MBA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    General Questions

    Applying to the MBA Program

    GMAT

    Coursework

    BSU's MBA Program

 

General Questions

What is an MBA?

According to mba.com, a graduate business degree is earned by completing a graduate business school program, in which students engage in traditional academic coursework and instruction based on real business challenges. The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is an internationally-recognized degree designed to prepare students and further develop their business and management skills. Not only will you learn about the functional areas of business (accounting, finance, marketing, economics and various aspects of management), but you will also develop your skills in communication, decision-making, and analysis. The value of the MBA is not limited strictly to the corporate environment. An MBA can also be useful for those pursuing a managerial career in the public sector, government, not-for-profit, small business and other arenas.

Why would I get an MBA after my career has already begun?

As people progress within organizations, the specific job-related expertise that helped them obtain entry-level jobs often becomes less important, and the abilities to plan, manage others, and participate in complex decision-making become more critical. As the environment of an organization becomes more multifaceted, there is an increased demand for mangers with the skills and understanding to engage in these difficult demands.

Many MBA graduates use their degrees to find the career path that's right for them. Of those contacted by Bloomberg Businessweek (April 2011), "None regret having made a sizable investment in business education, and all say their degrees have resulted in significant advantages - giving the tools they needed to advance in their careers, and ultimately the confidence to strike out on their own."

Realistically, what will a graduate business degree do for me?

MBA programs present a theoretical context for solving many business problems, including problems that don't even exist today. With advances in technology and the globalization of business, many new, unexplored issues are presented to managers. MBA students of 10 years ago had not even discussed social media and its role in business - but those students had the concepts from their coursework that helped them quickly adopt this tool A good theoretical background provides the tools to attack and solve new problems.

Participating in an MBA program will also broaden your network. Both classmates and professors can provide useful information and contacts that may be vital in accomplishing efforts in both your work and personal life.

The accounting concentration will also provide additional technical skills and knowledge for accounting professionals, especially those seeking CPA credentials.

Can I still have a job and attend graduate business classes?

Yes. Most of our students do have a job while getting pursuing their degree. If you are working around 40 hours a week we recommend not taking more than 2 classes a semester. We also have full-time students. Full-time students typically take 3 or 4 classes a semester.

I have been out of school for a long time, how do I adjust?

The anxiety of returning to school after a long hiatus is one of the bigger obstacles to starting a graduate business program. You will find that many of your classmates are in the same situation. Peer support is critical. Your business experience will allow you to make significant contributions to class discussions.  You will often discover that a topic discussed in class can be applied in short order at work.

One of the biggest challenges new students find is redeveloping reading and writing skills. The volume of reading required in some classes requires advanced planning, but a syllabus can help with this. You may also find that your research and report-writing skills have grown a bit rusty. Graduate classes are an excellent opportunity to revitalize those skills.

Our faculty also realizes many of the challenges incoming students face and work with you as much as possible to alleviate these concerns and help you manage the work.

How long will it take to complete BSU's MBA program?

The amount of time it takes to complete a graduate degree in business varies from student to student. This is because our programs have "foundation" courses; timely completion of equivalent courses with a required grade will result in the award of advanced standing.  Most working professionals will take three or six credit hours a semester and will take two to three years to complete the degree. A full-time student may complete the MBA program in three to four semesters.

Applying to the MBA Program

What are the admission requirements for the MBA program?

A list of requirements can be found here: http://www.bridgew.edu/mba/application_requirements.cfm.
 

Do I need to have an undergraduate degree in Business Administration?

No, an MBA program is designed for persons with a variety of backgrounds. If you do have some undergraduate coursework in business, economics or statistics, you may be awarded advanced standing for foundation coursework. In the MBA with an accounting concentration, advanced courses require accounting prerequisites. If you are interested in a graduate degree in accounting, but your undergraduate program did not include a significant number of accounting courses, you may want to consider Bridgewater State University's Master of Science in Accountancy program.

Should my letter of recommendation come from my employer or from a professor?

The most useful recommendations are those from individuals who are able to speak with confidence about your professional and/or academic achievements and potential. It is important, for those who are currently employed, that at least one of your evaluators be someone in a position to judge your professional performance.

How much work experience do I need?

There is no minimum work experience required for admission. However, work experience is often a valuable resource while completing course requirements.

What if I began an MBA program elsewhere and would like to transfer coursework into BSU.

You can transfer up to six credits from another accredited MBA program. The course must be less than five years old, you must have achieved a grade of 'B' or better in the course, and you must provide us with an official transcript indicating the grade for the course along with a course description.

Can I waive MBA courses based on work experience?

Work experience is not a basis for waiving MBA course work. Under very narrow conditions, students may be awarded advanced standing for a course, but all students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours to earn a degree. Examples of advanced standing might include a student with a CPA being awarded advanced standing in ACFI 550, a student holding the CFA designation being awarded advanced standing in ACFI 551 or a student with SHRM's PHR designation being awarded advanced standing in MGMT 575.

What is the deadline for admission?

The deadline for Fall admission is April 1 while the deadline for Spring admission is October 1.

What if I decide not to attend next semester after I have already been accepted?

You may defer your admission for up to one academic year.

GMAT

What is the GMAT?

The Graduate Management Admission Test is required for admission into the MBA or MSA program at Bridgewater State University. The GMAT measures language, quantitative and writing skills. It consists of multiple-choice questions of the verbal and quantitative assessments and two short essays for the analytical writing assessment. This test is administered in nine sections over a period of four hours. Two GMAT publications, The Official Guide for GMAT Review and The Official Software for GMAT Review, discuss the format of the test and describe the skills measured by each section. They also contain actual GMAT questions from previously administered exams to help one prepare for the real test. You can also contact www.mba.com for more information concerning testing centers and requirements.

Why do we require the GMAT?

We use your GMAT score as one piece of evidence of your current ability to deal with the courses and concepts in a graduate business program.

Studies by the Graduate Management Admission Council have found that the combination of GMAT score and GPA most accurately predicts the future success of students in graduate business programs.

When undergraduate grades are used alone, they are not very good predictors of MBA success. But, when GMAT scores are included in the evaluation process, the predictive ability almost doubles.

If I took the GMAT four years ago, will you still accept it?

Your GMAT score is valid for five years.

If I took the GRE instead of the GMAT will I still be considered for admission?

We will consider GRE scores for admission on an individual basis.  Keep in mind that you must submit official GRE scores.

Where can I get more information about the GMAT?

You may visit MBA.com for more information on the GMAT, including sample questions and information on registration.

Coursework

What are the advantages of a part-time MBA program?

A part-time program can be described as a "program for working professionals". Students typically work full-time and attend classes in the evenings. The obvious advantage is that students do not have to put their lives "on hold" while they earn their degree.

Regardless of whether the program is full-time or part-time, the MBA is designed as a practical, applications-oriented degree. Taking classes while working allows you to bring ideas and challenges from your workplace to the classroom and apply class concepts to your work.

What is the teaching style of professors at BSU?

The Ricciardi College of Business faculty employ a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, case studies, team projects, writings, problem sets, presentations, company visits, guest speakers, and other theoretical and applied teaching methods. The teaching method used in a class is the choice of the individual professor and is chosen to best facilitate learning for that subject matter.

What is the average class size in the MBA program?

Core classes in the MBA program have approximately 20 students.

Why are there course with only 1.5 credits?

The standard means of measuring the amount of material covered in a course is the "credit hour". On a semester system, 1 credit hour represents 15 hours of in-class work. Some of our classes are 3 credits, which means that the class will meet for 3 hours during each of the 15 weeks in the semester. A 1.5 credit course will meet for 3 hours in each of 7 weeks (plus time for a final exam).

By designing courses which only last 7 weeks, we are able to present topics in a more flexible format. For example, if a student anticipates a heavier than usual professional workload in the early part of semester, s/he could opt to take one 3 credit course lasting the whole semester, and one 1.5 credit course which would meet only during the latter part of the semester.

What types of electives are available for me to take?

You can take electives from the following areas: Accounting, Finance, Organizational Development, Technology Management and Marketing. As our program grows, we will be able to offer additional courses. In addition to the classes in The Ricciardi College of Business, MBA students may be able to take electives in other BSU graduate programs. Taking courses in other programs will require permission from that program, and students must meet all pre-requisite requirements.

Does the MBA program offer concentrations?

BSU's MBA program allows students to pursue concentrations in Accounting and General Management.

BSU's MBA Program

Are the graduate business programs accredited?

Bridgewater State University is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., through its commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the New England Association indicated that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality periodically applied through a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.

As, the MBA program is rather new, The Ricciardi College of Business programs do not hold a specialized accreditation at this time. The College is pursuing accreditation, and as such, its classes, degree requirements, and management practices are designed to meet that end.

Do you offer classes during the day or online?

At this time (Academic Year 2011 - 2012) we are only offering graduate business programs in the evening. As our program grows, we will explore the opportunity of offering courses during the day and through alternative delivery systems.

Some of our faculty will make use of the University's online course management system (Blackboard or Moodle) to deliver parts of their courses. But, at this time, we are not offering graduate business courses online. Our classroom based programs result in significant student-faculty interaction, peer-to-peer learning, and the use of outside speakers. Furthermore, in a survey conducted by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, MBA grads rated personal communication as the most important business skill. Our classroom experiences are designed to develop your personal communication

Last Modified: April 5, 2012