FAQs
What criteria does the MBA Admissions Committee use?
Can I apply for full-time or part-time enrollment?
Is prior full-time work experience a requirement for MBA admission?
Will I be at a disadvantage when entering the MBA program if I do not have an undergraduate degree in a business-related field?
What is the completion time required for the MBA program?
Can I transfer courses from another MBA program?
What kinds of financial aid are offered?
Can I still apply even though I haven't taken the GMAT yet?
What areas of study are offered at AGSM?
Who can I contact if I have questions regarding the application process?
What criteria does the MBA Admissions Committee use?
Admission decisions are based on a number of factors, including the quality of previous academic work as measured by the GPA earned in the junior and senior years of an applicant's undergraduate degree and also any graduate work completed, the results of the GMAT exam, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, the academic reputation of the colleges and universities attended, and the potential for success in the MBA program. The average GPA for new students admitted for the Fall, 2008 quarter was 3.45 and the average GMAT score was 585.
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Can I apply for full-time or part-time enrollment?
In addition to our daytime classes, enough sections of classes are also offered in the evenings to allow working professional students to attend the MBA program part-time in the evenings. Students may apply for full-time or part-time enrollment by filling out the same MBA application form.
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Is prior full-time work experience a requirement for MBA admission?
We DO NOT require work experience for MBA admission. All academically qualified students are encouraged to apply. To ensure your success upon graduation, we require that all MBA students complete an internship during their graduate studies. The internship provides our students with an opportunity to gain valuable work experience while helping them to identify the types of companies, industries, and positions that best suit their talents and goals. This results in a more focused and efficient career job search. Working professional students attending the MBA program on a part-time basis, may be allowed to develop projects related to their current employment to meet the internship requirement.
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Will I be at a disadvantage when entering the MBA program if I do not have an undergraduate degree in a business-related field?
Students are encouraged to apply regardless of their undergraduate majors. In addition to business majors, approximately 50% or more of our students enter the MBA program with non-business degrees including engineering, math, physical and natural sciences, social and behavioral sciences, humanities and languages. Only one prerequisite is required for our MBA program, A Review of Quantitative Methods. However, it is not required that you have completed this prerequisite course prior to your MBA admission. Students who still need this prerequisite can take it during their first 2 quarters in residence.
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What is the completion time required for the MBA program?
A full-time MBA student taking three courses per quarter will generally complete the 20 course program in 2 years. Part-time students will be required to take 2 courses per quarter and they will generally complete the program in 4 years. Approximately 15% of our students attend the MBA program on a part-time basis in the evenings.
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Can I transfer courses from another MBA program?
Students who wish to transfer from another accredited MBA program will need to fill out all of our standard MBA application forms and are expected to meet the same GPA, GMAT, and TOEFL exam score requirements as non-transfer students. If offered admission to our MBA program, transfer students may be allowed to transfer a maximum of two MBA courses (or 8 quarter units), taken in residence from schools outside of the University of California System. Only graduate courses in which a minimum grade of "B" has been earned will be considered for transfer into our MBA program.
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What kinds of financial aid are offered?
In addition to the Federal Student Loan Program, AGSM offers a variety of other financial aid opportunities to academically qualified MBA applicants. These awards include Teaching Assistantships (30-35 positions each year), Research Assistantships, Merit Fellowships, and Professional Fee Fellowships.
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Can I still apply even though I haven't taken the GMAT yet?
Yes. The only item we must have in by the application deadline is the online application at http://www.graduate.ucr.edu/apply/InstructionsBeginFM.html. The rest of your application materials may follow. HOWEVER, please note that an admission decision cannot be made until all of your file materials have been received. For a complete listing of the application file requirements go to http://www.agsm.ucr.edu/apply/mbaprogram.html. For more information on the GMAT, please visit http://www.mba.com.
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What areas of study are offered at AGSM?
Nine different categories of MBA electives are offered. Students enrolled in our program are allowed to choose up to nine electives from two or more of the following areas as they complete their MBA studies:
- Accounting
- Entrepreneurial Management
- Finance
- General Management
- Human Resources Management/Organizational Behavior
- International Management
- Management Information Systems
- Management Science/Operations Management
- Marketing
Who can I contact if I have questions regarding the application process?
Students with MBA application questions can call the Office of MBA Admissions at (951) 827-6200 or e-mail: mba@ucr.edu.