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The school offers master’s degrees and graduate certificates which prepare professionals for career advancement in all areas of business and in public and private as well as for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. The school is accredited by AACSB International, the highest standard of business school accreditation worldwide.
The following graduate degrees and certificates are offered:
The school partners with the Bowen School of Law to offer a concurrent JD/MBA program and with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to offer a concurrent PharmD/MBA program.
General Policies and Guidelines
Application Deadlines for Graduate Business Programs
Completed applications with all required documentation must be received by the School of Business by the following deadlines:
- Summer Semester – April 15th
- Fall Semester – July 15th
- Spring Semester – December 10th
Prospective students are encouraged to submit their online application form and other documents well in advance of stated deadlines. (See ualr.edu/mba for application information.) Students may enter the graduate certificates, evening MBA, or M.S. in BISA program in any semester. The Weekend MBA program can be entered in the fall only.
Summer course offerings for the MBA and most graduate certificates are limited. International students entering in the summer may be unable to meet the full-time status required for a student visa. Spring or Fall admission is recommended.
International Students
International students must present a score of 550 or more on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), 213 or more on the computer-based version, or 79 or more on the Internet version. Alternatively, international students may present a score of 6.5 or higher on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Advising
Students entering graduate business programs should meet with their graduate program coordinator to discuss program requirements, course sequencing, and program policies. Each semester, students must have their advising flags cleared prior to registering for the next term. To clear this advising flag, graduate students should contact their advisors. If you contact your advisor via email include your name, ID#, and a list of the courses you plan to take the next semester.
Electives
Students can count only one directed independent study course as an elective. No graduate business program currently requires a thesis for graduation. Students planning to enter a doctoral program are encouraged to enroll in an independent study course to acquire experience in academic research techniques.
While electives are generally graduate business courses, graduate business students may take up to six elective hours in other UALR graduate programs. Approval of your advisor is required for electives taken outside the COB. Foundation courses may not be taken as electives. Courses eligible for credit as electives are so designated in the course description.
Students simultaneously enrolled in the MBA and a certificate must meet the admission standards for both the MBA and certificate program.
Transfer Credits
A maximum of six hours of coursework may be transferred from other AACSB-accredited programs to satisfy the course requirements in the MBA, or M.S. in BISA. Transfer credit must be no more than five years old and must have a letter grade of B or greater. Transfer credits cannot be used to waive program requirements for the Graduate Certificate programs.
For students concurrently pursuing a Master’s in Public Service at the Clinton School of Public Service, up to six hours of coursework may be transferred from the MPS program to satisfy the electives requirement in the MBA.
Program Dismissal
A graduate business student receiving a grade of F in a graduate course will be permanently dismissed from the graduate program in which they are enrolled and will not be eligible for admission to other graduate business programs. If the F was received under extenuating circumstances, the student may appeal the dismissal to the school graduate committee within one year of receiving the failing grade.
Students receiving an F due to academic dishonesty will have no right of dismissal appeal once all levels of academic dishonesty and grade appeal processes have been exhausted.
Enrolling in Concurrent Programs
Applicants for the concurrent JD/MBA or PharmD/MBA programs must meet admission requirements for both programs. Once admitted to both programs, a student enters the joint program by filing a Declaration of Intent to Pursue a Concurrent Degree form. A student currently enrolled in one program may enter the concurrent program by obtaining admission to the other program and by filing the form referred to above. A student who has already completed one of the degrees in a concurrent program cannot enroll as a concurrent student. Concurrent enrollment in a COB Graduate Certificate program and the MBA program is permitted. Courses taken in fulfillment of the Graduate Certificate can be used as MBA electives. Concurrent MBA-Certificate students must meet the admission standards for both the MBA and certificate programs.
UAMS PharmD Early Admission
Admission Requirements
- PharmD students may apply to and be provisionally accepted to the MBA program or a graduate certificate program at any time after completing 75 or more hours of combined undergraduate and graduate coursework. However, at least 90 hours of coursework must have been completed by the time the first graduate business course is taken, and an official transcript validating attainment of a bachelor’s degree meeting University policy or higher must be received by the Graduate School for full admission to and graduation from the MBA or graduate certificate program.
- All applicants must be in good academic standing in the PharmD program.
- All applicants must complete an application for and be accepted into the MBA or graduate certificate program and the UA Little Rock Graduate School.
- All applicants must complete a Declaration of Intent to Pursue Concurrent Program - PharmD/MBA or PharmD/GC form and have it approved by the program coordinators at both the UAMS School of Pharmacy and the UA Little Rock School of Business before beginning coursework.
Program Requirements
- Students admitted under the early admissions policy will be subject to the same policies as traditionally matriculated graduate students.
- Students admitted under the early admission policy will be subject to the same curricular requirements of traditionally admitted concurrent PharmD/MBA or graduate certificate students.
Reenrolling in Graduate Business Programs
Former graduate business students, those students who have already graduated or who have become inactive, must reapply and meet current admission standards before returning for further graduate business studies. UALR COB graduates returning for a second master’s degree must complete at least 30 additional credits to receive a second degree.
Transient Students
Students admitted to the Graduate School in transient status may enroll for a maximum of six semester hours for transfer back to their original institution. To be enrolled with transient status, students must meet UALR admission standards and provide a letter of good standing from their current school.
Undergraduate Students in Graduate Business Courses
UA Little Rock seniors who are within 15 semester hours of completing baccalaureate degrees with a 3.0 GPA or higher and have a GMAT of at least 480 may enroll for a maximum of 6 semester hours of graduate business courses during their last undergraduate semester. UA Little Rock seniors who are within 15 semester hours of completing baccalaureate business degrees with a 3.25 GPA or higher or a baccalaureate non-business degree with a 3.5 GPA or higher may enroll for a maximum of 6 semester hours of graduate business courses during their last undergraduate semester. However, if these graduate business courses are applied towards undergraduate degree requirements they cannot also be counted towards graduate degree requirements.
Graduation Requirements
Students must complete all required courses and earn an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher to graduate. Students failing to earn a 3.0 GPA after completing all required courses may enroll in a maximum of six additional semester hours to attain the required 3.0 GPA. A grade below a C provides no credit toward graduation, and the course must be repeated. Students must complete an Application for Graduation early in their final term. This application is available in BOSS.
Time Limit
All degree requirements must be completed within six years of admission to the program.
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