Admission Requirements
The admissions decision is based on a combination of factors. Consideration is given to a candidate’s academic record, scores on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), work and leadership experience, a personal narrative on the application form, and recommendations.
As in most AACSB-accredited graduate business programs, the UMSL College of Business generally requires Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) scores. Information on the GMAT exam can be obtained at www.mba.com. The examination tests one’s ability to read, understand, and to reason logically with both verbal and quantitative material. The test is not a measure of achievement or business knowledge. Under certain conditions, the applicant may petition for waiver of the GMAT requirement, based on possession of an advanced degree and/or the ability to supply acceptable scores from an equivalent test.
Degree Requirements
Depending on the student’s previous background, programs will range from 30 to 45 hours. Coursework must be completed within a six-year period. At least 2/3 of coursework must be taken while enrolled as an MBA candidate at UMSL.
Candidates must take at least one course from either the core or elective sections in each of the following six areas: accounting, finance, management, marketing, information systems, and logistics and operations management. Also, no more than 15 credits may be taken in any one of the six areas.
Prerequisites
All students must demonstrate knowledge of quantitative skills, microeconomics and macroeconomics, managerial communication, and business statistics.
If students have completed equivalent undergraduate courses, prerequisites may be waived. If not, the following options are available:
To satisfy the quantitative skills, students can take the Quantitative skills boot camp (for dates please check with the Graduate Business Office).
To satisfy the economics requirement, students can take either BUS AD 5000 Economics for Managers or the Economics skills boot camp (for dates please check with the Graduate Business Office).
To satisfy the communication requirement students can take BUS AD 5100 Managerial Communication.
To satisfy the statistics requirement, students can take either SCMA 5300 Statistical Analysis for Management Decisions or the Statistical skills boot camp (for dates please check with the Graduate Business Office).
Business Core (0-21 credits)
The following courses or their equivalents are required of all degree candidates.
| ACCTNG 5400 | Financial and Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| BUS AD 5900 | Law, Ethics and Business | 3 |
| FINANCE 6500 | Financial Management | 3 |
| SCMA 5320 | Production and Operations Management | 3 |
| INFSYS 5800 | Management Information Systems | 3 |
| MGMT 5600 | Managing People in Organizations | 3 |
| MKTG 5700 | Contemporary Marketing Concepts | 3 |
Advanced Topics (0-18 credits)
MBA candidates must take at least one course in each functional area: Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, Logistics and Operation Management, Management, Marketing. If ACCTNG 5400 is waived, the student must complete ACCTNG 5401. Students can take no more than a total of 15 credits in any functional area.
| ACCTNG 5401 | Financial Reporting and Analysis (Only if ACCTNG 5400 is waived) | 3 |
| FINANCE Elective | (Only if FINANCE 6500 is waived) | 3 |
| INFSYS Elective | (Only if INFSYS 5800 is waived) | 3 |
| SCMA Elective | (Only if SCMA 5320 is waived) | 3 |
| MGMT Elective | (Only if MGMT 5600 is waived) | 3 |
| MKTG Elective | (Only if MKTG 5700 waived) | 3 |
Global Management Required (3 credits)
Take one of the following:
| BUS AD 6990 | Strategy Formulation and Implementation 1 | 3 |
| INTL BUS 5289 | International Business Strategies | 3 |
| MGMT 4614 | Entrepreneurship/Small Business Management | 3 |
| 1 | For students with a non-business undergraduate degree, the Global Management requirement is satisfied with BUS AD 6990. |
Previous Education
Based on a formal review and evaluation by the Graduate Business Programs Office, students may be granted waivers in the Business Core section. Waivers depend on the applicability of, and performance in, prior coursework. Regardless of the number of courses waived, all students must complete at least 30 credit hours to earn the MBA degree.
Emphasis Area Requirements
MBA students seeking an emphasis in Information Systems must complete a minimum of 12 hours of Information Systems electives beyond INFSYS 5800 (INFSYS 5800 does not count toward the emphasis in Information Systems). A maximum of 15 hours in any functional area will count toward degree requirements. Only courses that are substantially different from courses taken for credit in a student’s undergraduate program will be acceptable. Students must complete at least 30 credit hours to earn the MBA.