Starting August, OCU’s Meinders School of Business will begin an MBA program in partnership with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder Leadership MBA program will be the first of its kind, and as stated on the program’s webpage, Meinders School of Business offers “the only MBA program in the region to integrate a 16-week leadership course that offers personal coaching as part of the core curriculum.”
The program, which has been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), will offer both part-time and full-time student options. The program holds 36 total credits, which are obtained by taking twelve courses classified as three-credit hour courses.
All students will be able to attend class in-person, and receive training and individualized guidance from leaders in business associated with the Thunder. Classes will take place both in the Meinders School of Business on the OCU campus, and at the Thunder’s Paycom Center in downtown Oklahoma City.
Part-time students will take one night class per week, and it will take two years to complete the program and earn an MBA as a part-time student. Full-time students will complete the program in one year, taking classes during the day and at night.
Courses in the program include Effective Leadership & Communication, Accounting for Business Decision Making, Business Strategy for Creating Value, Data Analysis for Business Decisions, Managing at the Crossroads: The Global Economic Environment, Strategic Marketing Decisions for Creating Value, Financial Strategy and Decision Making, Advanced Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, Ethical, Societal, and Legal Environment of Business, Strategic Leadership of the Organization, and Special Topics in Business.
The final experience in the program is a capstone, with the description “Integrating and Applying Business Knowledge.” The capstone project includes a presentation delivered at the Paycom Center to business leaders with the Thunder.
Tuition for each three-credit hour course after additional fees have been applied is $2,235. The total program’s tuition requirement for 36 credits, which would include all twelve courses, with all necessary fees applied is $27,175. Students who will attend the program while working at least 25 hours per week may qualify for the Bill Hutton Memorial Scholarship.
In addition to taking classes, there will be case studies led by instructors, shadow opportunities for students to watch business professionals work in-person, and desk space allotted for students at the Thunder Launchpad, so that students can interact with business professionals and gain networking opportunities.
Applications for the Thunder Leadership MBA Program are now open. Students will be accepted into the program from a variety of backgrounds and degree paths, and no prior work experience is required. The application requirements include a transcript from an undergraduate program, a resume that does not need to show professional experience for admittance, at least two recommendation letters, and a personal statement. Questions about applications may be directed to Meinders Graduate Advisor Cindy Treadway. Treadway’s email is ctreadway@okcu.edu.
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