Alverno College School of Business. MBA Student Handbook Updated: August 20, 2010

Transcription

1 Alverno College School of Business Updated: August 20, 2010

2 Table of Contents Section I Introduction to the Handbook... I-1 Section II The Alverno College School of Business Our Mission/Vision/Philosophy.. II-1 Contacting Us.. II-3 Faculty Profiles... II-4 Section III The Curriculum MBA Overview... III-1 MBA Outcomes.. III-1 MBA Course Sequence... III-2 MBA Elective Rotation Schedule... III-3 MBA Course Descriptions.. III-4 Section IV Policies and Procedures Absences from Courses... IV-1 Academic Honesty.. IV-1 Advising.. IV-4 Business Writing. IV-4 Credit for Transfer Courses. IV-5 Extension of Program Completion.. IV-5 Graduate Student Professionalism Rubric.. IV-5 MBA Student Status Committee IV-6 Independent Study, Internships, Projects for Academic Credit.. IV-6 Participation in Commencement. IV-8 Section V Appendices Criteria for Academic Performance: Speaking/Media, Writing, and Social Interaction... V-1

3 Introduction This handbook is a supplement to the Alverno College Student Handbook, Building a Community of Learners: A Community Guide and Student Handbook. The college handbook includes the policies that apply to all undergraduate and graduate students. The MBA Student Handbook provides additional information, policies, and procedures specific to the MBA program. In the spirit of continuous improvement, the Alverno business faculty invite you to contact the MBA Program Director with your suggestions for changes to the handbook. All student handbooks are available online at Section I - Introduction Page 1

4 Our Mission Our mission is to deliver relevant, quality, professional programs in the best of the liberal arts tradition through innovative undergraduate and graduate curriculum responsive to the current and future needs of students, employers, and other stakeholders. We do this by: Creating a learning community among students, staff, and faculty Creating a mutually-owned outcome-focused ability-based curriculum Creating ties to the business community, and Creating relationships with higher education What we do and how we function is driven by three principles: a focus on our stakeholders, a commitment to continuous improvement and learning, and participation and teamwork. Our Vision Our vision is simple: to make a direct and meaningful difference in the personal, professional, organizational, and community lives of our students and through them to improve the communities in which they live. Our Graduate Business Education Philosophy What distinguishes a graduate business program from an undergraduate business program? We frame our response to this question based on, and as an extension of, our undergraduate experience: The graduate program is focused on professional practice and therefore requires a level of application, practice, and sharing that is well beyond the requirements or expectations of our undergraduate degree. Discipline content has a basis in scholarly literature and research, reflects current research and practice, and is presented in an integrated (rather than functional) way to address complex, realistic business issues. Practitioner based inquiry is central to the learning experience at the graduate level. Management-leadership is central to our graduate program and addressed in an integrated way. We draw extensively from our experience and expertise in teaching leadership at the undergraduate level. We have, for many years, offered an undergraduate elective entitled Women and Leadership, and have three fulltime faculty who have been active in the design of learning and assessment experiences related to leadership development. One distinguishing characteristic of leadership development at the graduate level is its central role in developing personal and organizational agility. Creating, building, and managing relationships at multiple levels is another central theme throughout the graduate program. This builds on and extends the Section II The Alverno College School of Business Page 1

5 stakeholder focus that is a central framework used across our undergraduate courses. Distinguishing characteristics of relationship building at the graduate level include managing conflict and complexity. Ethics and values are critical elements of every manager s life. Addressing ethical issues as business issues is another theme that runs through our core graduate courses. We will draw upon our extensive experience teaching and assessing for valuing as one of the eight abilities that define our undergraduate ability-based graduation requirements. We teach our undergraduates that their own and others values are an important part of every business decision. Complex, multidimensional, sometimes global cases and situations will characterize the learning experiences at the graduate level. The outcomes of our graduate program are decidedly different from the outcomes of our undergraduate program. Graduate outcomes have a unique performance dimension focusing on reflection, delivery and execution, organizational achievement and results, management-leadership, and personal and organizational agility. Undergraduate outcomes, on the other hand, reflect more integrated business-focused statements of Alverno s eight abilities in action. While always sensitive to different learning styles at the undergraduate level, the graduate program specifically addresses emotional intelligence and incorporates active, reflective, cognitive, and experiential approaches in the design of the learning and assessment experiences. Experiential learning is a key element of our undergraduate program. We have extensive experience mentoring students in internships and off-campus consulting projects, guiding them through simulations and performance assessments, and designing in-class experiences that engage them in active learning. This provides a sound foundation for experiential learning at the graduate level. The distinguishing characteristic here will be the level of complexity, interdisciplinary nature, and workplace relevance inherent in these graduate learning experiences. And finally, our graduate program takes faculty development, scholarly work, and our own shared learning community to new levels. As an undergraduate teaching faculty, we often find ourselves in the role of simplifying, explaining, and making complex concepts relevant to a broad cross-section of students. Our challenge as educators often focuses on preparing students for entry into the workforce or providing them with the knowledge and abilities required to move to a new level of responsibility in their workplace. As a graduate teaching faculty, we will of necessity have to pursue new study ourselves, expand our role as facilitators and coaches, and become part of a learning community with our graduate students. Section II The Alverno College School of Business Page 2

6 Contacting Us Dean of the School of Business: Dena Lieberman Office: CO426; Telephone: ; MBA Program Director: Patricia J Jensen Office: CO406; Telephone: ; patricia.jensen@alverno.edu School of Business Academic Administrative Assistant Denise Poberezny Office: C0404; Telephone: ; denise.poberezny@alverno.edu School of Business Faculty: See individual faculty profiles. Section II The Alverno College School of Business Page 3

7 Faculty Profiles Maurizio Azzarello, Assistant Professor of Business and Management Office: CO408 Telephone: Education: Master of Science in Applied Economics, Marquette University (Business Economics Specialization) B.A. Business Management and Communication, Concordia University-Wisconsin Teaching Interests: economics. product and market development with emphasis in international business Robert Birney, Professor of Business and Management Office: CO401 Telephone: Education: Currently pursuing Ph.D. Poznan University (Economics), M.B.A., Old Dominion University (Marketing Management), B.S.B.A. Old Dominion University (Business Administration) Teaching Interests: Marketing, business research and planning, business strategy, global business strategies. Personal Interests: Racing sailboats, league tennis, bicycle touring Section II The Alverno College School of Business Page 4

8 Richard Butler, Professor of Business and Management Office: CO428 Telephone: Education: M.B.A., Michigan State University (Management), M.L.I.R., Michigan State University (Industrial Relations) B.A., Michigan State University (Political Science) Teaching Interests: Accounting, finance, small business management Personal Interests: All sports, politics Zohreh Emami, Professor of Business and Management Office: CO425 Telephone: Education: Ph.D., Michigan State University (Economics), B.A., University of Illinois (Economics) Teaching Interests: Economics and leadership Personal Interests: Syda yoga Regina Grantz, Associate Professor of Business and Management Office: CO427 Telephone: Education: M.B.A., University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (Business Administration), B.S., University of Wisconsin Madison (Sociology), Certified Management Accountant Teaching Interests: Accounting, finance, experiential learning Personal Interests: Travel, gardening, reading Section II The Alverno College School of Business Page 5

9 Jim Henderson, Assistant Professor of Business and Management Office: CO423 Telephone: Education: M.B.A. Queen s University (Organizational Behavior), B.A. Queen's University (History) Teaching Interests: Organizational behavior, human resource management, business strategy, leadership Personal Interests: Travel, cycling and spinning, music and dancing, women and leadership, politics, social issues, and his dog Max Patricia Jensen, Professor of Business and Management Office: CO406 Telephone: patricia.jensen@alverno.edu Education: Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University (Organizational Behavior), M.B.A., Tulane University (Business Administration), B.A., Alverno College (Sociology) Teaching Interests: Management and adult education Personal Interests: Reading, folk music, Nebraska football Dena Lieberman, Professor of Business and Management Office: CO426 Telephone: dena.lieberman@alverno.edu Education: Ph.D., University of Wisconsin Madison (Anthropology), M.B.A., Marquette University, B.A., Syracuse University (Anthropology) Teaching Interests: Management, marketing, small business management, business strategy Personal Interests: Piano and music, travel Section II The Alverno College School of Business Page 6

10 Joanne Mack, Assistant Professor of Business and Management Office: CO418 Telephone: Education: J.D., Marquette University (Law), B.A., University of Notre Dame (English, and Arts & Letters Program for Administrators) Teaching Interests: Business, law Personal Interests: Sports, travel, spending time with family and friends Daniel Matre, Assistant Professor of Business and Management Office: CO418 Telephone: Education: M.B.A., University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, B.S., University of Cincinnati (Industrial Design) Teaching Interests: Business operations and management; innovation in products, services and processes; global mindset in NPD and marketing; exploration of 4- dimensional business and operations models; multidisciplinary collaboration Personal Interests: golf, flying, road course auto racing, biking, home restoration/remodeling, and collecting Lincoln Wheat Penny coins Section II The Alverno College School of Business Page 7

11 Bill McEachern, Professor Emeritus of Business and Management Office: CO405 Telephone: Education: M.A., University of Toronto (Philosophy), B.A., Lakehead University (Philosophy), Certified Public Accountant Teaching Interests: Accounting, finance, high performance management, small business management Personal Interests: Dog obedience competition, bicycling, jazz Craig Miller, Assistant Professor of Business and Management Office: CO403 Telephone: Education: M.B.A. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Finance and Quantitative Methods), B.A. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Finance and Quantitative Analysis) Teaching Interests: Marketing, quantitative methods Personal Interests: Baseball, golf, working-out, European travel Kathleen O Brien, Professor of Business and Management Office: LA219 Telephone: kathleen.obrien@alverno.edu Education: Ph.D. University of Wisconsin - Madison (Management) M.B.A. Vanderbilt University, B.A. Alverno College (History and Mathematics) Teaching Interests: Management, leadership Personal Interests: Reading Section II The Alverno College School of Business Page 8

12 Carol Pope, Associate Professor of Business and Management Office: CO424 Telephone: Education: Currently pursuing Ph.D. California Coast University (Management), M.B.A. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, B.A. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee (Mass Communication) Teaching Interests: Marketing, international business Personal Interests: International travel, promoting the culture and heritage of Paraguay, swimming Rebecca Porter, Assistant Professor of Business and Management Office: CO421 Telephone: rebecca.porter@alverno.edu Education: M.B.A., University of Chicago, Certified Public Accountant Teaching Interests: Accounting Personal Interests: Family, playing outside with the kids, bike riding, running, camping, outdoors Rebecca Toledo, Assistant Professor of Business and Management Office: CO422 Telephone: rebecca.toledo@alverno.edu Education: M.B.A., San Francisco State University, B.S., University of the Philippines (Business Administration and Accountancy) Teaching Interests: Business Administration, tax related topics Personal Interests: Ballroom dancing, playing piano Section II The Alverno College School of Business Page 9

13 Overview of the MBA Curriculum The 36 semester-hour MBA program consists of five cross-functional required courses (30 credits) and two electives (6 credits) and can be completed in five semesters if students follow the Graduate Bulletin course sequence. Each cross-functional required course integrates core knowledge areas with skills, values, and attitudes to enable graduates to build relationships that enhance organizational capability, results, and agility. The electives offer students the opportunity to focus in greater depth on selected business practices, topics, and issues. Core knowledge areas representing the disciplinary content traditionally found in separate courses in an MBA program are integrated developmentally across the required courses and include: Accounting/finance Marketing, production, and microeconomics Organizational behavior, human resources, and managing organizational change Macro environment: macroeconomics, regulation and public policy, and global economics Technology and quantitative methods MBA Program Outcomes By emphasizing experiential learning in an integrated business curriculum, faculty assist students to develop their managerial competence and proficiency in: Strategic Analysis The Alverno MBA graduate uses knowledge of proven and emerging business principles and strategies to navigate complexity; recognizes the defining areas of distinctiveness of different enterprises and how to leverage them to advantage in the marketplace. Execution The Alverno MBA knows how to get the right work done in the right way to get results; takes a disciplined, reality-based and focused approach to translating strategy into action, using the resources of the organization and the team wisely to produce results. Global and Cultural Competence The Alverno MBA graduate uses interdisciplinary knowledge and enhanced cultural competence to interact with, manage, and lead individuals, teams, and business units within a variety of cultural and global contexts to develop relationships, resources, and markets. Section III The Curriculum Page 1

14 Innovation The Alverno MBA graduate integrates and applies cross-disciplinary business knowledge to create and deliver inventive business solutions to customers and other stakeholders in ways that create or add value to business processes, products, and services. Ethical Managing and Leading The Alverno MBA graduate identifies competing values in business decisions and can act with a commitment to integrity in interactions that lead to the development of trustworthy relationships with stakeholders - customers, colleagues, suppliers, and other key business partners. Master of Business Administration Course Sequence The MBA required courses (MGT 600, 610, 620, 630, and 640) are offered every semester. Electives will be offered based on the rotation plan set forth below. Formal and informal surveys of MBA students will be conducted to identify course needs and the rotation plan will be adjusted accordingly. The 44 Semester Hour track includes 4 foundation courses. 36 Semester Hour Track Semester/Course Course Title Semester Hours Semester 1 MGT 600 Integrated Management 6 Semester 2 MGT 610 Summer Session 1 MGT 6XX Assessing Self, Organizations, and the Operating Environment Elective Semester 3 MGT 620 Building Processes, Relationships, and Resources 6 Semester 4 MGT 630 Summer Session 2 MGT 6XX Acting with Innovation, Creativity, and Imagination Elective Semester 5 MGT 640 Creating Agility in Dynamic Environments Section III The Curriculum Page 2

15 44 Semester Hour Track Semester/Course Course Title Semester Hours Semester 1 MGT 605 MGT 606 Semester 2 MGT 607 MGT 608 Introduction to Accounting Business Models and Quantitative Methods Marketing Principles and Management Finance Semester 3 MGT 600 Integrated Management 6 Semester 4 MGT 610 Summer Session 1 MGT 6XX Assessing Self, Organizations, and the Operating Environment Elective Semester 5 MGT 620 Building Processes, Relationships, and Resources 6 Semester 6 MGT 630 Summer Session 2 MGT 6XX Acting with Innovation, Creativity, and Imagination Elective Semester 7 MGT 640 Creating Agility in Dynamic Environments MBA Elective Rotation Plan Semester Course FA SP SS MGT 647 Adult Learning and Workplace Competency x MGT 650 Graduate Seminar* x MGT 657 Facilitating Organizational Change x MGT 667 Managing the Consulting Process x MGT 677 Group and Team Facilitation x MGT 687 Tools and Processes for Organizational Intervention x MGT 697 Independent Study** * Graduate seminars are offered every summer in a variety of time frames. Topics change based on student and faculty interests. ** Subject to faculty availability and approval. MBA Course Descriptions Section III The Curriculum Page 3

16 (The number in parentheses after course title is the number of graduate semester hours) MGT 600 Integrated Management (6) Prereq. Admission to MBA program This course is interdisciplinary and organized around the core knowledge areas emphasized in the MBA program. Students are introduced to the Alverno Professional Competence Model and use discipline knowledge from the core knowledge areas to integrate their prior learning and business experience. Through a team business planning exercise, development of a professional portfolio, case studies, and a financial analysis project, students connect knowing and doing, develop their financial acumen, and improve their organizational decision making.. MGT 605 Introduction to Accounting (2) Prereq. Admission to MBA program (Foundation course) The student is introduced to the nature of accounting within a business context. The student learns the different functions of business, and the types of information, management reports, and financial statements that are provided by a company's accounting system. The course emphasizes the integrated nature of management and financial accounting issues. It provides the student with an overview of the judgments and estimates the accountant must make and how financial information is used as part of an organization's information system to make decisions. MGT 606 Business Models and Quantitative Methods (2) Prereq. MGT 605 or concurrent registration (Foundation course) The student develops the ability to use a variety of quantitative and statistical techniques to make and support sound business decisions in areas as diverse as marketing, human resources, and financial management. The student uses descriptive and inferential statistics, correlation and regression analysis, and other quantitative methods to develop the analytic and problem-solving abilities needed in today's business world. The student also uses contemporary business software applications to analyze and communicate statistical and quantitative information. MGT 607 Marketing Principles and Management (2) Prereq. MGT 605 (Foundation course) This course introduces the student to how organizations develop products and services to meet the needs and wants of customers. The student works in a simulated new product development team for a major company. The student and teammates invent a new product and present a comprehensive marketing plan via a written report and an oral presentation to the organization's simulated board of directors at the end of the semester. The team identifies and addresses problems ranging from production design to pricing to distribution to marketing communications and considers the product's impact in both domestic and global markets. MGT 608 Finance (2) Prereq. MGT 605 (Foundation course) Section III The Curriculum Page 4

17 The student is introduced to the basic concepts and skills required to manage an organization's assets for growth and survival. The student learns problem-solving techniques used in the acquisition, control, and use of funds to finance current and future operations. The student also learns to analyze a firm's financial strengths and weaknesses in order to more effectively manage the firm's operations. MGT 610 Assessing Self, Organizations, and the Operating Environment (6) Prereq. MGT 600 This course builds upon and expands the frameworks and core knowledge areas introduced in MGT 600, Integrated Management. It also lays the foundation for the student as a reflective practitioner - someone who uses her/his performance on the job for reflective learning that improves future performance. Students assess their professional competence, emotional intelligence, and risk intelligence through a variety of learning experiences. They also use a variety of strategic management frameworks and balanced scorecards to evaluate organizational effectiveness as a foundation for improved organizational performance. Students participate in a semester-long competitive business simulation to test out and evaluate their strategic management, decision-making, and management skills. MGT 620 Building Processes, Relationships, and Resources (6) Prereq. MGT 610 Students focus on their ability to effectively manage processes, relationships, and organizational resources to enhance organizational capability, results, and agility. They use a variety of analytic frameworks, best practices, and discipline content from core knowledge areas to study and analyze value and supply chains and to develop their understanding of the complex issues managers face. They also further develop their financial acumen using financial and quantitative information for decision making. MGT 630 Acting with Innovation, Creativity and Imagination (6) Prereq. MGT 620 Students expand their discipline knowledge in the Core Knowledge Areas to create business models that are responsive to the diversity and global nature of today s business. They participate in global, worldly, multicultural, and interdisciplinary experiences that foster the development of the new attitudes, mindsets, and values required of today s manager-leaders. Students view their work and workplaces through the lens of other cultures and peoples. The course provides a unique foundation for managing and developing people as well as understanding the more macro forces that shape the context of business in the 21 st century. Section III The Curriculum Page 5

18 MGT 640 Creating Agility in Dynamic Environments (6) Prereq. MGT 630 Students continue to grow as worldly managers by developing the abilities, thinking, and discipline knowledge from the Core Knowledge Areas needed to build enduring, agile organizations. This course focuses on change management, management-leadership, teamwork, and collaboration to develop each student's ability to anticipate and respond to changing markets, global operating environments, and unforeseen events. Students also study legal, regulatory, and ethical issues confronting today's business leaders, and use ethics-based decision-making frameworks to develop their ability to successfully navigate an ever-changing operating environment. MGT 647 Adult Learning and Workplace Competency (3) Prereq. MGT 600 or concurrent registration and permission of department In this course, students consider varied adult learner needs and abilities as they explore the connections between theories of adult learning, workplace competencies, and resources for supporting adult learning in workplace settings. Learners in this course participate in an overview of adult learning theory and its roots in education, psychology, and organizational behavior and explore the theoretical roots of adult learning practices in the workplace. MGT 650 Graduate Seminar (3) Prereq. MGT 600 This course provides students with the opportunity to explore new business topics, issues, or practices as they emerge in an ever changing business environment or focus on advanced topics in any of the core knowledge areas. Seminar topics rotate on a regular basis with multiple sections providing students with a variety of choices to meet their academic and professional needs. MGT 667 Managing the Consulting Process (3) Prereq. MGT 600 or concurrent registration and permission of department This course enables students to function responsibly as beginning consultants or midlevel practitioners, depending on each student s experience, as they learn to apply consulting skills and strategies to their own professional context. Course content focuses on current consulting theory and practice to develop a problem-centered approach to intervening in organizations that emphasizes collaborative innovation and learning between client and consultant. Students learn strategies for building effective client-consultant relationships and for diagnosing, designing, implementing, and evaluating appropriate organizational interventions. Section III The Curriculum Page 6

19 MGT 677 Group and Team Facilitation (3) Prereq. MGT 600 or concurrent registration and permission of department Collaborative management of the work team culture is a fundamental aspect of developing organizations. In this course, students learn strategies to effectively build and lead high-performance work groups and teams. They examine the use of diagnostic and intervention techniques to focus on inter-team and group relations. They learn how to design strategies to assess and diagnose individual and team effectiveness, build trust within teams, and guide team interventions. They also learn techniques for coaching and mentoring teams and team members. MGT 687 Tools and Processes for Organizational Intervention (3) Prereq. MGT 600 or concurrent registration and permission of department Organizational development (OD) interventions are sets of structured activities designed to move the organization from its current state to a desired state. This course focuses on applying conceptual knowledge to equip students to plan and implement OD interventions. Students learn how to diagnose organizational issues and design appropriate interventions that target specific workplace or competitive environment needs. They also learn the underlying causal mechanisms of intervention to ensure the change initiative fits the desired outcome. Students learn a range of strategies to support organizational development, such as process consultation, planning and goal setting, cultural analysis, work redesign, and organizational restructuring. MGT 697 Independent Study Prereq. MGT 600 and permission of department Independent study is available to graduate students who seek unique and specialized professional development learning opportunities which are not available through existing MBA elective courses. It requires students to independently design, implement, and manage their learning with the guidance of a School of Business faculty member. Approval is subject to faculty availability. Section III The Curriculum Page 7

20 Absences from Courses Students are expected to attend all classes and participate in all learning activities. If, due to illness or unavoidable personal/professional commitments, you must miss a class, you should consult with the faculty member involved and/or the MBA program director, as soon as possible in advance of the class, to develop an alternative plan to meet the objectives of the missed class. Absence from more than one session of a 6 semester hour required course will generally require the student to repeat the course. Consistent lateness may be considered an absence. Depending on the situation, your professor or the MBA program director may advise you to drop a course or may decide that you are ineligible to continue attending a course if attendance has not been regular or you have missed the first class meeting. In all instances, if you choose to drop a course, it is your responsibility to officially drop the course by contacting the Registrar's Office. You are always encouraged to communicate with your advisor if you are considering dropping a course. Academic Honesty Plagiarism and Misrepresentation of Authorship (Reprinted from Building a Community of Learners: A Community Guide and Student Handboook) Throughout your studies at Alverno College, you are exposed to a variety of learning styles. In some classes faculty require students to complete assignments in small group work sessions, while in other cases they may require you to complete work on an independent and individual basis. Both experiences can be stimulating and rewarding. However, when submitting work for your courses, you need to remember that you have a personal responsibility to complete work in accordance with the instruction of your teacher and sound academic principles. This means standing behind your work as a contributing member of a team when collaborative work is required. It also means standing behind your work as the individual who thought it through and carried it out when independent work is required. When you are required to consult with professionals outside the College or undertake research in the library in order to gather information necessary for the completion of an assignment, you need to make reference to the resources used. Whenever you refer to secondary sources, whether for direct quotation or paraphrasing, you must supply clear documentation within generally accepted academic standards. In other words, when you use another s thoughts in the exact words or with some words changed around, the source must be indicated. Work required to be completed independently does not meet the above requirements if it is more the work of someone else than that of the person who claims it. To claim work that is essentially someone else s constitutes misrepresentation. Failure to document Section IV Policies and Procedures Page 1

21 sources of information constitutes plagiarism. When such cases come to the attention of faculty, a department or division faculty committee will review the situation and make a recommendation to the department or division regarding the necessity of disciplinary action. After the committee reviews the situation, they may recommend that the student receive an unsatisfactory in the course for which the work was required, an assignment of a new equivalent assignment, dismissal from the College or other disciplinary action. Here are some additional guidelines adapted from The Masters in Education Student Handbook: GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE AVOID PLAGIARISM. Learning the appropriate academic procedures for citing sources will not only help you in writing your papers within the academic setting, it will also help you to be accurate about the sources of ideas in writing and speaking within your work setting. Giving others credit for their ideas is a basic writing guideline. Such practice keeps you honest, by allowing you to reflect on the ideas of another and to add or integrate your own thoughts with the deliberate support of other authors. Citing sources correctly also helps your reader to follow your own thinking and to understand the evidence that supports your thoughts. You too may find that being able to find a reference based on how someone else talked about them in an article or paper is a very helpful process. The same guidelines apply to giving a speech, poster-project, or other form of presentation. PowerPoint, slides, posters and other visual materials need to be properly referenced, and your thinking needs to be distinguished from the thoughts and ideas of others. Plagiarism is, in essence, the taking of someone else s thoughts and words and representing them as your own. It is seen as an offense to both the original author of those thoughts and words as well as an offense to your reader, who potentially could confuse the thoughts of the original author with those of someone representing those thoughts as their own. Therefore, we will be very picky about plagiarism. If you use someone else s words, you must use the proper quotation format. For short quotations, that means quotation marks and a reference with page number. For longer quotations, that means a hanging indent, and a reference with page number. Don t do this incorrectly even on a draft it s plagiarism if you do. We ll stop reading drafts when we find plagiarism there s no point in our assessing the writing of an already published work. Your best bet is to avoid using quotes as much as possible. Consult your APA Manual, Fifth Edition for ways to paraphrase an author s ideas and how to properly give credit for that idea, even when you are paraphrasing it. (Remember when you paraphrase, you give the author s name and date of the publication. When you quote, you must also include the quotation marks and the page number where you found the quote.) Section IV Policies and Procedures Page 2

22 If you have a question about the format of a specific citation, first consult your APA Manual, Fifth Edition. If after considerable effort in trying to resolve your question you are still in need of assistance, bring your question to your instructor or advisor, along with your specific work with the APA Manual and show them exactly where your confusion lies. They will help you address your specific concern. In the end however, you will be held responsible for representing yourself and others in an appropriate manner. TELL IT LIKE IT IS AVOID MISREPRESENTATION When you are working with another author s ideas, it is imperative that you represent those ideas accurately and that you give credit to the author for those ideas. If, for example, an author is presenting several alternatives to a particular dilemma, it is important that you indicate the range of alternatives that the author offers, rather than simply picking the one that you like the best and presenting it as if it were the author s only idea. To single out a sentence or paragraph that suits your own purposes but does not represent the author s train of thought is considered misrepresentation. TALK YOUR OWN TALK AVOID PLAGIARIZING ANOTHER STUDENT S WORK. A student may be dismissed from the program if he/she uses the work of another student as her/his own. This includes using papers that have been published on the internet, written by a student in this or another college or university, or written by a former student. BE DISCREET ABOUT REPEAT AVOID SELF-PLAGIARISM Self-plagiarism is the practice of using a paper that is written in one class to complete the requirements for a different class or project. If you are planning to use a part of a paper that you have already written in another class, first consult your instructor to see if the part of the paper is suitable material for the class you are presently taking. If you do not obtain appropriate permission for building on work from another class, or if you hand in a duplicate paper from another class to meet an assessment requirement, you may fail the project, the assessment and jeopardize your standing in the program. WALK THE WALK IN ORDER TO TALK THE TALK MAINTAIN RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR WORK WITHIN GROUPS Students are expected to be appropriately responsible for their work within a group project setting. This includes attending mutually agreed-upon group meetings, completing mutually-agreed upon assignments and carrying your weight in the writing of a group paper or the implementation of a group presentation. If you fail to maintain your responsibilities as a group member, you may fail the group project assignment and you may be dismissed from the class. Section IV Policies and Procedures Page 3

23 Resources Consulted: Smith, P. (2001). Policy on plagiarism for all psychology & MA courses. Alverno College Master of Arts in Education policy on academic honesty. Unpublished document. Milwaukee, WI: Alverno College. University of Massachusetts: Policies: Academic Honesty. Retrieved August 2002 from University of Oregon: Avoiding Plagiarism. Retrieved August 2002 from University of Vermont Policies on Academic Honesty. Retrieved August 2002 from Advising When you are admitted to the MBA program you are assigned the MBA program director as your academic advisor. The program director serves as a resource to each student during their first semester with regard to academic matters, policies and procedures, and registration. In the second semester, you are assigned a faculty advisor/mentor who serves in this role until you graduate. Business Writing As an MBA student you will engage in a variety of writing exercises in your courses as well as in your workplace. Business writing takes a variety of forms: memoranda, reports, proposals, plans, and presentations. Business writers also write for a variety of audiences and often what they write must serve the needs of multiple audiences at the same time. These audiences include internal audiences (management and employees) and external audiences (customers, vendors, regulatory agencies, and professionals providing support services, to name a few). Audiences may also be international. Business writing often involves your personal observations and conclusions and uses what is considered common knowledge. At other times, your writing includes research and the ideas of others and may be of a more academic nature. In these cases it is important that you reference and give credit to your sources. All MBA students should be familiar with the business communication format. A variety of business communication books/texts and online resources are available if needed. All MBA students should use the APA Style Manual to cite their references when appropriate and be familiar with the college policies regarding plagiarism and use. See the Academic Misconduct: Plagiarism and Misrepresentation of Authorship Alverno All College Policy section this handbook for further information. Section IV Policies and Procedures Page 4

24 Credit for Transfer Courses Previous graduate course work is evaluated at the time of admission. In no case will transfer credit be granted for the MBA required courses (MGT 600, 610, 620, 630, and 640). Elective credit will be considered if there is no significant overlap with these required courses. Extension of Program Completion Course work is to be completed within seven years of entry into the MBA program. If you are not able to complete the program within this timeframe, you must submit a letter to the MBA program director requesting an extension. Your letter should explain why an extension is required and describe your plan and timeline for program completion. The program director will review the request and respond in writing. The deadline for submitting a request to extend your program completion is the beginning of your sixth year in the program. Graduate Student Professionalism Rubric All MBA students are held to high academic and professional standards. This rubric is used by faculty to document professional behavior. Should concerns arise regarding professional behavior, faculty will review concerns with the student involved and report them to the MBA Program Director. Student effectively demonstrates discipline and responsibility for attending all class sessions and being present at the start of each class. Student finishes and turns in on the dates requested assignments that are complete and have been proofread. Student takes the initiative to communicate with faculty if there are attendance or assignment concerns. Student consistently uses appropriate language, interacts in a professional manner, and shows respect for others. Student accepts equal responsibility for group assignments and supports others in doing so. Student honors professional ethics including appropriate use of quotations, recognition/citation of sources, respect for confidentiality and privacy, etc. Section IV Policies and Procedures Page 5

25 MBA Student Status Committee Every semester, the MBA Student Status Committee reviews MBA student academic performance and professionalism. Any student with an Unsatisfactory MBA course progress code will be recommended to the college status committee for probation. Any student with multiple Unsatisfactory MBA course progress codes (in the same or different courses) will be recommended for probation with warning or dismissal. Any student not meeting one or more professionalism standards (see Graduate Student Professionalism Rubric) may also be recommended for probation. Independent Study, Internships, Projects for Academic Credit A student who wishes to engage in independent study, pursue an internship, or receive academic credit for a special project, as part of their elective coursework must complete the Independent Study/Internship/ Project Proposal Form. This form is available from the School of Business secretary and must be submitted to the MBA program director at least one semester prior to pursuing this as an alternative to an existing course. Purpose These alternatives are available to graduate students who seek unique and specialized professional development learning opportunities which are not available through existing MBA elective courses. It requires students to independently design, implement, and manage their learning with the guidance of a School of Business faculty member. The learning experience, if approved, must be completed within the regular semester timeframe. For each semester hour of academic credit a minimum of 20 hours of academic study is required. Feasibility - The first step in exploring the feasibility of an independent study, internship, or project is to formulate and describe your topic, objectives, and learning strategies in writing and discuss this with the program director and/or your faculty advisor. It is also important that you identify a faculty member who is willing and able to serve as your mentor and evaluator for this experience. You should meet with them and explain: How you would benefit from this experience What your specific topic, objectives, and learning strategy would include When you would begin and end your work How many semester credit hours you are requesting If your proposal appears feasible based on these exploratory conversations, you should complete and submit the Independent Study/Internship/Project Proposal Form to begin the formal approval process for registration. Approval and Registration Process - Complete the Independent/Internship/Project Proposal Form and submit it to the MBA program director for approval at least one semester prior to registration. Section IV Policies and Procedures Page 6

26 The request must be approved by the faculty member who will serve as your mentor and evaluator, the School of Business Dean, and the MBA program director. It will be evaluated according to: Your need for this experience as a part of your academic program The quality of your objectives and plans for learning The availability of alternative learning opportunities The availability of faculty resources If your request is approved by everyone, it will be forwarded to the Registrar's Office and added to your official registration for the semester. Plan for Independent Study/Internship/Project - Within the first week of the semester you should initiate and arrange a meeting with your faculty mentor/evaluator. Within 25 days after the start of the semester you must submit your formal plan for faculty approval. The plan will include: 1. Title, purpose, and detailed description of the independent study/internship/project 2. Learning objectives related to your topic, the MBA outcomes, and your academic development 3. Detailed description of learning strategies, activities, and tasks 4. Timeline of activities and tasks for the semester. Timeline should include meetings with your faculty mentor/evaluator 5. Description of resources and external individuals necessary to complete your work 6. Description and due date (at least 6 weeks before last class) of interim progress report 7. Description of final product, audience, and date of completion 8. Plan for faculty and self assessment of performance including criteria related to learning objectives Activity Log - You are required to keep an activity log for your academic work. The log should include dates, beginning and ending times, and descriptions of activities. The log should always be up to date and available for faculty review. You will turn this in with your final product. Course Completion - Your independent study, internship, or project must be completed by the last class or an earlier date as required by faculty. Section IV Policies and Procedures Page 7

27 Participation in Commencement Alverno College believes in the value of participation in the commencement ceremony and the value of students sharing in the event with their colleagues. While the college participation policy requires the satisfactory completion of all requirements, an exception is made for MBA students in recognition of the cohort nature of the MBA program. MBA students who have completed all requirements except their MBA electives may request permission to participate in commencement by submitting a general permit to the Registrar s Office. Section IV Policies and Procedures Page 8

28 Criteria for Academic Performance Graduate students at Alverno College are expected to develop and consistently demonstrate strong communication and social interaction, along with critical thinking and problem solving. Three developmental rubrics help guide the students in integrating these skills into their performance in academic and clinical settings. I. CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE SPEAKING/MEDIA (Adapted for Entering Graduate Students, 8/04) In a given speech, the student should show the following abilities to the level indicated: Preliminary: Follows directions: yes no 1. Connects with audience through SPEAKING ON ONE S FEET L1 Speaks to an audience for at least a minute with little reliance on scripted or memorized input L2 Communicates to an audience, long enough to suggest the speaker has internalized his/her message, with little reliance on scripted or memorized input L3 Communicates with the audience, giving the impression of both thinking and speaking spontaneously without reliance on scripted or memorized input L4 Gives a consistent impression of communicating with the audience without reliance on scripted or memorized input Graduate Level: As a professional, gives a consistent impression of communicating with the audience without reliance on scripted or memorized input in a variety of job related contexts. 2. Connects with audience through ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING CONTEXT (clarifying, in a manner appropriate to a specified audience, limits of the situation and sources of thinking) L1 Gives audience some sense of focus and purpose (What am I telling whom and why?) L2 Gives audience full sense of purpose and focus, distinguishing his/her own thoughts from those of others L3 Throughout a presentation, show how others ideas relate to his/her own thinking L4 Throughout a presentation, clearly articulates relationships between ideas/concepts out of an academic framework and those out of his/her own thinking Graduate Level: As a professional, shows explicit awareness of his/her own ideas as claims rather than truths in the context of disciplinary/professional discourse. 3. Connects with audience through VERBAL EXPRESSION (word choice/ style/tone reflecting awareness of the audience s degree of knowledge, values, need for clarity, right to n opinion, and expectation of interest) L1 Uses language that shows some awareness of appropriate word choice/style/tone L2 Uses language that shows general awareness of appropriate word choice/style/tone avoiding vague, empty, and condescending expression Section V Appendices Page 1