Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Vision

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program prepares potential students to become effective business managers and leaders of the future. The program provides basic and advanced knowledge and skills in various aspects of business management. The program requires students to complete thirty-six credits comprised core courses and elective courses. The program provides an opportunity for students to specialize in an area of business such as, Finance, International Business, Information Systems Management, and Human Resources Management.

Mission

1. To disseminate advanced and contextualized business management knowledge, suitable for leading and managing organizations at senior level;
2. To produce high-quality business leaders who are able to craft creative and effective solutions to a variety of complex business problems; and
3. To provide a learning environment that ensures that graduates to lead and manage organizations ethically in a variety of local and international business settings.

Program Educational Objectives

1. To create a learning environment for developing advanced and effective business management skills;
2. To develop a program that sets consistently high academic standards whilst engendering high levels of learner satisfaction;
3. To provide ample academic and pastoral support for learners;
4. To ensure that learners engage with teaching faculty in a mutually beneficially manner that improves both academic and professional skills;
5. To enhance the university’s reputation and promote its academic brand, in a meaningful way through the MBA program; and
6. To continually adapt and improve the program to reflect local and international business needs.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

1. Specialized knowledge of advanced principles and practices underpinning key facets of business operations and management;
2. Advanced cross-domain knowledge pertaining to the effective functioning of organizations, contextualized to local and international business environments;
3. Detailed knowledge of cutting-edge business research principles and techniques;
4. Ability to use the knowledge gained from the program to model, evaluate and solve complex business problems, constructing viable and effective solutions in the process
5. Advanced critical thinking and analyses skills suitable for dealing with business issues, and solving a range of business problems;
6. High-level cognitive skills for integrating knowledge and acting creatively, effectively and decisively in a variety of business settings, using business tools, information technology and other resources;
7. Advanced communication skills necessary for communicating complex business requirements and decisions to supervisors, peers and subordinates in an effective manner;
8. Ability to initiate and responsibly manage professional business activities, in standard and complex organizational environments;
9. Ability to oversee corporate governance, ethical functioning and socially-responsible organizational behavior;
10. Ability to take on strategic management roles requiring the analysis of current business strategy, and formulation of new strategic directions for the organization;
11. Ability to effectively and competently lead culturally diverse organizational teams in a range of corporate settings;
12. Ability for self-evaluation, professional reflection and self-development within a business environment; and
13. Ability to develop and incorporate ethical principles within managerial decision-making.

Entry Requirements

English Language Proficiency Requirements:

As the language of instruction in the MBA program is English, the following minimum English language requirements apply to both forms of the AURAK MBA:

Prospective candidates for the MBA program who are non-native speakers of English must have a minimum TOEFL score of 550 on the Paper-Based, 213 on the Computer-Based, or seventy-nine on the Internet-Based test, or its equivalent in a standardized English language test, such as 5.5 or 6.0 IELTS or another standardized, internationally recognized test.

The following exemptions from the previously stated English language requirements rule apply:

• a native speaker of English who has completed their undergraduate education in an English-medium institution and in a country where English is the official language
• an applicant with an undergraduate qualification from an English-medium institution who can provide evidence of acquiring a minimum TOEFL score of 550 on the Paper-Based test, or its equivalent on another approved standardized test, at the time of admission to their first-degree program

Graduate Master of Business Administration Program

To be eligible for admission into the Graduate MBA Program, the applicant will need to have completed one of the following:

• A baccalaureate degree in Business Administration, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 on a 4.0 scale, or its established equivalent in the applicant’s undergraduate degree program;
• A baccalaureate degree, or its equivalent, with a major or minor in Business Studies, Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Economics, or Management/Business Information Systems with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 on a 4.0 scale or its recognized equivalent in the applicant’s undergraduate degree program; or
• A baccalaureate degree, or its equivalent, in a non-business field with a minimum CGPA of 3.00, followed by a postgraduate certificate or diploma in a business-related field. Where the candidate has not completed a postgraduate certificate or diploma qualification, they may be required to successfully complete prior credit hours of study on stipulated undergraduate-level business administration courses prior to admission to the MBA Program (please refer to the last section on MBA preparatory courses).

MBA Preparatory Course Requirements

In the case that a candidate for admission into the MBA program holds a baccalaureate degree, or its equivalent in a non-business field with a minimum CGPA of 3.00, but has not completed a subsequent business-related postgraduate certificate or diploma qualification, they may be required to successfully complete a specified number of credit hours of study on stipulated undergraduate-level Business Administration courses at the university prior to admission on to the MBA Program.

The decision as to which preparatory courses to take will be made by the AURAK Course Team and graduate school working in conjunction with the Admissions Office, on a case-by-case basis based on the candidate’s background.

It is expected that the specified preparatory courses will typically be taken over a one-semester period prior to starting the MBA program. The preparatory courses will normally be scheduled to run at times compatible with the main MBA course. For example, for evening attendance MBA course applicants, the preparatory courses will be run in the evening.

Where feasible, the preparatory courses may be run in a condensed format (e.g. as condensed multi-weekend course modules) provided the learning outcomes remain unchanged and achievable.

AURAK will also accept candidates who have taken and passed the MBA preparatory courses from other UAE Ministry of Higher Education-accredited universities, provided the courses taken have compatible syllabi and learning outcomes.