Aug 20, 2025  
2023-2024 Shepherd University Catalog 
    
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2023-2024 Shepherd University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Dual Degrees: Appalachian Studies, M.A. and Business Administration, M.B.A.

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Appalachian Studies and Master of Business Administration Dual Master’s is a 60 credit-hour program designed for students who have completed a baccalaureate degree and are interested in pursuing or advancing a career in business and non-profit experiences and understanding Appalachian culture, people, and experiences which can be applied to those institutional settings to better serve the needs of the Appalachian region. Real-world and practical application is central to this program.

Courses are offered in the evenings and online to accommodate students holding full-time jobs while completing the program.  This dual degree program combines courses in Appalachian culture, global Appalachia, leadership and ethics, marketing, management theory, economics, and accounting. Students complete their coursework with a flexible set of electives that complement both degrees.

Curriculum for Master of Arts, Appalachian Studies and Master of Business Administration

Total Credit Hours: 60 Hours:

MA-APST Required Courses, 21 Hours:

MBA Required Courses, 24 Hours:

Elective Courses**, 15 Hours:

NOTES:

*Graduate Foundations - MBA

Because some foundational experience in accounting, statistics, and economics is crucial to success in the Shepherd M.B.A. program, students admitted to the MBA/MA-APST dual degrees program must meet three content area prerequisites:  Accounting, Statistics, and Economics.  Foundational courses at the undergraduate level must have been taken within the last seven years with a grade of C or higher.

Applicants who lack this undergraduate coursework can fulfill the foundational requirements in one of three ways:

  • Taking the appropriate graduate foundations coursework at the graduate level:  MBA 5FDA , MBA 5FDE , and MBA 5FDS . These courses do not count toward the degree.
  • Passing the appropriate CLEP test(s).
  • Submitting a portfolio of work-related experience (where appropriate) and requesting an evaluation of academic coursework by the M.B.A. coordinator.  Applicants may begin the M.B.A. program while completing their prerequisite courses.

Foundational courses must be completed within the 9 credits of the MBA content of the MBA/MA-APST dual degrees program.

**Elective substitutions may occur with permissions of graduate academic advisors.