Weber State University   

Masters of Business Administration 

Results of Assessment

2006-2007 (submitted 01/10/08)

1. MBA Mission Statement Revision.
   Members of the MBA Program Committee and other MBA faculty have been discussing potential changes to the mission statement for the MBA program. There has been concern expressed about the length of the current mission statement. A proposed revision was drafted and discussed in a strategic planning meeting in November 2006, and will be discussed for formal adoption during the 2007 Fall Semester.
   
   The latest working draft of the revised mission statement is as follows:
   "The mission of the MBA Program in the John B. Goddard School of Business & Economics is to prepare working professionals and full-time students for leadership positions and decision-making roles in a wide variety of organizational settings."
    
2. Program and Student Learning Goals.
   The MBA Program Committee drafted and adopted a statement of MBA Program Goals, which include the following:
    
   • Engage in an ongoing planning process, regularly review the mission of the MBA Program, establish goals, allocate resources, and assess outcomes in order to measure progress.
   • Attract high quality MBA students with appropriate professional and academic preparation and leadership potential.
   • Continuously improve curricula, teaching materials, instructional techniques, and assessment of student learning.
   • Foster ongoing relationships with the local business community and promote opportunities for our students= professional placement and advancement.
   • Promote ongoing relationships with graduates of our MBA program through educational, social, and service opportunities sponsored by the MBA Association
   • Obtain external support and attain appropriate recognition for the Goddard MBA Program.

   In 2006 members of the MBA Program Committee and other MBA faculty discussed potential changes to the student learning goals. This has been part of our broader discussion regarding the MBA mission statement and MBA program goals. The draft of the revised student learning goals is as follows:
   
   Graduates of the MBA Program will have mastered key competencies in the following key areas:

   • Ethical awareness and reasoning abilities.
   • Understanding of legal responsibilities in organizations and society.
   • Financial theories, analysis, reporting, and markets.
   • Creation of value through the integrated production of goods, services, and information.
   • Creation of value through the marketing and distribution of goods, services, and information.
   • Group and individual dynamics in organizations.
   • Statistical data analysis and management science as they support decision-making processes throughout an organization.
   • Information technologies as they influence the structure and processes of organizations and economies, and as they influence the roles and techniques of management.
   • Domestic and global economic environments of organizations.
   • Strategic management and integration of cross-functional perspectives.

   Our discussions also consider the type of learning environment which we strive to create for our students and our overall philosophy as an MBA faculty.

   • In support of our mission, we strive to create an inviting learning environment that reflects our goals of excellence, relevance, and responsiveness.
   • We are committed to providing an excellent and responsive graduate education for working professionals in an environment that promotes ethics, teamwork, and horizontal learning.
   • We seek to develop leaders who will be able to think strategically and cross-functionally, while possessing analytical and managerial skills needed for success in a global, culturally diverse, information-driven economy.
   • We seek to develop leaders with the ability to evaluate real-world problems, the resolve to create positive change, the capacity to lead change effectively, and the courage to act ethically in their chosen endeavors.
   • We seek to develop leaders with strong oral and written communication skills.  Our students will develop social and interpersonal skills necessary to compete successfully in a highly diverse and interactive world.
   • We seek to create a quality learning environment in which the elements of successful organization and operation of businesses will be studied, disseminated, and practiced.
   • We seek to provide a learning environment in which application is used to support the understanding, use and mastery of theory.
   • We recognize that the cornerstone of our educational quality is an active community of teaching scholars across the various disciplines within the John B. Goddard School of Business & Economics (GSBE).
   • We recognize the value of collaborative partnerships with community professionals, faculty in other areas at Weber State University, and with other institutions in the US and abroad.

   The proposed revision of student learning goals was drafted and discussed in a strategic planning meeting in November 2006, and will be discussed for formal adoption during the 2007 Fall Semester.

3. Assessment Activities & Feedback Instruments.
   The following assessment & feedback instruments were implemented in academic year 2004-5:
   
   Assessment Activities:
    
   • MBA-specific course evaluations.
   • Graduate exit surveys collected from students at time of oral exit interview, fall and spring semesters.
   • Faculty feedback: results of assessments shared with faculty and department chairs, including course evaluations, departmental rankings of evaluations and grade distributions, and external benchmarking data (ETS MBA Major Field Test results).
   • MBA strategic planning and faculty teaching retreats conducted during 2006 Fall Semester.
   • Standardized learning outcomes assessment using nationally- benchmarked data (ETS MBA Major Field Survey) in capstone Strategic Management course - March and August 2007 (results are summarized below).

   The results for the WSU MBA Program are summarized in the table below:

4. Program Changes/Future Plans.
   Action changes based on assessment results include:
    

   • MBA strategic planning meeting planned for November, 2007. Revised mission statement and learning goals discussed and formalized; curriculum changes and possible additional areas of emphasis discussed.

   • MBA-Major Field Tests have moved to an online format, and subgroup testing feature allows analysis of performance of students on business and non-business tracks.

   • A joint MBA/MHA (Master of Business Administration/Master of Health Administration) degree program took effect in Fall 2007. Applicants to the joint degree will need to be admitted by both the MHA program and by the MBA program. Students will be able to complete the joint degree with a minimum of 60 hours, although many will take longer due to foundation course prerequisites. Dr. Lloyd Burton and Dr. Ken Johnson from the Dumke College were jointly involved in this initiative, along with the MBA Program Director and our respective deans.

   • Provide ongoing leadership and a smooth transition as Dr. Brian Davis completes his second 3 year term as MBA Program Director and is succeeded by Dr. Rolf Dixon in that role.

Prepared by Dr. Mark A. Stevenson, MBA Enrollment Director - 1/08/08

Mission Statement / Student Learning Outcomes / Curriculum Grid / Assessment Plan / Contact Person