Management Master's Degree Requirements

Program | Faculty | Master's | Doctoral | Courses

In accordance with the accreditation guidelines of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the core knowledge for Master's of Business Adminstration study within the Isenberg School of Management consists of basic coursework in economics, statistics, accounting, finance, marketing, information systems, organizational behavior, and the social and legal environment. Any baccalaureate degree holder is eligible to apply for the program.

Three Master's degrees are offered within the Isenberg School: the full-time M.B.A. program (55 credits), the part-time P.M.B.A. program in the Professional Program (37 credits), and the M.S. in Accounting.

Further information is also available online at www.isenberg.umass.edu.

The Master of Business Administration Degree (Full-time)

The Master's degree requires 55 credit hours. Accredited at the highest standard for business schools by the AACSB, the program is designed to provide candidates with a broad base of business knowledge and the opportunity to focus in a professional area of interest. Beyond the core courses, 12 credits of interest-area electives are required. Elective courses may also be taken outside the Isenberg School by those students interested in other nonbusiness areas in which a managerial component is desirable.

The M.B.A. program is a four-semester sequence taken over a two-year period. Required courses common to all students are taken in the first year. Elective offerings are taken in the second year along with the field practicum experience required of all students. In addition, all first-year full-time M.B.A. students are required to enroll in a professional seminar each semester.

Core courses may be waived upon approval of the instructor and program director but an elective must be taken to replace the waived course. Students may also transfer up to 6 credit hours of graduate courses obtained from accredited institutions within the past three years with a grade of B or better with approval of the program director as long as those courses have not previously been used for another graduate degree.

Admission to the full-time Master's program is for the fall semester only and all students take the common first- and second-semester core courses regardless of the particular program in which they are enrolled. In the selection of candidates, no one academic background is favored and students with degrees in science, business, engineering, and liberal arts have joined the program. Academic history, GMAT performance, motivation, aptitude for graduate-level work, and managerial experience are all taken into consideration.

Further information is also available online at www.isenberg.umass.edu.

P.M.B.A. Professional Programs (Part-time)

The Professional M.B.A. is a 37-credit program offering one of the most efficient ways for individuals to advance their business knowledge and skills while balancing the demands of a full-time career. Classes are offered live at three sites within the state of Massachusetts (Springfield, Shrewsbury, and Pittsfield) as well as online through the University's nationally recognized distance-learning platform. A distinct advantage for students enrolled in this program is that they can choose to mix live or online classes throughout their program, allowing for maximum flexibility. Additionally, courses are offered throughout the year to allow for completion in as quickly as 20 months.

The Professional M.B.A. program is accredited at the highest standard for business schools by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and taught by the same graduate faculty who teach the full-time program. The course curriculum emphasizes techniques of corporate management, including policy analysis, strategic planning, and organization design and control.

In the selection of candidates, no one academic background is favored and students with degrees in science, business, engineering, and liberal arts have joined the program. Academic history, GMAT performance, motivation, aptitude for graduate-level work, and managerial experience are all taken into consideration. Admission to the Professional M.B.A. program occurs throughout the year with semesters starting in spring, summer, and fall. For more details, visit www.isenberg.umass.edu.

The Master of Science in Accounting Degree

The Master of Science in Accounting program, designed primarily for those intending to pursue a career in public accounting, enables students to meet the new 150-hour education requirement for Certified Public Accountant (C.P.A.) certification in Massachusetts.

The program prepares students to meet contemporary expectations of reliability and competence for C.P.A.s, and reflects changing demands for client service. It also expands the breadth and depth of students' knowledge in substantive areas of practice, including taxation, financial reporting, information management, organizational dynamics, and investments, and enhances such skills and attributes as financial research and analysis, communications, ethical behavior, and interpersonal dynamics.

The four-semester sequence of study is taken over a 15-month period. Coursework for the 30-credit program is completed primarily during two consecutive summer terms, allowing students to be employed full-time during the intervening fall and spring semesters. The fall and spring semester courses are Web-based.

Planned sequence for credit hours earned is: Summer I — 12 credit hours; Fall — 3 credit hours; Spring — 3 credit hours; Summer II — 12 credit hours.