Contents
Catalog Links
Share

Graduate Certificates

Accountancy

Finance

Healthcare Management

Human Resources Management

Information Security

Information Technology Management

International Business

Management

Marketing

Operations Management

Project Management

To accommodate the needs of working adults, the College of Business at Lewis University offers a full MBA program as well as graduate level certificate options.

Certificate options are designed for those who want to advance in certain specializations, but lack time for a complete MBA program; for those with bachelor’s degrees in non-business majors; and for those with graduate degrees who wish to develop expertise in different concentrations or to update their career skills.

I. Required Courses (15)

Each certificate program consists of five graduate-level courses.

Accountancy Certificate

  • Financial Accounting
  • Managerial Accounting
  • Accounting Ethics
  • International Accountancy
  • Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination

Finance Certificate

  • Financing the Business Enterprise
  • Managerial Finance

(Choose 3 of the following)

  • Financial Management Strategies
  • International Finance
  • Portfolio Management
  • Investment Analysis
  • Derivatives I
  • Derivatives II
  • Quantitative Methods of Business
  • Fixed Income Analysis
  • Financial Statement Analysis

Healthcare Management Certificate

  • Healthcare Management Operations and Accounting
  • Contemporary Management Practice or Healthcare Management Practice (30-348)
  • Healthcare Marketing
  • Healthcare Finance and Economics
  • Healthcare Information Management (30-527)

Human Resources Management Certificate

  • Contemporary Management Practice
  • Legal and Social Foundations
  • Human Resources Management
  • Employment Law
  • Organizational Behavior and Development

Information Security Certificate

  • Introduction to Information Security
  • Information Security Strategies and Risk Management
  • Ethical Hacking
  • IT Governance and Compliance
  • Security Assurance Principles

Information Technology Management Certificate

  • Current Topics in Information Technology
  • IT Governance and Compliance
  • Database Management
  • Networks and Data Communications
  • Project Management

International Business Certificate

  • International Business in the Global Environment (may require additional prerequisites)

(Choose 4 of the following)

  • International Economics
  • International Finance
  • International Accountancy
  • International Marketing
  • International Management

Management Certificate

  • Financial Accounting
  • Contemporary Management Practice
  • Financing the Business Enterprise
  • Survey of Marketing
  • Business Economics

Marketing Certificate

  • Survey of Marketing
  • Marketing Management

(Choose 3 of the following)

  • International Marketing
  • Analysis of Promotion
  • Marketing Research
  • Social Media Marketing
  • Strategies of E-Business & E-Marketing

Operations Management Certificate

  • Quantitative Methods for Business
  • Contemporary Management Practice
  • Operations Management
  • Coordinating and Managing Supply Chains
  • Principles of Six Sigma

Project Management Certificate

  • Project Management
  • Advanced Project Management
  • Contemporary Management Practice
  • Principles of Six Sigma
  • Strategic Outsourcing

The graduate certificates have been designed to provide individuals with the opportunity to gain both knowledge and skills in the fundamentals of specific business competencies. Consisting of five graduate-level courses, the certificate programs are designed to strengthen analytical and problem solving skills. Students can complete the certificates in one to two years.

Grading

MBA students must achieve a 3.0 GPA (B average) overall for MBA coursework. If a grade of D is received for any MBA course, the grade will not count toward degree requirements and the course must be repeated.

If the GPA is below the acceptable 3.0 minimum after three courses, or one 8-week session (whichever occurs first) the student will be placed on probation for the following 8-week session. Students who do not increase their GPA to 3.0 in the following 8-week session may be dismissed from the MBA Program.

Transfer of Graduate Credit

A student entering the Lewis MBA program with appropriate prior graduate coursework in business may have a maximum of nine credit hours beyond the foundation level applied to Lewis MBA course requirements.

Course credits eligible for transfer consideration must meet the following criteria:

  1. All transfer credit must have been earned within an eight-year period prior to matriculation in the Lewis MBA program.
  2. The coursework must have been completed at an accredited graduate school.
  3. A minimum grade of B must have been earned for the course.
  4. The coursework must have an equivalent in the Lewis MBA curriculum.

Time Commitment

Graduate level study requires a significant commitment of time. Because of the concentrated, eight-week course schedule, it is crucial that students attend all class meetings. Students should expect two to three hours of homework for every class hour. Thus, a three-credit-hour class may result in a substantial number of study hours.

Assignments must be submitted on time, or a course grade could be jeopardized. Although most instructors will try to make arrangements for a student whose work demands travel, this may not be possible in all cases. Students are responsible for informing instructors in advance of known absences and as soon as possible in the case of emergencies. Two or more unexcused absences in an 8-week session can result in a grade of F .

Course Load

The Graduate School of Management strongly recommends that students who are employed full-time enroll in no more than one course each eight-week session, for a total of six credit hours per semester.

A course load of three classes (nine credit hours) each semester is considered full-time, and is only advised for students who are not employed or are only minimally employed.

Outcomes Assessment

The program reserves the right to require students to participate in institutional testing programs as part of ongoing assessment of student outcomes.

Course Meetings/Times

Classes usually meet once a week during weekday evenings or on Saturday mornings. Some courses are offered online.

Class Attendance

Students are expected to attend scheduled classes regularly. This expectation presumes a mature student’s interest in maximizing the opportunity to profit from the instructor’s expertise, planned class activities, and the interchange with peers. It also presumes the student’s responsibility to contribute to the quality of intellectual interaction in the class. Each instructor specifies the class attendance policy in the course syllabus at the beginning of each course. A student registered for a Saturday course may not register for a weekend MBA seminar.

Time Frame for Completion of Degree Requirements

Attending classes part-time, an MBA student generally completes all degree requirements in two to three years (including summers). A full-time student should be able to complete all degree requirements in one to two years. The maximum time allowed to complete all degree requirements is seven consecutive years from the date of matriculation. This time period may be extended by written permission from the MBA program director.

Graduation Requirements

Upon completion of the following eight requirements, students will be awarded the MBA degree:

  1. The degree candidacy admission standard.
  2. Phase I - Foundation Course requirements.
  3. Phase II - Core Course requirements.
  4. Phase III - Functional Areas of Concentration Course requirements.
  5. Phase IV - Elective Course requirements.
  6. A minimum 3.0 GPA.
  7. Satisfaction of all financial obligations to Lewis University.
  8. An Application for Graduation completed and submitted to the Registrar’s office.

Withdrawing from a Course

Students should consult with the MBA advisor and the course instructor when considering withdrawal from a course. The only way a student may officially withdraw from a course is to submit a completed withdrawal form to the Office of the Registrar on the Romeoville campus. Refunds are made in accordance with the stated refund policy. When students officially withdraw by the deadline set for each term , they will receive a grade of W , which has no effect on their GPA. A student who has not officially withdrawn from a course will receive a final grade of F .

Incomplete Grade

Incomplete work must be completed within the first six weeks of the following semester or the grade of F automatically will be assigned for the course. Consult the University’s policy on “Grading” for more information.