University Relations
http://www.umn.edu/urelate
612-624-6868
http://www.umn.edu/urelate
612-624-6868
Part-Time MBA FAQs
Admissions
Structure
Curriculum
Services
Admissions
Q. What is the admissions process for the Part-Time MBA program?
Q. Are applications accepted past the priority application deadline?
Q. Can I take MBA courses before I'm admitted to the program?
Q. Are there any prerequisites for admission to the Part-Time MBA program?
Q. Does my undergraduate degree need to be in business?
Q. What minimum GMAT/GPA score do I need to be admitted to the program?
Q. What is the GMAT? How can I find more information?
Q. Can I take the GMAT more than once?
Q. Can I transfer credits into the program? What if I've recently taken business coursework?
Q. What if I have transcripts from outside the United States?
Q. Am I required to take an English language test?
Q. Can I begin the program while I'm completing another degree at the University of Minnesota?
Q. How can I learn more about the program or discuss my application with the admissions staff?
Structure
Q. When are classes held?
Q. How many credits do I need to complete to earn a Carlson MBA through the Part-Time program?
Q. How long does it take to earn the Carlson MBA through the Part-Time program?
Q. How many credits will I take per semester?
Q. Can I earn a Carlson MBA by taking classes only on Saturdays?
Q. What if I travel for work?
Q. What are the tuition costs for the Part-Time MBA program? Is financial aid available?
Curriculum
Q. What courses will I be taking in the program? Can I concentrate in a specific area of study?
Q. How much time will I need to spend outside of class to complete my work?
Q. Can I transfer from the Part-Time to the Full-Time MBA program?
Services
Q. What networking opportunities are available in the program?
Q. Does the Part-Time MBA program offer career services?
Q. Are services available for Part-Time MBA students?
Admissions
Q. What is the admissions process for the Part-Time MBA program?
A. When you apply for the Carlson Part-Time MBA program, our admissions committee will consider your past academic performance (transcripts from accredited institutions & GPA), official GMAT scores (required standardized test), work experience and current resume (two years of full-time experience is required), personal essays (four required & one optional), and two letters of recommendation (including one from an immediate supervisor). Our current average GMAT score is about 620, and our current average GPA is about 3.3. However, other than the two years of work experience, there are no required minimums. Each piece of your application will be considered carefully.
The priority application deadline for fall is May 1 (orientation in August, classes start in September), and the priority application deadline for spring is October 1 (orientation and classes begin in January). We offer a full selection of summer courses, but you must begin the Part-Time MBA program in either the fall or spring semesters.
The program admits students on a batch basis -- that is, the admissions committee waits until the deadline before reviewing any files, then evaluates all the applications together as a pool over the following six weeks and sends out all the decisions at the same time. No decisions are made prior to the deadlines.
Q. Are applications accepted past the priority application deadline?
A. Yes. Complete applications are accepted past the priority application deadline for the length of time the admissions review process is open. Complete applications received after the admissions review process closes will be considered for the following semester. If you are completing an application after the priority deadline, please contact an admissions staff member at 612-625-5555.
There are many benefits to meeting the priority application deadline, including earlier notification. Priority deadline applicants are notified of their acceptance within 4-6 weeks of the deadline; applications received after the priority deadline will not be reviewed until the first batch of application review has been completed. Along with earlier notification, priority deadline applicants, if accepted, will be able to plan for orientation and register earlier.
Q. Can I take MBA courses before I'm admitted to the program?
A. No. As with other Professional Schools at the University of Minnesota, only students who have been admitted through the application process are allowed to register for MBA courses at the Carlson School. We guarantee to our students that everyone in class and on teams with them has met the same admissions standards. Additionally, our classes are in high demand, and it would be difficult to deliver the best service to our students if we opened them to the general public.
Q. Are there any prerequisites for admission to the Part-Time MBA program?
A. The only prerequisites for applying to the Carlson Part-Time MBA program are a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (regardless of major), completion of the GMAT, and at least two years of full-time work experience. There are no formal coursework prerequisites. Some students may also need to take an English language test.
Q. Does my undergraduate degree need to be in business? Does my work experience need to be in business?
A. You are not required to have an undergraduate degree or work experience in business. The Carlson School recruits and admits people from a broad range of academic and professional backgrounds. In fact, only about one-third of our students come from a traditional business undergraduate background.
Q. What minimum GMAT/GPA score do I need to be admitted to the program?
A. The Carlson Part-Time MBA program does not require a minimum GMAT score or GPA. The average admitted GMAT score is about 620, and the average GPA is about 3.3, but this varies depending on the applicant pool. About 80% of our admitted students score 560 - 680 on the GMAT. Keep in mind that a range of scores are accepted, based on the strength of the complete application.
Q. What is the GMAT? How can I find more information?
A. The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a standardized computer-adaptive test used by schools to help assess the qualifications of applicants for advanced study in business or management. The GMAT measures basic verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills. The Carlson Part-Time MBA program requires every applicant to take the GMAT, without exception. The admissions committee carefully considers each piece of an application and uses GMAT scores as one predictor of academic performance in the program. To learn more about the test, visit mba.com.
Q. Can I take the GMAT more than once?
A. Yes. If you take the GMAT more than once, the admissions committee will consider your highest score.
Q. Can I transfer credits into the program? What if I've recently taken business coursework?
A. The Carlson Part-Time MBA program does not accept transfer credits from other programs. Instead, selected core courses may sometimes be waived based on recent academic experience. Students are required to complete 57 credits to earn a Carlson MBA. We may waive up to 9 core credits if a student's recent academic coursework meets specific requirements, potentially bringing the credit total down to as low as an absolute minimum of 48 credits. Please note this is the exception, not the rule -- more than two-thirds of our students do not get any credits waived.
If you are admitted to the program, the admissions committee will automatically review your transcripts to determine if any courses can be waived. In order to be eligible to waive a Carlson MBA course, a similar class must have been completed in the last 7 years at an accredited institution, you must have received a B or higher, and it must meet the necessary course objectives and criteria. Waiver guidelines are subject to change at faculty discretion. If you qualify for more than 9 credits of waivers, we may be able to waive additional core courses, but not additional credits -- meaning you would be able to take more electives.
All applicants to the Part-Time MBA program must hold the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree. Generally, this requires at least four years of post-secondary education. If you hold a degree that required less than four years of post secondary education, you may be required to hold an additional higher degree to be considered for admission.
You may be required to submit original transcripts or certified copies of marksheets and diplomas, as well as certified English translations as part of the application process. We do not accept third-party evaluations of academic work; an evaluation of your submitted documentation will be performed as part of the application review process. Coursework completed in a foreign exchange program while attending a school in the U.S. is exempt, as that coursework is typically listed on your U.S. transcript.
Q. Am I required to take an English language test?
A. English language testing is required unless you have completed the last two years of your undergraduate degree or one year of graduate coursework in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. We can only waive English language testing on the basis of academic performance, not on the basis of employment or residency in the United States.
You may take the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE. For all three tests, official score results must be sent directly to us by the testing agency. The admissions committee will review your score results as part of your application.
Q. Can I begin the program while I'm completing another degree at the University of Minnesota?
A. No. Due to tuition calculation and course requirement issues, we require new students to have graduated or been discontinued from any other degree program they may have been part of at the University of Minnesota before beginning the Part-Time MBA program.
Q. How can I learn more about the program or discuss my application with the admissions staff?
A. The best way to learn more about the Carlson Part-Time MBA program is to attend an information session, where you can meet our admissions staff, hear the experiences of current students, see the Carlson building, and get answers to your questions. Held on Thursdays and Saturdays each month, information sessions provide a strong overview of the curriculum, services, and application process.
Structure
A. The Part-Time MBA program is designed to be flexible for people with full-time obligations during the day. Classes meet once a week -- Monday through Thursday, from 5:45 - 9:05 p.m., Saturday mornings, from 8:00 - 11:20 a.m., and Saturday afternoons, from 12:30 - 3:50 p.m.
Four-credit classes meet for the full term, 3-credit classes meet slightly less than a full term, and 2-credit classes meet for a half-semester during either the A term (first half) or B term (second half).
Q. How many credits do I need to complete to earn a Carlson MBA through the Part-Time program?
A. To complete the MBA degree through the Part-Time program, there are 29 core course credits and 28 elective course credits, for a total of 57 required credits.
Q. How long does it take to earn the Carlson MBA through the Part-Time program?
A. Students control how quickly they move through the curriculum by tailoring their course load each semester. Some students are able to graduate in 2 years, though the average student takes about 3 years. Students are allowed to take up to 7 years to earn a Carlson MBA. The program is very flexible, allowing students to accelerate or decelerate their program as needed.
Q. How many credits will I take per semester?
A. The "part-time" aspect of the program refers only to the format (weeknight and Saturday classes). Students may take as many or as few credits per semester as they feel they can handle. Most students start by taking two classes to see how that works. They then adjust their course loads accordingly in future semesters. To stay active in the program, students must complete at least two credits per calendar year. However, those who need a year or more off may apply for a leave of absence.
Q. Can I earn a Carlson MBA by taking classes only on Saturdays?
A. Yes. You may earn your Carlson MBA by taking classes only during the Saturday morning (8:00-11:20) and afternoon (12:30-3:50) sessions. However, not all of our elective courses are consistently offered on Saturdays, so you would not be able to achieve the degree of specialization that you could if you also took weeknight classes.
A. Many Carlson Part-Time MBA students travel for work, and our faculty are aware of the tensions and difficulties that come with balancing a busy career and a graduate business education. Our faculty try to be flexible about students needing to miss occasional sessions due to professional travel; such situations are resolved in advance on a case-by-case basis with the professor and student team. In some courses, it is more of a problem to miss a session than in others.
Additionally, the Part-Time MBA program offers flexibility for students who travel by providing 2-, 3-, and 4-credit courses that start and end at different times throughout the semester. Four-credit classes meet once a week for the full 14 weeks; 3-credit classes meet for 10 weeks; and 2-credit classes meet during either the first half of the semester (A-term) or the second half (B-term). So, for example, a student who knew they needed to travel extensively during the second half of a semester could take three 2-credit courses during the A-term -- still earning six credits -- and no classes during the B-term when they are traveling.
Q. What are the tuition costs for the Part-Time MBA program? Is financial aid available?
A. The current tuition cost for the Part-Time MBA program is $1,015 per credit. As a part-time program, we cannot offer scholarships or grants through our office, but external opportunities may be available. The Carlson MBA programs have an experienced financial aid representative available to answer questions about loan programs. For more information and a full breakdown of fees, visit the tuition and financial aid page.
Curriculum
Q. What courses will I be taking in the program? Can I concentrate in a specific area of study?
A. The Part-Time MBA curriculum is divided between required core courses and elective courses. Students are able to choose from nearly 100 elective courses and diverse study abroad options to develop specific skills sets that meet their individual career goals. Instead of declaring a concentration or major, students develop an area of emphasis.
Q. How much time will I need to spend outside of class to complete my work?
A. The amount of time students spend outside class on readings, assignments, and team projects depends on the course, but the general guideline is that you will spend approximately 3-5 hours per class per week.
Q. Can I transfer from the Part-Time to the Full-Time MBA program?
A. No. The Carlson Full-Time MBA program is cohorted for the first semester into an integrated core curriculum, meaning that the same students work in groups across several courses. The Part-Time MBA program is more flexible. Part-Time MBA students may take a full-time course load of Part-Time MBA classes (evenings and Saturdays) if they choose.
Services
Q. What networking opportunities are available in the program?
A. With more than 10,000 alumni, the Carlson Part-Time MBA program has deep roots in the global business community. Students and alumni find numerous opportunities to connect with faculty, industry leaders, and each other through networking events, student organizations, corporate lunches, and a variety of other social occasions.
Q. Does the Part-Time MBA program offer career services?
A. Yes. The Carlson School is one of the few business schools that offers career consultants who work exclusively with Part-Time MBA students. Consultants provide one-on-one career counseling, resume reviews, mock interviews, and workshops on subjects such as negotiation and leveraging an MBA in the workplace. The Graduate Business Career Center offers a wide range of services and programs to help students succeed in a competitive job market.
Q. Are services available for Part-Time MBA students?
A. Absolutely. In the Part-Time MBA program, our student affairs staff is available to help you when you're here for class -- on weeknights and Saturdays -- and during daytime office hours. Program advisors help Part-Time MBA students register for classes, use technical resources, get involved with organizations, and take advantage of the state-of-the-art Carlson School facility. Along with program assistance and information, our Part-Time MBA student services center features free copy and fax machines, phones, classroom supplies, forms, schedules, information about international programs, and more.