Online MBA Frequently Asked Questions

Fall Start

Priority: June 1

Final: July 15

Spring Start

Priority: October 1

Final: November 15

Summer Start

Priority: February 1

Final: March 15

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:

• A minimum of three years professional working experience.
• A bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from a regionally accredited college or university.

Graduate School application and $85 application fee (waived for military)

Personal statement

Resume/CV 

Official transcripts of all universities/colleges attended

Two letters of recommendation

GMAT/GRE score (waiver may apply)

TOEFL/IELTS score (for international applicants only)

A personal essay 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 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.

Note: For international graduates, notarized and true attested copies of original academic documents are accepted. Evaluations may be required. Please contact our office for details. 

If the official transcripts and/or degree certificate(s) are not in English, our program requires an official English translation and/or an official credential evaluation from a NACES member in order to evaluate coursework and GPA in the admissions process. Notarized and true attested copies of original academic documents are accepted.

A transcript evaluation may be requested in order to determine GPA/grade equivalency. Please contact grad@isenberg.umass.edu for more information.

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:  

• Doctorate Degree: JD, PhD, PharmD, MD/DO, or international medical graduate with an ECFMG or Fifth Pathway.
• 10 years of professional work experience.
• 3 years of professional work experience with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Visit the Online MBA GMAT/GRE Waiver Policy page for more information.

Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate their English proficiency by submitting scores from a standardized English Language Proficiency Test. This is not required of U.S. citizens or non-U.S. citizens who hold U.S. Permanent Resident Status. For admission into the online MBA program, the minimum combined TOEFL score is 100; the minimum IELTS Academic combined score is 7; the minimum Duolingo English Test overall score is 120; and the minimum PTE Academic overall score is 68. Please note, when reviewing an application, the UMass Graduate School does not super score language tests (e.g. we do not accept the ETS MyBest Score set). Please consult the international applicants page for more details.

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.

Focus Areas Available:
Business Analytics
Entrepreneurship
Finance 
Healthcare Administration
Marketing
Sport Management

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 while students in the top 20% are inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma. Typically, only those with a 4.0 will earn the Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Gamma Sigma, 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. 

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.

Isenberg Resources:

• IConnect (tools, tips, tricks, recruitment, events, connections, etc.)
• Isenberg Alumni LinkedIn Group (Join at student level)
• Isenberg MBA Network

UMass Resources:

• Connect UMass
• UMass Handshake (UMass Amherst wide resource to connect with recruiters and view job openings)
• UMass Alumni Association (Students can request an Alumni ID using first time registration access as an accepted student) 

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.

Residency is not a part of the requirement as the Online MBA is 100% online and can be done from anywhere in the world.

No, many current students do not have previous coursework in business.

You must earn a degree from a 4-year institution or education that is equivalent to a 4-year degree (in some cases a course-by-course evaluation of academic history may be required). Please use the WES Degree Equivalency Tool to determine if an international student’s degree is equivalent to a 4-year US degree.

No, you must have completed a bachelor’s degree from a 4-year institution to enroll in MBA courses.

You need to activate your Student IT Account to get access to SPIRE, UMass Email, and Online library resources.

All students can use the Browse Courses tool to review Isenberg course offerings. To register, login to SPIRE and click on Main Menu > Enrollment > Add Classes. Online courses will be designated as “UWW”.

To enroll in a winter class, you must activate your Enrollment Appointment in SPIRE.

Log into SPIRE and request a UWW Enrollment Appointment by navigating to Main Menu > Enrollment > Summer/Wtr/Non-deg Enroll Appt. This appointment represents the time period during which you will be able to enroll in UWW classes via SPIRE.

To access your online class for the first time, use your UMass login credentials to sign-in to  Blackboard Learn or Moodle.

Yes! The University uses two Online Learning Management Systems: Blackboard Learn (BBL) and Moodle. Moodle courses are open to view a day before the semester starts and Blackboard courses are available a week prior. This is a great opportunity to introduce yourself and start to learn the navigation before having to learn the course content.

You can find out what course materials will be required by looking at the course notes and/or course syllabus all available in SPIRE.

If you are unable to take a class in a Fall or Spring semester, you will need to register for continuous enrollment. Contact your advisor for more details.

·  Spring and Fall are mandatory semesters. To avoid being withdrawn from the program please contact your advisor to discuss options of taking a one credit course or going on Continuous Enrollment with a fee of *$285 per fall and spring semester.

*subject to change

If you do not enroll in a minimum of one course in the spring and fall semesters by the add/drop deadline OR do not apply for continuous enrollment, you will be withdrawn from the University for “failure to enroll.” Should this happen and you wish to be readmitted, you must contact the Graduate Programs Office, pay the program fees and a readmit fee. Readmission is not guaranteed.

Boston
The University of Massachusetts Club
1 Beacon Street
32nd Floor
Boston, MA 02108

For venue information, click here.

Shrewsbury
UMass Collaborative Facilities
333 South Street
Shrewsbury, MA 01545

For venue information, click here.

Satellite locations offer core courses on a rotating two-year schedule in Fall and Spring semesters only. Many satellite courses meet five or six times in-person with online learning in between sessions.

To see the forecast of what courses offered, please visit our Academics page for more information about curriculum, or find a 2-year course forecast for each satellite location here.

In-person classes in Shrewsbury typically start at 6:30 p.m. and end at 9:30 p.m., while Boston classes typically run one hour earlier from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

International students may be eligible to take in-person classes. Please confirm that your immigration status allows in-person academic study. 

Graduate courses, taken within three years of admission into the program and with a grade of B or better, and that were not used to satisfy another degree, are eligible for transfer. You can transfer up to 6 credits from another accredited university toward your Isenberg MBA. Courses and their respective credits that transfer will reduce the number of credits required to complete your Isenberg MBA degree. 

You can also waive up to 6 credits of the core curriculum. Waivers do not reduce the number of credits; it simply allows you to replace a core class with an elective. 

For courses to be considered for transfers or waivers, please send us a course description and a syllabus for each course. Please be specific about which Isenberg course you are requesting to have reviewed. If approved, you will need to have your official transcript sent with the courses listed to gradadm@grad.umass.edu.

If you have taken prior courses in accounting and/or finance from an accredited university, you may be exempt from taking the Foundation of Accounting and/or Foundation of Finance courses. Based on the review of your application for admission, the committee will determine which exemptions apply to you. Examples of undergraduate course titles include: Intro to Accounting, Intro to Finance, Corporate Finance.

You will be exempt from the foundation course in accounting. In addition, Certified Public Accountants and those who have a previous degree in accounting will be waived from the MBA core course, Financial and Managerial Accounting. As part of your application for admission, please include a copy of your CPA Certification or your official transcript for the accounting degree.

Visit the American Council in Education (ACE) website to determine whether your military training courses qualify for credit. Once you determine which courses qualify, send an email to grad@isenberg.umass.edu or your academic advisor.

The Graduate Programs Office will contact you to let you know which course(s) has been approved for transfer or waiver.

No, the performance in your non-degree courses is not reviewed as part of your admissions process.

Yes, only 6 credits of non-degree courses are eligible for transfer into the MBA program. A grade of “B” or better is required for transfer.

Individuals interested in taking non-degree courses must first complete the non-degree student enrollment application. Please follow this link for the instructions.

To register for courses as a non-degree student, you must make an enrollment appointment. Please follow this link for the instructions.

Non-degree registration typically opens two weeks after registration opens for our matriculated students. Please connect with a staff member for course recommendations with open seats: grad@isenberg.umass.edu

Please refer to the Academic Calendar to see the last day of registration, as well as the first and last day of classes of each semester.

Yes, you can take two courses as the maximum credit load allowed is 4 credits.

Yes, tuition is the same for online courses regardless of state or even country residency.

You will be billed directly by the University Bursar's Office. Billing information will be sent to your UMass email account. Paper bills will not be generated. The bill can be viewed within SPIRE and paid directly online, or it can be downloaded and mailed with a check. If your employer is paying for your tuition, you may also use agency or corporate billing. Bills are generally posted on the 15th of the month. Any questions related to your bill should be directed to the Bursar’s Office.

We do not require any deposit payment for the Online MBA.

Online MBA students may be eligible for student loans. Please refer to the Financial Aid website for more information.

Online students are not eligible for graduate assistantships. Additionally, no scholarships or merit-based aid are available through the Online MBA program. 

For specific partnership benefits, please reference your individual educational partnership page.

You will need to complete and sign the agreement. You can view the Extended Payment Plans here.