SAN ANTONIO – Promising business professionals this fall will be able to earn a master’s of business administration (MBA) degree at St. Mary’s University in less than half the time of a traditional MBA program.

The accelerated MBA Program, which is being offered through the Bill Greehey School of Business, will take 12 months to complete, instead of the usual two to three years required for a part-time MBA student. To enter the program, students must meet higher standards, including pertinent work experience and increased GMAT requirements. One unique aspect of the one-year MBA is the Greehey Scholars program, which will offer full scholarships and research assistantships to qualifying students.

“Our mission at St. Mary’s and in the Bill Greehey School of Business is not only to offer a leading-edge business education, but also to instill in our students a sense of ethics, community and civic involvement that will truly make them the leaders of tomorrow,” said Keith Russell, dean of the business school. “The one year MBA is a unique and intensive program that offers an outstanding, accelerated educational experience. It will allow future business leaders to enhance themselves professionally and personally, and immediately apply what they have learned to benefit their employers.”

The one-year MBA program will offer concentrations in General Management; Professional Accountancy, which will insure completion of the 150-hour requirement to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination; and Financial Planning, which will provide the academic background to sit for the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) examination.

The Bill Greehey School of Business was dedicated last spring in honor of Bill Greehey, chairman of the board of Valero Energy Corp., who made an unprecedented gift of $25 million to St. Mary’s University.

To be considered for the Greehey Scholars program, students must meet the following requirements: A minimum GMAT score of 550, an undergraduate degree in business with a minimum GPA of at least 3.25, a recommendation from an employer or business school dean, and a resume reflecting business experience.

The MBA offered at the Bill Greehey School of Business at St. Mary’s University is accredited by AACSB International, the premier business school accrediting body. St. Mary’s is the only Catholic institution in Texas and the Southwest with an AACSB International accredited business program.

St. Mary’s University is a Catholic and Marianist university fostering the formation of people in faith and educating leaders for the common good through community, academic excellence, and integrated liberal arts and professional education programs. Founded by the Society of Mary in 1852, St. Mary’s is the oldest Catholic university in Texas and the Southwest.