Admission FAQ

What academic programs does the Graduate School of Management offer?

The primary goal of our graduate degree offerings is to provide high-quality, pragmatic business education through a curriculum designed to provide a broad choice of career path electives set upon a solid core foundation of essential skills and understandings. The Graduate School of Management currently offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, the Master of Science (MS) degree, a combined MS-MBA degree, the Master of Management (MM) degree, and Graduate Certificates in a number of areas. For degrees available in specific concentrations, contact the appropriate advisor.

What do I need to start the application process?

Graduate School of Management advisors can answer many of your questions before you apply for admission. But to get official answers on such questions as “do I meet the admissions requirements? ...which previously completed courses might apply? ...and what will my admissions status be?” you will first need to submit certain documents for evaluation. The Graduate School of Management Admissions Office needs a completed application packet in order to determine your eligibility for admission.

Details about admission requirements, special requirements for international students, admission categories, specific instructions on how to apply, and the forms that are necessary to begin the admissions process can be found here.

In summary, to be admitted you will need to submit the following items:

• Application Form
• Application Fee
• Official Transcripts and/or mark sheets from all institutions attended
• Resume detailing your professional, managerial, and/or military experience

The following may also be required:
• Official GMAT score
• Copy of diploma/graduation certificate for degree earned abroad
• Confirmation of Financial Resources Form (F-1 Visa holders)
• Bank Statement (F-1 Visa holders)
• Official TOEFL scores for international students

What if I cannot submit all of my official documents before the next term begins?

Applications will not be evaluated for admission until all official documents have been submitted. Some international applicants may be considered for admission based on unofficial transcripts/mark sheets; applicants must be in contact with the Assistant Director of International Admissions for further information.

What are the application deadlines?

The Graduate School of Management has a continuous admissions process. You may be admitted up to the first week of classes for each of the trimester terms: term I, term II, or intermester. You are eligible to be accepted as soon as the Admissions Committee has sufficient documentation with which to make a decision.

Can I apply online?

We are pleased to offer Web-based application to make your application process as easy and convenient as possible. You may access and submit an online application here.

Can I pay my application fee online?

You will be required to pay your application fee online before your application may be submitted.

What if I haven't yet decided which concentration to pursue?

It is best to select the concentration you want to pursue as soon as possible, but if you still are not sure, you can begin the MBA program by checking "Undecided" on the Application Form. Master of Science, Master of Management, and Certificate students must select a concentration in the application process. If you do select "Undecided" to begin the program you should be careful to take only core courses until you are ready to make a concentration selection. If you are interested in a broad MBA curriculum rather than a specific specialization area you may want to select "Interdisciplinary", which allows you to pick electives from any of the concentrations, or "Business Management", which provides a selection of broader management electives. Again, one of Graduate School of Management’s Advisors may help you with this decision.

What are the Admissions Criteria upon which my application will be evaluated ?

The Graduate School of Management considers the following five Measures of Capability when determinig an applicant's eligibility for admission:

*GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale in the final 60 semester credit hours completed at the undergraduate level from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university (or the foreign equivalent thereof)

*Four or more years of relevant managerial, professional or military experience (typically after completing undergraduate education)

*A GMAT score of no less than 500 (GRE is also accepted: 560 Quantitative, 460 Verbal, and 4.5 Analytical Writing)

*At least 12 semester hours of graduate work at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university (or the foreign equivalent thereof) with a GPA of 3.2 or better on a 4.0 scale

*Successful completion of the University of Dallas Pre-MBA Program with a GPA of 3.25 or better on a 4.0 scale

General admission requirements:
* U.S. bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college or university (or the foreign equivalent thereof) with a minimum undergraduate cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants not meeting this requirement will not be considered for admission of any type.
* Applicants with graduate credit hours must have a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.0 in those hours to qualify for admission.
* All applicants must be in good standing with their most recent academic institution to be considered for admission.

Do I have to take the GMAT to be admitted?

You may not need a GMAT score. The Graduate School of Management Admissions Committee sees the GMAT as one of four measures it can use to determine your potential to successfully complete a graduate degree. Full Admission status is granted if you meet two of the four measures; Conditional Admission status may be granted if you meet one of these measures. For a complete description of admission types, click here.

Am I required to take the TOEFL?

The TOEFL is required for any International applicant or Permanent Resident, unless one of the following applies:

*Applicant is a citizen of Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada - except Quebec, Grenada, Grand Cayman, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, Scotland, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kindgom, or U.S. Pacific Trust.
*Applicant has received a degree from a U.S. college or university or from one of the English-speaking countries listed above.
*Applicant has worked in the U.S. for more than two years on H1 or L1 visa only.
*Applicant has been a Permanent Resident for more than 2 years

Are there any other English language requirements related to my admission?

Once admitted, any non-native English speaker will be required to take the English Proficiency Exam (Focal Skills Test), administered by our English Language Program department. There is no charge for this test. Depending on the results of the test, a student may be required to take additional courses in English. The Focal Skills Test must be taken before the student begins his or her first term.

Must I commit to being either an on-campus or online student?

Graduate School of Management offers all of its core courses and most of its concentration courses both on-campus and online. You are free to select which is best for you: some students prefer on-campus, some online, many take a mix. You may mix on-campus and online courses in your curriculum plan, and you can take courses at any of our on-campus locations (Please note: INS regulations restrict most international students on an F1 visa to no more than one online course per trimester). And, you can register for courses at any campus location or online in the same trimester. Our goal is to enable you to complete your degree no matter where you live or work and to allow you to pursue classes in the classroom or on the Internet. An important advantage of the Graduate School of Management program is its mobility - if you begin while in the DFW area and are transferred to another location you may continue your program online in most concentrations.

What happens after my application is submitted?

After all of your application material has been received in the Admissions Office, you should receive a letter informing you of the Admissions Committee’s decision within approximately 5 days. For students residing outside the U.S., this process may take longer.

Along with your letter from the Admissions Committee, if you have been fully or conditionally admitted, you will receive a Program Design. This document specifies all of the courses required to complete your degree, after any waiver and/or transfer possibilities are considered. It also lists the elective course choices available in the concentration or interdisciplinary option you have chosen – if you select the undecided category you will be given an interdisciplinary design to help you get started.

In creating your Program Design, the Admissions Office carefully examines your transcripts to see if you are eligible for waiver or transfer credits from previous academic work. No transfers or waivers are accepted for the MM or Certificate programs.

What is your policy for transfer and waiver credits? What is a substitution?

A waiver is granted for foundation courses when the student has taken a total of 3 credit hours (with a grade of B- or better) at the undergraduate level that are substantially similar in content to one 1-hour GSM course. We recommend that courses completed over 6 years ago be repeated at the Foundation level, but it is not required.

A transfer is granted for foundation courses when the student has taken at least 1 credit hour (with a grade of B or better) at the graduate level that is substantially similar in content to one GSM course.

A transfer is granted for Value Creation courses when taken as part of an accredited MBA program. Courses must be 3 credit hours (with a grade of B or better), must not be foundation level courses, and must be substantially similar in content to one GSM course. Courses must have been completed within the last 6 years.

A transfer is granted for an elective course when the student has taken a total of 3 credit hours (with a grade of B or better) at the graduate level that are substantially similar in content to one GSM course. Courses must have been completed within the last 6 years.

Waivers and transfers are not evaluated based on work experience.

What if I believe I should have been granted additional waiver or transfer credit for work previously completed?

The Admissions Office initially determines which courses can be waived or transferred by examining your transcript(s) from previous studies. If you feel you have taken a course that covers a significant amount of the material covered by a Graduate School of Management course and you weren’t given a waiver, transfer credit, or allowed a substitution for the Graduate School of Management requirement, please let the Admissions Office know about this concern. You may be required to submit course descriptions and /or syllabi for the course(s) in question.

What if I disagree with the admissions status I have been granted?

The Admissions Committee makes its decision as to your admission status based on the information you submit and the Graduate School of Management Admissions Policy in effect at the time of your application (for details on this policy consult the Graduate School of Management Application Packet or the COB website). If you disagree with the status you are granted by the Director of Enrollment Services, you may request that your application be submitted to the Admissions Committee of the Faculty for a final decision.

What's next after I'm accepted?

After you have received your Program Design it is a good idea to do some planning by laying out an initial schedule of when you think you will be able to take the courses required.

All core courses are available every trimester term at a variety of times, locations, and online. Concentration electives follow a rotation and some are not offered every term. Therefore, you should first consider which electives make the most sense for you and determine which trimesters you want to take them – if you need advice on this check with your Advisor. A Course Rotation Schedule is available here. The Course Rotation Schedule for your concentration lists the electives available and provides details as to when and where these courses are scheduled to be taught – this rotation is merely a forecast and is not a guaranteed offering. Developing a plan that integrates core course requirements and elective selections early in your program is very important to getting the courses you want. Also, there are a few courses that have a prerequisite – make sure to check for these.

To provide detailed information on the content of the courses offered by the Graduate School of Management a Course Description section is provided here.

In addition, a Listing of the Faculty with some basic information about their academic qualifications and professional experience is available here.

What if I want to change concentrations after I begin the program?

Changing concentrations is easy to do. Your program director can have the Office of Student Records prepare a new Program Design and mail it to you. You need to understand, however, that if you have completed electives in your old concentration that are not on the electives list of your new concentration, they will not be counted in your new program design.

What if I decide to change my course plan after I start my program?

One major advantage of the UD program is that our size allows us to offer all core courses every trimester and concentration electives on a regular rotation schedule, you are not forced to follow a lockstep set of courses as is the case at some schools. You can always change your mind about which concentration electives you plan to take as you learn more about what you want from the program and what is covered in the concentration courses. It is a good idea, however, to have a plan up front. If you wish to change your concentration, contact your Advisor o the Student Records Department.