The Graduate School of Business
OBJECTIVES The Graduate School of Business has as its objective the advancement and dissemination of knowledge in the business and organizational disciplines through scholarly research and excellence in its graduate management education programs. Anyone who wishes to earn graduate-level credit, whether as a degree-seeking student or as a non-degree seeking student, must make formal application to, and be officially admitted by the Graduate School of Business. The Graduate School of Business offers two classifications of admission: Degree Standing and Non-Degree Standing.
Application. Applications for admission to the Graduate School of Business must be accompanied by a $40.00 application fee ($50.00 for international applicants), which is not refundable and will not apply against the general registration fee if the applicant enrolls. Applicants will not be considered for admission until all required application materials have been received by the Graduate School of Business. Applicants who are seeking a graduate degree must submit the following:
The application form may be obtained on the Web at: http//www.uark.edu/depts./badm/, or the application packet may be obtained from and should be submitted directly to: GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS 475 Business Administration Building University of Arkansas Transcripts. For applicants who desire DEGREE standing: It is the responsibility of each applicant who desires full graduate standing to request EACH college or university that the student has previously attended to send directly to the Graduate School of Business one official copy of the student's academic record including all courses, grades, and credits attempted and indication of degree(s) earned. (Note: The fact that courses completed at one institution may be included on a transcript from another institution will not suffice; official transcripts must be received from each institution previously attended.) All transcripts become the property of the Graduate School of Business and will not be released to the applicant or to any other person, institution or agency. All application materials, including all official transcripts, should be received by the Graduate School of Business by the published application deadline for the program for which the student is applying. Previously Enrolled or Currently Enrolled at University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. For those previously enrolled or currently enrolled at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, the Graduate School of Business obtains transcripts from the Registrar's Office. For a graduate of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (baccalaureate degree), the only transcripts are those from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and those from each institution attended after completing the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, degree. Anyone who was previously enrolled, but who is not currently enrolled in the University of Arkansas Graduate School of Business, is considered a "readmission" and is required only to submit an Application for Admission (no fee) and official transcripts from institutions attended after the University of Arkansas Graduate School of Business enrollment. (See Admission Classification: Readmission.) Deferred Admission. Admission to the Graduate School of Business is for a specific semester only. Applicants who wish to change their date of entry after submitting an application must notify the Graduate School of Business Office. Applicants who have already been admitted but who would like to change their date of entry must request to have their admission deferred. Admission may be deferred for up to one academic year at the discretion of the Director of the masters program to which the student has been admitted. Application materials for applicants who apply for admission, but who do not subsequently enroll, will be retained by the Graduate School of Business Office for two calendar years from the date of the applicant's original proposed semester of entry. How-ever, applicants must file a new Application for Admission (no fee) to notify the Graduate School of Business of their request for reconsideration. Applicants who are admitted, but who do not enroll for two years or more after admission must resubmit the entire application packet and follow procedures for initial admission. Admission to Degree Standing. Official notice of the decision concerning admission will be sent from the Graduate School of Business for admission to the Master of Business Administration, Master of Accountancy, Master of Arts in Economics, Master of Information Systems, and the Master of Transportation and Logistics Management programs. Advisor. At the time of admission to a degree program in the Graduate School of Business, the student is assigned to a major advisor who acts as the advisor throughout the student's program of study. The appointment of the advisor is made in the student's major department. International and Resident Alien Applicants. International applicants and resident aliens must submit a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 213 on the computer-based version of the TOEFL taken within the preceding two years, unless their native language is English, they have received a graduate degree from an accredited U.S. graduate school, or they have demonstrated an acceptable level of language proficiency as defined in the Graduate School Handbook located on the Graduate School website. Applicants to the Master of Information Systems degree who are also applying for a graduate assistantship must submit official scores for the Test of Spoken English (TSE). International applicants and resident alien applicants should refer to page 18 of the Graduate School Catalog for additional information related to their application. Classifications of Admission The Graduate School of Business admits students as either degree-seeking or as non-degree-seeking for a single semester. Degree-seeking students are simultaneously admitted to the Graduate School of Business and to the degree program in which they are seeking a degree. Each master's degree program in the Walton College has its own minimum admissions criteria. Meeting the minimum criteria listed below does not imply that admission will be granted. The minimum requirements for admission to the Graduate School of Business and master's degree programs leading to a graduate degree are: Degree-Seeking/Regular Standing a. a grade-point average of 2.70 or better (A=4.00) on all course work taken prior to receipt of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and an acceptable GMAT or GRE score. b. a grade-point average of 3.20 or better on the last 60 hours of course work taken prior to the receipt of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education and an acceptable GMAT or GRE score. Degree-Seeking/Conditional Standing c. a grade-point average between 2.50 and 2.69 on all course work taken prior to receipt of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, acceptable GMAT or GRE score, and approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, on condition that the student makes a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 or better on the first 12 hours of graduate-level course work in the degree program and meets any other conditions that may be specified by the faculty of the department or program. Any other consideration for regular admission must be by individual petition to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and, where pertinent, a recommendation from the appropriate departmental chair will be considered on its own merits, case by case. Non-Degree Seeking, Single Semester Applicants who desire non-degree standing must complete the Non-Degree Seeking Application and must sign the STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING portion of the form. Students admitted to a single semester NON-DEGREE standing must understand that any enrollment taken in this classification will not normally carry degree credit. Transcripts are not required for applicants seeking this single semester NON-DEGREE standing. Persons who are admitted as non-degree seeking and who subsequently decide to pursue a degree must apply for and be admitted into a master's degree program by the appropriate admissions committee of the Graduate School of Business. A non-degree seeking student may take no more than six semester hours of graduate-level courses that can be counted toward the requirements for a graduate degree. At the time of acceptance into a degree program, the director of the appropriate master's degree program will recommend to the Graduate School of Business which courses previously taken, if any, are to be accepted in the degree program. Letter of Good Standing. A graduate student who is in good standing at another regionally accredited institution in the United States may be given admission (non-degree status) to the Graduate School of Business for one semester upon submission of an Application for Admission and a letter of good standing from the dean of the Graduate School at that institution. If at some time in the future the student should wish to pursue a degree in the Graduate School of Business or in the University of Arkansas Graduate School, it will be necessary to follow the normal procedures for admission and to have official transcripts sent from each institution previously attended. Graduate courses transferred and used for requirements for a degree at another university cannot be used for a graduate degree at this institution. Readmission. Readmission to the Graduate School of Business is not automatic. a) A student who has not been enrolled during the preceding semester (fall or spring), and who has not attended any other institution of higher education during his or her absence must submit to the Graduate School of Business a Readmission Form. b) A student who has not been enrolled during the previous semester (fall or spring) and who has attended any other institution of higher education during that semester must submit a new application form (no fee) to the Graduate School of Business along with an official transcript from the institution attended. c) A student who has not been enrolled for more than one semester, whether or not he or she has attended another institution of higher education, must submit a new application for admission (no fee). At the time of readmission, the appropriate admissions committee will determine whether to readmit the student and which classes taken during previous enrollments at the Graduate School of Business will be counted toward graduation. Transfer of Credit. The Graduate School of Business will allow transfer of credit of a maximum of six credit hours under the following circumstances: 1) The hours were earned at an AACSB accredited school, and 2) The student earned an "A" or "B" in the courses requested for transfer credit, and 3) The master's program coordinator approves the courses for credit toward a master's degree. REGISTRATION AND RELATED TOPICS Important information regarding registration for classes, withdrawal, attendance and related issues can be found on page 20. The Graduate School of Business adheres to the guidelines as set forth in the Graduate Catalog with the exception of full-time status noted below. Full-Time Status. Enrollment in 9 semester hours (not including audited courses) is considered full-time for graduate students unless otherwise specified by individual degree programs. For full-time enrollment in the summer, consult the Graduate School Handbook, available on the Graduate School website, http://www.uark.edu/depts/gradinfo. GRADES AND MARKS The Graduate School of Business uses the same grading and marking system as the Graduate School. For additional information regarding grades and marks, please see page 20. Students may be dropped from further study in the Graduate School of Business if at any time their performance is considered unsatisfactory as determined by either the program faculty or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the Walton College of Business Administration. Academic dishonesty and failure to maintain a specified cumulative grade point average are considered to be unsatisfactory performance. The Graduate School of Business subscribes to and enforces the academic honesty policy of the University of Arkansas (see page 17 of the Graduate School Catalog). For students enrolled in the Master of Accountancy, Master of Arts in Economics, Master of Information Systems, or the Master of Transportation and Logistics Management degree programs, the following academic standards apply: If a student has less than a 2.85 cumulative grade point average on 12 or more semester hours of graded course work taken in residence for graduate credit, the student will be placed on academic probation. The student will subsequently be dismissed from the Graduate School of Business if the cumulative GPA is not raised to 2.85 or above on the next nine hours of graded graduate course work. Using its own written procedures, the graduate faculty of each master's degree program may recommend that the student be readmitted to the Graduate School of Business. The graduate faculty of the master's degree programs may establish and state in writing the requirements for continuation in that program. Non-degree seeking students who are dismissed may petition for readmission to the Graduate School of Business by submitting a written appeal to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. A cumulative grade point average of 3.00 is required to be eligible for graduation. In addition, at least 75 percent of the graduate credit hours submitted for a degree must be "A" or "B" grades. Students may take up to an additional six credit-hours of graduate coursework in an effort to raise the cumulative grade-point average to 3.00. Students who repeat a course in order to raise their grade must count the repetition toward the maximum of six additional hours. All requirements for a master's degree must be completed within six calendar years. MBA Program Academic Dismissal For students enrolled in the Master of Business Administration program, the following academic standards apply. Grade Policies 1. An MBA student must have a 3.00 grade point average on all courses taken in the thirty-eight hour program to be eligible for graduation. Classes taken either in residence or administered from the Fayetteville campus will be used to calculate a student's grade point average. 2. At least 75 percent of the credit hours from all courses taken in the MBA program, either in residence or administered from the Fayetteville campus, must be an "A" or a "B" prior to graduation. A student may take up to six additional credit hours (up to forty-four hours total) to meet the 75 percent rule. 3. "D" and "F" grades will not apply toward satisfying course requirements for graduation, but will be included in grade point calculations. Probation and Dismissal Policies 1. Any MBA student who does not make a "C" or better in each area (financial and economic analysis, information systems, management, marketing, and quantitative analysis) of the Foundations module will be dismissed from the program. There is no probationary period after the Foundations module. 2. A student with the following grade point averages will be placed on probation:
3. To be removed from probationary status, a student must have earned a 3.0 grade point average on all coursework taken in the MBA program. 4. Students on probation who do not raise their grade point averages to the following levels will be dismissed from the program:
5. Students whose grade point average falls below 2.85 are not eligible to remain on an assistantship. ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENT FOR GRADUATION Application for graduation must be completed in the Graduate Dean's office, filed with the Registrar and fees paid for the semester in which degree requirements will be completed and graduation effected. If a student fails to complete the degree, the student must then renew the application and pay a renewal fee. RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS The Graduate School of Business adheres to the residency requirements established by the Graduate School as described on page 22. DEGREES OFFERED The faculty of the Graduate School, under the authorization of the Board of Trustees, grants the following degrees offered by the Graduate School of Business. The graduate faculty, as represented by the Dean of the Graduate School and through the Graduate Council, has primary responsibility for the development, operating policies, administration and quality of these programs. Operating through the Graduate Dean, the faculty appoints committees which directly supervise the student's program of study and committees which monitor research activities and approve theses and dissertations.
Business Administration Concentration Areas:
MBA/JD Program For students interested in obtaining both the MBA and JD (law) degrees, the MBA/JD dual degree program is available. This program allows the student to receive both the MBA degree and the JD degree. The program requires separate application and admission to both the School of Law and the Graduate School of Business and the MBA degree program. Students participating in the MBA/JD program must file a degree plan for both degrees and obtain approval prior to taking elective courses to be used for reciprocal credit. Interested students should obtain bulletins and applications from both the School of Law and the Graduate School of Business. See pages 26-27 for general information regarding the declaration of intent, residence requirements, candidacy examinations, dissertation requirements, and final examinations. Application Applicants for the Ph.D. program in Business Administration or the Ph.D. program in Economics must submit an application for admission, official transcripts from each college or university attended, a statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation, the assistantship application and a current resume. All documents must be submitted by March 1 for consideration for fall. Applicants for the Ph.D. program in Business Administration must submit a satisfactory GMAT score. Applicants to the Ph.D. program in Economics must submit a satisfactory GRE score. International applicants must also submit the summary of educational experience form, and a supplemental and financial information form (required for the I-20 visa). The TOEFL is required of all international applicants (minimum 550 paper-based test or 213 computer-based test). Doctoral applicants must also present a minimum score of 50 on the Test of Spoken English (TSE). The application packet should be submitted to: Graduate School of Business BADM 475 University of Arkansas Ph.D. Business Administration The Ph.D. in Business Administration is designed primarily to prepare individuals for teaching, research, service, and collegial roles in academic and research institutions. The degree program provides (a) an exposure to the functional areas of business, (b) intensive study of the relevant body of knowledge in a concentration, and (c) skills and tools to conduct research in that area. Through an agreement with the Academic Common Market, residents of certain southern states may qualify for graduate enrollment in this Ph.D. degree program (with emphasis in accounting) as in-state students for fee purposes. See page 163 for details. Prerequisites to Degree Program
Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree The program consists of the following:
Ph. D. Economics Prerequisites to Degree Program: Students may first earn a master's degree and then enter the doctoral program, or students may enter the doctoral program immediately upon completion of the bachelor's degree. The requirements for this program include (1) intermediate theory, (2) 2 semesters of calculus, (3) basic statistics, and (4) linear algebra. Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree: The doctoral program consists of 1. Core requirements 2. Fields of specialized study 3. Electives 4. Comprehensive Examination 5. Dissertation. Core Requirements: All doctoral candidates must satisfactorily complete the following 27 semester hours of core requirements, which include courses in economic theory, history of economic thought, mathematical economics, econometrics, and statistics. In addition, they must register for the graduate seminar each semester they are in residence. 1. Economics (12 hours) ECON 5563 History of Economic Thought ECON 6243 Macroeconomic Theory II ECON 6233 Microeconomic Theory II ECON 643V Seminar in Economic Theory and Research I 2. Quantitative Methods (15 hours) STAT 3013 Introduction to Probability and Statistics ECON 5613 Econometrics I ECON 5623 Econometrics II ECON 644V Seminar in Economic Theory and Research II Seminars: Doctoral students are required to register for ECON 643V or 644V each semester they are in residence. Normally they will register for one hour of credit. However, at one point in their program, usually the last year of course work, they must register for three hours of credit. Fields of Specialized Study: The student must select two fields of specialization, one of which may be complementary to economics (e.g., finance or statistics). Complementary fields must be approved by the Economics Department Head. Field requirements are satisfied by successfully completing course work (usually 6 to 9 hours) and passing the comprehensive examination. In some cases course work may be satisfied by independent study under supervision of a member of the faculty. Special Comment on Course Requirements The foregoing requirements are for students who enter the doctoral program directly from undergraduate school. Students whose qualifications exceed the baccalaureate will be evaluated individually in accordance with standards established by the Graduate School and the Walton College of Business Administration. Students who have earned a master's degree in economics at the University of Arkansas or elsewhere will probably have substantially shorter programs. However, there is a minimum requirement of 24 hours of course work (5000-level and above) beyond that required for a master's degree. Doctoral candidates must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.25 on all graduate course work. Dissertation The dissertation represents a demonstration of a candidate's ability to select, define, organize, and complete a major research project. It should demonstrate that the student has technical mastery of the field, is capable of doing independent scholarly research, and is able to formulate conclusions which enlarge the body of economic knowledge. Dissertation requirements include (1) a defense of proposal, and (2) presentation of an acceptable doctoral dissertation. Examinations for the Doctor of Philosophy Qualifying Examination A student must pass a written qualifying examination on material included in the core area (excluding ECON 643V and ECON 644V). This will be done as early in a student's program as possible. Comprehensive Examination A student becomes eligible to take comprehensive examinations after completing all required course work. He or she must pass written examinations in economic theory, quantitative methods, and in the two areas of specialization. An oral examination will be administered after the written examinations have been successfully completed. The oral examination may be waived upon recommendation of the faculty who grades the written examinations. Candidates who fail any or all parts of the comprehensive on the first attempt will normally be allowed a second attempt. A failure on the second attempt may result in the student being required to engage in additional course work before being allowed a third attempt, or in the student being terminated from the program. Final Examination The final examination is normally an oral defense of the student's dissertation. [Jump back to the top of this page][Go
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