Foundational Knowledge Courses

The Graduate School of Management MBA is a 41-credit hour program consisting of 15 courses of work at the graduate level. Though it is not necessary to have completed any prior coursework in business to apply for the MBA program, applicants must demonstrate competency in the foundational business and management knowledge expected of an MBA student.

There are EIGHT foundational business competencies deemed necessary for success in the MBA Program at the Graduate School of Management. These are not required for acceptance, but must be fully satisfied while you are in the early stages of the MBA degree curriculum.

The courses listed below are considered essential to a fundamental understanding of modern business and management practices. Foundational Knowledge courses taken at the Graduate School of Management are 1.5 credit hours each, for a total of 12 credit hours.

• Economic Analysis
  
• Financial Accounting
  
• Information Technology
  
• Marketing
  
• Management & Strategy
  
• Management Science
  
• Managerial Accounting
  
• Statistics

Satisfying Foundational Knowledge Courses

There are a number of ways to demonstrate proficiency in the foundational knowledge competencies listed above:

(1.) Submitting transcript(s) with coursework in the required areas
(grade greater than or equal to B- at undergraduate or B graduate level)
(2.) Passing the appropriate College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)
(3.) Passing the appropriate Challenge Exams
(4.) Enrolling in undergraduate or graduate equivalent courses

CLEP Exams

CLEP stands for the College-Level Examination Program which is run by the College Board. CLEP is the most widely accepted credit-by-examination program in the United States today, helping students of a wide range of ages earn credit for what they already know, regardless of how that knowledge was acquired.

Quick Facts About CLEP:

• CLEP is administered on computer and exams are available year-round.
  
• The tests are timed and 90 minutes long.
  
• All exams are scored on a scale of 20 to 80. (The Graduate School of Management credit-granting score is 60, a score representative of a grade of B.)
  
• Score reports are available immediately upon completion of the exam. Students know right away how they performed.
  
• The cost of a CLEP exam is $65, a fraction of the tuition and fees for the corresponding course.

CLEP - Frequently asked questions
Search the College Board website for Test Centers

Challenge Exams - Coming soon!

"Challenging" a course is different from taking a CLEP exam. It is not handled through the College Board. Under certain circumstances, a student may have the opportunity to satisfy foundational knowledge courses by sitting for a challenge examination. Challenge exams are prepared by faculty for specific courses.

The Foundational Knowledge Courses for which Challenge Exams are available are:

• Foundations of Financial Accounting
  
• Foundations of Managerial Accounting
  
• Foundations of Management & Strategy
  
• Foundations of Management Science
  
• Foundations of Information Technology
  
• Foundations of Statistics

Quick Facts About Challenge Exams:

• All Challenge Exams are offered in a computerized format.
  
• The tests are timed and are 45 minutes long.
  
• All exams consist of 30 multiple choice questions. Exam takers must score 25 out of 30 for the waiver to be granted.
  
• Score reports are available immediately upon completion of the exam. Students know right away how they performed.
  
• The cost of a Challenge exam is $65, a fraction of the tuition and fees for the corresponding course.

Challenge Exams - Frequently asked questions