The brochures are hot off the press. The Web site is up and running. Months of planning and preparation have culminated in the launch of South Carolina State University's master of business administration program.

"Everybody has heard it's coming, and now we're ready with the details," said Dr. Suresh R. Londhe, interim dean of the College of Business and Applied Professional Sciences.

May 1 is the application deadline for the first cohort, which will begin its studies this fall. Additional qualified candidates will be admitted after May 1, as long as seating is available.

"Step one is to be admitted to the School of Graduate Studies. Step two is to apply for admission into the MBA program," Londhe said. Admissions committees will consider a variety of factors including undergraduate grade point averages and scores on the GMAT exam.

"We want to do regional recruiting and not confine ourselves to a small area," Londhe said.

"People from all disciplines" are welcome to apply, but those who were not business majors might have to take a few courses in areas such as marketing, statistics or accounting before beginning their graduate studies.

Complete information is available on the Net at www.belcher.scsu.edu.

All successful MBA applicants will take a set of five courses totaling 15 semester hours as well as 15 semester hours of courses in their concentration area and six semester hours of electives.

The program is designed to help students meet today's challenges and expectations in the field of business through ground-breaking theories, case studies and technical skills in practical real-world contexts.

There will be special guest speakers, roundtable discussions with top executives and required internships as well.

Two tracks, or concentrations, are available.

One is entrepreneurship. Students will be prepared to become successful business owners; to build careers with financial institutions, real estate agencies or insurance companies; or to work for local, state and federal agencies that are engaged in small business development.

The other track is agribusiness, which goes way beyond running the family farm.

SCSU is the only South Carolina institution offering a concentration in agribusiness. There are only 14 in the nation.

"Tremendous opportunities" are available to people who understand "the industrialization and internationalization" of agribusiness and who understand how "finance, marketing and trade all go together," Londhe said.

Leadership development will be a common thread of all of the courses, Londhe said. "Self-confidence is a key to becoming a success in your professional career," he said.

At least in the beginning, one graduate-level course will be offered each evening, four nights a week. A super-eager overachiever — or a person without a job or other obligations — theoretically could earn an MBA in as little as three semesters.

How many people will sign up for the MBA degrees is anyone's guess right now, but Londhe anticipates about three dozen — ensuring that the instructors will get to know their students' individual needs and interests.

A limited number of graduate assistantships and scholarships will be available for MBA candidates.

Offering the MBA degree was a logical next step for the College of Business and Applied Professional Sciences after receiving accreditation in 2001 from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, Londhe said.

SCSU President Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr. said the university "is in the business of providing educational opportunities for students at all levels" and the MBA program will prepare students "for top-level managerial and executive careers."

Prospective students can find answers to nearly all of their questions on the Web site, www.belcher.scsu.edu. Questions not answered on the Web site can be directed to Londhe by phone at 803-536-8186, by e-mail at mba@scsu.edu or by mail at PO Box 7176, Orangeburg, SC 29117.

*T&D Staff Writer Lee Hendren can be reached by e-mail at lhendren@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5552.

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