MBA Comprehensive Exam

The MBA Comprehensive Exam is one of four options that students can choose for their culminating experience.

The first step is to decide which of the following capstone courses to pursue.

1. BA 397 - MBA Case Study
2. BA 398 - MBA Internship Report
3. BA 399 - MBA Research Project
4. BA xxx - Elective Graduate Course and MBA Comprehensive Examination

This guide aims to help students understand what is involved in the MBA Comprehensive Exam, so students can choose their capstone course with confidence.

Lincoln University's MBA degree program requires a minimum of 36 graduate credits, including:

• 7 required core courses (21 units)
• 4 elective concentration courses (12 units)
• 1 capstone course (3 units)

To enroll in the MBA Comprehensive Examination course (BA 400, 0 units), students should have completed the required coursework --or be on track to successfully complete it in their last semester-- with a GPA of at least 3.0 (B).

MBA Comprehensive Examinations are arranged every semester during the first and final weeks of classes. 

The Registrar's Office will announce the available exam dates around the middle of the semester. Each announcement will include about six exam dates (Fridays). There will be about 3-4 time slots each day. 

The Registrar's Office will inform all students who registered for the MBA Comprehensive Exam via email (registraroffice@lincolnuca.edu) to the student's university email address. The exam dates will also be posted on the website; go to Schedules and scroll down to "Timing for MBA Comprehensive and DBA Qualifying Exam". 

To request an exam date, students can email the Registrar's Office with their preferred date(s) or stop by in person (Room 107). 

The MBA Comprehensive Examination is an oral exam given to students, near the end of their coursework, to assess their broad understanding of their field of study. During the exam, students showcase their ability to synthesize information across various topics within their discipline and area of concentration. It often involves critical analysis and application of knowledge beyond specific courses, rather than just memorizing facts. 

The duration of the exam is 60 minutes; this includes 30 minutes for preparation, followed by 30 minutes to present your answers in front of the panel. 

Students will receive a list of Comprehensive Exam questions one month before the exam. While they will only answer 2 questions on the day of the Exam, they will not know which questions will be selected. Thus, they must prepare for all relevant questions.

One month prior to your Comprehensive Exam date, you will receive an email from the Registrar's Office (registraroffice@lincolnuca.edu) with a list of questions. You should begin preparing your responses as soon as you receive this list, as time will fly by.

The of list will include:

• 12 CORE questions (related to the required core courses)
  • BA 302 - Managerial Accounting
  • BA 304 - Marketing Management
  • BA 307 - Operations Management
  • BA 311 - Marketing Research OR BA 312 - Business Research Methodology
  • BA 320 - Organization Behavior and Administration
  • BA 340 - Managerial Accounting and Financial Control
  • BA 390 - Business Strategy and Decision-Making
     
• 5 CONCENTRATION questions (related to each area of concentration)
  • International Business (IB)
  • Finance Management and Investments (FMI)
  • General Business (GB)
  • Human Resources Management (HRM)
  • Management Information Systems (MIS)
  • Marketing Management (MM)
  • Executive (EMBA)

You will only be answering TWO questions during your exam, however, you MUST be prepared to answer ALL 12 CORE questions and ALL 5 of YOUR CONCENTRATION questions. 

(Review course descriptions in the Lincoln University Catalog.)

• The examination will take place in the Boardroom on the 2nd floor (Room 205) at the scheduled time.
• The examination will consist of at least two faculty members, including one from your field of concentration.
• The question selection process will be as follows:
  • The student will randomly select one question from the concentration-specific category, which must be answered.
  • The student will randomly select two questions from the core course category and choose one to answer.
• A 30-minute preparation period will be provided. During this time, the use of books, notes, or any external materials is strictly prohibited.
• Following the 30 minutes of preparation, the candidate will present their answers in front of the examination committee and may be asked additional questions.

• Following the completion of the exam, the examination committee will assess the student’s performance and reach a consensus on the evaluation. 

• Students will receive a grade of either "CR" (Credit/Pass) or "NC" (No Credit/Fail).

• If a student fails the exam (NC) or is absent without a valid reason, they must retake the examination.

• In cases where a student passes only a specific section—either the Core or Concentration question—they will only be required to retake the incomplete section during the second attempt.

If an MBA student does not pass the comprehensive examination, the MBA student will need to pay the retake fee ($625 as of 3/13/25) and schedule the next available date when they are ready.  Then, the MBA student must retake the comprehensive examination.  To earn an MBA degree, an MBA student must pass the comprehensive examination.  

General Tips

• Review course descriptions for MBA core courses and those in your concentration: Lincoln University Catalog
• Read through the syllabi for courses that you've taken: Course Schedules (including Archives)

(Check back for more tips soon - in progress.)

Arrange a meeting with a tutor or librarian:

• Meet with a MBA Comprehensive Exam Tutor
• Meet with a Librarian

(Check back for additional resources soon - in progress.)