2 Units)
This course is designed around the core principle that companies can’t survive without innovating. The course and assignments are a centered balance between how organizations manage the process of generating new ideas against what it means to be able to execute against those ideas operationally, turning ideas into actual breakthrough products, services, and process improvements. The course reviews building the right teams and managing operational processes while testing new assumptions and forecasting & measuring change results.
Prerequisites: Second Semester courses.
BUS555 - Product and Operations Quality (2 Units)
This course captures the fundamentals of Six Sigma methodology and shows how to use its tools and techniques to improve customer satisfaction and business performance through product and operations quality. Offering a practitioner’s point of view, this course covers key topics such as quality function deployment; DMAIC problem-solving; measures and metrics; project management; statistical methods; control charts; reliability; failure modes and effects analysis; and lean manufacturing. The course is based in realistic industry examples to support each topic.
Prerequisites: Second Semester courses.
BUS559 - Strategic Planning for Competitive Advantage(2 Units)
This course focuses on the topic of Strategic Planning and how effective Strategic Planning is one of the most important steps a company can take in order to build a competitive advantage in the modern marketplace. The course presents a strategic model that represents a comprehensive and effective approach to understanding and executing the strategic planning process in any size organization. The course describes the concepts of competition and competitive advantage, explains the ins and outs of writing a strategic plan and the importance of executing the plan, and provides simulation cases for discussion.
Prerequisites: Second Semester courses.
BUS560 - Strategic Staffing (2 Units)
The Strategic Staffing course prepares managers to take a strategic and modern approach to the identification, attraction, selection, deployment, and retention of talent. Grounded in research but full of real-world examples, this course describes how organizations can develop a staffing strategy that reinforces business strategy, leverages staffing technology, and evaluates and improves staffing systems. The focus is on the Staffing Context; Planning, Sourcing, and Recruiting; Selecting; and Managing the Staffing System.
Prerequisites: Second Semester courses.
BUS562 - Performance Management (2 Units)
This course emphasizes that the key competitive advantage in today’s globalized world lies, not in technology and products, but in its PEOPLE. In today’s globalized world it is easy to gain access to the competition’s technology and products. Given this, what is it that makes some businesses more successful than others? What is today’s key competitive advantage? In this course you will discover that the answer is people. Organizations with motivated and talented employees offering outstanding service to customers are likely to pull ahead of the competition, even if the products offered are similar to those offered by the competitors. This course is about the design and implementation of successful performance management methods.
Prerequisites: Second Semester courses.
BUS565 - Human Resource Management (2 Units)
This course is a concise yet thorough review of essential HR management concepts and strategies focusing on providing students and practicing managers with essential HR management concepts including fundamental practices, methods, topics, and relevant legal findings. The core design is to make the information relevant to managers both within the field of Human Resources, and also managers from other fields that need to be familiar with the Human Resources framework. Each part of the course focuses on how managers strategically use HR practices and technology in today’s business environment striking a balance between theory and real-world application.
Prerequisites: Second Semester courses.
BUS572 - Data Visualization and Presentation (2 Units)
This course is a broad survey of modern and cutting edge information visualization techniques, the graphic presentation of data, which fosters simplified usages of technology through the representation of complex information at a glance. In modern Information Management, this field is emerging as the quintessential technological competitive advantage. This course examines the methods of two dozen visualization experts who approach their projects from a variety of perspectives — as artists, designers, commentators, scientists, analysts, statisticians, and more. Together they demonstrate how visualization can help us make sense of the world. Firms that can understand their data, and create new data intense products, will be the market leaders well into the 21st century.
Prerequisites: Second Semester courses.
BUS596 - Business Plan (4 Units)
In this course students develop and present a comprehensive business plan for a real or fictitious business that includes the traditional major topics including the executive summary, market and industry analysis, financing, marketing, management, and staffing.
Prerequisites: All Core and Elective courses.
BUS597 - Capstone(4 Units)
The capstone course allows students to apply the knowledge gained throughout the program to a work-related project. Students work with a faculty member to select an appropriate project and outline the course scope and deliverables. It is expected that the completed project will deliver some business process improvement or other benefit to the student’s work environment if possible.
Prerequisites: All Core and Elective courses.
BUS602 - Business Research (4 Units)
A fundamental key to successful management is information. Knowing what information is needed, when it is needed, how to collect it, and how to interpret it can be the critical process to success. More than basic decision making research; managers should be able demonstrate the capacity to add unique knowledge to the national body of knowledge of business. This course will focus on practical theory and processes that managers can use to assist in the decision making matrix. It will also provide the foundation for developing the practical projects of each course and the program. The process will include analyzing the information, evaluating the results, and developing a strategy that leadership can implement.
Prerequisites: Second Semester courses.
FIN502 - Financing the Business Venture (4 Units)
This course focuses on setting out the basic principles of financial management and applying them to the decisions faced by the financial managers. It shows how managers value investments that may pay off at different points in time or have different degrees of risk. The course also explores financing alternatives available to the small or developmental stage enterprise.
Prerequisites: Second Semester courses.
FIN514 - Financial Planning Principles (4 Units)
This course is intended to provide an in-depth understanding of the basic principles underlying financial planning. Theoretical concepts needed to understand and practice financial planning are discussed in detail. The understanding of the theoretical principles is then strengthened through real world examples.
Prerequisites: Second Semester courses.
FIN515 - Money and Capital Markets (4 Units)
The principal objective of this course is to give students a clearer picture of how the money and capital markets, which now completely circle the globe, function to provide the many services and fulfill the many roles they are expected to perform in today’s world.
Prerequisites: None.
MGT511 - Managerial Perspectives (4 Units)
This course focuses on managerial careers, development of critical executive and managerial abilities, and the dynamics of organizational environment and systems as they impact managerial progression and work.
Prerequisites: None.
MKT511 - Marketing Management (4 Units)
This course focuses on formulating and implementing marketing management strategies and policies. The marketing management process is important at all levels of the organization, regardless of the title applied to the activity. Typically, it is called corporate marketing, strategic marketing, or marketing management. For our purposes they all involve essentially the same process, even though the actors and activities may differ. The course will provide you with a systematic framework for understanding marketing management and strategy.
Prerequisites: None.
MKT513 - Public Relations (4 Units)
This course presents information about public relations practice, a brief summary of its development, and addresses trends that might predict the future.
Prerequisites: Second Semester courses.
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