The Elmhurst Management Program (EMP) is an accelerated and concentrated format to complete the business administration major. This unique approach has been designed for highly motivated adults who bring both their work experiences and their prior college course work into EMP's dynamic learning process.

The program enables participants with comparable professional backgrounds to study subject matter that addresses the needs of managers. The learning process is enriched by the work place experiences students introduce into classroom discussions and assignments.

Program Hallmarks

The Role of Teaming in the Program

Throughout the program, students will learn about and experience how teams can be effectively and efficiently used in the work place. This learning will occur both in course work and as an important component of the program's format.

EMP provides the students a laboratory experience in which teamwork and team development are both learned and implemented. This includes a program design in which students progress through EMP taking all parts of the EMP curriculum together as members of a dynamic learning community. This approach purposefully builds a system of mutual support among students who thereby learn the value of working on tasks and goals as members of a learning team.

Student Projects

EMP requires all students to work on a major job-related project that is completed by the end of the program. The EMP Project allows students to apply what they are learning in the various disciplines of business. Usually, student projects address issues that impact the student's job or profession. Often students present their complete EMP Projects to their employers.

Program Characteristics

EMP offers students the business administration major formatted to meet one night per week (or on Saturday) for approximately one year. This intensive format allows students to complete eight course credits/32 semester hours while working full time.

EMP moves quickly for students because their learning includes tasks completed at home and the integration of out of the classroom learning into their program. The program's orientation builds the EMP learning community for participants while assessing their needs in critical skill areas. Faculty will, for example, assess quantitative skill levels so that needs in that area can be met in the program. Because of the program's integrative nature, the Elmhurst Management Program may not be taken in part.

Graduation from Elmhurst College

The Elmhurst Management Program is offered so that experienced adult students can complete a business administration major in a time-efficient manner. In order to complete a Bachelor of Science in business administration, participants in EMP will need to remember that entry into the Program and graduation from Elmhurst are subject to the rules and regulations that apply to all Elmhurst College students.

To complete their degree, EMP students will need to complete the general education requirements that apply to all Evening Session students. The business administration degree completed in the Evening Session requires the successful completion of 32 course credits/128 semester hours. Once a student has enrolled in EMP he/she must meet all Elmhurst College degree requirements through course work or experiential learning programs completed at Elmhurst College.

Students who do not plan to complete a degree may choose to receive a certificate upon the completion of EMP. A 'C' average is required for the certificate. Entry requirements for participants who want to earn a certificate are the same as for those seeking to complete their degree.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Elmhurst Management Program is offered to adult students who present both prior college course work and significant experience in the work place. Many successful applicants will have about 32 semester hours of transfer credit and eight or more years of professional experience. Interested potential participants with different combinations of education and experience are encouraged to discuss their interest in EMP with admission counselors in the Office of Enrollment Development.

The Academic Program

The academic program includes components in the areas of accounting, business environment, communications, economics, finance, management, marketing, policy, a project, and statistics and other quantitative management decision-making tools. In all cases the focus is on the usefulness of these disciplines for effective management decision-making.

Accounting and Finance: The program includes three integrated components in the areas of accounting and finance. The emphasis is on the use of accounting and financial data by managers of business organizations as a basis for intelligent financial management decisions.

Business Environment: This component analyzes the social, political, legal and ethical factors in management decision-making.

Communications: Written and oral communication skills necessary for successful management are developed as well as an understanding of the organizational communication process.

Economics: The two economics components of the program concentrate on the fundamental economic principles essential for effective management and the application of economic analysis to current policy issues of interest to management.

Management: The concepts and principles of modern management are developed in the areas of planning, organizing, directing, coordinating and controlling.

Marketing: The marketing component of the program emphasizes decision-making as it relates to the formulation and implementation of effective marketing strategy.

Policy: The purpose of this component is to provide an integration of the subjects covered in the previous components of the program. This component relies heavily on the use of case analysis towards the goal of understanding the formulation of business policy.

Statistics and Other Quantitative Decision-Making Tools: These components of the program develop the tools necessary for quantitative management decision-making.

Project: Throughout the program, students work on a major project with guidance from their faculty team. At the end of the program, students make both written and oral presentations of their projects.