Master of Business Administration

Requirements for Admission

The central concern of the admission process is to identify and select individuals who will be successful in the program. Therefore, all available relevant information concerning the candidate’s background, including academic accomplishments, work experience and community involvement will be considered. All candidates are strongly encouraged to meet with the Graduate Business Admissions Director as early as possible to discuss their interests and qualifications and the options available to them at Baldwin Wallace. The admission process includes the following:

A Bachelor’s degree in any field from an accredited institution and submission of official transcripts of all previous academic work. International student transcripts must be translated in English by World Education Services (WES).
Relevant work experience, usually a minimum of two-years.
A career advising interview with the Graduate Business Admissions Director is recommended for all candidates.
An acceptable score on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is required of all candidates. The GMAT requirement is considered satisfied for candidates who have already received a masters or doctorate degree in another field or for individuals with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
A completed online application.
Two letters of recommendation from managers or other persons qualified to assess the applicant’s professional or managerial accomplishments and ability to successfully undertake a challenging program of graduate study.
A current brief resume focused on career and professional development and accomplishments in addition to leadership experiences in both work and community activities.
All courses (excluding the Healthcare MBA) are offered in an 8-week format using a CONCURRENT methodology unless otherwise noted. Students “attend” classes 1) seated in the classroom, 2) virtually by viewing and participating in the course while at a different location, or 3) on-line watching a recorded format. The latter two approaches necessitate a computer with MS office and an internet connection. Students may select the format week to week.

Grading

Letter grades given are A, B, C, F, I, T and W. A plus/minus system may be elected by individual instructors. Each grade has the following value in quality points: A+, 4.0; A, 4.0; A-, 3.667; B+, 3.333; B, 3.0; B-, 2.667; C+, 2.333; C, 2.0; C-, 1.667; F, none; I, incomplete; T, a temporary non-accredited grade to indicate work in the course is continuing and is thus far satisfactory, and W, withdrawal with no quality points. No grade of D is awarded. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation. Grades of all classes, including foundation courses, will be used in the calculation of the GPA. The receipt of a third “C” in a core or elective class or an “F” in any class will result in the student’s dismissal from the program. A student may petition the Associate Dean of Graduate Business Programs for readmission. Such readmission shall be at the sole discretion and subject to the conditions established by the Associate Dean. A grade of D is allowed in the Master of Accountancy program. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required to earn a degree. This may cause a student to take additional courses to reach the minimum GPA.

A faculty member may give a student a grade of Incomplete for an MBA course for extenuating circumstances.
The Incomplete grade then must be completed according to one of the following two options:

The student must complete the incomplete coursework involved to the satisfaction of the faculty member as soon as possible. This should be concluded by the end of week six of the immediate subsequent semester and may only be extended to one year with the approval of the Associate Dean and with supporting documentation verifying the request.
The student may re-take the course in its entirety in the next semester or the next semester that the course is offered. This re-take is to be applied strictly on a one-chance basis only and requires approval of the Associate Dean.

If the student involved does not comply with either of the above two options, then the Incomplete grade is converted to an F. At this point, dismissal from the program occurs.

MBA students who withdraw from class during the first four weeks of the semester will receive a grade of “W”. Withdrawal after the fourth week may be authorized only in cases of prolonged illnesses, change of employment, or other circumstances beyond the student’s control. Lack of academic progress in a course is not sufficient reason for an authorized withdrawal after the fourth week. A written petition must be presented to the Registrar of the University. Petition forms are available in the Registrar’s Office. Withdrawal from a course without approval constitutes a failure and the letter grade of “F” is recorded. At this point, the student is dismissed from the program.

Degree Requirements

The student must meet the following for the Master of Business Administration degree:

Successfully complete all program requirements.
Attain at least a 3.0 grade point average in total work attempted in the MBA program.
Complete all degree requirements within four calendar years of initial registration unless a time extension is granted, in writing, by the Associate Dean.

Transfer Credit

Only six credit hours are transferable for credit from another institution. Transfer credit is awarded when:

The requested credit is an equivalent graduate-level course from an MBA program;
The student was enrolled as a graduate student when the course was taken;
The course was graded “A” or “B”;
The course content is compatible with the MBA program at Baldwin Wallace University (determination of credit is made by the Associate Dean);
The credit has not been counted toward an earned degree.

Tuition Payment

Payment of tuition and fees must be made prior to the first class of each semester. Past due accounts will be assessed a finance charge. Grades, transcripts, and diplomas will not be released to students who have not paid their accounts. Payments can be made online at bursar.bw.edu.

Baldwin Wallace has several options to help graduate students make paying for their education more affordable. For example, to accommodate the many graduate students who receive tuition benefits from their employers at the end of the term, BW offers a delayed tuition payment plan called the Tuition Reimbursement Payment Program (TRPP). TRPP allows students to extend the payment due date, at a reasonable rate of interest, until 30 days after the end of the term. TRPP applications and information can be obtained at the Cashier’s Office in Bonds Administration Building. In addition, most graduate students who take at least three credits in a given semester are eligible for financial aid through the Federal Loan program. A Federal Loan is a low-interest rate loan whose repayment period does not begin until six months after the borrower ceases to be enrolled for at least three credits. More information about Federal Loans can be found at the Financial Aid Office, which is also in the Bonds Administration Building. Finally, the MBA Program is fully approved for veterans’ educational benefits.

Any special payment arrangements must be made with the approval of the Bursar.

Certificate Programs

Certificates (sometimes referred to as credentials) consists of existing MBA core courses and specialized courses and provide students with specialized knowledge in a specific topical area. Certificates allow students who already have a graduate degree to take specialized education in a topic without taking another full graduate degree. Also, students holding an accredited bachelor’s degree may take graduate courses without enrolling in a degree program. If a student wishes to complete an MBA degree, certificates provide a vehicle to accomplish a full MBA degree by “stacking” them in a manner that fulfills the entire degree program.