HomeExecutive EducationHudson InstituteGraduate Diploma in Business Administration (GDBA - One Year, Full-Time)

Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (GDBA) - One Year, Full-Time

Our Graduate Diploma in Business Administration is a full-time, one year post-graduate program consisting of thirty credit hours. This post-graduate course of study is designed to help students prepare for an MBA or a specialized master’s degree program and/or extend their expertise in meeting the challenges of a global business career. The GDBA program includes eligibility for one year of Optional Practical Training for foreign students, under the F-1 visa.

Program Audience

• Students from countries with a three-year undergraduate program who require a fourth year to qualify for admission into an MBA or other graduate program.
• Students with an undergraduate degree in a field other than business who want to have a good understanding of business and management before entering an MBA program.
• Students who want to study business in the United States for a year, but may not want or need a master’s degree.

Program Features

• For students with a three-year bachelor’s degree, the GDBA program would count as the fourth year required for admission into one of our graduate business programs.
• Students who successfully complete the GDBA program with an overall GPA of 2.50 or greater on a 4.00 scale will be granted admission into the Huizenga School MBA or other specialized master’s degree program.
• Three program courses (9 credits) may transfer to MBA program at the Huizenga School.
• Under the F-1 visa, foreign students are eligible for one year of Optional Practical Training in the United States after program completion.
• Students will be enrolled in the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University and entitled to all the benefits of being a full-time student.
• Upon GDBA program completion, students are eligible for NSU Alumni Award. This scholarship can reduce MBA or specialized master’s degree program tuition at the Huizenga School up to 25%.

Program Description

The GDBA program curriculum is offered in four terms (Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer.) Classes are held Monday through Friday in four hour blocks. The typical week includes about twelve hours in the classroom. Students can begin the GDBA program in January, April, July, or October.

Program Courses

Fall Term (October - December)

Introductory Statistics*
Legal, Ethical, and Social Values of Business**
Managing Organizational Behavior**

Winter Term (January - March)

Introductory Economics*
Introductory Marketing*
Effective Resume Writing***
Business Communication***

Spring Term (April - June)

Introductory Accounting*
Business Finance*
Managing Human Resources**
Interviewing Techniques***

Summer Term (July - September)

Management Information Systems (elective)
Business Strategy and Policy (elective)

* Courses are prerequisites for Huizenga School MBA or other specialized master’s degree program.
** Courses with a grade of B or better can transfer to MBA program at the Huizenga School.
*** Non-credit, career development workshops can satisfy Huizenga School Full-time MBA graduation requirement.

Course Description

QNTP 5002 - Introductory Statistics (3 credits)
This course satisfies the prerequisite of statistics for master's degree programs. The concepts of statistical notation, probability are covered as well as the principles of estimation using the central limit theorem.

MGT 5015 - Legal, Ethical, and Social Values of Business (3 credits)
Students will gain an understanding of the meaning and importance of the law, ethics, personal morality, and corporate social responsibility. They will exhibit moral, ethical, and socially responsible behavior, and will be able to analyze business decisions from a legal, ethical, and social responsibility perspective.

MGT 5020 - Managing Organizational Behavior (3 credits)
Students will gain a working knowledge of how to manage personal, interpersonal, and group processes by having the interpersonal skills to assume responsibility for leading and promoting teamwork among diverse stakeholders. Students will learn to manage individual and group behaviors in improving organizational productivity and performance. Through experiential learning, students will learn to integrate home, work, and educational observations and experiences and to convert them into proactive practical applications for growth and renewal.

ECNP 5003 - Introductory Economics (3 credits)
This course is designed to acquaint the student with economic issues of the day (e.g., inflation and recession as they affect family and national income). Students will recognize relationships among prices, wages, profits, and supply and demand as they influence daily lives. Course satisfies program prerequisite of economics for master's degree programs.

MKTP 5005 - Introductory Marketing (3 credits)
This is a survey of the essentials of marketing. Covers the nature of marketing and its environment, selecting target markets, marketing research, customer behavior, and forecasting sales. Emphasis on marketing strategy planning. Course satisfies the program prerequisite of marketing for master's degree programs.

MGT 5110 - Effective Resume Writing (non-credit)
This course is the first of three Business Development Workshops, is held during the second term. It consists of three sessions, each lasting 2 hours. Grading is done on a pass/fail basis, based on class attendance and participation.

MGT 5111 - Business Communication (non-credit)
This course is the second of the three Business Development Workshops, is held during the second term. It consists of three sessions, each lasting 3 hours. Grading is done on a pass/fail basis, based on class attendance and participation. The workshop is based upon lecture and practicing the skills learned through role-play exercises, group discussion, and small group activities.

ACTP 5001 - Introductory Accounting (3 credits)
An accelerated introductory course stressing the essential elements of accounting skills that will be used in the master's degree program. Managerial uses of accounting data and preparation of financial statements will be covered in this course. Course satisfies program prerequisite of financial accounting for master's degree programs.

FINP 5008 - Business Finance (3 credits)
A survey of the essentials of finance and its environment. Financial management as it applies to organizations, ratio analysis, leverage, working capital management, capital budgeting, capital structure, and other concepts as they apply to business organizations. Course satisfies program prerequisite of finance for master's degree programs.

HRM 5030 - Managing Human Resources (3 credits)
Students will gain a working knowledge of planning, organizing, and managing human resource systems; and will gain hands-on abilities to design, direct, and assess human resource systems in enhancing relationships with internal and external customers, leading to organizational effectiveness.

MGT 5112 - Interviewing Techniques (non-credit)
This course is the last of the three Business Development Workshops, is held during the third term. It consists of three sessions, each lasting 3 ½ hours. Grading is done on a pass/fail basis, based on class attendance and participation. The workshop is based upon lecture and discussion. Considerable class time is spent in preparing and executing practice oral structured interviews.

ISM 3660 - Management Information Systems (3 credits, elective course)
Discusses the use of computers in business, as well as database management and information system fundamentals.

MGT 4880 - Business Policy and Strategy (3 credits, elective course)
An integrative course in which the disciplines of management, finance, behavioral sciences, and marketing focus on the solution of business problems. Case studies will be employed in this course.

Program Academic Calendar

GDBA Program Beginning in October 2008*

October 3, 2008	GDBA Program Orientation
October 6, 2008	Classes Begin, Fall Term
October 9, 2008	Yom Kippur (Univ. Closed)
November 27-28, 2008	Thanksgiving Day (Univ. Closed)
December 12, 2008	Classes End, Fall Term
December 15-January 2	Winter Break
January 5, 2009	Classes Begin, Winter Term
January 19, 2009	Martin Luther King Day (Univ. Closed)
March 27, 2009	Classes End, Winter Term
March 30-April 3, 2009	Term Break
April 6, 2009	Classes Begin, Spring Term
April 10, 2009	Good Friday (Univ. Closed)
May 25, 2009	Memorial Day (Univ. Closed)
June 26, 2009	Classes End, Spring Term
June 29-July 3, 2009	Term Break
July 6, 2009	Classes Begin, Summer Term
September 7, 2009	Labor Day (Univ. Closed)
September 18, 2009	Classes End, Summer Term GDBA Graduation Celebration

GDBA Program Beginning in October 2009*

October 2, 2009	GDBA Program Orientation
October 5, 2009	Classes Begin, Fall Term
November 26-27, 2009	Thanksgiving Day (Univ. Closed)
December 11, 2009	Classes End, Fall Term
December 14-January 1	Winter Break
January 4, 2010	Classes Begin, Winter Term
January 18, 2010	Martin Luther King Day (Univ. Closed)
March 26, 2010	Classes End, Winter Term
March 29-April 2, 2010	Term Break
April 5, 2010	Classes Begin, Spring Term
May 31, 2010	Memorial Day (Univ. Closed)
June 25, 2010	Classes End, Spring Term
June 28-July 2, 2010	Term Break
July 5, 2010	Day after Independence Day (Univ. Closed)
July 6, 2010	Classes Begin, Summer Term
September 6, 2010	Labor Day (Univ. Closed)
September 9, 2010	Rosh Hashanah (Univ. Closed)
September 17, 2010	Classes End, Summer Term GDBA Graduation Celebration

*Students can begin the GDBA program in January (Winter Term), April (Spring Term), July (Summer Term), or October (Fall Term).

Program Admission Requirements

Students are admitted to the GDBA program on a competitive basis.

To be admitted to the program, students must hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent (minimum of three years) from a recognized academic institution and achieve a minimum score of 213 on the computer-based (79 on the internet-based) Test of English as a Foreign Language - TOEFL exam if their native language is not English. To obtain information on the TOEFL, please contact the Education Testing Service, PO Box 6155, Princeton, NJ 085410-6155, USA (609) 921-9000, http://www.toefl.org.

If your degree was completed outside of the United States, you must have your transcript evaluated by a NACES accredited organization. A list of these organizations can be found at www.naces.org. Be certain that your independent academic evaluation lists degree equivalency and includes GPA (grade point average) on a 4.0 scale as well as a course-by-course credit evaluation. All required documentation must be received before an admission decision can be offered. Contact information for the NACES organization located in South Florida is as follows: Josef Silny & Associates, Inc., International Education Consultants, 7101 S.W. 102 Avenue, Miami, FL 33173, USA, (305) 273-1338, http://www.jsilny.com.

Program Application Procedure

Application and all required documentation should be sent to:

Nova Southeastern University
Attn: Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (GDBA) Program Office /
H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship
3301 College Avenue
Carl DeSantis Building, Room 2088
Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida 33314

1. Completed GDBA Program Admissions Application (must include a signature page) and non-refundable $50 application fee.
2. Proof of graduation from a regionally accredited institution with a conferred bachelor’s degree (or equivalent).
3. Official academic transcripts from all institutions attended. Academic evaluations must be completed for all undergraduate work if degree was completed outside the United States.
4. Official TOEFL score (if required). A letter on official letterhead from the applicant’s prior universities stating that the majority of program course material was taught and studied in English may suffice for the TOEFL requirement.
5. Resume and statement of educational goals and accomplishments (i.e. achievements and business experience).
6. Original bank verification statement reflecting sufficient funds to cover a full year of applicable fees and living expenses* (if applying for an F-1 Student Visa). Original letter of sponsorship is required if the bank statement is not in the student’s name.

* The current estimate of tuition and cost of living for one year GDBA program of study is as follows: tuition and fees--$16,130; books and supplies--$1,500; and cost of living (includes housing, food, transportation, utilities, NSU insurance, and miscellaneous expenses)--$24,864; total is $42,494.

As space in the program is limited, students are encouraged to apply early.

Program Fee

The fee for participating in the GDBA program varies each academic year and is subject to change at any time. You should check with our office for the most current fee information.

For the 2008-2009 school year, the fee is $16,130.

NSU Alumni Award

GDBA students are eligible for the NSU Alumni Award upon successful completion of the program and beginning a master’s program at the Huizenga School the term following their completion of the GDBA program. Additionally, students must successfully complete at least one course every term for the duration of the master's degree and maintain good academic standing in the graduate program. Scholarship can reduce MBA or specialized master’s degree program tuition at the Huizenga School by up to 25%.

Taking the alumni award and 9 credits transferrable from the GDBA program into account, the 2008-2009 school year MBA tuition (for GDBA graduates) is $16,145.

About Nova Southeastern University

Located on a beautiful 300-acre campus in Fort Lauderdale, NSU has more than 26,000 students and is the largest independent institution of higher education in Florida. Nova Southeastern University is the largest independent institution of higher education in the Southeast, and it is the 6th largest independent institution nationally. NSU awards associate's, bachelor's, master's, educational specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields. The university is comprised of undergraduate, graduate and professional schools of osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, optometry, allied health and nursing, medical sciences, dental medicine, law, marine biology and oceanography, business and entrepreneurship, computer and information sciences, humanities, conflict resolution, family therapy, interdisciplinary studies, education, psychology and counseling, and family programs.

The state-of-the-art, 366,000-square-foot University Center features three NCAA competition courts in the main arena, as well as two intramural courts, group fitness and instruction rooms, cardio and weight training areas, squash courts, a rock climbing wall, and The Flight Deck.

Six residence halls on the main campus serve undergraduate, graduate, health professions, and law students, with a capacity for housing up to 1,250 students in approximately 207,000 square feet of living space. The Commons, a new, 525-bed residence hall opened its doors to students in August 2007.

Contact Information

For additional information about the GDBA program, please contact us at:

Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (GDBA) Program Office
H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship
Nova Southeastern University
3301 College Avenue, Carl DeSantis Building, Room 2088
Fort Lauderdale-Davie, FL 33314
Tel: 954.262.5079
Toll Free: 800.672.7223, ext. 25079
Fax: 954.262.3188
E-mail: gdba@huizenga.nova.edu
Website: http://www.gdba.huizenga.nova.edu

Vincent S. Daniels - Academic Director, vdaniels@nova.edu
Grisell V. Sotolongo - Administrative Director, sotolongo@nova.edu
Pamela Echeverria - Program Manager, pechever@nova.edu