MSM Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you are eligible. No business degree is required. We accept applicants from a wide range of academic fields and professional disciplines.

No, the MSM program does not require any work experience for its incoming students. Upcoming and recent graduates are encouraged to apply. 

We are looking for applicants with a minimum GPA of 3.0 or above. However, applicants who are below a 3.0 are not excluded from applying as we look at application materials holistically.

No, there isn’t any residency requirement. However, students who are interested may be able to take some classes on-campus in Amherst pending course availability. Students should work with their academic advisor for schedules.

Fall Start 

Priority: June 1 
Final: July 15 

Spring Start 

Priority: October 1 
Final: November 15 

Summer Start 

Priority: February 1 
Final: March 15 

All applicants are required to have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a recognized academic institution of acceptable standing. Students are eligible to apply while still enrolled as an undergraduate. Admissible individuals will receive a conditional approval pending final grades and degree confirmation.

Once you access the online application, under the “Program” tab in the “Program Selection” section, please choose “Management.” Under the “Program Specialty” tab, select “Management - Master of Science”. Under “Intended Degree” tab, select your specific concentration. Options include Arts Administration, Human Resource Management, and Project Management.

Yes! You can take up to 6 credits as a non-degree student. Find more details here.  Please contact our office for specific instructions and course recommendations before registering.  

All applicants will receive an acknowledgement letter via email from the Graduate Admissions Office which includes a link to log into the Admissions Portal. 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 any incomplete materials and next steps.

Acceptance decisions are posted in SLATE with instructions to confirm acceptance. 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.

Graduate School application and $90 application fee (waived for military and current UMass Amherst undergraduates) 

Personal statement 

Resume/CV  

Official transcripts of all universities/colleges attended 

Two letters of recommendation 

GMAT/GRE score (waiver may apply) 

English Language Proficiency score (for non-native English speakers only)

A 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 MSM, 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.

If your current transcript has all of the courses and grades (GPA-based) from the previous institutions included, you are not required to submit the transcripts. We highly encourage you to double-check with the University Registrar’s Office. Otherwise, you are required to submit transcripts from all previous institutions where 9 credits or more were earned. 

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. If you are a current or recent undergraduate student, two academic references are acceptable. If you have a few years or more of work experience, at least one professional reference is preferred.  

A GMAT/GRE waiver is granted for an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. To be considered for the GMAT/GRE waiver, leave the application test score section blank. If you don’t meet the GPA qualification, waivers may be considered for individuals with professional work experience.

School Code: Isenberg-UMass Amherst - 3917

The MS in Management program requires 30 credits to graduate. 

The program is structured so a student can complete it entirely online. For those who wish to take some classes in-person on the Amherst campus, we will have some classes available each term.  

We will admit students for the first time this fall 2026 semester. Going forward, students can begin the program in fall, spring, or summer. 

Review the course descriptions here for more information. 

The presentation of classes is through Canvas, 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).  

Both the number of credits and the order of courses will depend on your start date. We follow a typical semester system – fall and spring semesters are 14 weeks. The summer semester schedule may vary and for the Online MSM, the winter session is typically 5 weeks.  Choose your intended program and review the program curriculum on the Academics page 

The MSM is designed primarily for recent graduates or early-career professionals who may have little or no business background while the MBA program is designed for experienced professionals, typically requiring several years of work experience before admission. Additionally, the MSM focuses on core management foundations and career focused concentrations whereas the MBA offers a broader and deeper business curriculum across areas like finance, marketing, analytics, and strategy. The MSM also requires fewer credits. 

Yes, if you complete a graduate certificate in Project Management or Foundations of Management, and decide to pursue the MSM degree, you are eligible to use some credits earned for the certificate towards the degree. 

No, the MSM is not a STEM-designated program. 

The Isenberg School of Management is accredited by AACSB, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. AACSB grants international accreditation to undergraduate and graduate business administration and accounting degree programs.

Undergraduate students at UMass Amherst can pursue a 4+1 option, completing their undergraduate degree and the MSM degree in 5 years or less. Undergraduate students apply to the MSM program in their junior year or early in their senior year and can then take up to 12 credits of MSM graduate courses during their senior year. Up to 6 of those credits (2 courses) may be eligible to double-count for both the undergraduate and the MSM degree at the discretion of your undergraduate advisor.  Visit the 4+1 page for more information.  

Students should regularly check their UMass email for notifications and updates about the program.  

Yes. Prior to the beginning of classes, all first-year students are invited to attend a virtual orientation that includes program information, tips for success, information on career development, and more.

Yes, we offer many events including networking events, discussion panels, as well as various social gatherings. 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) 

• A dedicated Career Coach is available for MSM students to schedule individualized sessions throughout the course of the program.  

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) 

Yes! Isenberg student organizations provide opportunities for students to tailor their experience. Student organizations open the doors to relationships, leadership development, and professional growth. Isenberg organizations include the Graduate Business Association, Business Analytics Club, and Women in Business. You can learn more about these organizations here.  

Up to 6 credits of coursework from another institution may be eligible for transfer if the courses:  

1. are graduate level courses with a grade of B or better;  

2. have not been applied toward the completion of another degree; and  

3. were taken within three years of admission to the Isenberg MSM.   

Courses and their respective credits that transfer will reduce the number of credits required to complete your Isenberg MSM degree. You can also waive up to 6 credits of the core curriculum. A waiver does 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 your transcript as well as a description and syllabus for each course. Please be specific about which Isenberg course you are requesting to have reviewed. We prefer to receive these requests via email to grad@isenberg.umass.edu.  

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

Yes, the performance in your non-degree courses will be reviewed as part of your admissions process and a strong performance in your MSM non-degree courses may aid in the GMAT/GRE waiver process. Overall successful completion of non-degree courses does not guarantee admission into the program.  

Yes, only 6 credits of non-degree courses are eligible for transfer into the MSM 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. If you need further assistance, please reach out to grad@isenberg.umass.edu.  

Non-degree registration typically opens two weeks after registration opens for our matriculated students.   

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.  

You need to activate your Student IT Account to get access to SPIRE, UMass Email, and Online library resources. On the SPIRE Logon page, click Activate Your Account under IT Accounts.  You will need your NetID and temporary password sent to you via email or regular mail. 

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. Courses will be designated as “Univ +” and the Meetings will be listed as “online”.   

To access your online class for the first time, use your UMass login credentials to sign-in to Canvas. 

Yes! The University uses an Online Learning Management System called Canvas. Canvas 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. 

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. 

Congratulations on reaching your goal of completing your degree! If you are enrolling in your last class this semester, you must complete the Degree Eligibility Form in Spire.

Note: An overall 3.0 GPA (B) must be maintained in order to graduate.

YES! All eligible MSM students can participate in graduation ceremonies and receptions. You are eligible to participate in graduation ceremonies and receptions if you complete your MSM 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. 

Diplomas will be mailed two to three months after your degree has been conferred, to the Diploma Address listed on SPIRE at the time of mailing.

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. 

The concentration will appear on your transcript but will not be listed on your diploma.

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.

Yes, tuition is the same regardless of state or country residency.

Students are responsible for paying miscellaneous fees, plus books. Additional fees can be found on the Tuition & Aid page here.

No, not at this time. 

No, MSM students are not eligible for graduate assistantship positions. Isenberg MSM students can seek part-time employment opportunities across campus.   

No, there is no deposit required.

Please review the graduate level financial aid information on the financial aid website.   

You will need to complete and sign the agreement. You can view the Extended Payment Plans here. Please note these payment plans are applicable to all of Isenberg’s online graduate programs.