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Test the Waters at Penn State Great Valley!

Have you been thinking about an MBA? Here’s your chance to put us to the test. Take a graduate business course, and experience our MBA program firsthand.  Choose from a variety of courses  to explore your interest and see if our program is the right fit for you.  

Courses are led by premier faculty, who combine their research with business enterprise, and are scheduled in convenient seven-week sessions. Plus, many courses are delivered partially online.

Applying is easy.  To enroll:

  • Complete an online application.  Choose Nondegree Admission.  For Intended Major, select Management Non-Degree  In the Notes section, indicate Test the Waters.  (Learn more about how to apply)
  • Non-refundable application fee of $30, payable by credit card online or by check or money order payable to The Pennsylvania State University (more information)
  • An official or unofficial transcript from undergraduate institution (more information) .  The preferred candidate for the program should have an undergraduate average of "B" or higher, but other factors may be considered.
  • A current résumé (more information) 

Please submit transcript and resume to the Admissions Office, Penn State Great Valley, 30 E. Swedesford Rd., Malvern, PA 19355.  For admissions questions, contact Millie Ingersoll at mxi4@psu.edu or 610-648-3282.

2012-2013 tuition rates apply. For additional information, visit Tuition and Fees.

Graduate Course Offerings and Schedule:
Students in the Test the Waters program are permitted to enroll in one course prior to formal admission to the MBA.  Courses are each 3 credits and may be applied to the MBA program if admitted as a degree-seeking student.

SUMMER I 2013:

ACCTG 511 - Financial and Managerial Accounting, 50% online
May 6-June 19, Mondays and Wednesdays, 6-9 p.m.
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to both financial accounting (focusing on external users of accounting information) and managerial accounting (focusing on internal users of accounting information). The course focuses on the uses (and potential misuses) of accounting information.  We will also discuss corporate governance issues. Accounting information can be used to evaluate an organization’s financial position, to plan future activities (short and long-term), to motivate behavior, and to evaluate performance. The focus is NOT to train students to produce accounting information. Rather, the focus is to train students to interpret, evaluate, and use accounting information.

BUSAD 501 - Statistical Analysis for Managerial Decision Making, 50% online
May 7-June 20, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-9 p.m.
Use of statistical methods for managerial decision making, with emphasis on problem formulation, data analysis and interpretation, and business applications. 

BUSAD 556 - Diversity Leadership, 30% online
May 7-June 20, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-9 p.m.
Analysis and application of models, theories and strategies for managing an increasing diverse workforce and customer base.

BUSAD 559 – Career Management, 70% online
May 11-June 22, Saturdays, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
The Career Management course provides students with a conceptual understanding of careers and career decision-making through an examination and discussion of the literature in career management. Additionally, a significant focus is placed on application of the concepts and the literature to understand the student’s own career, as well as the careers of supervisors, peers, and subordinates. Therefore, this course blends both conceptual analysis and experiential learning activities. 

MGMT 501 - Behavioral Science in Business, 30% online
May 7-June 20, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-9 p.m.
This should be the first course taken in the MBA program. Application of behavioral science concepts and analytical methods to problems in business organizations. Analysis of administrative behavior and decision making. 

MGMT 597 - Special Topics: Developing Global Leaders: European Management Perspectives
May 6-June 5, Mondays and Wednesdays, 6-9 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
The increase in cultural diversity and globalization in business require managers to develop cross-cultural competence. This course develops students’ global understanding for working, following, and leading in European organizations. This course will help managers and organizational leaders make sense of French, German, Swiss, and other European cultures in order to prepare global leaders for work in highly diverse, intercultural environments. It explores how human resource management processes and organizational dynamics in European countries such as France, Germany and Switzerland differ from practices in the United States. The goal is to better understand how culture impacts the whole management process when working in Europe. Several case studies – describing both successful and unsuccessful practices - will be presented. 

MKTG 500 - Marketing Management, 50% online
May 7-June 20, Tuesdays, 6-9 p.m. and online
This course focuses on managerial decision-making in marketing and full use of market data and competitive analysis. It covers marketing decisions on target marketing, product, channel, pricing, and promotion as a cohesive strategy. The course reviews how a marketing program should be developed and managed.

SUMMER II 2013:

BUSAD 511 –New Ventures I
June 25-August 8, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-9 p.m.
Introduction to issues involved in the development of new ventures within the existing business organization or from start-up.

BUSAD 537 - Management Information Systems, 50% online 
June 24-August 7, Mondays and Wednesdays, 6-9 p.m.
Information system theories and methods applied to administrative structures and management decisions in organizations. 

BUSAD 545 - Negotiation Strategies, 20% online
June 25-August 8, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-9 p.m.
This course covers strategies and tactics for understanding conflicts, for negotiating effectively, and for dealing successfully with power in organizations.

BUSAD 551 - Business Stakeholder Relations, 20% online
June 24-August 7, Mondays and Wednesdays, 6-9 p.m.
Analysis of ethical, political, social, legal and regulatory, environmental, technological, and demographic diversity environment of business.