The Degree – Requirements and Policies
Graduation Requirements
In order to receive the Master of Business Administration degree from Indiana University Kelley School of Business on the Indianapolis campus, the candidate must:
- Apply and be admitted into the MBA program.
- Complete 51 semester hours of graduate work with no individual course grades below a C-.
- Compile a 2.75 or better cumulative grade point average in all graduate business course work.
- Complete at least 45 hours in residence as a regularly admitted MBA student at Indiana University (Bloomington/Indianapolis).
- Meet all of the course requirements as stated in the MBA Student Handbook for the semester of matriculation.
- Meet all of the above requirements within five (5) calendar years of initial matriculation.
Additionally, the following rules will apply:
- ONLY Intensive Seminars and the Career Management Courses are graded as Pass/Fail. All remaining courses are graded A, B, C, D, F.
- Students must enroll in Modules 1A, 1B, 1S, 2A, 2B, and 2S in their entirety. Intensive Seminars and required coursework must be done simultaneously.
- Students will be placed on Academic Probation - If GPA falls below 2.75. Students must bring GPA to 2.75 or above within two semesters or are subject to dismissal.
- Graduating MBA's should submit an "Application for Graduation" Form to the MBA Office during the semester prior to the final semester before graduation. It is recommended students make an appointment with an Academic Advisor to ensure all requirements have been fulfilled prior to registration for their final semester.
Partial Waiver of Out-of-State Tuition
A limited number of partial tuition waivers are available for students seeking permanent residency in the United States but not yet eligible for in-state tuition, according to university regulations. These waivers are equivalent to the out-of-state tuition premium, assessed by the university, and will be awarded on the basis of merit and need. To be eligible, students must pay Indiana state income tax and have started the process of applying for permanent residency. An application for this waiver may be obtained from the MBA Office and must be submitted along with the other application materials by the admissions deadline. If granted, the waiver will remain in effect until the student is eligible for in-state tuition according to university regulations. Students will be required to submit evidence from their employer that the process of seeking permanent residency in the United States has been started.
Plan of Study (See MBA Program Outline)
| Plan of Study for August Entry | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | Summer Session |
| Module 1A | Module 1B | Summer Module 1S |
| Module 2A | Module 2B | Summer Module 2S |
| Module 3A | Module 3B | |
| Plan of Study for January Entry | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester | Summer Session |
| Module1A | Summer Module 1S | |
| Module 1B | Module 2A | Summer Module 2S |
| Module 2B | Module 3A | |
| Module 3B | ||
Enrollment: The MBA candidate is required to enroll in Modules 1A, 1B, 1S, 2A, 2B, and 2S in their entirety, including the intensive seminars, X511. Courses within these modules may not be enrolled in separately.
Exemptions
No exemptions from course work will be granted. Professional experience and/or previous undergraduate course work will not be a basis for a waiver or alteration of required course work.
The exception to this policy are students who are admitted to dual programs MBA/MD, MBA/JD, MBA/MS, MBA/MSE, MBA/MHA, and MBA/MPA. These students must keep in close contact with the MBA Office and their Academic Adviser to be sure they are meeting their special degree requirements.
The Major Area of Study
All students who graduate from the MBA program in Indianapolis will be conferred a "Master of Business Administration" degree from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.
Students may choose a General Administration, Accounting, Finance, Venture & Technology or Marketing major. They may make a broad selection of elective course work or may focus all of their elective course work in one area.
Grading Systems and Standards
The official grading system of the Graduate School of Business and the grade point values are:
| A+ or A | 4.0 | C | 2.0 | |
| A- | 3.7 | C- | 1.7 | |
| B+ | 3.3 | D+ | 1.3 | |
| B | 3 | D | 1.0 | |
| B- | 2.7 | D- | .7 | |
| C+ | 2.3 | F | 0 |
No points are assigned for the following grade symbols: I (incomplete), NC (no credit), NR (no report filed by the instructor), S/F (satisfactory/failure), or W (withdrawn).
Based on the above values, a candidate must compile a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 in all Graduate School of Business course work to remain in good standing and to complete graduation requirements. Courses not approved as a part of the student's MBA curriculum will not be included in calculation of the MBA GPA (Grade Point Average).
Targeted Grade Distribution
Beginning with the August 2000 semester, the targeted distribution of grades for each course is:
| Category Designation | Reported Grade | Target Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Distinguished | A | 10-15% |
| Excellent | A | 25-35% |
| High Pass | B+ | 0-50% |
| Pass | B | 0-50% |
| Marginal Performance | B- or C+ | 0-20% |
| Poor Performance | C through D- | As Needed |
| Failure | F | As Needed |
| Incomplete | I | As Needed |
The following policies apply:
- Only courses with grades of "C-" or better will count toward the necessary hours for graduation, although ALL grades (except ineligible course work and transfer credit) are used in computing the GPA.
- If a "D+"/ "D"/"D-" is earned, the hours will NOT count toward graduation, but the grade will be used in calculating the GPA. The course cannot be repeated; additional course work to replace the hours and review work will be recommended.
- If an "F" is received in a course, the hours will NOT count toward graduation and the grade will be used to calculate the GPA. If the course is an elective, it may not be repeated. Required courses must be repeated, however. (Sequencing rules will apply.) For modules with an intensive seminar, the student will be required to re-enroll in the intensive seminar preceding the course that was failed as well as the course in which an "F" was received. The student will not be required to take the other courses within the module that were successfully completed.
- Pass/Fail Option
- Other than the Career Management course (X551) and Intensive Seminars, MBA students may not enroll in graduate course work for credit toward the MBA degree under the pass/fail option.
- The Incomplete
- An "incomplete" indicates that the work is passing as of the end of the semester but a relatively small part of the course has not been completed. In order to give a grade of "I", the faculty member must agree with a request for an incomplete. The faculty member must file an "Incomplete Form" which states the reason for the incomplete, the requirements for completion, and when the course is expected to be completed. An incomplete not removed within one year of assignment automatically converts to an "F."
- If the work required to remove the "incomplete" is not finished before the beginning of the subsequent module, enrollment in the subsequent module may not be approved. (See sequencing rules). This means, for example, that if an "I" is assigned in one of the courses in Module I, enrollment in Module II may not be allowed until the requirements of the "incomplete" are fulfilled. Approval to enroll in a subsequent module with an "I" on the record must be obtained from the Chairperson of Graduate Programs.
- If an "incomplete" ("I") is not removed within one year from its assignment, an "F" is automatically recorded for the course.
- A candidate cannot re-enroll in a course in which a grade of "I" has been received.
- A candidate cannot be certified for graduation until his record is cleared of all "Incompletes" in both elective and required course work.
- Withdrawal
- There are times when the "W" is an appropriate grade. The "W" indicates that the course has not been successfully completed and therefore the student may not progress to the next semester's course work. That is, a "W" will put a student one module behind and require that the student drop out of his or her cohort and join a subsequent cohort group as space becomes available. In most cases, because of sequencing requirements, a withdrawal will result in inability to continue with the current cohort group but does allow the flexibility to join a subsequent group and successfully complete the program. If it becomes necessary to withdraw from a required course, it is necessary to withdraw from the entire module.
- A grade of "W" is automatically assigned if withdrawal occurs during the first eight (8) weeks of a regular length semester or during the first four (4) weeks of an eight (8) week session. After that time, it is necessary to petition to withdraw. If the petition is granted, the student may withdraw and a "W" will be assigned for the course.
- During the last three (3) weeks of a fifteen (15) week course or the last two (2) weeks of an eight (8) week course, the petition for withdrawal from ALL course work is generally granted; however, if the student is passing at the time of the request, a "W" may be assigned. If the student is failing at the time of withdrawal, an "F" must be assigned.
Course Work Taken Outside of the School of Business
- Elective Course Work
- When prior approval is obtained, part of the elective course work for the MBA degree may be met by graduate course work taken from other schools at IUPUI, provided that such credit is related to the MBA degree and would usually be accepted toward a graduate degree in the school in which it is offered. A grade of "B" or better must be received for the course and the course may not be counted toward another degree.
- In order to receive credit for the elective course work, approval must be received from the Chairperson, MBA Program or a representative, prior to enrolling in the course. Elective course work taken outside of the School of Business is limited to a total of six (6) credit hours.
- Transfer Credit from Another Institution
- Transfer credit is designed to benefit the student who has completed elective course work as a student in another program or the IU MBA student who must relocate prior to completing the degree requirements. Transfer of credit may be requested for courses that meet ALL of the following conditions:
- The course was taken within the last 5 years for graduate credit only. It cannot have been a combined graduate/undergraduate course.
- If taken prior to entering the IU program, the course was an elective course taken while the student was a regularly enrolled graduate student in a program leading to a Masters or similar advanced degree from an accredited institution. If the course was taken in a business school, the program must be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
- The grade earned was an "A" or "B". Pass/Fail and other such grades are not satisfactory. A grade of "B-" or lower is not acceptable.
- No more than six (6) semester hours of transfer credit will be granted for courses that meet the above criteria. With the exception of requests resulting from temporary job transfer, course work taken at another institution while a candidate is an active student in the IU MBA program is NOT eligible for transfer credit. It is recommended that academic advising and approval from the School of Business be obtained prior to enrollment in course work at another institution.
- To request transfer of academic credit, an MBA student must (1) complete a "Request for Transfer Credit" form, (2) attach a course description and syllabus, and (3) file the form and documentation in the MBA Office. The request is forwarded to the appropriate department for a decision. The student will be notified in writing of the decision which takes a minimum of two weeks.
- Approval for transfer credit is conditional upon receipt by the recorder in the MBA Office of an official copy of the transcript. Grades received on courses granted transfer credits are not included in the computation of the Indiana University GPA.
- Residency Requirement
- Of the 51 hours required to complete the MBA degree, at least 45 hours of graduate credit must be obtained in-residence. The residency requirement is met while a student is officially admitted and enrolled as an MBA student in the Graduate School of Business at Indiana University, Bloomington/Indianapolis. Credit hours earned while enrolled in another degree-granting program cannot be included in the 45 hours required in-residence.
- Independent Study (590) Course Work
- Independent study course work provides a unique experience for the advanced MBA student through the opportunity to work on an individual basis with a faculty member. Output requirements are not specified in detail, but in most cases, a paper is required by the faculty member.
- The material covered by the independent study project should not be found in a regularly scheduled graduate business course nor should this be used as a means to take an undergraduate course for Graduate School of Business credit. Participation in such a course may, however, be part of the 590 experience.
- The procedure for obtaining a 590 course should be initiated by the student well before the planned semester of work. The student should contact the faculty member who will supervise the work. They will jointly decide on the number of credit hours to be awarded, noting that the MBA student may not receive credit for more than a total of six (6) hours of 590 work toward the degree. A written proposal should be submitted prior to the semester of study and likely contain:
- The purpose of the proposed study and why the arrangement is appropriate.
- The question or issue to be investigated and the general plan of attack.
- The outcome or result and the form anticipated.
- The standards and means proposed for interim, ongoing or terminal evaluation.
- Any unusual or special conditions relating to the character, timing or supervision of the arrangement.
- Although the faculty member may require more written documents, the above points should be outlined on the 590 approval forms for signatures by the student, faculty member, MBA Office, Academic Coordinator, and MBA Chair. The form with all signatures should be on file in the MBA Office prior to registration.
- Audit Policy
- Auditing of 500-level business courses is not permitted.
Course Work in Bloomington
- Enrolling in Course Work in Bloomington
- MBA students in Indianapolis may enroll in elective courses offered by the School of Business on the Bloomington campus.
- To enroll in Bloomington courses, the MBA student should first contact the Indianapolis MBA Office and secure permission from the academic adviser to register for specific course work in Bloomington.
- It is necessary for the student to initiate registration through the Bloomington campus by contacting the Bloomington MBA Office (812/855-8006) well in advance of the registration period. Students may need to complete an Inter-Campus Transfer form from the Registrar's website. It is also the student's responsibility to be aware of registration dates, fee payment, and schedule adjustment procedures for the Bloomington campus. Advanced planning is a necessity for those students planning to take courses in Bloomington.
- Permanent Transfer to Bloomington
- Due to the structure of the curriculum of the Bloomington MBA program, a student wishing to transfer permanently from the Indianapolis program to the full-time Bloomington program are eligible to do so only under the following condition:
- The Indianapolis student must have successfully completed Modules 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B at the Indianapolis campus. These modules correspond to the foundations and functional core on the Bloomington campus.
- A student who has completed the equivalent of the first year of the Bloomington program is eligible to transfer in August only due to the design of the Bloomington program.
- Each transfer student will have to complete a minimum of twenty-four (24) credit hours on the Bloomington campus.
- The required 24 credit hours will include nine (9) hours of the policy core and twelve (12) hours of a major.
- The student must be in good academic standing to apply for a transfer from the Indianapolis campus to the Bloomington campus.
- The student will be required to meet the prerequisites, sequencing requirements, and graduation requirements for the Bloomington campus.
- Any student considering a permanent transfer to Bloomington should contact the MBA Office in Indianapolis for guidance as early in the decision process as possible, preferable before March 1st for transfer in August.
MBA Candidate Status
Candidate in Good Standing - Any candidate that maintains a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75
Academic Probationary Status - Any candidate whose cumulative grade point average falls below a 2.75 is placed on academic probation. If the GPA goes below the 2.75 minimum, the candidate is notified in writing immediately following grade posting for the semester in which probation occurs. The candidate is required to enroll in at least two (2) out of the next four (4) modules, including summer modules and to attain a cumulative GPA of 2.75 within the next two (2) consecutive modules. (Satisfactory/Failure grades are not considered in evaluating performance of a probationary candidate.) Failure to meet the enrollment and/or the minimum GPA requirement results in automatic dismissal from the program.
Dismissal - Dismissal will result from one of the following situations:
- A probationary candidate who fails to meet the conditions of probation.
- A candidate who receives a grade point average of 2.25 or below in each of two (2) consecutive modules.
- A candidate who does not complete all requirements within the five-year limit. Candidates subject to dismissal may petition the Associate Dean - Indianapolis Programs on an ad hoc basis. However, only in rare cases is continuation allowed.
Non-Current Status - Occasionally a candidate in good standing may find it necessary to interrupt progress through the program for a semester or more. In such cases, the candidate is classified as a "non-current" student.
To remain in good standing while non-current, the student must inform the MBA Office in writing that he or she will be interrupting the program. Non-current students should be aware that the five-year time limit for completion of degree work begins from the date of matriculation.
To continue the program, the non-current candidate should notify the MBA Office
