Why Elms for your Accelerated BA/MBA?
- Academic excellence — our BA and MBA business programs are IACBE accredited.
- Earn two degrees in five years or less.
- Begin MBA classes during your junior year.
- Specialize in accounting, financial planning, healthcare leadership, or management.
- Study flexibly — our hybrid classes combine in-class meetings with online discussion.
Fast-Track Your MBA
The accelerated BA/MBA program at Elms College helps you establish yourself as a business leader. Beginning as early as your junior year, you will take graduate courses to deepen your knowledge of accounting, financial planning, healthcare leadership, or management. Our graduates earn two degrees in five years and enter the job market one step ahead of their peers.
Take a Holistic Approach to Business Leadership
The MBA program at Elms emphasizes ethics to give students a framework for responsible leadership. Accelerated BA/MBA majors are prepared to lead 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 discussing current developments in the business world. Accelerated BA/MBA students benefit from taking classes alongside industry professionals — you’ll make the leap from textbooks to real-world insights by collaborating with them.
The accelerated BA/MBA program at Elms College emphasizes holistic approaches to business management. In our program you will fine-tune the soft skills and technical knowledge that drive effective leadership. Our program prepares insightful managers to fulfill their goals wherever their ambition takes them, to Western Massachusetts and beyond.
Find Success — Our Grads are 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, and financial planning tracks can earn their degree in five years, covering 156 credits.
Take Advantage of a Flexible 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.
- Concentrations include accounting, financial planning, healthcare leadership, and management.
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.
Curriculum
Click to view course requirements for the Accelerated BA/MBA.
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.
Business Core Requirements (40 credits)
| 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 |
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 |