From the Concordia University – Portland School of Business:
Concordia University – Portland School of Management: Managing the Next Generation in Business
Concordia University – Portland’s School of Management plays a critical role in the University’s mission of preparing graduates dedicated to the transformation of society as ethical, effective leaders through careers in the corporate, governmental and non-profit sectors. Concordia’s MBA program offers five innovative and rigorous specializations: Environmental Management, Global Business Management, Healthcare Administration, Finance, and General Management. This range of MBA specializations encourages candidates to identify and follow their passion, develop true cross-cultural global management perspectives, and focus their talents, skills and knowledge to bring positive change to their organizations, their communities, and the world at large.
The Concordia School of Management MBA program is further distinguished by the innovative “Your Career Track” program, which gives students a suite of personalized tools and services (including their own advisor) before, during and well after graduation to promote and sustain individual career success. The MBA curriculum itself combines the best academic and professional theories and practices by providing a proven framework of knowledge, skills, and integrity to help graduates meet the challenges of evolving economic conditions, new technologies, and environmental changes.
Concordia University – Portland is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and a member of the Concordia University System. The University is committed to developing students who think critically and creatively, communicate clearly, act ethically, and lead others to do the same.
»Find out more about Concordia – Portland School of Business.
Online MBA Program
Concordia University – Portland’s 38-credit online MBA curriculum takes two years to complete and plays an important role in implementing the university’s mission of preparing leaders for the transformation of society – an increasingly globalized society in need of ethical and effective leaders for business and management.
Concordia’s online MBA program stresses the critical importance of servant and ethical leadership, organizational change through constant innovation, global awareness, critical thinking, decision-making, financial modeling, and project management. The program places particular emphasis on functions such as general management, international business and finance, and in fast expanding fields such as healthcare and environmental management.
Curriculum
The first sequence of Concordia’s online MBA program is a lock-step 20-credit sequence in which all students go through a core curriculum in a cohort structure. After completing these core courses, students focus on one of five concentrations; each concentration track is a nine-credit sequence to complete the MBA program.
Second-year concentrations are based on the candidate’s specific career goals. Students can choose to follow a traditional concentration in General Management, Finance, Global Business Management, Healthcare Administration or Environmental Management.
The Concordia MBA curriculum emphasizes case-based learning and simulates on-the-job experience as closely as possible. Case studies and course materials developed by Harvard Business School for Concordia are a centerpiece of this program. Case-based instruction is an intense process where students and faculty interact and learn from each other. The cases themselves are first-hand accounts of actual management situations. Problems span such areas as operating policies, accounting methods, marketing techniques, and management styles. Students are asked to take the positions of managers, perform analyses, and recommend courses of action.
However, instruction is not limited to the exclusive use of cases. Faculty members use a broad array of teaching tools, techniques and methodologies in ensuring attainment of course and program outcomes.
»View the full curriculum.
MBA Concentrations
Through the specific concentrations available in the Concordia MBA program, students are encouraged to appreciate diversity and develop a multicultural management perspective:
Environmental Management Program Objectives
- Create environments in which students learn the ability to drive and foster change and innovation
- Help students learn about the impact of environmental and natural resource financial and economic factors affecting businesses and their ability to comply with environmental regulations
- Explore major schools of leadership thought, translating an understanding of multiple approaches into a synthesis of organizational leadership theory
- Acquire skills in alternatives-based problem solving. This should be beneficial with cost-benefit analysis and natural resource valuation
- Develop skills to analyze situations from a moral, ethical, and faith-based perspective
Global Business Management Program Objectives
- Through foreign travel, field research, and interaction with foreign nationals, students learn to integrate theory and practices
- Conduct primary and secondary international business research
- Develop the ability to foster diversity and multicultural perspective in business
- Acquire skills to identify factors associated with the economic decline or development of foreign markets
- Gain levels of international awareness, and demonstrate a strong understanding of the factors affecting globalization, international trade, and global citizenry
Healthcare Administration Program Objectives
- Identify the role of the financial manager in strategic planning for healthcare facilities
- Help students learn and master theories of various healthcare financing and reimbursement mechanisms
- Create an environment where students can demonstrate an understanding of ways of financing working capital such as collections and receivables management, inventory management, productivity management, and short-term financing
- Prepare MBA candidates to analyze and evaluate ways of financing capital expenditures, including the certificate of need process
- Identify and discuss the questions of basic values and their ethical implications in providing healthcare, and explore how these questions interface with Christian as well as other religious and philosophic traditions
Finance Program Objectives
- Develop each student’s financial analytical skills
- Provide real-world opportunities to learn how to apply capital budgeting techniques
- Learn about the function of financial markets and the role of ethics in their function
- Equip students with the tools to build and establish skills in innovative financial techniques
- Prepare each online MBA candidate with the ability to grasp the financial implications of organizational change
General Management Program Objectives
- Elevate critical thinking and develop analytical and decision making skills
- Refine each student’s management and leadership skills
- Develop the ability to drive and foster change and innovation
- Hone each student’s sense of ethical standards, and develop a desire to live a life of service
‘Your Career Track’
A key benefit of pursuing an MBA at Concordia – Portland is the fully personalized “Your Career Track” comprehensive career development program. “Your Career Track” is a comprehensive career development program designed to give MBA students at Concordia University – Portland the tools and skills necessary for lifelong career success. Every Concordia MBA student is paired with a Student Services Advisor who guides them through their customized academic plan and career development services.
Those services include:
- CareerBeam: an online portal providing students with a complete career profile, resume and interview preparation, targeted company identification, and thorough job search tools.
- CareerLeader: an online career self-assessment tool built on the premise that one’s interests, motivators and skills will drive their future career success and satisfaction
- LinkedIn: A premium LinkedIn account is provided to every student following the completion of a profile enhancement assignment. In addition, student and advisor develop a plan to enhance the student’s LinkedIn profile adding job descriptions for past roles, highlighting accomplishments, and obtaining relevant and effective recommendations.
- Wall Street Journal: Free online access to quality business news and financial information from one of the best sources for business and financial news in the world.
Even after graduation, our MBA career development professionals are available for consultation and advice.
Is the Concordia Online MBA Program right for you?
The university considers many factors in making an admission decision. These include academic records – courses taken and GPA; professional experience; career achievements; and graduate test scores, if required. The university also focuses on bringing together students from different backgrounds and disciplines, in an effort to foster a learning environment that leverages diversity, academic inquiry, and multiple perspectives.
To help Concordia make an informed acceptance decision, applicants may be asked to provide additional information, including:
- Work experience
- Career and other significant accomplishments
- Professional skills, accomplishments and certifications
- Involvement in community service and related organizations
- Two letters of recommendation**
- Passing score on one of the following graduate tests: **
GMAT (500)
GRE (Quantative 152; Verbal-150)
BCTST (15 on the old scale, 80 on the new scale)
** If you have a Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, and a minimum of two years’ relevant business experience, we will waive the GMAT/GRE/BCTCT and letters of recommendation portions of the application.
Learn more about the Concordia-Portland Online MBA Program.
