Master of Business Administration International
Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Lawrence Tech’s MBA International?

Lawrence Tech’s MBA International is a weekend MBA global management program specifically developed for mid-level managers who work or aspire to work in organizations that operate across national cultures. The MBA International is designed to broaden and deepen a student’s knowledge of the global economy, the diverse societies that make up today’s world, and how business operates in an international environment.

2. What is the mission of the MBA International program?

The mission of the MBA International is two-fold: first, to offer a MBA program that transcends conventional management education by focusing on the art of managing; and second, to help develop the next generation of global thinkers and managers by creating a learning environment that includes a deeply humane understanding of the increasingly inter-connected world community.

3. How does the MBA International differ from the conventional MBA?

The MBA International transcends conventional management education and learning by shifting the focus from the transmission of knowledge to the development of managers:

1) by the emphasis of reflection learning throughout the program that connects what manager/students have learned with their experiences at work;
2) by utilizing senior level managers and executives from industry who serve as a student’s mentor throughout the program;
3) by the interaction and sharing of managerial experiences by a diverse group of manager/students;
4) by the integration of projects, exercises, workshops, and other pedagogical tools into the learning;
5) by emphasizing the development of managerial competencies such as personal and interpersonal skills;
6) by shifting the classroom focus from teaching to engagement and from professing to facilitating and coaching.

4.  What makes the MBA program “International”?

First, although the conventional MBA and the weekend MBA International comprise the same core competencies required by our accreditation agencies, the MBA International  leverages “globalized” coursework from the University’s master degree in Global Leadership and Management- a degree program designed by Lawrence Tech’s College of Management specifically for the U.S. Army’s senior civilian managers. The integration of topics from the master of Global Leadership and Management into the MBA International such as global leadership, global organizational and change management, global technology and innovation, and global strategy ensures that a Lawrence Tech MBA student graduates with a deeper understanding of what it means to be a global citizen living, working, leading and managing in a global community.

Second, the MBA International  allows a student to not only expand his or her knowledge base in the functional areas of business, but also to simultaneously experience the richness of diverse groups of people and cultures through international study.

5. What is the structure of the MBA International?

Meeting Times:  Lawrence Tech’s MBA International is a twenty month program with most classes meeting on alternating weekends (Friday evening and Saturday) and with distance learning activities scheduled on the off weekends.

Curriculum:  The curriculum consists of 36 credit hours of coursework organized into twelve modules. Each module consists of a core business component delivered by way of workshops, seminars, exercises, case analysis, and other forms of interactive learning. At the end of each module the student will submit a “reflection” paper designed to blend the pedagogies and different forms of learning around the manager/student’s personal and lived experiences.

International Study:  At the end of module six (normally this will be in mid-summer), students will travel with members of the College’s faculty to an international location where they will be hosted by global organizations, governmental agencies, and foreign universities. This international study component is designed to provide students with access to executives of global companies, governmental officials, internationally recognized faculty, and other experts that will enable them to witness the vast opportunities for cultural exchanges that make human understanding more possible.

6. How will the student’s learning experience be “assessed”?

A variety of traditional and non-traditional measures will be used throughout the term as well as immediately after each module to assess the effectiveness of the student’s learning experience. These metrics include reports, exercises, papers, team projects, case analysis, presentations, field studies and the like.

7. What is a “reflection” paper?

 A “reflection” paper allows the manager/student to find meaning in the learning experience by standing back at the end of each module to analyze and synthesize the learning experiences that have taken place both inside and outside of the classroom and to see how such learning experiences, including shared experiences and competencies of other students, translates into action in the workplace, affecting and impacting behavior.

8. What are the admission requirements for the MBA International?

To be eligible for admission, applicants should:

a. Hold a bachelor or master’s degree (or equivalent) with a GPA of 3.0 or higher from an accredited institution.
b. Have a minimum of two to four years of managerial or supervisory experience.
c. Provide two professional letters of recommendation with one letter of reference preferably from the applicant’s supervisor.
d. Provide a professional resume.
e. A GMAT is not required for applicants with a GPA of 3.0 or higher for their last sixty hours of undergraduate coursework. For applicants with a GPA of less than 3.0, a GMAT or other assessment tool may be required.

9. Why is managerial experience a condition of admission?

The MBA International is designed to leverage in the classroom the student’s maturity, motivation and work experience. With its additional focus on the practice of managing, the MBA International seeks those students who can best appreciate the functional business components of a MBA program and the critical importance of thoughtful reflection that occurs throughout the program - individually and with other managers - that enhance the student’s learning experience.

10. Is the MBA International an accredited degree program?

Yes.  Lawrence Tech’s weekend MBA International is fully accredited by the North Central Association, the International Assembly of Collegiate Business Education, and the Association for Collegiate Business Schools and Programs.

11. Are there pre-core requirements?

Students are expected to have a significant working knowledge of business functions such as basic accounting, finance, economics, law, marketing, and statistics. This knowledge and understanding can come from prior coursework and/or substantial work experience in a functional business area. Students who do not meet this expectation will be able to take on-line coursework in these areas through LTU On-Line.

12. Can the student take the pre-core coursework while attending the program?

Yes. Those students admitted to the MBA International program will be able to satisfy any pre-core requirements they may have by taking their pre-core on-line while simultaneously taking their core classes.

13. Who will serve as the students’ mentors?

Senior managers and executives, adjunct faculty, and members of the University and College’s advisory boards, will serve as a student’s mentor.

14. How is the on-line component integrated into the student’s learning experience?

The on-line component allows for interaction and engagement between the instructor/facilitator/mentor and the student outside of the formal class meeting. Through the use of the University’s blackboard tool, open discussion and other interaction takes place during the off-weekends.

15. Will the student’s diploma read MBA International?

The designation “International” will be included on the student’s transcript and can be included on the student’s resume. Approval to designate the diploma MBA International will be sought from the University’s Board of Trustees.

16. What is the cost of tuition and does it include expenses for travel?

Tuition for the fall 2008 cohort, exclusive of any pre-core requirement and international travel, is $32,000.

17. Is there a limit on the number of students in each cohort?

Yes, the maximum number of students admitted each cycle is twenty-five. 

18. If a student is unable to continue in the MBA International program, can the student’s completed coursework be transferred to the conventional MBA?

Yes. A student may transfer all successfully completed coursework to the conventional MBA after consultation with the Dean’s Office.

19. What is the role of the instructor/facilitator?

The primary role of the instructor/facilitator is to create an active learning environment where the student’s managerial and lived experiences serve as a critical component of the learning. The facilitator is charged with designing a module that not only transmits knowledge, but more importantly, engages the students throughout the module by blending and integrating various learning tools with concepts, experiences, and reflective learning.

20. Why should a student consider Lawrence Tech’s weekend MBA International?

Since 1998, Lawrence Tech’s College of Management has consistently ranked among the nation’s highest in student satisfaction surveys. Lawrence Tech and its College of Management are committed to creating a more humane and sustainable world community led by global thinkers and global managers. This unique program is designed to help managers improve the quality of life in their organizations that will lead to the improvement of the quality of life in the world community. Lawrence Tech’s weekend MBA International, with its strong focus on experienced reflection, will provide greater insight on the practice of managing and how managers can bring out the best in others that will make organizations a better place to work and the 21st Century a better place to live.