Master of Business Administration

The basic objective of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program is to offer individuals an opportunity to develop corporate leadership ability in an increasingly complex and dynamic global society by enhancing their knowledge, managerial skills and perspective. The broad, integrated curriculum provides the student with an opportunity to gain understanding of the major facets of multinational business operations in a competitive environment. The program includes work in the theoretical foundations of business, quantitative controls, decision-making, the development of advanced functional skills, and the global and ethical environment of business. An opportunity is also provided for a limited degree of specialization. The degree may be delivered face-to-face, online, hybrid and in an executive format.

The program is a non-thesis program designed for graduates from recognized colleges of business as well as graduates in liberal arts, science, engineering, nursing, or other fields desiring to undertake professional studies in the area of business administration. This degree can be completed with any combination of face-to-face, hybrid, or online course offerings.

Admissions

The requirements to be a graduate student in business administration are:

1. Admission to the degree program is determined primarily on the basis of predictors of success in graduate study:
   1. a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution,
   2. grade point average computed on the last 60 undergraduate hours and
   3. a satisfactory score on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). In rare instances the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) may be accepted in lieu of the GMAT.
2. Quantitative measures are integrated into an index that multiplies the applicant’s 60-hour GPA times 200 and adds the total GMAT score (60-hour GPA X 200) + GMAT = >1000. An index score of greater that 1000 is typical of a successful candidate. If the student’s 60-hour GPA is above 3.25 the GMAT may be waived.
3. Additionally, applicants with three or more years of extensive managerial work experience may request to have the GMAT requirement waived by the Program Advisor. This decision is made on a case-by-case basis; "extensive managerial experience" will typically mean a full-time supervisory or managerial position held for a significant period of time after completing the bachelor's degree as demonstrated with a resume. Applicants for the Executive MBA Healthcare Management Program (EMBA HCM) are required to have 3 or more years of managerial work experience. Such experience is evaluated by the Program to waive the GMAT requirement for EMBA HCM applicants.
4. Consideration may also be given to other factors.
5. International applicants must meet the minimum requirements as stated in the International Graduate Student Admissions section of this catalog.
6. No more than nine semester credit hours of graduate credit earned prior to acceptance into the program, including transfer credit, may be applied to the degree. Students seeking admission to the program who have not yet satisfied admission criteria may be admitted as conditional or provisional students and allowed to complete one semester with up to nine hours of coursework.
7. After reviewing all credentials (official transcripts, GMAT score, other relevant information), the Graduate Program Advisor and the College of Business and Technology Graduate Admissions Committee will determine if the student may be accepted into the program. A degree plan will be prepared by the Graduate Program Advisor with the student. Students will be notified of official acceptance into the program. Full admission must occur prior to enrollment beyond nine semester credit hours including any transfer credit.

Although a student may not have completed all baccalaureate work at the time of application, a provisional admission decision will be made on the strength of the student’s permanent record before the student can be enrolled as a graduate student in business.

The student must maintain a 3.0 grade point average (4.0 basis) on all graduate work at UT Tyler. No course with a grade below "C" may be applied toward this degree.

Transfer of Credit

Subject to the approval of the Graduate Program Advisor and the Dean of the College of Business and Technology (CBT), a student may transfer up to nine (9) hours of graduate credit earned at an approved institution. Graduate credit over three years old at the time of admission generally may not be used to meet degree requirements.