UW-Parkside: Business Department - MBA - Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What questions should I ask?
Why UW-Parkside?
What Should I Expect From a UW-Parkside MBA?
Where is UW-Parkside?
How long will it take? How Do I Fit This Into My Life?
What classes will I be taking?
How much will it cost?
How do I apply?
Do I qualify for the GMAT waiver?
What is the Admissions Criteria?
Who do I contact for more information?

What questions should I ask?

When deciding where to get your MBA, make sure you consider the following:

Location (How far will I have to travel? How hard is it to find parking?)
Scheduling (How am I going to fit this into my already busy life?)
Programs (How long will it take to earn the degree? Will I find classes that interest me?)
Accreditation (Is the program accredited by AACSB?)
Faculty (Who will be instructing me, full-time faculty or part-time adjuncts? How easy will it be to contact my professor?)
Cost (How much is tuition?)

Why UW-Parkside?

Close to home, the MBA program at UW-Parkside provides the opportunity for you to get an excellent education. Accreditation of the program by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) confirms the quality of a UW-Parkside MBA. AACSB accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. Institutions that earn accreditation confirm their commitment to quality and continuous improvement through a rigorous and comprehensive peer review. AACSB accreditation demands a superior faculty, supporting high-caliber teaching and meaningful interaction between students and faculty. Less than one-third of U.S. business schools and only 15% of business schools worldwide meet the rigorous standards of AACSB accreditation.

What Should I Expect From a UW-Parkside MBA?

The MBA program offered by the School of Business and Technology educates students in general management competencies and prepares candidates for successful careers in administrative and policy-making positions. Students graduate with an education that enhances the knowledge, abilities and skills necessary to assume administrative responsibilities creatively and effectively. The program presumes that a manager must know how to obtain and evaluate relevant information; approach tasks logically, systematically and in teams; analyze problems; arrive at reasonable generalizations; and act to achieve concrete results. The specific focus of the program is to provide an emphasis on broad concepts and analytical tools. The program prepares business professionals who will lead their organizations into the future. Curriculum also includes examination of the impact of both domestic and global environments on a firm’s operation.

UW-Parkside MBA courses are typically taught by full-time faculty with Ph.D. degrees in their areas of expertise from universities like Wisconsin-Madison, Northwestern, Iowa State, Indiana, Illinois, DePaul, and Southern California. You will also learn from your classmates and the wealth of experience they bring to the classroom from their jobs with companies like Abbott Laboratories, CNH, DaimlerChrysler, GE Healthcare, Hospira, Jockey, Johnson Diversey, Johnson Financial, Kohler Co., Modine Manufacturing, SC Johnson, Snap On Tools, Uline, United Hospital System, and Walgreens.

Where is UW-Parkside?

UW-Parkside is conveniently located between the cities of Racine and Kenosha, with easy access from Interstate 94 and Highways 31 (Green Bay Road) and 32 (Sheridan Road). The 700 acre campus is adjacent to Petrifying Springs State Park and only one mile from the Lake Michigan shoreline.

How Long Will It Take? How Do I Fit This Into My Life?

The UW-Parkside MBA focuses on the needs of mature students who have the educational background, experience, and degree of intellectual curiosity essential to graduate-level study. The program is typically completed in one and a half to four years. Matriculating undergraduate coursework to waive some foundation requirements helps decrease the length of the program. To accommodate adults who are employed, MBA courses are offered in the evenings, in an eight-week format, and occasionally on weekends during the academic year and summer. Online instruction is also available to UW-Parkside students through the University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium. Courses are taught by faculty from member universities: UW-Parkside, UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, and UW-Oshkosh, all of which are AACSB accredited.

What classes will I be taking?

The UW-Parkside MBA program is structured in three components: foundations, required core courses, and electives. The foundations include demonstrated knowledge in fundamentals (through examination or course work). Eight required courses make up the core of the MBA program. The elective courses are offered on a rotating basis, and each student’s program must include a minimum of 16 credits of electives.

Foundation Courses:

All MBA students must have or obtain knowledge of fundamentals in the following areas: accounting, economics, organizational behavior, computers, mathematics, operations management, finance, marketing, and legal environment. Foundation requirements may be fulfilled in any of the following ways:

Complete as part of undergraduate degree
Complete the undergraduate equivalent at UW-Parkside
Complete at another college or university
Complete at the graduate level via online courses through UW-Parkside

Students waived out of a foundation course are not required to take a course in its place.

Graduate Foundation Course		UWP Undergraduate Course

College Algebra		MATH 112 (4 cr)
MBA 701	Accounting (2 cr)	ACCT 201 (3 cr)
MBA 711	Statistics (2 cr)	QM 210 (3 cr)
MBA 714	Intro. Production/Operations Management (2 cr)	QM 319 (3 cr)
MBA 722	Systems Concepts (2 cr)	MIS 320 (3 cr)
MBA 731	Managerial Finance (2 cr)	FIN 330 (3 cr)
MBA 740	Organizational Behavior (2 cr)	MGT 349 (3 cr)
MBA 751	Marketing Principles (2 cr)	MKT 350 (3 cr)
ECON 761	Economics (2 cr)	ECON 120 (3 cr) and
		ECON 121 (3 cr)

Required Graduate Courses (16 Credits):

These courses offer a variety of learning opportunities such as group projects and real-life case studies. They also give the student many opportunities to develop their presentation skills.

Required Graduate Course		Credits	Semester Offered

MBA 702	Managerial Accounting	2 cr	Spring
MBA 712	Quantitative Methods	2 cr	Fall
MBA 715	Production/Operations Management	2 cr	Spring
MBA 716	Project Management	2 cr	Fall
MBA 732	Corporate Financial Management	2 cr	Fall
MBA 741	Organizational Theory	2 cr	Spring
MBA 752	Marketing Management	2 cr	Fall
MBA 796	Advanced Strategic Management	2 cr	Spring

Elective Courses (16 credits):

Elective courses cover a wide variety of topics such as: Cash Management, Investments, Security Analysis, Shareholder Value Management, Futures and Options, Value-Based Management, Strategic Human Resource Management, Staffing Organizations, Improving Employee Performance, Training and Development, Employment Law, Emotional Intelligence, Crisis Management, International Business, International Marketing, Electronic Commerce, Business Process Improvement, Business-to-Business Marketing, Decision Analysis

How much will it cost?

To Apply:

$56 non-refundable application fee

To Take the GMAT:

$250. In certain circumstances, however, waivers may be granted. For example, an applicant with an overall undergraduate gpa of 3.2 and strong quantitative skills is likely to be exempted from this requirement. Also individuals already holding graduate degrees or professional certifications like the CPA may be eligible.

To Park On Campus:

The cost of a student commuter annual permit is $115.00 and the cost of a student commuter semester permit is $60.00. Permits may be purchased online here. Day passes are also available for $1 per day; these are purchased from the Campus Safety office for parking on specific dates only (e.g., only the days your classes meet). Ample parking is available on campus for evening classes.

Tuition for On-Campus Courses

Fall 2008 Fee Schedule.
Additional information available at Fee Facts.

Tuition for Online Courses

Fall 2008 tuition for University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium classes is $575 for foundation courses and $600 per credit hour for advanced courses. Foundation courses are typically 2 credits, advanced courses 1.5 credits.

Please also see Fall 2008 Fee Schedule.

How do I Apply?

The online application process is outlined in detail, and all required forms are available, on the web: http://www.uwp.edu/departments/business/MBA/admission.cfm To summarize, you will need to supply the following:

application form & fee
transcripts
GMAT score
letters of recommendation
resume

Application deadlines: for Fall admission, August 1; for Spring admission, December 15; for Summer admission, April 15. International students have additional requirements which are detailed on the web site.

Do I qualify for the GMAT waiver?

The GMAT requirement may be waived under one or more of the following circumstances:

The applicant has a cumulative undergraduate GPA >= 3.2 and evidence of quantitative skills.
The applicant has completed an advanced degree (master’s level or higher).
The applicant has a cumulative undergraduate GPA >= 2.75 (or 2.90 in the last 60 credits) and has fulfilled at least 7 of the MBA foundation requirements with a GPA in those courses >= 3.2.
The applicant has a cumulative undergraduate GPA >= 2.75 (or 2.90 in the last 60 credits) and has a qualifying professional certification. Some examples are:

Certified Financial Analyst (CFA)
Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Project Management Professional (PMP)

A written request for a waiver will be evaluated by the MBA Admissions Committee. This written request must accompany the application packet. Letters of recommendation, work history, evidence of quantitative skills, and professional certifications will be used by the committee in order to make the decision.

Additional Information:

Undergraduate and graduate degrees considered above are assumed to be from regionally accredited institutions.
Evidence of quantitative skills means satisfactory performance in at least one course each in algebra and statistics as determined by the MBA Admissions Committee.
Vendor or technical certifications (e.g., CISCO, Microsoft, A+) do not qualify. Certifications must be highly regarded and related to business management. Each discipline can indicate certifications that may be included.
Meeting one or more of the criteria does not automatically result in a waiver. The MBA Admissions Committee will look at all materials before approving any waiver.

Still need to take the GMAT? For information on the GMAT or to schedule an exam time please visit http://www.mba.com/mba/TaketheGMAT

Have your official score report sent directly to UW-Parkside (School Code C7N-5Q-32).

What is the Admissions Criteria?

Students will be admitted to the UW-Parkside MBA program if they meet one of the following criteria:

GMAT score + [200*undergraduate gpa] >= 1000
GMAT score + [200*last half of undergraduate gpa] >= 1000

The MBA Admissions Committee will evaluate applications not meeting either of these criteria, considering all materials submitted for admissions by the applicant.

Who do I contact for more information?

Dirk Baldwin, Ph.D., Associate Dean and Director, UW-Parkside MBA Program: Contact, (262) 595-2046
Debbie Dawdy, Academic Department Associate: Contact, (262) 595-2280