Admissions to the Business: General Management: Evening, MBA have been suspended as of fall 2021 and will be discontinued as of fall 2025. If you have any questions, please contact the department.
Students currently in the program will be supported and able to complete the program; however, no new students will be allowed to enroll. The School of Business now offers a reimagined part-time MBA offering, the Professional MBA, which pairs online learning with in-person classes one weekend a month.
Admissions
Admissions to the Business: General Management: Evening, MBA have been suspended as of fall 2021 and will be discontinued as of fall 2025. If you have any questions, please contact the department.
Admission consideration for the MBA Program requires a four-year undergraduate degree or the equivalent, in any discipline, from an accredited institution. The School of Business seeks a minimum of two years of full-time work experience along with a strong undergraduate performance. In addition to academic credentials, GMAT scores, and work experience, personal achievements, motivation, communication skills (written and oral), international exposure, and recommendation letters are considered in the admission process at both the master's and doctoral levels.
Note: The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), taken within five years of the starting term, is required of all applicants to the School of Business; the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) may be an acceptable alternative on a case by case basis. All applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Pearson Test of English (PTE), Intensive English as a Second Language (IELTS), or show the completion of an Interlink program. A minimum iBT TOEFL score of 100 or equivalent, obtained within two years of the intended start term, is required. International applicants who have completed a degree at an institution whose primary language of instruction was English may request a waiver of this requirement on the application.
How to Apply
Admissions to the Evening MBA named option have been suspended as of fall 2021 and the program will be discontinued as of fall 2025. Students currently in the program will be supported and will be able to complete the program; however, no new students will be allowed to enroll. The School of Business now offers a reimagined part-time MBA offering, the Professional MBA, which pairs online learning with in-person classes one weekend a month. Additional information can be found on the Program Website.
Students interested in business degrees do not apply through the Graduate School application system and should instead refer either the Professional MBA admissions or the Executive MBA admissions information.
Funding
Graduate School Resources
Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Named Option Requirements
Mode of Instruction
| Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.
Evening/Weekend: Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules. Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.
Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.
Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats. Contact the program for more specific information.
Online: These programs are offered 100% online. Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.
Curricular Requirements
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 48 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 24 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 24 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203. |
| Other Grade Requirements | n/a |
| Assessments and Examinations | None. |
| Language Requirements | None. |
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1: Leadership Skills and Business Fundamentals | ||
| ACCT I S 700 | Financial Accounting | 2-3 |
| Business Ethics course | ||
| R M I 710 | Risk Management | 2 |
| GEN BUS 700 | Managerial Communication | 1-2 |
| OTM 732 | Economics for Managers | 2-3 |
| M H R 704 | Managing Behavior in Organizations | 2-3 |
| GEN BUS 704 | Data to Decisions | 2-3 |
| ACCT I S 765 | Contemporary Topics | 1-4 |
| Year 2: Expertise in Key Functional Areas and Global Business Understanding | ||
| MARKETNG 700 | Marketing Management | 2-3 |
| FINANCE 700 | Introduction to Financial Management | 2-3 |
| OTM 700 | Operations and Supply Chain Management | 2-3 |
| Elective: Advanced Finance, Advanced Marketing, or Healthcare Management | ||
| International Business/Global Learning Experience course | ||
| Year 3: Advanced Skills in Leadership, Management, and Key Functional Areas | ||
| M H R 628 | Negotiations | 2-3 |
| M H R 723 | Business Strategy | 2-3 |
| GEN BUS 301 | Business Law | 3 |
| Elective: Advanced Finance, Advanced Marketing, or Healthcare Management | ||
| Management Strategy and Planning course | ||
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Named Option-Specific Policies
Prior Coursework
Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions
No credits of prior coursework are allowed to transfer.
Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison
No credits from an undergraduate degree are allowed to transfer.
Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)
No credits are allowed to transfer.
Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UW–Madison
No credits of prior coursework are allowed to transfer.
Probation
Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.
Advisor/Committee
Every graduate student is required to have an advisor. To ensure that students are making satisfactory progress toward a degree, the Graduate School expects them to meet with their advisor on a regular basis.
An advisor generally serves as the thesis advisor. In many cases, an advisor is assigned to incoming students. Students can be suspended from the Graduate School if they do not have an advisor. An advisor is a faculty member, or sometimes a committee, from the major department responsible for providing advice regarding graduate studies.
A committee often accomplishes advising for the students in the early stages of their studies.
Credits Per Term Allowed
15 credits
Time Limits
Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.
Grievances and Appeals
These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:
- Bias or Hate Reporting
- Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
- Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
- Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
- Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
- Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
- Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
- Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
- Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
- Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
- Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)
Any student who feels that they have been mistreated by a faculty or staff member has the right to lodge a complaint. Complaints may concern course grades, classroom treatment, program admission, or other issues. To ensure a prompt and fair hearing of any complaint and to protect both the student's rights and the person at whom the complaint is addressed, the grievance procedures below are used in the School of Business.
The person against whom the complaint is directed must be an employee of the School of Business. Any student or potential student may use these procedures unless other campus rules or contracts cover the complaint:
- If the student feels comfortable/safe doing so, the student should first talk with the person against whom the grievance is directed. Most issues can be settled at this level. If the complaint is directed against a teaching assistant (TA) and the student is not satisfied after discussion of the grievance with the TA, the next step would be to talk to the TA's supervisor, who is usually the course professor. If the complaint is still not resolved satisfactorily, the student may continue to step 2.
- If the complaint involves an academic department, the student should contact the chair of the department. The chair will attempt to resolve the problem informally. If this cannot be done to the student's satisfaction, the student may submit the grievance to the chair in writing. This must be done within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment.
- If the complaint does not involve an academic department, the procedure outlined in Step 4 below should be followed.
- On receipt of a written complaint, the chair will refer the matter to a departmental committee, which will obtain a written response from the person at whom the complaint is directed. This response shall be shared with the person filing the grievance. The chair will provide a written decision within 30 days to the student on the action taken by the committee.
- If either party is not satisfied with the decision, they have five working days from receipt of the decision to contact the dean's office (at the number below), indicating the intention to appeal. If the complaint does not involve an academic department in the school, the student must contact the dean's office within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment.
- In either case, there will be an attempt to resolve the issue informally by the appropriate associate dean. If this cannot be done, the complaint can be filed in writing with the Office of the Dean. This must be done within 10 working days of the time the appealing party was notified that informal resolution was unsuccessful.
- On receipt of such a written complaint, the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer will convene a subcommittee of relevant stakeholders pending the nature of the issue. This subcommittee may ask for additional information from the parties involved and may hold a hearing at which both parties will be asked to speak separately. The subcommittee will then make a written recommendation to the dean of the School of Business who will render a decision. Unless a longer time is negotiated, this written decision shall be made within 20 working days from when the grievance was filed with the Office of the Dean.
Questions about these procedures can be directed to the School of Business, Office of the Dean, 4339 Grainger, 975 University Avenue, 608-262-7867.
State law contains additional provisions regarding discrimination and harassment. Wisconsin Statutes 36.12 reads, in part: "No student may be denied admission to, participation in or the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any service, program, course or facility of the system or its institutions or center because of the student's race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, disability, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status or parental status." In addition, the UW System prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression. Students have the right to file discrimination and harassment complaints with the Office of Compliance, 361 Bascom Hall, 608-265-6018, uwcomplianceoffice@wisc.edu.
The Graduate School has procedures for students wishing to appeal a grievance decision at the school/college level. These policies are described in the Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/grievances-and-appeals/
Other
Students in the following programs are not permitted to seek dual degrees. Students must plan to attend on the dates of the academic calendar for the respective year of graduation. Students must take part in the required global learning experience (10 days). Merit scholarships are awarded at admission for the entirety of the academic program as long as student is in good academic standing. Veterans scholarships also available. Contact emba@bus.wisc.edu for details on merit veterans scholarships.
Professional Development
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.