Admission Requirements

In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Graduate School, the following are required for graduate study in Business Administration.

1. A generally satisfactory undergraduate record from an accredited college or university
2. A satisfactory score on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
3. A full resume or a description of significant work experience
4. A satisfactory score on the TOEFL or iELTS examination for students whose native language is not English or that have not received a degree from a U.S. institution

GMAT/GRE Waiver

Prospective Belk College MBA students who meet certain requirements may request a GMAT/GRE waiver.  When evaluating waiver requests, the MBA Admissions Committee considers factors such as:

• Prior academic coursework and grades (specifically in quantitative coursework)
• Professional or military experience that demonstrates applied quantitative and analytical skills
• Professional certifications with a quantitative focus such as PE, CPA, CFA, FINRA, Six Sigma, etc.

Please note that no GMAT/GRE waiver is automatic, and an approved waiver application does not guarantee later acceptance into the program.

An unapproved waiver application does not mean that a candidate will be denied admission to the program.  It means that the MBA Admissions Committee is requiring the GMAT/GRE as additional information needed to evaluate an applicant’s academic readiness and quantitative competencies.

The GMAT/GRE waiver is only available to candidates who have not yet taken a standardized test or who have not had their test scores reported to UNC Charlotte.

Waiver Requirements

To be eligible for a GMAT/GRE waiver, candidates must fully satisfy the requirements for one of the following options:

Option A (Standard Waiver)

Candidates must possess at least 5 years of professional or military experience with increasing levels of responsibility (significant leadership experience is a plus), a cumulative undergraduate from an accredited program and, if relevant, institution*, and/or at least nine hours of earned graduate credit with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Option B (Quantitative Coursework Waiver)

Candidates must possess at least 5 years of professional or military experience with increasing levels of responsibility (significant leadership experience is a plus), and be able to demonstrate preparedness in quantitatively-oriented coursework (must have at least a 3.0 GPA in courses in the areas of Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Managerial Accounting, Financial Accounting, Statistics, and Calculus).

Candidates who meet the experience requirement, but do not have enough (or any) quantitative coursework to have their quantitative competencies assessed, must complete MBAMath.com or other approved online providers with scores of 80% in each required module among the 5 areas (economics, finance, accounting, statistics and spreadsheets).

Option C (Exemplary Professional or Military Experience Waiver)

Candidates must possess at least 10 years of professional or military experience with increasing levels of responsibility. The candidate’s experience should demonstrate leadership, problem solving ability, and analytical thinking.

Option D (Doctoral Degree Waiver)

Candidates who possess a doctoral degree (J.D., M.D., Ph.D., etc.) with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA from an accredited institution*, will automatically have their GMAT/GRE requirement waived.

*AACSB accreditation for business programs; LCME or COCA for medical programs; ABA for law programs; ABET for engineering, computer science, and information systems programs; others on a case-by-case basis.

Applying For A GMAT/GRE Waiver

To apply for the GMAT/GRE waiver, candidates will need to complete a two part application process:

1. Complete the form at belkgrad.force.com/GMATWaiver
2. Once the information has been submitted, the Admissions team will review it and email the candidate with a link to provide and upload:
   • Copies of all academic transcripts
   • Current and complete resume or CV
   • 1-2 page letter to the Graduate Program Director of the MBA program requesting the GMAT/GRE waiver and providing strong evidence to support the consideration of the waiver
   • Information about their managerial/leadership positions

Degree Requirements

The MBA degree program consists of 36 graduate credit hours, including a Core component and a Concentration/Elective component.  Up to 6 credit hours of coursework may be transferred from an AACSB-accredited institution or equivalent, based on a recommendation of the relevant academic department, approval of the Director of the MBA program, and approval of the Graduate School.  Necessary preparatory work is determined during the admissions process, and prerequisite courses to meet the specific need are available.  All students in the program must meet the Graduate School’s requirements for a Master’s Degree.

Degree Total = 36 Credit Hours

Dual Master’s Degree Program

MBA candidates interested in combining their business degree with another graduate degree may pursue this option by applying to and being accepted by each program separately. Students must formally propose their dual degree intentions with The Graduate School. A significant time savings may be yielded as a result of the synergy between combined programs. Popular dual degree options for MBA candidates include the Master of Health Administration , Master of Public Administration , Master of Accountancy , Master of Urban Design , and Master of Architecture .

Application for Degree

Each student should make application for his/her degree by completing the online Application for Degree through Banner Self Service no later than the filing date specified in the University Academic Calendar.

Assistantships

A limited number of assistantships are available each year. In order to be competitive, applications should be submitted by March 15. Additional information is available in the MBA office and the Graduate School website.

Advising

Academic Advising is provided by Associate Director of Graduate Student Services and the Director of the MBA Program.

Transfer Credit

Up to six hours of appropriate graduate credit may be accepted for transfer from another AACSB-accredited (or equivalent) MBA program. Only courses where grades of B or above have been earned will be considered. Approval of the Director of the MBA Program and the Graduate School is also required.  All other Graduate School policies regarding transfer credit apply.

Program Certifications/Accreditation

The MBA Program and all degree and certificate programs offered by the College of Business  are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB-International).