2015-2016 University Catalog

Applicants interested in a graduate business degree must submit an Application for Graduate Admission to the Office of Graduate Studies and Research. Application is forwarded to the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business upon completion of applicant's file. Application materials must include:

· official transcript(s) of all college/university-level studies.

· official GMAT or GRE scores dated within five years of applicant’s anticipated semester of enrollment. This is a requirement of all applicants to the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business except those who hold an advanced U.S. degree (masters. law, doctorate) or its equivalent from another country. Applicants pursuing the MBA taught in Spanish and needing to submit standardized exam scores may choose to take the Examen de Admisión which is administered at partner universities in Mexico. No admission decision will be made prior to receipt of a GMAT, GRE, or Examen de Admisión score.

· Minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based), or 79/80 (internet-based) for applicants to the masters program having academic studies from a country where English is not the native language. Minimum TOEFL scores for doctoral applicants are 600 (paper-based) or 100 (internet-based). Doctoral applicants who have received a graduate degree from an AACSB accredited U.S. institution within two years of the application date may be exempt from the TOEFL requirement. TOEFL scores of all applicants must be sent directly from Educational Testing Service (ETS) and dated within two years of applicant’s anticipated semester of enrollment.

· one-page statement of purpose indicating the area of study.

· updated resume.

· two letters of recommendation for master’s applicants; three letters of recommendation for doctoral applicants.

Admission recommendations are made by the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business Masters Program and Doctoral Program Admissions Committees based upon review of the applicant's documentation listed above. Students admitted with conditions must satisfactorily complete those conditions to remain in graduate school.

GRADUATE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
See Academic Regulations for Graduate Degrees for specific TAMIU Regulations.

1. Workload Regulations: The maximum number of semester credit hours (SCH) that a graduate student can take is:

   Regular semester (fall or spring)	12 SCH
   Each summer session	6 SCH

   
   Any SCH load in excess of the above must be approved by the Dean of the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business Administration.
2. Graduate-Level Courses: Courses numbered 5000-level or above.
3. Special Issues Courses: Special Issues courses taken under course number 5199-5399 have a varying degree of semester credit hours (SCH). These courses, although generally taught as three semester credit hours, can also be set up for one or two semester credit hours.
4. S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory): This grade can be given for only pre-designated courses and may be used to satisfy degree requirements (e.g., business internships). For graduate students, a grade of “S” indicates achievement of 80 percent or greater for the course requirements. This grading criteria applies only to courses in the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business.
5. Academic Probation: If at the end of any semester, a graduate student’s GPA for that semester is below 3.0, the student will be placed on academic probation.
6. Additional Master’s Degree Policy: A student seeking a second master’s degree from the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business must complete twenty-one (21) semester credit hours of graduate-level business courses beyond the course work in the degree plan(s) for all prior master’s degrees taken from the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business and must meet all other requirements for the additional master’s degree. Applicants who already hold a master’s degree from the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business are not required to submit entrance exam scores.
7. International Students Language Requirement: International students who do not meet the language requirement for admission to the masters programs of the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business, may apply to the University’s International Language Institute (ILI). Upon certification of English proficiency by ILI or receiving a score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or 79/80 (Internet-based), or 550 (paper based) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), students will be permitted to pursue a master's degree from the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business. Students pursuing a doctoral degree will need a minimum TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based) or 100 (internet-based). This score must be sent directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and dated within two (2) years of enrollment.
8. Provisional status: Domestic applicants intending to pursue a degree, but not able to complete the application process in time for the intended registration term, may enroll under provisional status for no more than six hours beyond the prerequisite courses. A grade of "B" or better must be earned on each graduate-level course. Completion of any number of credit hours taken under provisional status does not guarantee admission into a masters program.
9. Transfer of Credit: Students may request to transfer a maximum of two courses (6 SCH) of graduate coursework for which a grade of "B" or better was earned on each course at an accredited institution. Transfer credit may apply solely for elective/concentration courses; required courses that are part of the business graduate curriculum must be completed at TAMIU. Students must complete a Request for Transfer of Credit Form and submit required documentation to the Graduate Advisor for processing. Request must be approved by both the Division Chair and Dean of the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business. Coursework that is part of a previously earned degree is not acceptable for transfer credit.
10. Time Limitation: No credit more than seven (7) years old, counting from the catalog year in effect at registration, will be recognized as graduate credit applicable toward a masters level graduate degree unless validated by a qualifying examination conducted by the appropriate department. Any approved transfer coursework must fall within the 7 year time limitation.
11. Leave of Absence: Under unusual circumstances, a student may petition for a leave of absence. The student’s Advisory Committee Chairperson and the Chair of the Division must approve the petition. If the petition is granted, the registration requirement will be set aside during the period of the leave and will not count towards the requirement that the student complete a masters degree within a period of five years or within the time specified for the particular program. Leaves will be granted only under conditions that require the suspension of all activities associated with the thesis.

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MBA)

The following courses make up the MBA Business Foundation courses that must be taken for the MBA degree offered by the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business. The MBA Business Foundation courses do NOT count toward the 30 hours needed to complete the MBA degree.  However, they do count toward the overall graduate grade point average required for satisfactory progress.

BUSINESS FOUNDATION COURSES FOR THE MBA PROGRAM

ACC	5300	Accounting Concepts
MIS	5300	Information Systems Concept
DS	5300	Business Quantitative Methods
ECO	5300	Economic Concepts
FIN	5300	Business Finance Concepts
MGT	3310	Principles of Management and Organizational Behavior
MKT	3310	Principles of Marketing
POM	3310	Production and Operations Management

Students also have the option of completing the MBA Prep Program including
        BA          5201                Concepts in Finance and Economics
        BA          5202                Concepts in Accounting and Management Information Systems
        BA          5203                Concepts in Management and Marketing

1. successfully graduating with a business bachelors degree from a university in which the business program is accredited by the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International), or
2. providing evidence of equivalent course work at an accredited institution at either the undergraduate-level or graduate-level.

All course work used for waiver from a particular course must have been taken within the past seven (7) years or be validated by the division in which the course is normally offered. The student must have received a grade of “C” or better in each course applied towards a waiver. Applications for course waivers must be completed during the first in-residence semester of work on the MBA program.

Students requesting a waiver must get approval from the Chair of the division for which the course is assigned. The Division Chair has the responsibility for ensuring that the student has the appropriate prior course work and knowledge as set forth in this policy before approving the waiver.

MASTER OF SCIENCE

The following courses make up the MS Foundation courses. The MS Foundation courses do NOT count toward the thirty-three hours needed to complete the Master of Science degree.

Students also have the option of completing the MBA Prep Program including
        BA          5201                Concepts in Finance and Economics
        BA          5202                Concepts in Accounting and Management Information Systems
        BA          5203                Concepts in Management and Marketing

WAIVER POLICY FOR MASTER OF SCIENCE FOUNDATION COURSES

Students may be waived from the MS Foundation courses by either:
1. successfully successfully graduating with a business bachelors degree from a university in which the business program is accredited by the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International), or
2. providing evidence of equivalent course work at an accredited institution at either the undergraduate-level or graduate-level.

All course work used for waiver from a particular course must have been taken within the past seven (7) years. The student must have received a grade of “C” or better in each course applied towards a waiver. Applications for course waivers must be completed during the first in-residence semester of work on the MS program.

Students requesting a waiver must get approval from the Chair of the division for which the course is assigned. (Faculty advisors are not authorized to give waivers.) The Department Chair has the responsibility for ensuring that the student has the appropriate prior course work and knowledge as set forth in this policy before approving the waiver.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

The following courses make up the Graduate Business Foundation courses that must be taken for the Doctoral degree offered by the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business.

GRADUATE BUSINESS FOUNDATION

ACC	5310	Financial Statement Analysis
BA	5310	Business Research Methods
BA	5390	Strategic Management
ECO	5310	Managerial Economics
FIN	5310	Financial Management
MGT	5310	Seminar in Management Concepts
MKT	5310	Seminar in Marketing Management

WAIVER POLICY FOR GRADUATE BUSINESS FOUNDATION COURSES

Students may be waived from the Graduate Business Foundation courses by either:
1. successfully graduating with a master of business degree from a university in which the business program is accredited by the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International), or
2. providing evidence of successful completion of equivalent course work at an institution recognized or accredited by its country of origin.

Applications for course waivers must be completed prior to enrollment in the doctoral program.

Students requesting a waiver must get approval from the Director of the doctoral program. The Director of the program has the responsibility for ensuring that the student has the appropriate prior course work and knowledge as set forth in this policy before approving the waiver.