MBAP Graduation Requirements and Academic Regulations

MBA for Professionals Graduation Requirements
Each MBA for Professionals student is responsible for a thorough knowledge of graduation requirements.

The Willamette MBA degree will be conferred on MBA for Professionals students who satisfactorily complete all of the requirements as listed below.

Minimum Credits Required: MBA for Professionals students must satisfactorily complete a minimum of forty eight (48) credits of approved MBA for Professionals course work and have no pending grades or grades of "Incomplete" at the time of graduation. All courses listed below are four credit courses, except for GSMPR 624A and GSM 624B which are two credit courses.

The forty-eight (48) credits include all of the following courses:

IKEWs: MBA for Professionals students must satisfactorily complete the IKEW requirement of the MBA for Professionals program.

Good Standing: MBA for Professionals candidates for graduation must have a cumulative Atkinson School grade point average of 3.00 (B) or higher, comply with requirements determined by the School's faculty, and be in Good Standing within all policies of the Atkinson School and Willamette University

Maximum time to complete degree: The candidate must complete the MBA for Professionals degree within six (6) years from date of initial enrollment in the degree program.

Submit petition for degree: Candidates for graduation must submit a "petition for degree" at the beginning of their final semester in the MBA for Professionals program.

Curricular changes: In the event the curriculum is changed or graduation requirements are otherwise altered, the rules in effect at the time of the student's entry to the program will apply unless otherwise stated.

MBA for Professionals Academic Regulations

Good Standing
All students must maintain 'Good Standing' for continued enrollment and graduation. "Good Standing" is defined as adhering to the academic policies, standards of conduct and financial policies of the Atkinson School and Willamette University.

Good Academic Standing
All students must maintain a cumulative Atkinson School grade point average of 3.00 (B) or better and make satisfactory progress toward degree completion to be in "Good Academic Standing."

Grades
It is the responsibility of the instructor to assign grades. The Atkinson School uses a letter grade system consisting of seven regular grades. Their grade point values are:

Other grades in the Atkinson School MBA for Professionals grading system include the grades below. Each has specific requirements and implications:

I = Incomplete
W = Withdrawal from course

Regulations Regarding "I" Grades

A grade of Incomplete (I) may be assigned at the discretion of the course instructor when an unexpected emergency, event, or situation precludes a student from completing the course as planned. To receive an incomplete grade, all coursework must be complete except for a final assignment or exam. If more than a final assignment or exam is required to complete the course, it is necessary to withdraw from the course.

A student requesting a grade of “Incomplete” must enter into an agreement with the faculty member to document remaining requirements and establish the timeline for completion. A copy of the agreement signed by the student and the faculty member is provided to the Atkinson School Recorder, Karen Arthur, at the time the “Incomplete” grade for said student is submitted by the faculty member.

 “I” grades must be cleared from the transcript by completing the required coursework within the timeline contained in the agreement — which shall be no later than the end of the next regular academic semester. Failure to clear an "I" by the mutually agreed-upon date contained in the agreement will result in the "I" becoming a grade of "F.”

It is the student's responsibility to complete the requirements stipulated in the agreement and take the initiative to stay in contact with the faculty member of the course for which the "I" grade was received.

If a student formally withdraws from school before the end of the next regular academic semester, the "I" grade will not be converted to an “F,” however, the student must complete the course by the end of the first semester in which they return to the Atkinson School.

Regulations Regarding "F" Grades
"F" grades are calculated in the grade point average and result in zero credits earned toward graduation. A student who receives an "F" in a required course must repeat the course and earn a grade of "C" or higher in the repeated course. A student anticipating an "F" in a course is advised to withdraw from the course prior to the final exam of the course.

When an MBAP student repeats a course for which an "F" was received, only the grade received in the repeated course appears on the transcript and is used in calculating the grade point average.

Repeating a Course
MBAP students may not repeat a previously completed course unless the grade earned in that course was an “F” or a "C." To receive credit for the repeated course, the student must complete all requirements of the course as designated for the semester of repeat, and a significant additional deliverable assigned by the instructor of the repeated course.

When a course with a “C” is repeated, the credits from the repeated course cannot be applied to the minimum number of credits required for graduation.

An MBAP student who wishes to repeat more than one course needs to obtain a written approval from the Senior Associate Dean.

Grade Changes
Changes in grades already recorded on a transcript are determined by the faculty member and permitted only under the following conditions:

• Error by the instructor in computing or reporting a grade.
• Completion of work in a course for which the grade of "I" has been recorded.
• Administrative error in the reporting or recording of a grade.

Grade Appeal
The Atkinson School has a formal grade appeal process (described below). Students who want to use the formal grade appeal process as their first step are encouraged to do so. Students who want to use a more informal process as their first step are encouraged to communicate directly with the professor, and/or the Senior Associate Dean. If the issue is not resolved at the informal level, the next step for the student would be to begin the formal grade appeal process.

Formal Grade Appeal Process: The first step of a specific course grade appeal must be for the student to take the issue to the instructor in question or to the chairperson of Atkinson School's Student Affairs Committee (SAC). If the faculty member involved with the grade appeal is the chairperson of the SAC, the student may take the issue to the chairperson of the previous year.

If the issue is not resolved to the student's satisfaction at this level of appeal, the student can submit two (2) copies of his/her appeal in writing to the Senior Associate Dean, who will then distribute them as follows: one (1) copy to the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) Chair and one (1) copy to the instructor involved.

Written grade appeals must reach the Senior Associate Dean within forty-five (45) days following the general notification of grades, otherwise the grade will stand as posted and no further appeal will be available. It is the Senior Associate Dean's responsibility to notify both the SAC Chairperson and the instructor in question about the appeal.

Upon receipt of the written appeal, the SAC Chairperson will make a written request for the involved instructor's position, also to be submitted in writing. The SAC Executive Committee will then meet to review and discuss all appeal particulars, including but not limited to interviewing the parties involved in the appeal. If a conflict of interest arises within the SAC Executive Committee, the SAC Chairperson will replace the said compromised individual with an ad-hoc member of similar standing.

The process of appeal will occur during the semester (fall or spring) following the initial filing of the appeal. The appeal process is complete when the SAC reaches a consensual decision and the said decision is rendered in writing and distributed to the student and to the instructor in question.

If either party is dissatisfied with the Committee's decision, they may make a written appeal to the Dean, whose decision is final and binding.

Substituting MBA Elective Course Work for GSMPR 630: Special Topics in Management
MBAP students, who seek deeper knowledge in an area of elective MBA study, may request to substitute 4 credits of approved elective course work from the Willamette MBA Full-Time program for the 4 credit MBAP course GSMPR 630: Special Topics in Management. The 4 credits of MBA elective course-work will include the combination of an approved 3 credit MBA elective course and a 1 credit Independent Study course. The Independent Study course will consist of a project or assignment in addition to the requirements of the elective course. The Independent Study project or assignment must require the student to complete at least 45 hours of academic work in addition to the requirements of the 3 credit MBA elective course. The grade received in each course will represent the 4 credits as a whole (ie: the grade for the elective course and the independent study course will be the same grade, as if the experience consisted of one 4 credit course).

MBAP students interested in this option should contact Alex Subert, Senior Associate Dean, for more information and assistance with the approval process. This option must be approved by the Senior Associate Dean and the faculty member involved in the elective course.

Course Waivers
MBA for Professionals courses are not easy to waive and most courses not eligible for a waiver. However, students who have attained a professional credential that matches the content of the relevant GSMPR course may submit a written request for a waiver review to the Senior Associate Dean. Students who are granted a waiver for a course are responsible for the content of the waived course as it is applied in other GSMPR courses.

Written request: The written request must be submitted at least six weeks before the beginning of the relevant course and must include: 1) a written a rationale for the waiver, and 2) supporting information that includes a copy of the relevant credential attained and a complete discussion of the educational process required for completion of the credential.

The submitted request will be reviewed by the faculty member of the related course and then reviewed by the Dean. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. The decision of the Dean is final.

Maximum of 4 credits from waived courses: A maximum of four (4) MBA for Professionals course credits may be waived for eligible students. Students on academic probation in the MBA for Professionals program are not eligible for waivers.

In addition, the combination of waived credits and transferred credits from other universities (see policy below) cannot exceed (8) semester credits.

Transfer Credits
MBA course work completed at a program accredited by AACSB International prior to enrollment in the MBA for Professionals may be considered for transfer. Requests for transfer credit are evaluated on a case by case basis and require the approval of the Dean.

Approved transfer credits are applied toward credits required for graduation. Grades earned in courses transferred to the MBA program are not used in calculating the student's grade point average. Students who are granted transfer credits for a course are responsible for the content of the Willamette course as it is applied in other GSMPR courses. Students on academic probation in the MBA for Professionals program are not eligible for transfer credits.

Eligibility requirements: To be eligible for transfer consideration, previous course work must meet all of the following requirements:

• Be a graduate level MBA course from an AACSB International accredited program
• Completed within three (3) years of entry to the Atkinson School
• Show a grade of B (3.00) or higher
• Credits earned cannot have been used to complete a previous degree
• Credits earned must equal a minimum of 4 semester credits of related course work (4 semester credits is equal to 6 quarter credits)
• Meet the criteria set by the faculty member of the selected coursework

Written request: Students requesting evaluation of transfer credits earned prior to enrollment at the Atkinson School must submit a written request to the Senior Associate Dean, who will take the request to the Dean. The written request must include a rationale for the transfer credits, a copy of the course syllabus for the MBA course previously completed, and an official copy of transcript showing completion of the course and the grade received. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. The decision of the Dean is final.

Maximum of 8 credits from transferred courses: No more than 8 semester credits of course work may be approved for transfer to the MBA for Professionals program. In addition, the combination of transferred credits from other universities and waived credits cannot exceed (8) semester credits.

Transfer Credits from the Atkinson School Certificate in Public Management
Eight credits earned through the CPM (Certificate in Public Management) prior to fall semester 2013 may be transferred towards credit for the MBA for Professionals program. The Dean, in consultation with the Senior Associate Dean, will determine the specific courses for which the CPM credits will be applied.

Students Enrolled Part-Time
MBA for Professionals students who are enrolled in one to seven credits of Willamette MBA course work in any semester are considered part-time students. Part-time students must meet all academic and conduct regulations governing full-time students in the Willamette University MBA for Professionals program.

Request for Exception to Academic Policy or Procedure