Student Services FAQ

Course Requirements

Student Resources

Tuition & Financial Aid

Grades & Transcripts

Student Organizations

Career Resources

Graduation

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COURSE REQUIREMENTS

How many credits do most students take each semester?

How many credits do I need to take in the program?

How do I decide what courses to take?

What should I do if a class is full? How does the waitlist work? Are there permission numbers?

Can I petition to have a course requirement waived?

Am I on track with my classes?

How can I finish a course in which I earned a grade of 'I'?

How long will it take me to complete the Part-Time MBA program?

Can I take some time off from the MBA program? What should I do when I'm ready to come back?

Can I take a Part-Time MBA course if I haven’t been admitted to the program?

STUDENT RESOURCES

Where can I find the student handbook?

Where can I find the academic standards handbook?

TUITION & FINANCIAL AID

Who should I talk to about financial aid?

Who should I talk to about tuition and billing?

If I drop a course in the allotted time frame posted on Onestop, am I refunded all tuition & fees?

Can I pay tuition on campus?

GRADES & TRANSCRIPTS

When will my grades be posted?

How do I get an official transcript?

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

How can I find a listing of the different events happening in the Part-Time MBA Program?

How can I get involved as a Part-Time MBA graduate student? What clubs and organizations are there?

CAREER RESOURCES

What career resources are available to Part-Time MBA students?

What networking opportunities are available to Part-Time MBA students?

GRADUATION

What do I need to do for graduation?

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How many credits do most students take each semester?

The number of credits taken by students each semester varies. On average, students tend to take about six credits per semester (this could be two 3-credit courses, a 4-credit and a 2-credit course, or three 2-credit courses). The number of credits you register for will depend on your other life and work responsibilities as well as your personal learning style. You may pace yourself accordingly, as long as you are able to finish your coursework within the 7-year time limit.

How many credits do I need to take in the program?

There are 29 possible core course credits and 28 elective course credits for a total of 57 credits required to complete the MBA degree through the Part-Time program.

The number of required credits for the Part-Time MBA program can vary from 48 - 57 credits, depending on a student's academic background. If you have a substantial academic background that covers competencies taught within the Part-Time MBA core courses, you may be eligible to be waived from some core courses. You should refer to your Coursework Requirements sheet (mailed to you when you are admitted to the program) for your specific program requirements.

How do I decide what courses to take?

The Part-Time MBA program offers a variety of resources and tools to help you choose courses and design a valuable MBA experience. Resources include the Graduate Business Career Center, Professional Portfolios, portfolio information sessions and advising teams, and ElectiveFest.

What should I do if a class is full? How does the waitlist work? Are there permission numbers?

To be placed on a waitlist, register online or contact Peter Woxland, Registrar and Advising Manager, at woxla005@umn.edu or 612-626-7553. Priority is determined by the number of credits remaining in a student's program.

Can I petition to have a course requirement waived?

Yes, Part-Time MBA students can petition to have a course waived. The policy requires that previously completed academic courses must have been taken and completed within 7 years of the semester in which a student was admitted to the program. In addition, the course must have been taken in an academic environment (university, college, etc.), and the student must have earned a grade of B or higher.

Am I on track with my classes?

In order to better assist students in verifying their progress toward graduation, the Part-Time MBA program highly recommends that all students complete a Degree Program Form as soon as they have finished the core courses. In addition to being an important tool for you, the form helps the program office track your progress toward graduation. Please note that if any changes are made to your program plan, you must complete a new Degree Program Form. You may also check APAS in regard to you progress in the program.

How can I finish a course in which I earned a grade of 'I'?

A grade of 'I' (incomplete) is assigned only when a student who is currently receiving a passing grade in class is unable to complete the coursework on time due to extraordinary circumstances. In this case, there must be a written agreement between the student and professor specifying the time and manner in which the student will complete the course. Incompletes must be completed within a year; however, it is recommended that an 'I' be completed within a semester.

How long will it take me to complete the Part-Time MBA program?

This depends on how many credits you take each semester and, in some cases, on the requirements you were assigned based on prior coursework. You can use APAS to track your progress toward the degree. On average, most students finish their MBA in 3.5 years. The maximum amount of time students are allowed to complete their degree is 7 years.

Can I take some time off from the MBA program? What should I do when I'm ready to come back?

Yes, you may take a leave of absence from the program. However, please remember that you must take a minimum of 2 credits per 12-month academic year (September 1 - August 31). If you wish to take a leave of absence, please contact the registrar and advising manager. Remember to indicate when you intend to return to the program.

When you are ready to return from a leave of absence, contact the registrar and advising manager. If you have been gone for less than 1 academic year, you can register for courses through One Stop. If you have been away from the program for more than 1 academic year and have not taken a minimum of 2 credits, you will need to reapply through the Part-Time MBA admissions office. The first step in the reapplication process is to submit a new application. Contact the admissions manager for information about additional materials you may need to submit in order to complete the reapplication process.

Can I take a Part-Time MBA course if I haven’t been admitted to the program?

As a non-MBA graduate student, you can petition to take up to 3 Carlson Part-Time MBA courses. Please note that students are registered on a space-available basis, several weeks before the start of the semester.

To request enrollment into a Part-Time MBA course, non-MBA graduate students must complete a Non-MBA Graduate Student Registration Form and must verify their enrollment in a University of Minnesota graduate degree seeking program.

Where can I find the student handbook?

You can find the student handbook in the current students section of our website, under policies and procedures.

Where can I find the academic standards handbook?

You can find the academic standards handbook in the current students section of our website, under policies and procedures.

Who should I talk to about financial aid?

You can either visit the financial aid section of our website or contact Jim Parker, MBA Financial Aid Coordinator, at 612-626-0750 or j-park1@umn.edu.

Who should I talk to about tuition and billing?

You may contact the One Stop Student Services office at 612-624-1111 with questions about tuition and billing.

If I drop a course in the allotted time frame posted on Onestop, am I refunded all tuition & fees?

If you drop a course during the allotted time frame posted on Onestop, you will receive tuition according to which stage you are at (100%, 75%, 50%, etc.) Dropping full-term, A-term, and 10-week classes during this time frame will also allow you to be refunded semester fees.

If you are only enrolled in a B-term class, you may be refunded tuition, but will be liable for fees since you will have access to these services upon the start date of the semester.

Can I pay tuition on campus?

If you want to pay your tuition on campus, you can use a drop box or pay it in person. You'll find more information on the One Stop tuition and billing page.

When will my grades be posted?

Part-Time MBA students receive their grades on One Stop. The timing of this may vary depending on how quickly faculty submit grades to the Part-Time MBA office. Part-Time MBA staff cannot give out individual grades by phone or e-mail. Should you have questions about grading policy or individual faculty grading systems, contact the faculty member directly.

How do I get an official transcript?

You can get an official transcript for a fee by sending a written request to: Transcript Service, 200 Fraser Hall, 106 Pleasant St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. You may also fax a transcript request to 612-625-4351, order official transcript online, or present your student ID (U Card) or driver’s license to the West Bank Student Services Center at 130 West Bank Skyway.

How can I find a listing of the different events happening in the Part-Time MBA Program?

Our program maintains an online calendar that has a complete listing of events, workshops and activities of interest to Part-Time MBA students.

We also publish a bi-weekly newsletter that can be found on the web.

How can I get involved as a Part-Time MBA graduate student? What clubs and organizations are there?

Part-Time MBA Clubs & Organizations complement and enrich the high quality student experience. By giving students the opportunity to become involved in a variety of volunteer activities beyond the classroom, our clubs and organizations allow students to apply their learning in a variety of unique ways, thus enhancing their leadership skills.

The goals of our clubs and organizations include:

• Integrate students fully into the Carlson School community and build the school brand
• Provide leadership opportunities for student involvement beyond the classroom
• Provide opportunities for involvement that embrace community diversity
• Enhance career opportunities through professional networking

In addition, the MBA Association (MBAA) has a variety of clubs and organizations for all MBA students. The Part-Time MBA activities are designed to complement the MBAA, supporting activities targeted at Part-Time MBA students.

We encourage and welcome all students to participate and get involved. If you want to get involved or have suggestions for additional activities, please contact Jon Ruzek .

What career resources are available to Part-Time MBA students?

The Graduate Business Career Center offers practical services and programs that can help you focus your career ambitions. Executive career coaches are also available for one-on-one and small group career counseling.

Services include the Alumni Career Network, a library of career resources, company information sessions, current job postings (upon completion of 75% of coursework) through the Carlson Automated Recruiting System (CARS), and on-campus interviews (which occur during your last fall semester or within a year of graduation).

The center also provides a variety of job strategy workshops, with topics ranging from leveraging your MBA to negotiation strategies to resume development (vs. building a resume) and interview preparation. Graduate Business Career Center offers practical services and programs that can help you focus your career ambitions. Executive career coaches are also available for one-on-one and small group career counseling.

What networking opportunities are available to Part-Time MBA students?

Part-Time MBA students can join the Networking Committee, which develops and delivers yearly co-curricular events, opportunities, and social/networking activities. In addition, students can participate in casual networking snack breaks that are held during regular evening classes and attend First Tuesday luncheon seminars, which bring alumni, students, and professionals together as executives and influential business leaders from across the nation address current business topics and lead dynamic dialogues. Students and recent graduates also connect and network each month at MBA First Friday happy hours. For more information on networking opportunities, contact Jon Ruzek .

What do I need to do for graduation?

Part-Time MBA students may graduate during any month of the year, after completing all program requirements. The Carlson School holds one graduation ceremony each May for students who have graduated during the academic year or plan to graduate during the summer. To graduate, students need to have an approved Degree Program Form on file and must complete an Application For Degree Form. In order to be cleared for graduation, all coursework must be completed and all program fees must be paid. You'll find more information about graduation, including a checklist, on our website.