College of Our Lady of the Elms
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.
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.
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.
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.
150
Bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree and master of business administration (MBA) degree
Students will receive a B.A. in one of the following disciplines: Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Healthcare Management, Management, or Sports Management. The core business requirements are listed below for your convenience.
| Course # | Formerly | Course Name | # of Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACC 2001 | ACC 201 | Accounting I | 3 |
| ACC 2002 | ACC 202 | Accounting II | 3 |
| BUS 2201 | BUS 221 | Computer Applications | 3 |
| BUS 2402 | BUS 242 | Principles of Management | 3 |
| BUS 2408 | BUS 248 | Global Business Environment | 3 |
| BUS 2502 | BUS 252 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| BUS 2600 | BUS 260 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| BUS 3101 | BUS 311 | Principles of Financial Management | 3 |
| BUS 3402 | BUS 342 | Managerial Communication | 3 |
| BUS 4800 | BUS 480 | Business Strategy | 3 |
| BUS 4801 | BUS 481 | Career Development | 3 |
| BUS 4802 | BUS 482 | Internship | 4 |
| ECN 2102 | ECN 212 | Economics II | 3 |
| Course # | Formerly | Course Name | # of Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECN 2101 | ECN 211 | Economics I | 3 |
| MAT 1009 | MAT 109 | Statistics | 3 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
“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.