SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

Martin J. Whitman School of Management, iMBA
Syracuse, New York

Founded in 1870, Syracuse University—a private, nonsectarian liberal arts institution—is one of the largest and most comprehensive independent universities in the nation. The University is one of only sixty American and Canadian universities chosen for membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities. Syracuse University enrolls more than 10,000 undergraduates and 4,800 graduate students for full-time and part-time study. The campus is located in the city of Syracuse, in an area of New York State known as upstate or central New York. Syracuse is less than half a day's drive away from New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Toronto, and Montreal. The city is served by the Hancock International Airport, a mere 10-minute drive from downtown. Hancock Airport features daily nonstop flights to New York, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and other business centers.

The Martin J. Whitman School of Management, in existence since 1919, has offered graduate programs since 1947. The School of Management has been continuously accredited by the premier accrediting body for business schools, AACSB International–The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, since 1921. The latest reaffirmation of accreditation was achieved by the School in April 2001. The Independent Study M.B.A. (iMBA) has been offered by the School of Management since 1977.

Distance Learning Program

The iMBA (Independent Study M.B.A.) program is a limited residency distance education program. It allows successful businesspeople, working around the world, to acquire a Master of Business Administration degree on a part-time basis while continuing to advance in their careers. The program enrolls students who reside in thirty-two states within the United States and ten other countries. The students' employers represent numerous prominent corporations and government agencies.

Delivery Media

Students meet on the Syracuse University campus three times each year for a weeklong residency at the beginning of the fall term in August, the spring term in January and the summer term in May. During these intensive weeks, students attend classes that serve to orient the students to the demands and expectations of the curriculum. Students also establish bonds and working relationships with faculty members and fellow students. At the conclusion of each residency, students return to their homes and workplaces with a clear understanding of the course require ments as well as access to the campus resources necessary for the successful completion of their courses. Final exams are taken on campus at the following residency.

Program of Study

The iMBA program emphasizes a broad, strategic-management view of business, leading to the Master of Business Administration in general management. The curriculum consists of eighteen courses for a total of 54 credits. There are twelve core courses and six elec tives in a student's program. Electives are drawn from accounting, entrepre neurship, finance, information systems, marketing, organizational management, and other areas.

Special Programs

Optional off-campus residencies are occasionally held in other cities, such as New York, London, and Shanghai. The programs held in these locations are identical in format to the on-campus residencies. Students take courses in the same manner and receive credit in the same manner as if they had attended a residency at Syracuse University.

Credit Options

A student who enters the program with no transfer credits completes 54 credits for the M.B.A. degree. The normal course load is two courses per trimester. Following this model, students typically finish the program within three years. However, the program is flexible, allowing students to skip a residency when necessary for personal or professional reasons.

The School accepts a maximum of 6 transfer credits, with a qualifying grade, if earned from an AACSB International–accredited school of business within five years of enrollment in the program.

Faculty

The faculty members who teach in the iMBA program include many of the same faculty members who teach in the School's full-time M.B.A. programs. However, during the residency weeks they are free of teaching obligations in other programs, so that they may concentrate their efforts on their iMBA students. This creates a strongly cohesive environment and provides a high degree of personal interaction in the program.

Admission

An applicant must have received a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university to be considered for admission. Admission is competitive. Acceptance is based primarily upon potential for academic success and career achievement. Full-time work experience of at least three years is required for this program. A full description of the admissions policy is contained in the application instructions.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition in 2005–06 was $870 per credit. There is an annual tuition increase beginning with the summer residency. Textbooks average about $50 per credit. Housing and meal costs depend upon the accommodations chosen by the student, usually $70 to $120 per day. There is a $30 program fee for each residency.

Financial Aid

Most iMBA students hold full or partial sponsorship through their employer's tuition assistance program. Government or private loan programs are available for most students who are U.S. citizens or have a U.S. cosigner.

Applying

New students may begin the program at any of the three annual residencies. Applications are considered on a con tinuous year-round basis. The applica tion should be completed at least six weeks prior to the intended first residency. Applicants must possess a minimum of five years of full-time work experience to be considered for admis sion. Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores are not required. Scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) are required of those for whom English is not the first language, unless the undergraduate degree was acquired in a program taught in English.

CONTACT

Paula C. O'Callaghan
Director, iMBA Program
315 Martin J. Whitman School of Management
721 University Avenue
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York 13244-2130
Phone: 315-443-8384
Fax: 315-443-9517
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://whitman.syr.edu/imba