The accelerated BA/MBA program at Elms College puts you at the forefront of business leadership. Beginning as early as your junior year, you will take graduate courses to expand your skills in accounting, financial planning, healthcare leadership, management, or entrepreneurship. In five years you will earn two degrees, positioning yourself a step ahead of your peers as an ambitious, multitalented business expert.
Revolutionize Business Leadership
The MBA program emphasizes ethics to give students a framework for responsible leadership. Accelerated BA/MBA majors are prepared to lead their companies in a positive direction that balances organizational goals with respect for the greater good.
Seminar-style courses challenge you to think critically, analyze issues from multiple perspectives, and communicate your ideas clearly. Our expert faculty bring a wealth of experience to the classroom, putting case studies into context and dissecting current examples of business strategy. Accelerated BA/MBA students benefit from taking classes alongside experienced industry professionals, making the leap from textbooks and theory to real-world insights.
The accelerated BA/MBA program helps you develop holistically. You will gain both the soft skills and technical expertise that make for an effective leader. Whether you are focused on becoming a change agent in the Western Massachusetts economy, or a thought leader on the global business scene, our program will help you get there.
100% Hired
Accelerated BA/MBA accounting majors from the classes of 2014, 2015, and 2016 are all employed in their field – many had job offers before graduating. Students in this track can earn both degrees in 4.5 years. One of the main benefits of our accelerated accounting courses is that students earn the 150 credits required to sit for the CPA exam in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Students in the healthcare leadership, management, financial planning, and entrepreneurship tracks can earn their degree in five years, covering 156 credits.
Convenient Timeline
Undergraduate students enrolled in the program can take up to six MBA classes at half of the graduate tuition cost. Students can begin taking their MBA classes during their junior year, one night per week, in a flexible hybrid format that combines in-class meetings with synchronous online discussions.
Quick Info
Required Credits
150
Degree Option
Bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree and master of business administration (MBA) degree
The BA/MBA program can be completed in 4.5 or 5 years, depending on track.
Required courses that also satisfy college core requirements (6 credits)
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
ECN 2101
ECN 211
Economics I
3
MAT 1009
MAT 109
Statistics
3
Core MBA courses (15 credits)
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
BUS 6000
BUS 600
Managerial Finance and Data Analysis
3
BUS 6100
BUS 610
Globalization and Social Responsibility
3
BUS 6200
BUS 620
Leadership and Teamwork
3
BUS 6300
BUS 630
Current Events Impact on the Economy
3
BUS 6400
BUS 640
Cases and Readings in Strategic Management
3
Courses for Accounting concentration (15 credits)
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
ACC 6103
ACC 613
Business Law and Ethics for Accountants
3
ACC 6203
ACC 623
Advanced Cost Accounting
3
ACC 6003
ACC 603
Corporate Taxation
3
ACC 6303
ACC 633
Non-Profit and Government Accounting
3
Courses for Healthcare Leadership concentration (21 credits)
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
ACC 6002
ACC 602
Accounting for Managers
3
HCL 6105
HCL 615
Business Dynamics of Healthcare
3
HCL 6205
HCL 625
Budgeting in Healthcare
3
HCL 6300
HCL 630
Policy, Law, and Ethics in Healthcare
3
HCL 6305
HCL 635
Managing Human Capital in Healthcare
3
HCL 6500
HCL 650
Information Systems in Healthcare and Nursing
3
HCL 6600
HCL 660
Global Issues in Healthcare
3
Courses for Management concentration (21 credits)
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
ACC 6002
ACC 602
Accounting for Managers
3
BUS 6102
BUS 612
Legal Environment of Managers
3
BUS 6202
BUS 622
Production and Operations Management
3
BUS 6204
BUS 624
Organizational Behavior & Development
3
BUS 6402
BUS 642
Managing Innovation and Technology
3
BUS 6502
BUS 652
Strategic Human Resource Management
3
BUS 6602
BUS 662
Global Marketing Management
3
Lauren Picard '17, MBA '18
“Whether it’s educationally, personally, or professionally, I feel like the accelerated BA/MBA program is very well rounded. That’s a different dynamic that Elms brings to the forefront, compared to other colleges in the surrounding area.”
After earning her BA in business management and marketing in 2017, and her MBA in business management in 2018, Lauren obtained a position as an associate district manager with human resources giant ADP.