How many semester
credit hours are required to complete the MBA degree at The University
of Montana?
The professional MBA curriculum
at UM is a 32-credit hour program. This consists of 19 credits
of required courses and 13 credits of electives, 4 credits of
which are interpersonal or technology perspective electives.
How long does it
take to earn the MBA degree?
Full-time MBA
students who start in Fall Semester can complete this
curriculum in a minimum of 10 months by taking 16 credits per
semester. However, many students choose to stretch the program
out over 12 to 24 months. The program must be completed within
five years.
Full-time students
entering in Spring Semester can complete this
curriculum in a minimum of 17 months. Due to three spring
semester MBA core courses having fall pre-requisite MBA courses, students
beginning in spring semester must take the remaining three
courses the following spring.
Are there any prerequisite
courses required for admission to the professional program?
Yes. There are 15 semester credits
of foundation courses required of students that have not had any
previous coursework in Business Administration. These courses
are available over the Internet to students applying for admission
to the professional program. Alternatively, they are available
on campus as 31 semester credits of undergraduate courses.
Must I take all the foundation
(prerequisite) courses before applying to graduate school?
No. Although many applicants will
already have taken equivalents to all or some of the foundation
courses, they are not required for admission to the graduate school.
How may I take the prerequisite
courses if I do not have them completed?
You must earn a C or better in all
undergraduate prerequisite courses. If you finished your undergraduate
degree with a D in any of these courses, you will have to repeat
them before you begin graduate-level courses.
Alternatively, if you take the graduate-level
Internet courses to complete your prerequisites, you must earn
an A or B in these courses in order for them to meet the requirement.
May I take graduate courses
before I complete my undergraduate degree?
No. Even if you have been accepted
to begin our MBA Program by a certain date, if you do not complete
your undergraduate degree before then, you will not be allowed
to take graduate courses.
May I take any 600-level
professional program classes before I am officially admitted?
If you have an undergraduate degree
AND you have completed all the program prerequisites, you may
take up to nine credits of graduate business electives as a graduate
non-degree student. If you are subsequently admitted to the MBA
degree program, you may transfer these credits in to apply toward
the degree. You will not be allowed to take any required graduate
business courses until you are officially admitted to the program.
What is the period of time
within which I must complete all professional program requirements
(i.e., 600-level courses)?
Five years. All 600-level courses
offered for the degree must have been completed within this period
of time going back from the date of your actual graduation from
the program. If you have courses from other schools that can be
accepted as transfer credits, they also must have been completed
within five years of graduation.
What is the policy
on transfer credits from another institution?
A maximum of nine (9) credits can
be transferred to UM from another graduate program upon recommendation
of the MBA Program Director at UM. The credits must be acceptable
to the School of Business Administration as part of the MBA degree
program.
Is there a thesis
requirement in the program?
No, although students may elect
to do a thesis under the supervision of a three-member committee.
In addition, a faculty member must agree to serve as Chair of
the committee. Approximately 5% to 10% of those who enroll in
the program will elect this option. These credits (MBA 699) are
taken in lieu of unrestricted elective credits.
Does the program
require a comprehensive examination or professional paper upon
completion of coursework?
No. Students will complete MBA
603
(Integrated Project) which requires the use of the knowledge and
skills from all the other program courses in the form of “integrated project assignments.”
This eliminates the requirement for
a separate comprehensive examination (see Degree
Requirements).
How do I apply to the graduate
school for admission to the full-time MBA program in Missoula?
When you are ready to apply for
formal admission, you must collect all application materials and
submit them together to the MBA Program office at: UM
MBA Program, School of Business Administration, The University
of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812. Your application package
must contain the items listed within the Admissions
page of the MBA Degree section of this Website.
May I start in any semester?
Yes. Students can apply to be admitted
to the program in either semester, but some Spring Semester courses
require Fall Semester prerequisites or consent of instructor.
Thus, if you start in the spring you will have to plan on 17 months
to complete your degree (i.e., January of one year through May
of the following year).
When should I apply for
admission?
For Fall Semester enrollment, we
require applications by February 1 with a late-application
deadline of April 15. Registration for Fall Semester
classes starts in April some five months in advance of the semester
start date in late August. For Spring Semester enrollment, where
course registration starts in mid November, we require applications
by September 1 with a late deadline of November
1.
What is the GMAT?
The Graduate Management Admission
Test is a worldwide-standardized test used to measure aptitude
for graduate work in business. It does not measure your knowledge
of business subjects. There are, for example, no accounting questions
on the GMAT. You should plan to take the GMAT as early as possible.
The scores are valid for five years, and you can re-take the test
if you wish.
What kind of GMAT score
must I have to be considered for the program?
Generally, we look for scores above
500 in combination with an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0.
If your GMAT score falls below 500 and you have a low undergraduate
GPA, you may be required to retake the GMAT. In addition, we look
closely at your individual GMAT scores on the Quantitative and
the Verbal portions of the exam. We may require you to
retake the exam if either of these falls below the 25th percentile.
Low scores on the analytical writing exercise part of the GMAT
(i.e., below 3.5) also will diminish your chances of being accepted
into the program.
In addition to the GMAT,
international students must take the TOEFL exam.
We require a score of at least 92 or better on the
Internet-based version of the TOEFL, 237 or better on the
computerized version, or 580 or better on the written
version. The TOEFL is waived for students whose undergraduate
degree is from an English-speaking school.
How can I prepare for the
GMAT?
Former applicants have advised us
that one of the more effective study guides to the GMAT is “The
Princeton Review: Cracking the GMAT CAT (computer adaptive test)
by Geoff Martz. The CD ROM version of this study guide contains
3 tests that you can take to assess your level of preparedness
following review of the tutorials that are available. We’ve
encountered more than one case where students have raised their
GMAT score by 100 points or more on their second sitting for the
exam after using this study guide.
Who should I ask for recommendations?
We need recommendations from people
who are in a position to make judgments about your potential to
do academic work, so instructors are the first choice. If it has
been some time since you were in university studies, employment supervisors and
clients who are in a position to make judgments about your
capabilities are good
alternatives. A mix of both is acceptable.
What should I say in my
letter of intent when applying for the program?
This is one of the more important
aspects of your application. You should think very seriously about
the reasons for which you are returning to school to pursue your
MBA. The Graduate School at UM refers to this letter as a “Statement
of Goals” relative to graduate study. Writing your letter
of intent in this vein will better assist us in evaluating the
merits of your application.
What are my chances of admission
to The University of Montana?
That's a tough question, which does
not have a straightforward answer. Admission is dependent primarily
on undergraduate GPA and GMAT scores, with letters of recommendation,
your letter of intent, and experience receiving some weight. One
of the most important factors, and also the most difficult to
predict, is the availability of openings. The total number of
students in the MBA program is limited in order to maintain a
quality education. As a result, we may find that we are unable
to accept all of the qualified applicants who apply.
If I am admitted to the
full-time MBA program, can I later apply for and be admitted
to the evening program in Missoula?
Although this request is made infrequently,
we do try and accommodate special circumstances where this may
help the student. If you submit your request by the prescribed
deadlines for new admissions to the off-campus (evening) program,
your request will be given preference provided you are in good
standing in the time.
If I am admitted to the
MBA program, can I change the date that I put on my application?
Possibly. Your admission will be
for a specific semester--either the one you requested on the application,
or the next available one if it is too late for your request.
If you do want to change, you must make a written request. We
will forward your request to the Graduate School, which makes
that determination.
What are the possibilities
for financial assistance?
The University of Montana participates
in the federal work-study and guaranteed student loan programs.
For further information, please write to: Financial Aid
Office, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812,
or visit the Web
site
Within the business school, there
are a limited number of scholarships and awards available each
year (see scholarships).
In addition, there are a limited number of graduate assistantships
that pay approximately $9,000 per year plus most fees, and require
15 hours of work per week. Assistantships are awarded for fall
and spring semesters only. Completion of the foundation courses
is usually required, and awards are limited to one year.
How can I get further information?
If you have other questions, please
write to:
Cynthia (Cyndi) Stary
MBA Program Assistant - GBB 370
School of Business Administration
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
cynthia.stary@business.umt.edu
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