Saint Francis University

STUDENT HANDBOOK 

WELCOME 

We are pleased to welcome you as a new or returning student for the coming academic year. Whether you are a full or part-time student, we appreciate the opportunity to play a significant role in your educational and professional development.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE MBA AND MHRM PROGRAMS 

The Master of Business Administration at Saint Francis University is designed as an executive development experience for practicing managers and those who aspire to be managers. The program prepares students to manage profit and non-profit organizations by providing them with an opportunity to develop their managerial knowledge, skill sets, and perspectives. As part of the rich Franciscan Heritage of the University, the MBA Program requires students to explore ethical dilemmas that face managers everyday and learn to manage with responsibility and compassion. Students will learn to think critically, to express their ideas clearly, and to make decisions with confidence. Students can opt for a general MBA or focus in a specific academic discipline, such as accounting, finance, health care administration, human resource management or marketing . The Saint Francis University MBA Program enables students to receive a comprehensive, high-caliber executive business education close to where they live and work, and with a class schedule that fits their active lives.

The entire program is offered in Loretto, and State College, with selected course offerings in Altoona and Johnstown.

The Master of Human Resource Management program serves both the HR professional established in a career as well as those aspiring to enter the field.  The program is career focused, comprehensive in scope and structured to meet the needs of working professionals as well as persons studying full-time to earn the degree.  The MHRM program prepares new and experienced HR practitioners to meet the changing expectations of HR in shaping policy and practice as strategic partners. The curriculum is based on the professional body of knowledge defined by the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). Program serves both the HR professional established in a career as well as those aspiring to enter the field. The program is career focused, comprehensive in scope and structured to meet the needs of working professionals as well as persons studying full-time to earn the degree.

The entire program is offered in Loretto, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg.

Saint Francis University and the Graduate School of Business and Human Resource Management are accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE).

GRADUATE SCHOOL: STAFF AND SUPPORT SERVICES 

Randy L. Frye, Ed.D., MA, MBA, CMA
Director
Graduate School of Business and Human Resource Management  
Phone: 814-472-3041
rfrye@francis.edu

Ms. Roxane Hogue, MBA
Coordinator
Graduate School of Business and Human Resource Management
Phone:  814-472-3026
Fax: 814-472-3369
rhogue@francis.edu

Ms. Nicole Bauman
Administrative Assistant
Business Administration Department
Phone:  814-472-3087
Fax:  814-472-3174
nbauman@francis.edu

Graduate School Mailing Address
Saint Francis University
Graduate School Office
PO Box 600
Loretto,117 Evergreen Drive PA  15940

General Office Hours – Monday through Friday:  8:30am – 4:00pm

Web Page Address: www.francis.edu/graduate

TO ACCESS ONLINE STUDENT INFORMATION

Go to http://localweb.francis.edu, type password sfu, next choose campus directories on top, from here choose username lookup to find your username (example: txsst4) at the top of this page is directions on how to determine your initial password. 

COMPANY SPONSORED\TUITION DEFERMENT POLICY
To be eligible for tuition deferment, a letter regarding the tuition reimbursement policy is due at the beginning of each semester.  The letter must be on company stationary, include the student's name and the reimbursement policy of the company.  Each student receives a Statement of Account.  It is the responsibility of the student to give this statement to his/her employer at the completion of the course along with his/her grade for reimbursement.  Payment must be made within 45 days upon completion of the course.
 

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

MBA Program
An application with two essays and a $30 fee
Two letters of recommendation
Current Resume
Official Transcript(s)
Official GMAT scores

MHRM Program
An application with two essays and a $30 fee
Two letters of recommendation
Current Resume
Official transcript(s)

 Master of Human Resource Management Program Course Locations

Master of Business Administration Program Course Locations

 
MBA Curriculum Requirements

The MBA curriculum contains 9 required (27 credits) and 3 elective (9 credits) courses for a total course load of 12 classes and 36 credit hours.  A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 must be maintained throughout the program to graduate.  Students have five years from their initial enrollment to complete the program.  Click here for Course Descriptions.

Basic Core (undergraduate course)

CPSC 101 Introduction to Computer Science
STAT 301 Quantitative Business Analysis
ACCT 101 Financial Accounting
ECON 101 Macroeconomics

REQUIRED COURSES

MBA 500 Perspectives on Management
MBA 501 Financial Management
MBA 502 Marketing Management
MBA 503 Managerial Economics
MBA 504 Managerial Communications
MBA 505 Quantitative Business Analysis
MBA 506 Managerial Accounting
MBA 550 Strategic Management and Policy Analysis
MBA 555 Business and Society

ELECTIVE COURSES (select any three):

MBA 496 Computer Applications for Managers
MBA 507 Entrepreneurship
MBA 510 International Business Management
MBA 511 Management Information Systems
MBA 512 Ethics in Management
MBA 513 Selected Issues in Management
MBA 514 Research

Students may package electives into any of the following areas of concentration.

Accounting
MBA 530 Analysis and Interpretation of Financial Statements
MBA 531 Financial Accounting Theory
MBA 532 Corporate Taxation and Research

Finance
MBA 515 International Trade and Finance
MBA 516 Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management
MBA 517 Financial Markets and Institutions
MBA 518 Selected Issues in Finance
MBA 519 Research

Health Care Administration
MBA 520 Economics of Medical Care and Health Care Management
MBA 521 Perspectives of Health Care Administration
MBA 522 Health Care Marketing
MBA 523 Health Care Policy and Strategic Planning

Human Resource Management
MHRM 521 Human Resource Management
MHRM 512 Employment Law
MHRM Elective

Labor Relations
MHRM 512 Employment Law
MHRM 510 Labor Law
MHRM 520 Collective Bargaining
MHRM 547 Alternative Dispute Resolution

Marketing
MBA 540 Marketing Research
MBA 541 Promotions Management
MBA 542 Global Marketing Management
MBA 543 Principles of Selling and Sales Force Management

TENTATIVE CLASS OFFERINGS FOR EACH SEMESTER

 LORETTO  CAMPUS– SAINT FRANCIS UNIVERSITY

Fall Semesters

Spring Semesters

Summer Semesters

 STATE COLLEGE – SOUTH HILLS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY

 Summer 2005

 Fall 2005

 Spring 2006

 Summer 2006

 Fall 2006

 Spring 2007

Summer 2007

Classes offered in Johnstown and Altoona are meant to augment our MBA Program at Saint Francis University.  Therefore, course offerings for these locations are announced each semester.

 MHRM CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS

The MHRM curriculum contains 9 required (27 credits) and 2 elective (6 credits) courses for a total course load of 11 classes and 33 credit hours.  A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 must be maintained throughout the program to graduate.  Students have five years from their initial enrollment to complete the program.  Click here for Course Descriptions.

REQUIRED COURSES:

MHRM 510 Labor Law
MHRM 512 Employment Law
MHRM 513 Staffing:  Recruitment, Selection and Retention
MHRM 515 Benefits
MHRM 521 Human Resource Management
MHRM 525 Performance Management
MHRM 532 Compensation
MHRM 544 Contemporary Issues in HRM
MHRM 550 Strategic Human Resource Management

ELECTIVE COURSES (select any two):

MHRM 520 Collective Bargaining
MHRM 523 Current HRM Research
MHRM 529 Leadership
MHRM 547 Alternative Dispute Resolution
MHRM 599 Internship
HIST 400.1 History of American Labor

TENTATIVE CLASS OFFERINGS FOR EACH SEMESTER

HARRISBURG - DIXON UNIVERSITY CENTER

Fall Semesters

 Spring Semesters

 Summer Semesters

Course schedules are subject to change.

LORETTO – SAINT FRANCIS UNIVERSITY

Fall Semesters

 Spring Semesters

 Summer Semesters

Course schedules are subject to change.

PITTSBURGH – PARK BUILDING

Fall Semesters

 Spring Semesters

 Summer Semesters

Course schedules are subject to change.

OVERALL QPA REQUIREMENT

A student must maintain a 3.0 throughout the program.  If a student falls below the 3.0 requirement he/she may be academically dismissed or must repeat  the course that lowered the overall QPA before continuing in the program.

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION EXAM REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION FOR THE MHRM PROGRAM ONLY

Students must register for the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification exam administered by the HR Certification Institute, an affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), to meet graduation requirements. The exam substitutes for a comprehensive academic examination which would otherwise be required. The exam is given in May and December of each year in Pittsburgh and in Harrisburg. 

Registrations must be received by the HRCI ten weeks prior to taking the exam. Check the current schedules by consulting the HRCI web site at www.hrci.org. 

A copy of the notice which acknowledges the student’s scheduled test date for the Human Resource Certification Institute exam must be forwarded to the Graduate School to be certified for graduation. Students must submit the verification at least two weeks prior to the date of graduation.

Students who currently hold valid PHR or SPHR certification must provide written verification to be exempt from the exam requirement.

For the most current information consult the HRCI web site www.hrci.org.

WITHDRAWAL FROM A COURSE

If a student is considering withdrawing from a course, it is suggested that the student speak with the instructor about the situation prior to actual withdrawal.

The procedure for official withdrawal is as follows:

A written notice of withdrawal must be send to the Graduate Office.  The date in which the Graduate Office, not the instructor, is notified in writing determines the amount of refunded/credited.  In the case of withdrawal from a course, a grade of “W” will be recorded on the transcript.

 
GRADE CONTRACTS(All paperwork for grade contracts are the responsibility of the student.)

Continuing Grade (CN) Contract
A grade of "CN" can be awarded with the concurrence of the instructor and the Graduate Office.  The "CN" must be removed within a time frame decided upon by the instructor and student.  When the grade is completed, a new "Grade Report will NOT be issued by the Registrar's Office.  Information on the final grade may be obtained from the Graduate Office.  Any "CN" that is not replaced by a letter grade by the deadline date as shown on the contract will be changed automatically to the letter grade of "F",

Incomplete Grade (I) Contract
The "I" grade is intended for use in cases when small amounts of course work remain to be completed.  The student must submit the required work to the instructor no later than 14 days after the beginning of the subsequent semester (summer sessions included).  When the grade is completed, a new "Grade Report" will NOT be issued by the Registrar's Office.  Information on the final grade may be obtained from the Graduate Office.  Any "I" that is not replaced by a letter grade by the 22nd day of the subsequent semester will be changed automatically to the letter grade of "F".
 

TRANSFER OF CREDITS FROM ANOTHER UNIVERSITY

Courses considered for transfer must be:

•           three credit, graduate level (500 or 600 level)

•           a letter grade of “A” or “B”

•           comparable to one of our courses (course titles and descriptions must be substantially the same)

•           completed within the last five years

Please submit a letter along with an official transcript of the course(s) to be considered for transfer, to the Director of the program.  Students will be notified if more information is needed.  Please allow approximately two weeks for requests to be processed.   The Graduate Office will notify students of the decision. A maximum of six credits will be considered for transfer.

GRADE APPEAL PROCESS

If a student wishes to question or appeal a grade, the student must do so prior to the sixth week of the subsequent semester.

•           Contact the instructor to ask for an explanation of the grade determination.  The instructor of the course will review how the grade was determined.

•           If the student is not satisfied with the instructor’s explanation, the student will then meet with the          
program director.  The program director will meet with the instructor to discuss how the grade was determined.  Then the program director will meet with the student to inform him/her of their determination of the appeal.

•           If the student is not satisfied with the results determined by the program director, he/she can submit a letter of appeal to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.  This letter must include a summary of the meetings with the instructor and the program director as well as a rationale for the appeal.  The Associate Vice President will review the appeal and render the final decision.

            Appeals to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs should be sent to:

            Dr. Peter Skoner
            Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
            Saint Francis University
            P O Box 600
            Loretto, PA 15940

ACADEMIC HONESTY

Academic honesty is an essential part of the SFU experience.  Dishonesty in any aspect is viewed as being incompatible with the Universities moral tradition. 

There are various practices that are seen as violations of academic honesty.  Some examples of these are listed below:

1. Submitting another student's paper or project as one's own.
2. Submitting the same assignment to fulfill requirements in two courses without the expressed       permission of both instructors.
3. Cheating during an examination, either by copying from another student or by letting another          student copy from one's own work, or by using any other illegitimate source of information.
4. Coaching another student in the preparation of an assignment, including editing papers, projects, computer programs, etc., where expressly prohibited by the instructor.
5. Impairing library resources so as to deprive other of their use, such as removing them from the library without checking them out, tearing out pages, hiding books, etc., with the intent of thereby gaining  an academic advantage.
6. Inserting into a paper phrasings or paragraphs from journals or books without structuring them to demonstrate one's own synthesis of ideas, and without fully crediting the original source.
7. Obtaining general background for an assignment from a book, article or other source that is not acknowledged.
8. Using a specific idea, detail or illustration drawn from a particular source without attribution.
9. Paraphrasing without attribution.
10. Taking an exam in one section of a course and then discussing the nature and content of that exam with students who have yet to take an exam with another section of the course.
11. Submitting contrived or altered data, quotations or documents with an intent to mislead or deliberately misattributing material to a source other than that from which the student obtained it.
12. Falsifying, tampering with, or misrepresenting one's own transcript or other academic record, or that of another student, or any materials relevant to a student's academic performance.
13. Knowingly making false statements or presenting false evidence at any time throughout the academic honesty process. In cases where the student has been accused of other unacceptable practices, knowingly making false statements or presenting false evidence will be treated as an additional offense for purposes of determining the proper penalty category.

Honesty Status:  When a student is accused of dishonesty, it will be the responsibility of the Vice President for Academic Affairs to determine whether the student is a multiple offender.  If this is the case, the student will move through a different appeal process than will first-time offenders. 

The Role of the Faculty:  The faculty of Saint Francis University is obliged to play a major role in the implementation of an effective academic honesty policy.  Accordingly, when a member of the faculty becomes aware of an incident of academic dishonesty, that faculty member must confront the alleged offender and impose a penalty if the situation warrants.

Members of the faculty have several initial penalty options for academic misconduct.  These include:
- Assignment of a failure for the course
- Suspension from the class for one class period
- Lowering of a letter grade by one or more letters
- A failure on the specific assignment.

CHANGE IN STUDENT INFORMATION

The Graduate School should be informed of any change in mailing address, email address or contact numbers.

 CLASS CANCELLATION DUE TO WEATHER

If Saint Francis University classes are canceled for the day, it includes graduate classes held on-campus. Classes that meet elsewhere will be at the discretion of the instructor.

Class cancellations due to weather will be recorded on the weather line which students can call directly.  The number is (814) 472-3880 (press 1 for MHRM classes and 2 for MBA classes).  A decision regarding class held Monday - Friday will be made by 4:00pm, therefore please do not call this number until after 4:00pm.  A decision regarding classes held on Saturday will be made by 8:15am, therefore do not call this number until after 8:15am. The Graduate Office will no longer make individual calls.