Program accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Note: Admission to this program is temporarily suspended.
Program goal
The post-baccalaureate graduate Certificate in Business Administration is designed for professionals with little or no prior business course work who seek an opportunity for advanced study in core business function areas. The certificate provides students the ability to advance their careers while receiving recognition for academic accomplishment in the form of a graduate certificate. By completing the curriculum for the certificate, students will have satisfied the foundation course requirements in the M.B.A. and other master’s programs in business.
Student learning outcomes
- To apply communication skills in new and unfamiliar circumstances in a form that can be readily communicated to entry-level, midlevel and senior-level managers
- To analyze the ethical dimensions of a business situation, to relate those dimensions to professional ethical standards, and to formulate and defend possible resolutions from the perspective of entry-level managers
- To select, conceptualize and apply appropriate quantitative techniques or approaches in order to analyze business problems for the purpose of decision-making by entry-level managers
- To critically evaluate and use accounting and/or other financial information for the purpose of decision-making by entry-level managers
VCU Graduate Bulletin, VCU Graduate School and general academic policies and regulations for all graduate students in all graduate programs
The VCU Graduate Bulletin website documents the official admission and academic rules and regulations that govern graduate education for all graduate programs at the university. These policies are established by the graduate faculty of the university through their elected representatives to the University Graduate Council.
It is the responsibility of all graduate students, both on- and off-campus, to be familiar with the VCU Graduate Bulletin as well as the Graduate School website and academic regulations in individual school and department publications and on program websites. However, in all cases, the official policies and procedures of the University Graduate Council, as published on the VCU Graduate Bulletin and Graduate School websites, take precedence over individual program policies and guidelines.
Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on academic regulations for graduate students.
Graduation requirements
As graduate students approach the end of their academic programs and the final semester of matriculation, they must make formal application to graduate. No degrees will be conferred until the application to graduate has been finalized.
Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following graduation requirements as published in the Graduate Bulletin for a complete list of instructions and a graduation checklist.
Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on graduation requirements.
Other information
School of Business policies and procedures for graduate students are available on the school’s website.
Note: Admission to this program is temporarily suspended.
Admission requirements
| Degree: | Semester(s) of entry: | Deadline dates: | Test requirements: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Fall | Jul 1 | |
| Spring | Nov 1 | ||
| Summer | Mar 1 |
In addition to the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School, applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university. This program is intended for students with an undergraduate degree in an area other than business management. Other admission requirements include a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.7 in at least 60 hours of course work. Work experience is preferred.
Note: Admission to this program is temporarily suspended.
Degree requirements
In addition to the VCU Graduate School graduation requirements, students are required to complete course work in core courses. In order to be eligible to receive the certificate, a student must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0. Completion of this graduate certificate program requires 21 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s degree. The director of graduate studies in the School of Business may waive up to 12 credit hours based upon equivalent course work completed in the past five years with a minimum grades of B presented. Students who have not completed a precalculus math course may take MATH 151 during enrollment in the certificate program. Successful completion of the graduate certificate program does not guarantee admission to a master’s-level program. Students interested in applying at a later date to either the M.B.A. or other master’s programs must do so through a separate application process.
Curriculum requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses | ||
| ACCT 507 | Fundamentals of Accounting | 3 |
| ECON 500 | 3 | |
| FIRE 520 | Financial Concepts of Management | 3 |
| INFO 661 | Information Systems for Managers | 3 |
| MGMT 641 | Leading People and Organizations | 3 |
| MKTG 671 | Marketing Management | 3 |
| SCMA 524 | Statistical Fundamentals for Business Management | 3 |
| Total Hours | 21 | |
The minimum total of graduate credit hours required for this certificate is 21.
Students who complete the requirements for this program will receive a Certificate in Business Administration.
Contact
Austen Gouldman
gouldmana@vcu.edu
(804) 828-4622
Additional contact
Graduate Studies in Business
gsib@vcu.edu
(804) 828-4622
Program website: business.vcu.edu/graduate/mba.html