MBA Academic Policies
All MBA candidates are expected to have computer literacy in the areas of word processing, spreadsheet analysis, databases, PowerPoint, and the use of the Internet. Students who do not have these competencies are expected to acquire this knowledge prior to enrollment in the program. At UH an appropriate undergraduate course equivalent is MIS 3300.
To take Masters’ level courses (6000-7000 level) in the C. T. Bauer College of Business, students must have graduate standing at UH and meet the specific prerequisites for courses as listed in the course prerequisites section. A prerequisite must be completed prior to the start of the course for which it is a prerequisite.
None of the 48 credits required for the MBA degree may be waived. Transfer hours are also not accepted. In rare cases, waivers of a core course may be allowed with substitution of a higher level course in that area. On occasion, students close to degree completion who relocate due to a job transfer may be allowed to transfer in some elective credits with approval from the Assistant Dean and Advisor.
Student records of prerequisites taken
Prerequisites must be evaluated and automated on the Bauer College of Business prerequisite checking computer program before students take courses for which the prerequisites are required. Students in masters’ level business programs with questions regarding their records should consult with a graduate advisor in 424 University Classroom and Business Building (UCBB). Students in other graduate programs on campus should provide the graduate advisor in the Bauer College of Business, MBA Program Office, 424 University Classroom and Business Building (UCBB), with a copy of their transcript indicating completion of a calculus course and any other required prerequisites, prior to the start of the semester.
Course and Program Policies
If a course is cross-listed under two departments, students will receive credit for only one of the cross-listed courses.
The 5000-level courses in the Certificate in Accountancy Program (CAP) can be used to waive prerequisites for graduate-level accounting courses, but will not count as graduate credit toward degree requirements for the MBA, MS in Accountancy, or MS in Finance.
Graduate students are not permitted to enroll in undergraduate business courses in the Bauer College of Business.
Undergraduate and post baccalaureate students are ineligible to enroll in graduate-level courses in the Bauer College and will be dropped from any such courses for which they enrolled. Drops can be generated by either the instructor or the Graduate and Professional Programs Office. Only students in the Professional Program in Accounting and the BSIE/MBA joint program are granted an exception to take two graduate courses in their senior year.
Effective Term of Admission
Admission to the Full-time MBA program is granted only for the Fall term. The Professional MBA program admits students for either the Fall or Spring term; admission is granted for a specific term. If students wish to postpone enrollment, they must notify the Bauer Graduate & Professional Programs Office in writing and secure approval to defer their start date. The first term in which students, as graduate students, complete graduate-level course work that applies toward a degree, is the effective term of admission.
Graduate Classification
Students are classified as graduate students in the Bauer College only after their completed application for admission has been approved by the Bauer College. Students must go through the formal application process in order to obtain this classification.
Prerequisites and Corequisites
Admission to a graduate program on this campus of the University of Houston System is a prerequisite for enrollment in any C. T. Bauer College of Business course numbered 6000 or higher. Students must meet the prerequisite and corequisite requirements of the graduate program to which they are admitted. Prerequisites to the programs are listed with each individual graduate program section. Prerequisites to individual courses are indicated under each course title and are strictly enforced.
Transfer Policy
The Bauer MBA program does not accept transfer credit for students who have started an MBA program at another institution. Bauer MBA students who relocate due to a job transfer and are close to graduation should meet with an MBA academic advisor to discuss options regarding completion of their degree.
Waiver Policy
None of the 48 credit hours required for the MBA degree may be waived.
Inapplicable Graduate Credit
Graduate credit is not granted for extension courses, advanced standing examinations, or courses taken prior to admission to a graduate program. The time limitation section specifies additional restrictions. Also, although grades of D+ and lower are included in the computed grade point average, the university awards no credit toward the degree for courses in which the student receives a grade below C-.
Special Problems Courses
A master’s or doctoral-level student who is interested in doing an independent study or research project may make arrangements to work individually with a faculty member by signing up for a special problems/independent study course. No more than six semester hours of special problems credit may count as electives toward the business administration graduate degree requirements.
Dropping Courses
The last day to drop a course (or courses) is the date indicated in the University’s academic calendar. The C. T. Bauer College of Business cannot override the drop dates set by the University of Houston. Please refer to Student Business Services for information regarding deadlines to drop a course with and without a refund. Students who are dropping all their courses in a given semester must withdraw before the first class day in order to obtain a full refund.
Continuous Enrollment
Unless students petition for a leave of absence, they should maintain continuous enrollment during the fall and spring semesters. Students who are out of the program for more than one calendar year will be under the jurisdiction of the catalog in effect at the time of their reentry. Students who fail to maintain continuous enrollment for more than two calendar years must apply for reinstatement to the program through a petitioning process, pay the Bauer College application fee again, submit an updated resume, and meet the admission requirements in effect at that time.
Graduation Honors
The Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence is a college-based honor awarded to students who complete their graduate degrees in business with a cumulative graduate grade point average of 3.70 or above. The graduate GPA does not include grades in any undergraduate courses the student may have taken while in the graduate program. Students earning the Dean’s Award are mailed certificates by the College. The designation does not appear on the University of Houston diploma.
Termination of Enrollment
Students must maintain a satisfactory rate of progress toward the degree. Satisfactory progress is measured by several means, including timely completion of courses required for the degree and maintenance of a minimum grade point average of 3.00 (A=4.00). In addition, the University’s Low Grade Policy applies. A graduate student who receives a grade of C+ or lower in 12 semester credit hours attempted at this institution for graduate credit or for application toward the graduate degree, whether or not in repeated courses, is ineligible for any advanced degree at this institution and will not be permitted to re-enroll for graduate study. The Dean, or designate, may terminate enrollment at any time if the student’s rate of progress is not satisfactory. If enrollment is terminated, students will be notified with a written explanation. A hold will be placed on your account with the Office of the University Registrar and you will be unable to continue with graduate classes at this university.
Changes of Major, Degree, and Classification
Students who wish to change their field of study, degree objective, or classification to one in the Bauer College of Business should contact the Graduate & Professional Programs Office. If admitted, students will be subject to college policies in effect during the semester for which the change is approved. Graduate students in the C. T. Bauer College of Business who wish to change from one degree objective to another within the College should complete an online application form at https://www.applyweb.com/uhouston/index.ftl. Students who receive approval for the change will be subject to policies and degree plans in effect during the semester the change is approved. Bauer graduate students who wish to change to another graduate college at the University of Houston should consult the dean’s office of that college for procedural information.
Non-Business Majors at the University of Houston
On a space-available basis, non-business majors in good standing in other graduate programs at the University of Houston main campus may take up to 12 semester hours (15 hours for HRM graduate students) of Masters’ level business courses as long as they meet the specific prerequisites (or have taken equivalent prerequisite courses in their own program). After completing these hours, students are no longer eligible to take graduate courses in the Bauer College unless an application for a new degree objective and major in the Bauer College of Business has been submitted and approved.
MBA courses taken by students in other UH colleges who have not been admitted to a Bauer College graduate program may not be applied to a future MBA degree at UH.
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