Admissions and Requirements for the Master of Business Administration

Master of Business Administration

Sustainable, innovative wealth creation in the economy, as well as viable, effective social institutions in the nonprofit sector, require sophisticated management skills grounded in a robust understanding of ethics and Christian virtues. Asbury University’s online MBA program educates women and men from around the world in a graduate management curriculum that will enable them to integrate their faith and work in a manner that leads to our distinctive focus on management of the triple bottom line - profit, people, and purpose. First, profit is important to sustain and grow the organization. This requires students to learn how to steward financial capital. Second, people are equally important; this principle necessitates that managers be stewards of social capital. Without trust and respectful treatment, employees and suppliers cannot create value for the customers. Third, a business needs a broader purpose. Students need to learn that spiritual capital can transform the community in which the business works. Students who complete our program will be poised to provide effective leadership in management, with integrity and conscience, across a broad range of careers and organizations.

MBA Program Admission Requirements:

The following information details the application process, admissions, transfer, and pre-MBA foundation requirements of the program.

Application Process for Admission to the MBA Program

1. MBA Application. Complete the application at www.asbury.edu/ApplyMBA.
2. Transcripts. Submit official transcripts showing:

• Conferred Bachelor’s degree(s). Note: Graduate admissions may request additional transcript(s) as necessary to fulfill admissions or state certification requirements,
• All Master’s coursework or beyond, including any Master’s conferral (independent of intent to transfer)

All transcripts must be delivered directly from each college/university at which undergraduate and/or graduate work was completed (please see instructions below).

1. Mail: Asbury University, Graduate Admissions; One Macklem Drive; Wilmore, KY  40390

• Official electronic transcripts: GradAdmissions@asbury.edu
• Official transcripts from non-US institutions must be submitted through World Education Services (WES).
• Hand-carried transcripts, even in sealed envelopes, will not be accepted.

2. Peregrine Exam. Students are required to take the Peregrine Inbound Assessment Exam at the time of application. A link for the exam will be provided upon submission of the online application.
3. Recommendations. Provide at least (2) two recommendations (1 - academic or professional, and 2 -  character) from individuals who are able to objectively assess the quality of the student’s character, capabilities, and accomplishments. References should be non-family members who can measure an applicant’s overall potential as an MBA student and future business leader. Online application provides instructions. An email address for each reference will be requested on the application.
4. Resume. Submit a current resume via the application portal or by email to GradAdmissions@asbury.edu.
5. Essay. Complete the Short Essay on the online application.
6. Community Expectations. Sign and submit the Asbury University Community Expectations Statement on the online application.
7. English Language Proficiency. International students (with the exception of those who hold a degree from an accredited U.S. institution of higher education) must submit official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (written or computer exam), and the Test of Written English. International students can also submit the official results of the iBT (internet based test) for the TOEFL or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System).

Admission Requirements for the MBA Program

1. Completed MBA application materials.
2. Undergraduate degree and transcripts. Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework from accredited institutions. Applicants should possess a four-year undergraduate degree (or its equivalent) with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 point scale. Candidates not meeting the grade point average criteria may apply for admission on a conditional status.
3. Peregrine Scores. It is expected that students will meet or exceed a score of 40 on the Peregrine Inbound Assessment Exam.
4. TOEFL. Students are expected to have a strong command of English to be successful in the program and later in their career. All applicants whose native language is not English (with the exception of those who hold a degree from an accredited U.S. institution of higher education) must submit a TOEFL score above 550 (paper based) or 213 (computer-based test) and a score of 4.5 on the Test of Written English (TWE) meets this expectation. An IBT exam score of 79 would be equivalent to the TOEFL.
5. Work Experience. While work experience is preferred, there is no minimum requirement. Work experience and test scores are considered together to gauge the readiness of the student for graduate business success.
6. Transfer Credits. A maximum of 9 graduate course credits can be transferred from an accredited institution. Transfer credit is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Pre-MBA Foundation Requirements

Generally, it is assumed that students have completed a degree in business administration or accounting (major or minor) or possess a mastery of pre-MBA skills and knowledge. However, many students will come from non-business backgrounds, or need to refresh their basic business knowledge. Certification of pre-MBA foundation courses may be satisfied in one of the following options:

1. Earn at least a ‘C’ in these pre-requisite courses at Asbury or equivalent:
   1. ECN 100 level Economics or higher, including, ECN 272 - Introduction to Microeconomics (3)  or ECN 273 - Introduction to Macroeconomics (3) .
   2. ACC 100 level Accounting or higher - including, ACC 201 - Financial Accounting (3) .
   3. BU 100 level Statistics or higher - including ECN 325 - Statistics for Economics (3)  or BU 261 - Business Analytics I (3)  

[These course credits will not be counted toward fulfillment of the M.B.A. degree.]

2. Passing equivalent courses at another accredited school online or via correspondence courses.
3. Passing college-level proficiency (CLEP) examinations.
4. Successfully completing Series 1 and 2 of the Institute for Business Management and Leadership Excellence.

MBA Program Graduation Requirements

1. Maintain a 3.0 grade point throughout the program.
2. Successfully complete all program requirements in a maximum of 5 years from date of first enrollment.
3. Minimum of 36.0 hour of graduate credit.
4. Approval for graduation by the program faculty.
5. Submit a Graduation Application showing course plan for final requirements, in the Registrar’s Office by posted deadline for the commencement year and their expected graduation date (Oct. 15 for December graduation, and Feb. 15 for May or August graduation).

The Graduation Application link will be emailed from the Registrar’s Office based on student’s remaining requirements and graduation date.  Students may email Registrar’s Office for graduation application information when reaching fulfillment of all requirements.