Business Administration (MBA/Health Care MBA)
Faculty
Stacy Blake-Beard, Professor
Robert Coulam, Professor of Practice
Patricia Deyton, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs, Director of the Center for Gender in Organizations, Professor of Practice
Paula Gutlove, Professor of Practice
Susan Hass, Professor
Catherine Robbins, Professor of Practice
John Lowe, Associate Dean and Associate Professor
Gary Gaumer, Associate Professor
Mindell Nitkin, Associate Professor
Edward T. Vieira Jr. Associate Professor
Yulong Li, Assistant Professor
Laurie Pascal, Senior Lecturer
Description
The School of Management’s Mission
The Simmons College School of Management is a premier source of transformative business and professional education aimed at creating successful, principled leaders for the competitive business world of today and tomorrow.
Our unique MBA program is designed to educate women to be powerful leaders in their chosen endeavors. Other SOM graduate programs educate women and men to be leaders in health care and to achieve success in a diverse group of management specialties.
Our undergraduate business degree creates the opportunity for workplace success right out of college.
Our faculty brings excellent teaching, research, and real world experience to their specialties. We generate cutting edge research and thought leadership in gender and diversity dynamics in organizations through our Center for Gender in Organizations and in health services research and policy through our Center for Research in Health Policy and Management.
We are an authoritative resource and a key partner for organizations committed to strengthening their performance through the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women as organizational leaders.
The School of Management’s Vision
We are committed to educating students to be leaders who understand the necessity to be both exceptional at what they do, and principled in how they do it.
We focus on students as individuals: we invest in their success and support them as they launch, advance and change their careers.
We are committed to the advancement of knowledge and practice in management through superior, distinctive education and research. Our multiple programs incorporate rigorous, applied management education and entrepreneurial insights through classroom experiences and internships. Our programs integrate the strategic, functional, and behavioral aspects of management and our students gain the knowledge and analytical skills they need to successfully lead in dynamic, global environments.
The School of Management Values
- Strategic, rigorous, and experienced‐based management education
- Decision‐making supported by critical thinking and analytical skills
- Industry interaction that informs our teaching, offers internships and employment opportunities to our students, and creates value for our industry partners
- Problem‐solving capability in complex environments under uncertain conditions
- Thought leadership and cutting‐edge practice in analyzing, understanding, and addressing gender and diversity dynamics in organizations
- Ethical, socially responsible, and sustainable management practices that enhance both the performance of organizations and the welfare of society
- Innovation, change leadership, and entrepreneurship in the for‐profit, nonprofit, and governmental sectors
- Faculty excellence in teaching
- Thoughtful integration of teaching, research, and practice
- The diversity of our students and the value that diversity brings to improving effectiveness in both the classroom and the organization
- Continuous improvement of teaching and of learning experiences in response to changing environments.
- A dynamic and committed community of faculty and staff
- A vibrant network of students, alumnae, employers, and partners as a critical resource for individuals and for the School
Learning Outcomes
MBA Program Goals
- Analysis and Decision Making: Simmons graduates make effective and efficient decisions within ambiguous contexts. They base their decisions on critical reasoning, using quantitative analyses and other appropriate tools, technologies, and methodologies.
- Exercise of Leadership and Power: Simmons graduates develop enhanced self‐ knowledge and skills to lead diverse teams and organizations to achieve desired results. They can diagnose the dynamics of gender and power within organizations to act influentially and negotiate their conditions for success.
- Strategies for Women and their Careers: Simmons graduates understand the impact of gender on managing careers and develop personal career strategies that allow them to maximize their career potential.
- Global Perspective: Simmons graduates understand the global context in which organizations operate. They can analyze the internal and external environments of organizations and use these analyses effectively for decision‐making in global settings.
- Social Responsibility: Simmons students will make ethical, socially responsible and fiscally sound decisions in their organizations and businesses.
HCMBA Program Goals
- Analysis and Decision Making: Simmons HC graduates make effective and efficient decisions that are sensitive to ambiguous contexts and conflicting objectives among participants in the health care system. They base their decisions on available data and critical reasoning, utilizing quantitative analyses and other appropriate tools, technologies, and methodologies.
- Exercise of Leadership: Simmons HC graduates develop enhanced self‐knowledge and skills to lead diverse teams and complex organizations with diverse partnership models to achieve desired results. They can act influentially with clinicians and non‐clinicians and negotiate their conditions for success.
- Performance Based Accountability: Simmons HC graduates develop responsibility to self, to the success of their organization, and to the wellness of the entire community. They aspire to improved performance, seek always to measure performance achievement, are accountable for their actions, and operate in a transparent manner.
- Social Responsibility: In the complex health care environment, there are many inequities. Simmons HC graduates are sensitive to these inequities and make ethical, socially responsible and fiscally sound decisions in their organizations and businesses.
- Health Industry Knowledge: Simmons HC graduates demonstrate understanding of the health care system and the environment in which health care leaders function. They know how to apply that knowledge to leadership of health care organizations. They know how the forces of competition, policy, financing arrangements, technology, and strategic business partnerships are likely to influence organizational performance.
HCMBA Leadership Competencies
The National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL) developed a set of 26 competencies to differentiate high performing healthcare leaders from other leaders. The competencies are in the areas of Execution, Transformation, and People. For each of the 26 competencies, the model outlines up to six different levels of achievement with specific examples for each of the levels. Outstanding senior healthcare leaders will be operating at the highest levels of competency across most of the 26 competencies.
All healthcare administration programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) are required to integrate competencies into their program planning and evaluation. The Simmons MHA and HCMBA Programs have done this by adopting a subset of the NCHL competency model as a framework for its curriculum planning and evaluation.
At the start of the HCMBA Program, students will likely have already achieved some of these competencies through prior educational and work experience. But, students will also likely have many areas that need to be developed. The HCMBA will return to many of these competencies, and by the end of the program, students should be working to achieve at least the minimum program level specified for each competency.
Requirements for entry into program –
Pre-MBA Option
Students may also take a class or two before fully enrolling in the program to see if the Simmons MBA is right for them. Learn more about how to take advantage of this opportunity by contacting the Admissions Office at 617-521-3840.
Costs
Including financing and fellowships / assistantships
$1,374 per credit hour
Activity Fee $102 per semester
Delivery Mode or Modes Available (full-time, part-time, locations, technologies, etc.)
The Simmons MBA is delivered online and includes both synchronous and asynchronous work.
MBA Degree requirements
Credits
The MBA degree requires satisfactory completion of 54 credit hours of course work: 42 credit hours of required courses and 12 credit hours of electives. Students can customize their degree by selecting from one of our designated concentrations or by designing their own area of specialization by selecting from our list of advanced electives. The MBA program opens with Foundations of Business, a one-week course that introduces students to the curriculum structure and concepts—and also to each other.
Math Competency Requirement
The SOM requires all students entering the MBA program, who scored below the 25th percentile, in the quantitative portion of the GMAT to take and pass a math competency test prior to the first day of Foundations in the MBA program.
Students have three attempts to pass the math competency exam. If a student does not successfully pass the math competency test with a grade of 80% or higher in each section, and has taken the test three times, the student will be required to slow down her program of study. If the program of study is slowed down, it also may delay a student’s expected graduation date.
Excel Requirement
The SOM requires all students entering the MBA program to take and pass an Excel requirement prior to the first day of Foundations in the MBA Program. This exam is housed within a Harvard Business school spreadsheet course and passing the pre-test with a grade of 50% or higher is the requirement. Students can enroll in this spreadsheet course at any time after they deposit and they are allowed to study and retake the pre-test as many times as necessary before Foundations begins. If the program of study is slowed down, it also may delay a student’s expected graduation date.
Technology Fluencies
Students are expected to possess the technology competencies necessary for success in an MBA Program. These competencies have been defined by the faculty within individual courses and approved by the Curriculum Committee.
MBA Course Requirements‐ Fall 2012 and after‐54 credits
GSM 412: Prerequisites: GSM 411
GSM 421: Prerequisite: GSM 420
GSM 427: Co-requisite: GSM 420
GSM 425, GSM 435: Prerequisites: GSM 411, GSM 415 and GSM 420
GSM 440, GSM 442: Prerequisites: GSM 411, GSM 415, GSM 4210, GSM 421, GSM 425, GSM 430, GSM 435, GSM 455, GSM 465, and pre/co‐requisites GSM 412, GSM 470
GSM 465, GSM 470: Prerequisite: GSM 455
Capstone, placement, internship, practicum, etc.
MBA Concentrations, specializations, etc.
Students need a minimum of 9 credits within a concentration to satisfy the concentration requirements. All concentrations have different requirements within them. Required courses for each concentration are listed below, but concentration chairs can approve exceptions.
Financial Analysis Select three from the following:
| GSM 520 | Strategic Performance Measures | 3 |
| GSM 524 | Financial Statement Analysis | 3 |
| GSM 536 | Investments | 3 |
| GSM 560 | Financial Management in Non-Profit_Organizations | 3 |
Marketing
| GSM 526 | Market Research & Design Analysis | 3 |
| | Select two electives with Concentration Advisor | |
Nonprofit Management
| GSM 561 | Leading and Managing an Effective_Nonprofit Organization | 3 |
| GSM 560 | Financial Management in Non-Profit_Organizations | 3 |
| GSM 563/MSMG 432 | Philanthropy, Policy, and Fundraising in_Non-Profit Sector | 3 |
Entrepreneurship
Healthcare Management
| MBAH 480 | The Health System | 3 |
| | | |
| MBAH 410 | Health Economics | 3 |
| | OR | |
| MBAH 436 | HC Financial Strategy | 3 |
| | | |
| GSM 5XX or HCMBA 5XX | selected with Concentration Advisor | |
Health Care MBA Degree requirements
Credits
The Health Care Master of Business Administration (HCMBA) requires the satisfactory completion of all course work: 54 credits. Students must complete 48 credit hours of required courses and 6 credit hours of electives
Core, Pre-requisite, and elective course requirements and progression, etc.
Math Competency Requirement
The SOM requires all students entering the MBA program, who scored below the 25th percentile, in the quantitative portion of the GMAT to take and pass a math competency test prior to the first day of Foundations in the MBA program.
Students have three attempts to pass the math competency exam. If a student does not successfully pass the math competency test with a grade of 80% or higher in each section, and has taken the test three times, the student will be required to slow down her program of study. If the program of study is slowed down, it also may delay a student’s expected graduation date.
Excel Requirement
The SOM requires all students entering the MBA program to take and pass an Excel requirement prior to the first day of Foundations in the MBA Program. This exam is housed within a Harvard Business school spreadsheet course and passing the pre‐test with a grade of 50% or higher is the requirement. Students can enroll in this spreadsheet course at any time after they deposit and they are allowed to study and retake the pre‐test as many times as necessary before Foundations begins. If the program of study is slowed down, it also may delay a student’s expected graduation date.
Technology Fluencies
Students are expected to possess the technology competencies necessary for success in an MBA Program. These competencies have been defined by the faculty within individual courses and approved by the Curriculum Committee.
Health Care MBA Course Requirements‐ 54 credits
Concentrations, specializations, etc.
Licensure, certification, etc.
Dual (and other) degree options (With what other degree programs may this program be combined?)
Other program information
Simmons also offers a general MBA with a concentration in Health Care Management, designed for students who would like to expand their knowledge of the health care industry. The concentration may be best suited for students who seek careers in the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors, who want to make a career change into health care, or who want to consult in the health care industry.
Travel Courses
Travel courses incorporate short‐term, intensive overseas travel as part of the course design. Typically, classes are held both pre‐travel and post‐travel, and include relevant orientation to the country or region visited. Additional orientation is offered by the Simmons study abroad office, attendance at which is mandatory. Travel courses may be designed for different disciplinary areas. General learning objectives applicable to any travel course are as follows:
- to gain first hand experiences of businesses overseas
- to reflect on significant management issues in a global context
- to apply academic content gained at Simmons and extend in a cross‐cultural context
- to gain competence and confidence as a global citizen
- to develop connections and links to students, experts, and organizations operating overseas
- to develop student skills in teamwork, communication, and principled leadership through their interactions with other participants in challenging international environments
Learning objectives for the specific discipline should also be added as appropriate.
Normally, students will only take one course with the same course number. Students may petition the Program Director and/or the Associate Dean for Graduate Program for an exception to take the same course and travel to a different region.
Graduate Honors
The top 10% of every graduating class in the graduate programs will receive high honors and top 5% will receive highest honors and diplomas are printed with the honors designation.
Dual (and other) degree options
Currently, the SOM has a joint degree MBA/MSW degree offered with the School of Social Work.
Admission Requirements: Students must follow the admissions requirements for each program. In MBA/MSW, they are accepted to each school separately.
Degree Requirements as of Fall 2014 —Dual Degree‐MBA and MSW with the School of Social Work Urban Leadership Program or MSW/MBA Dual Degree Part Time, 3 Year Program: Stand alone degree requirements for MSW (can include Urban Leadership Program): 65 credits; Stand alone degree requirements for MBA: 54 credits. Total credits if you did the degrees separately: 119 credits. (Dual degree can be achieved with as little as 101 credits, depending on students’ choices.)
All courses are 3 credits with the exception of SSW Field Education and GSM 403 Foundations.
- 1st year, SSW 446 Field Experience is 4 credits in Fall semester and 5 credits in Spring semester. 2nd year, SSW 447 Field experience is 4 credits for Fall semester and 4 credits for Spring semester.
- GSM 403 Foundations is a required MBA course and 0 credits.
Interchangeable courses (reduces total by 9 credits) (119‐ 9 credits =110 credits)
- SSW 409 Racism and GSM 511 Culturally Intelligent Leadership as SOM elective #1
- SSW 451 Urban Leadership or SSW 523 Advocacy and Social Action and GSM 465 Leading Organizational Change
- SW 509 Practice Evaluation and GSM 520 Strategic Performance Measures as SOM Elective #2
Waived courses on each side (reduces total by 9 more credits) (110‐9 credits = 101 credits)
- One SSW core will waive one GSM elective‐ Elective #3
- One MBA core will waive one SSW elective
- SSW 441 Research will waive a GSM elective‐Elective #4
Total credits required in the joint degree is 101 credits, a savings of 18 credits.
Application and Academic Policy Information
Students will apply to the joint degree through one application that will be reviewed by Admissions Officers in both the SSW and the SOM. Students will take courses concurrently in both programs and joint degree is awarded at the end of the 101 credits. Students will have an advisor in both SSW and SOM for academic advising issues throughout the program. Students will be required to complete all competency requirements in both programs such as excel, stats, math comp, IT literacy, oral presentation, etc.
MSW
Year 1 Fall
| SW 411 | Human Behavior and Social Environment | 3 |
| SW 401 | Social Policy and Services | 3 |
Year 1 Spring
Year 1 Summer
MBA
Year 1 Fall
Year 1 Spring
Year 1 Summer
ULP/ MSW
Year 2 Fall
Year 2 Spring
| SW 451 | Seminar in Leadership I | 3 |
| | OR | |
| SW | Social Action Course | 3 |
| | OR | |
| GSM 465 | Leading Organizational Change | 3 |
| | | |
| SW 421B | SW Practice | 3 |
| SW 446 | Field Education I | 5 |
Year 2 Summer
MBA
Year 2 Fall
Year 2 Spring
ULP/ MSW
Year 3 Fall
| SW 424A | Advanced Clinical Practice | 3 |
| SW 509 | Evaluation in SW Practice | 3 |
| SW 447 | Field Education II | Variable |
Year 3 Spring
| SW 452 | Seminar in Leadership II | 3 |
| | OR | |
| SW | elective | 3 |
| | | |
| SW 424B | Advanced Clinical Practice | 3 |
| SW 447 | Field Education II | Variable |
MBA
Year 3 Fall
Year 3 Spring
GSM 440: Prereq: GSM 411, GSM 415, GSM 420, GSM 421, GSM 425, GSM 430, GSM 435, GSM 455, GSM 465, GSM 470
GSM 442: Prereq: GSM 411, GSM 415, GSM 420, GSM 421, GSM 425, GSM 430, GSM 435, GSM 455, GSM 465
Licensure, certification, etc.
For information on Social Work licensure, please see Social Work (MSW).