Yes! You can take up to 6 credits as a non-degree student (try-a-class option). Find more details here .
All applicants will receive an Acknowledgement Letter via email from the Graduate Admissions Office which includes your Admissions ID and Access Code. This will enable you to keep track of application materials that have been received. Additionally, the Isenberg Graduate Programs office will be in touch about incomplete materials and next steps.
Acceptance decisions are posted in SPIRE with instructions to confirm acceptance and an electronic acceptance letter will be posted by the UMass Graduate School. The Associate Dean and your academic advisor will email you with additional information to get started.
Accepted students can defer their acceptance once, for up to one year. Contact your academic advisor to discuss further.
Prior business education is not required to be admitted into the program and may exempt you from some foundational coursework. We accept applicants from a wide range of academic fields and professional disciplines, but all are required to have:
Graduate School application and $85 application fee (waived for military)
Graduate School short essay
Official transcripts of all universities/colleges attended
Two letters of recommendation
GMAT/GRE score (waiver may apply)
TOEFL/IELTS score (for international applicants only)
The personal statement should be one to two pages in length and include information about your past and current academic and professional history, your future goals and reasons for pursuing the MBA, and other pertinent details that will help us evaluate you as a candidate.
Please take the time to answer all parts of the following question. 600 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but do not feel obligated to do so.
At UMass Amherst, no two students are alike. Our communities and groups often define us and shape our individual worlds. Community can refer to various aspects, including shared geography, religion, race/ethnicity, income, ideology, ability, sexuality, gender, and more.
Please choose one of your communities or groups and describe its significance. Explain how your experience in this community or group would enable you to enrich the following:
1. Your department/program/our campus
2. Your field/discipline
Please submit your transcripts from all colleges/universities attended, undergraduate and graduate, where nine (9) or more credits were earned. Unofficial transcripts uploaded to the Additional Materials page of your application are acceptable. Upon admittance, official transcripts will need to be submitted, either electronically or in paper format, directly by each institution's Registrar to the Graduate Student Service Center. Review After You Apply for instructions on submitting official transcripts.
Recommendations should be requested from individuals who know you on a professional level and well enough to provide specific examples and details regarding your past performance and competencies.
While a strong GMAT/GRE score enhances any application, candidates can make a case for admission without a GMAT/GRE based on professional experience and academic achievements. We provide automatic GMAT/GRE waivers for applicants who meet any of the criteria below:
School code: Isenberg-UMass Amherst – 3917
Students looking to earn a General MBA must complete a total of 39 credits (Foundation exemptions may apply). Those looking to earn an MBA with a focus area must complete 45 credits (Foundation exemptions may apply). Curriculum details can be found here .
Yes, you can choose elective courses that will help you get ahead in a particular area of business or earn a specialized degree. An academic advisor can assist you in developing a tailored concentration which would strengthen your skill set in areas of your choice. Nine elective credits establish a focus area. The focus area is only listed on your transcript, not on your diploma.
Yes, as an Online MBA student, you are welcome to take elective courses offered by another department to satisfy the elective requirements, with department approval. You are required to take at least 3 elective credits; beyond that, according to your career goals, please consult with an advisor to determine the number of elective courses you may take.
Yes. Students may work with their academic advisor to create a Specialized Business Focus, based on a cross-section of available electives.
Yes! Our Online MBA offers a MBA/MS in Business Analytics.
We follow a typical semester system – fall and spring semesters are 14 weeks. The summer semester schedule may vary and the winter session is typically 6 weeks.
The presentation of classes is through the Blackboard Learn system, utilizing an asynchronous presentation style including recorded lectures, discussion groups, readings, and exams/papers. (Please note that each class varies, and the presentation methods/materials are at the discretion of the professor). Some classes may utilize Moodle instead of Blackboard Learn.
No, there is no capstone or thesis requirement for the Online MBA. SCH-MGMT689 is recommended to be taken in your final semester as it encompasses aspects of the other core classes.
Per the university, Pass/Fail and SAT/UNSAT grading options are not available, except for elective courses as allowed by your program. Core courses are letter grade-only for Isenberg masters programs.
Congratulations on reaching your goal of completing your MBA! If you are enrolling in your last class this semester, you must complete the Degree Eligibility Form and submit it to your academic advisor.
Note: An overall 3.0 GPA (B) must be maintained in order to graduate. Once your Degree Eligibility Form has been processed by the Graduate Office, details about commencement will be both emailed and mailed to your current address (listed on SPIRE).
Yes, you will receive the same exact diploma. Whether you take the program online or in-person, it will not be specified on the diploma.
The diploma will not reveal your focus area, but the transcript will.
Diplomas are mailed out approximately 2 months after degree clearance.
Yes, students in the top 10% are inducted into Phi Kappa Phi. Typically, only those with a 4.0 will earn the Phi Kappa Phi, as our students are very competitive and driven.
YES! All eligible MBA students can participate in graduation ceremonies and receptions. You are eligible to participate in graduation ceremonies and receptions if you complete your MBA credits by May of the same year as graduation.
Official Transcripts will not be available right after you complete your coursework. You will know that your transcript is finalized when you see “Degree Conferred” at the end of your transcript. If you completed a focus, you will see it with the Degree Conferred.
Your confer date will be posted to your transcript in the weeks following your semester's confer date. Confer dates for each semester are February for fall and winter graduates, May for spring graduates, and September for summer graduates.
Your UMass email is viable up to six months after graduation. You will always have access to your SPIRE account. You’ll be able to request your official transcripts online and/or change your contact information. Do make sure your address is updated so the current year's W2’s will reach you.
Find useful information and helpful resources as an Isenberg international graduate student here.
Yes, we offer many events including networking events, discussion panels, as well as social gatherings. If you’re in the area, we welcome you to attend our events. Events may be offered both virtually and in-person.
Recommended Course: SCH-MGMT 518 - This course can count toward elective credits as part of your curriculum and is designed to help you polish essential career and professional development pieces. The idea is that, whether you are looking for a new job, aiming for a promotion, or happily working in your current position, you need certain items in your career toolkit. Those items include resumes, cover letters, elevator pitches, LinkedIn profiles, and behavioral interviewing techniques. We will use assigned readings, instructional videos, and other guidelines to establish criteria for meeting today's standards. Rubrics establish criteria for meeting expectations of each assignment and provide a framework for instructor feedback. Discussions are optional. Successful completion of the course is based on quality submission of assignments.
Average Work Experience: 11 years
Average GMAT Score: 590
Average UGPA range: 3.0 - 3.4
Yes, Online MBA applicants are required to have three years of professional work experience. Examples include positions that involve decision making responsibility: leadership, executive, managerial, supervisory, or teaching positions, and military service.