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 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 (minimum of 37 credits), Part-time M.B.A. 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 a minimum of 37 credit hours, based on a student’s prior academic and professional experience. 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 minimum core credit requirements, 13 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.

Elective offerings are taken in the second year along with the field practicum experience required of all students who are required to take more than the minimum 37-credit requirement. 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 graduate 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 graduate 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 core courses. 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/mba.

Dual Degree Option in Management and Sport Management

For those students interested in an education that combines strong foundational work in business and an in-depth curriculum in sport management, the Isenberg School of Management offers an M.B.A./M.S. Sport Management dual degree. This is a 72-credit program in which students complete most of the required M.B.A. coursework (42 credits) during their first year and then focus on the M.S. Sport Management degree (30 credits) in the second year. During the summer between their two years of study, students complete a six-credit internship with a sport organization in an effort to learn more about the sport industry and their future career trajectory. Students applying to the M.B.A./M.S. dual degree program submit one application. However, that application is reviewed by both the M.B.A. program and the M.S. Sport Management program. Applicants must be accepted to both programs to be accepted to the M.B.A./M.S. Sport Management dual degree program.

Dual Degree Option in Management and Hospitality and Tourism Management

For those students interested in an education that combines strong foundational work in business and an in-depth curriculum in hospitality and tourism management, the Isenberg School of Management offers an M.B.A./M.S. Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) dual degree. This is a 72-credit program in which students complete most of the required M.B.A. coursework (42 credits) during their first year and then focus on the M.S. Hospitality and Tourism Management degree (30 credits) in the second year. Students applying to the M.B.A./M.S. dual degree program submit one application. However, that application is reviewed by both the M.B.A. program and the M.S. HTM program. Applicants must be accepted to both programs to be accepted to the M.B.A./M.S. HTM dual degree program.

Dual Degree Options in Management and Engineering

For those students interested in an interdisciplinary education that will provide them with a strong foundation in business, a solid background in an area of engineering, and an in-depth research or project experience, the College of Engineering and the Isenberg School of Management offer four dual master’s degrees. Programs are available to complete the M.B.A. in conjunction with the M.S. in Civil Engineering (M.B.A./M.S.C.E.), the M.S. in Environmental Engineering (M.B.A./M.S.Envr.E.), the M.S. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (M.B.A./M.S.I.E.O.R.) or the M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (M.B.A./M.S.M.E.).

The programs typically total 72-73 credits and include a 42-credit M.B.A. core component, an engineering core, engineering electives, and disciplined-focused project or thesis. Each program varies slightly; more information about the specific dual degrees is available in the respective engineering program section of this Bulletin.

Students applying to an M.B.A./engineering dual program submit one application and must meet the respective admission standards for each program. The GMAT is required for the M.B.A. and the GRE is required for the engineering degrees. The application is reviewed by both programs. Applicants must be accepted to both programs to enter the dual degree program.

Dual Degree Option in Management and Public Policy

The Center for Public Policy Administration and the Isenberg School of Management offer an M.P.P.A./M.B.A. dual degree program. This is a 72-credit program in which students complete the Master of Business Administration and the Master of Public Policy Administration degrees in two and an half years. The combined degree program allows students who are interested in both policy and public management issues and business administration to pursue an integrated and comprehensive course of study. Graduates would be prepared to move into careers in government and various areas of the private sector. It is recommended that students complete most of the required M.B.A. coursework in their first year. The second-year students enroll for a combination of M.B.A. and M.P.P.A. courses and complete an M.B.A. Practicum. During the summer of the second year, students complete an M.P.P.A. Internship. In the final semester, students complete two M.P.P.A. courses and two electives. Students applying to the M.P.P.A./M.B.A. dual degree program must meet the respective admission standards for each program. They submit one application and only the GMAT is required. However, that application is reviewed by both programs. Applicants must be accepted to both programs to enter the M.P.P.A./M.B.A. dual degree program.

The Master of Business Administration Degree (Part-time)

The Part-time 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 (Holyoke, Shrewsbury, and Pittsfield) as well as online. The entire core curriculum is offered online every spring, summer, and fall semester. There is no campus residency requirement for the online courses so that the entire degree can be completed from anywhere in the world. A distinct advantage for students enrolled in this program is that they can choose live or online classes throughout their program, allowing for maximum flexibility.

The Part-time 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 Part-time M.B.A. program occurs throughout the year with semesters starting in spring, summer, and fall. For more details, visit www.isenberg.umass.edu/mba.

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.