Business Administration

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The Business Division is committed to excellence in teaching and offers high quality, innovative competency-based courses to meet the changing needs of business as well as the needs of business professionals. The Division of Business prepares students for leadership positions in small businesses, corporations, not-for-profits, and other organizations through the development of broad business knowledge, critical thinking, decision-making skills, as well as social and ethical values. The primary advantage of the business programs offered at Rivier University is flexibility of scheduling and course choice. Students are typically full-time working professionals who want to advance their career by obtaining a Master of Business Administration.

The majority of our business graduates are currently employed by major corporations in the Greater Boston area (Fidelity Investments, BAE Systems, UniFirst, National Grid, etc.) and other venues such as health care, insurance, banking, and technology, as well as entrepreneurial ventures.

Academic Advantages

• Programs designed, developed, and monitored with the cooperation and assistance of business leaders;
• Access to McLean Center for Finance and Economics;
• Courses designed around experiential education, providing state of the art preparation for the real world;
• Global focus that prepares students to engage cultures and excel in international business;
• Global faculty with business experience in over 70 countries;

Competencies

The Business programs prepare students to:

• dive into an exciting and fulfilling career as a for-profit or non-profit leader;
• think critically and make decisions independently;
• apply various business concepts, theories, and real-world scenarios to local and global business challenges;
• express excellent research and communication skills through a range of technologies;
• develop and plan strategic goals and act on appropriate solutions;

Assessment

Assessment techniques will vary among the different courses within the discipline:

• term papers
• team projects
• individual and team presentations
• business research
• case studies
• objective testing
• role-playing
• business simulations

All students will be assessed in their capstone course. An exit survey questionnaire is administrated for informational purposes.

The Degree Programs 

The Division of Business offers a Master of Business Administration in Management (MBA - Management), a Master of Business Administration with Concentration in Information Technology Management (MBA - ITM), a Master of Business Administration with Concentration in Marketing (MBA - Marketing), a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration (MBA - Healthcare Administration), and supports a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems (M.S. - CIS). These programs are designed for applicants with a successful academic record in any undergraduate specialty, not necessarily business. Because previous work in economics, management, and accounting is of particular relevance to graduate study in business administration, the programs are designed so that the non-business undergraduate major can fulfill these undergraduate prerequisites at the graduate level. The programs are supported by a state-of-the-art computer center, multi-media classrooms, and the McLean Center for Finance and Economics.

The Master of Business Administration in Management (MBA-Management)degree is a program aimed at a broad education in the traditional functional areas of business, as well as in the cross-disciplinary skills of leadership, problem-solving and strategic management. The MBA-Management program courses are available in both on-campus and online models. All courses within the business program stress the importance of critical thinking skills to analyze situations, compare and contrast the opportunities provided by technology for the organization, utilize effective communication techniques, and evaluate situations that present potential legal, ethical, and social sustainability issues and develop solutions for those issues.

The Master of Business Administration with Concentration in Information Technology Management (MBA-ITM) program offers a strong foundation in business functions while providing concentrated study in the practicalities of managing information technology, including leading teams through virtual environments, computer security and database management systems. The MBA-ITM core and concentration courses are available in both on-campus and online models. All business courses within this program stress the importance of critical thinking skills to analyze situations, compare and contrast the opportunities provided by technology for the organization, utilize effective communication techniques, and evaluate situations that present potential legal, ethical, and social sustainability issues and develop solutions for those issues.

The Master of Business Administration with Concentration in Marketing (MBA-Marketing) degree program provides both a broad-based competency in leadership, problem-solving, strategic management as well as specialized education in the areas of digital marketing and analytics, sales management and strategic brand management. All business courses stress the importance of critical thinking skills to analyze situations, compare and contrast the opportunities provided by technology for the organization, utilize effective communication techniques, and evaluate situations that present potential legal, ethical, and social sustainability issues and develop solutions for those issues.

The Master of Business Administration in Health Care Administration (MBA-HCA) program  delivers proficiency in managing business functions with an emphasis on developing, planning, and managing health care operations and services within health care facilities and across health care systems. The program offers students the opportunity to learn the operational side of managing a health care facility, whether it is a small office, a clinic, a large hospital, a rehab facility, or an insurance company.  All courses within the MBA-HCA program stress the importance of critical thinking skills to analyze situations, compare and contrast the opportunities provided by technology for the organization, utilize effective communication techniques, and evaluate situations that present potential legal, ethical, and social sustainability issues and develop solutions for those issues.

The Master of Science in Computer Information Systems (MS-CIS) program develops students’ abilities and knowledge base to function as both management and computer systems professionals. Refer to the section of the catalog entitled Computer Information Systems for more information.

Admission Requirements

Applicants for admission to the graduate programs in business are required to follow the general guidelines for the application process presented in the Admission Process section.

Prospective students applying to a degree program must fulfill the following requirements:

• Submit an official transcript of an undergraduate degree awarded and any other relevant academic credits.
• Provide one letter of recommendation from an individual with whom the applicant has studied and/or under whose immediate supervision the applicant has worked in a professional capacity; and/or from others who are in a position to offer pertinent appraisal of academic and interpersonal skills, ability, and potential.
• Provide a “Statement of Purpose” (see application form for content).
• Provide evidence of English proficiency if a language other than English is the native language. Please consult Admission Process Section of this catalog for details.

In addition, students meet with the program director of the Business Division to design a program of study based upon the student’s academic background.(Note: Applicants to the MS in Computer Information Systems are asked to meet with the program director of the Computer Science Department.)

Transfer Credits

A maximum of nine transfer credits may be accepted, provided they are from an accredited graduate institution, have not been previously applied toward another graduate degree, are a grade of B or better, the course(s) were completed within the past six years, and are approved by the divisional program director.

Student Learning Outcomes

After having completed the degree requirements in a specific graduate business program, the student should be able to:

Four Standards for the MBA in Healthcare Administration and MBA in Management including the Information Technology Management and Marketing Concentrations:

• Synthesize critical thinking logically and analytically about complex local and global problems.
• Evaluate and communicate effectively in a range of strategic business environments.
• Create the diversity and complexity of human relationships involved in an organization.
• Examine the social, ethical, and global responsibilities within management positions with special attention to the Catholic intellectual tradition.

Standards specific for each Program or Concentration:

MBA in Management

• Formulate and apply the management concepts in real-world situations.

MBA with a Concentration in Information Technology

• Compare and contrast the different impacts of the information technology with all its constituencies.

MBA with a concentration in Marketing

• Research and evaluate situational data for the purposes of making better strategic marketing decisions.

MBA in Healthcare Administration

• Synthesize the necessary skills to take on leadership positions within the health management field and to support more productive and ethical decision-making.

Teaching Philosophy

Graduate courses integrate operational, analytical, and professional disciplines, to provide a pragmatic learning experience. A variety of teaching approaches are used by highly qualified faculty with an emphasis on applying business theories and concepts to real-world situations.

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