- Program Prerequisite: Applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution (or international equivalent) or be in the final stage of completing the undergraduate degree. If proof of completion of the bachelor’s degree has not been received by the end of an admitted student’s first semester in the MBA Program, they will not be allowed to continue in the program until an official transcript with the posted bachelor’s degree has been sent to the MBA Program office. Completion of a course in college algebra or equivalent is required to enroll in MBA courses. Basic computer competency is also required.
- Grade Requirements: To earn the MBA degree, candidates must complete all MBA program courses with a grade of “C” or higher. In addition, the overall cumulative MBA Program GPA must be 3.0 or higher, excluding transfer credits from other WSU graduate programs or other institutions. An elective course in which a grade lower than “C” is earned may be repeated or another elective may be taken in its place. Failure to maintain a 3.0 grade point average after two consecutive semesters, will result in academic probation in accordance with departmental policies. Students must meet with their academic advisor after notification of academic probation. Two consecutive semesters of academic probation will result in suspension from the program. A waiver of suspension will be considered according to due process.
- Credit Hour Requirements: The MBA degree ordinarily requires a minimum of 36 semester hours of graduate work for persons with a recent undergraduate business degree from an AACSB-accredited business school. Individuals with business undergraduate degrees from non-AACSB-accredited schools may be required to complete additional foundations course work contingent on departmental analysis of their undergraduate transcripts. For persons with a non-business undergraduate degree, the program typically requires 54 semester hours, including foundations or leveling courses. Exemptions from foundations courses may be made based on equivalent undergraduate coursework. Specific program and course requirements are shown below.
- Program Code: Business Undergrade (4026MBA1), Non-Business Undergrade (4026MBA2)
- CIPC: 230101
Major Field Exemption
Students with business-related undergraduate degrees are exempted from the required MBA course in their major field of study (e.g. accounting, finance, economics, information systems, marketing, management, supply chain management, human resources) and will take an additional elective MBA course in its place.
The MBA Program Office must approve each MBA student’s plan of study. The plan of study will show all courses necessary to meet the degree requirements. A formal plan of study will be filed when a student is accepted into the program.
Non-MBA Electives
Qualified students may take up to two MACC (Master of Accounting), MHA (Master of Health Administration), or MTAX (Master of Taxation) courses as MBA electives, counting six credit hours toward their MBA elective requirements. Four MHA courses may be counted towards MBA elective requirements for dual MBA-MHA degree students.
Transfer Credits/Residency Requirements
The minimum residency requirements for the Goddard School MBA Program is two-thirds of the required number of credit hours for undergraduate business majors (the 36-hour track) and for non-business majors (the 54-hour track). Students who have completed business-related graduate course work at another AACSB-accredited institution prior to admission to the program may apply for transfer of graduate credits to satisfy their Goddard School MBA program of study, the number of transfer credits not to exceed the minimum residency requirements for the 36-hour or 54-hour program tracks (see above). Once admitted to the program, students may transfer only elective credits into the program from another AACSB-accredited institution. Required course credits may be accepted in transfer from another institution after admission to the Goddard School MBA Program only in circumstances where the student is unable to complete all required courses in residence due to relocation. All transfers are subject to program approval.
Time to Degree Completion
MBA students have a maximum of six calendar years to complete their degree completion requirements, starting from the first semester during which the student has registered for and begun taking classes. Students who exceed this requirement may submit a letter of appeal to the MBA Program Director to request that this requirement be waived. Students who fail to enroll in MBA courses for more than six years must apply for readmission to the program.
Admission Requirements
In addition to the program prerequisites specified above, the primary criteria in determining eligibility for admission to the Goddard School MBA Program are: previous academic achievement, performance on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and other factors such as work experience and career progression. The ideal applicant will present a strong overall previous academic record, strong letters of recommendation, and an above average total GMAT/GRE score, including high achievement on the verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing assessments. The GMAT/GRE requirement is waived for applicants who have already earned a graduate degree from a regionally-accredited institution or international equivalent.
Applicants must submit a completed application form and current resume, as well as transcripts from every institution of higher education attended. Letters of recommendation from appropriate professional and/or academic references are also required. Each applicant is considered on an individual basis. The MBA program will have limited enrollment. Any applicant who is admitted while other courses or programs are still in process of completion is admitted conditionally.
Additional Admission Requirements for International Students:
All international students and any applicant educated outside the U.S. must demonstrate proficiency in English. Those whose native language is not English, or whose language of instruction for their undergraduate degree was not English, will be required to submit a score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) which is not more than two years old and on which a minimum score of 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based) has been earned. Equivalent IELTS score also accepted in place of TOEFL.
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