In many businesses, the MBA is a prerequisite for advancement to higher levels of responsibility. The degree is valued by employers, and average starting salaries are significantly higher for those who hold the degree than for those who do not. The MBA is particularly relevant for persons with technical or liberal arts training who desire to improve their administrative skills. Even students with undergraduate business majors can benefit from the MBA by raising their knowledge and skills to a higher level, and those holding a four-year accounting degree can use the MBA to meet the education requirements for Texas CPA certification. Career paths for MBA graduates are numerous and include jobs in accounting, finance, human resource management, management information systems, manufacturing, marketing, and operations management.
Many graduates work as consultants, and others start their own businesses.
Still more opportunities exist in government, education, health care administration, and nonprofit agencies. Each student's graduate degree plan is customized according to his or her background. Leveling courses cover the common body of business knowledge that would normally be included in an undergraduate business curriculum and should be completed before enrolling in core courses. Depending on the student's background, some or all of the leveling courses may be waived by the MBA director. For a course to be waived, the student must normally have completed equivalent undergraduate or graduate courses from a regionally accredited university.