2025-2026 Graduate Bulletin > Programs of Study > School of Business

School of Business

David Lennox, Dean, Bruce Toews, Associate Dean; Paul Rhynard, Program Director; Johanna Attoh, Steven Forbis, George Perez, Stephen Pilgrim, Brian Schaffner.

The purpose of the M.B.A. program is to prepare students for roles as competent, value-driven leaders and managers, in the context of Walla Walla University’s mission and vision.

Courses are offered online to provide flexibility to working professionals. Courses are predominantly case- or project-based, providing hands-on, real-world, learning, with an emphasis on management decision-making from a faith-based perspective.

Students can choose to take either a general M.B.A. or an M.B.A. with a specialization drawn from electives in finance, healthcare administration, business analytics, artificial intelligence, or cybersecurity. The specializations focus on management and decision-making elements in those areas. Alternatively, students may opt to complete an 18-credit graduate certificate in one of the five specializations.

All new M.B.A. and graduate certificate students are required to complete an orientation that provides information about course registration, program scheduling, policies and standards, learning management systems, graduate-level learning and research, ethical use of technology, support services, team building, and ways to connect with and benefit from the larger School of Business learning community.
 
Admission Requirements:  
In addition to the general graduate admission requirements, the following are required:

1. A minimum overall Grade Point Average (G.P.A.) of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for all undergraduate credits or for the last 96 quarter hours of the baccalaureate degree. Applicants who do not meet the G.P.A. requirement may be considered for provisional admission at the discretion of the Program Director, who may require additional steps, including completion of the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).

2. Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV).
 
M.B.A. students are expected to have competencies in accounting, finance, economics, statistics, and spreadsheet software platforms. Applicants may consult the Program Director for suggested resources to help develop those competencies as needed.

Rolling Admission: Students may begin the program in any quarter. The application deadlines are August 1 for fall quarter admission, October 1 for winter quarter admission, February 1 for spring quarter admission, and May 1 for summer quarter admission. Deadlines for international students are two months before each of these dates.

Provisional Admission of Undergraduates: WWU undergraduate students may apply for provisional admission as soon as senior status is reached (136 credits). Students accepted into the M.B.A. program may take up to 12 graduate credits before completing their undergraduate degree. Courses and credits cannot count towards both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. Undergraduate students should consult with Student Financial Services before enrolling in M.B.A. courses.

M.B.A. Core Student Learning Outcomes:
Our graduates will demonstrate a broad knowledge of primary business disciplines and have related functional skills crucial to their roles as organizational leaders, managers, and professionals.

Our graduates will master management and leadership theory and employ best practices in successfully leading and motivating people to achieve optimum business outcomes.

Our graduates will recognize ethical complexities in the business world and be guided by ethical standards from a faith-based worldview as leaders and professional role models.

Our graduates will possess the communication skills necessary for effective leadership and management.

Our graduates will have the capacity to synthesize complex ideas and knowledge from credible sources and to effectively address organizational challenges, including change and innovation.