Prerequisites for the MBA Degree
All applicants to the Colorado Christian University MBA program are required to fulfill prerequisites in the areas listed below. This background may be obtained through undergraduate coursework as demonstrated by the student's transcript, or taken at CCU or another accredited institution. Additionally, the student may complete the equivalent CLEP or DSST exams or online courses through one of CCU's partnerships.
An MBA candidate may start CCU's MBA program before completing the MBA prerequisites, but must complete the appropriate prerequisites prior to registering for the class for which it is required. Additional coursework, as outlined in the Course Catalog, may need to be completed prior to registering for the appropriate prerequisite(s).
Prerequisites for All MBA Applicants
- Accounting — An introduction to corporate financial accounting, focusing on the accounting process, balance sheet, and income statement. Emphasizes the accounting cycle, financial statement analysis and generally accepted accounting principles. Includes an introduction to performance measurements, budgeting, and income tax accounting. (ACC-205A)
- Finance — The Finance prerequisite can be met through coursework or testing that involves a practical overview of relevant foundational aspects of business finance such as the role of the finance manager, risk-return, time value of money, ratio analysis, and financing decisions; basic application of these principles to the business environment. (BUS-301A)
- Statistics — An introduction to probability and statistics with primary focus on collecting, displaying, analyzing, and interpreting sample data. Using probabilities to solve problems. Application of basic probability distributions, methods of statistical inference including parameter estimation and hypothesis testing. (MAT-205A)
Additional Prerequisites for Specific MBA Emphases
- Advanced Accounting — The completion of undergraduate degree in accounting or 36 approved credit hours in upper level (300-400) accounting is required for candidates in the MBA with Advanced Accounting Emphasis only.
- Economics — Foundational microeconomics course (ECO-305A, ECO-220A, MAT-120A, and MAT-141A, and their corresponding prerequisites) and macroeconomics course (ECO-306A and the corresponding prerequisites) are required for the MBA with Economics emphasis only. Note that math at the level of at least Calculus I is needed for those foundational courses. These courses prepare students for the higher-level analysis needed for the intermediate microeconomics and macroeconomics courses as well as the economic development and international political economy courses in the emphasis.
- Information Security — The Information Security prerequisite (ISM-316A) is for candidates in the MBA with Cyber Security emphasis only. The prerequisite undergraduate course is an introduction to the field of information security, including the exposures and vulnerabilities to information security, and appropriate countermeasures such as planning and administrative controls. Foundational/Fundamental cyber security courses (CYS-501 or CYS-502, and their corresponding prerequisites) are also required.
- Cyber Security — Foundational/Fundamental cyber security courses (CYS-501 or CYS-502, and their corresponding prerequisites) are also required for candidates in the MBA with Cyber Security Emphasis only.
Online Courses to Fulfill Prerequisites
For applicants who wish to take prerequisite courses online, CCU has partnered with Ivy Software to provide you with a convenient and flexible way to fulfill online prerequisite courses at an affordable cost. The following courses are available for purchase:
- Business Math and Statistics (fulfills Statistics prerequisite)
- Financial Accounting: A Management Perspective (fulfills Accounting prerequisite)
- Understanding Corporate Finance (fulfills Finance prerequisite)
Each program takes on average 20 hours to complete. Students are able to download all course material. The student must pass a final course test with at least an 80% in order for the course to count toward the prerequisite.
Notify your CCU Student Services Advisor (SSA) of any problems you encounter with an Ivy Software program or any time you pass a test. He or she will be able to take the appropriate action to ensure that your degree plan is updated with the completed prerequisite information.