The MBA program requires 30 total credits for degree completion. 

• Of that total, 16 credits are satisfied with the eight required 2-credit core courses (MBA 701-708).
• MBA students are afforded a great deal of flexibility in fulfilling the remaining 14 elective credits.
  • Students can choose from the list of MBA-prefixed elective courses listed below, or can choose to supplement with non-MBA courses.
  • These may be other College of Business graduate-level courses, or even approved courses from other colleges across the University.
• All courses with an MBA prefix are worth two (2) credits and are delivered in 8-week (half-semester) sessions during the fall or spring semester.
• Most MBA-prefixed courses are held one evening per week from 6:00-9:30 p.m. in Barry Hall; a select few may be delivered in an online/asynchronous format.

Core Courses (16 credits)

Additional Elective Course Options

In general, any graduate-level course that is offered from within the College of Business can be considered as an MBA elective, as long as the student has not taken the equivalent 400-level undergraduate course. These may include graduate courses (600-level or higher) with any of the following prefixes (in addition to the MBA-prefixed elective courses):

• ACCT (Accounting)
• BUSN (Business Administration)
• FIN (Finance)
• MGMT (Management)
• MIS (Management Information Systems
• MRKT (Marketing)
• TL (Transportation and Logistics)

A variety of courses from outside the College of Business have been used as electives, as well, including—but not limited to—the following academic areas:

• Agribusiness and Applied Economics
• Communication
• Community Development
• Computer Science
• Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
• Public Health

_{*Please note that students may need a course permit and/or permission from the department or course instructor in order to register for courses outside of their home program. Permission is not guaranteed.}

Because the MBA degree is structured to serve students from various undergraduate disciplines, a set of foundation course requirements is needed to ensure adequate background preparation. Students should have proficiency in each of the following foundation course areas prior to enrolling in its subsequent MBA core course:

Contact Elizabeth.Worth@ndsu.edu for more information.

Applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis using a rolling admission format. The review process is holistic and takes into account all applicable factors, such as past/current CGPA, professional experience, GMAT/GRE score, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, etc.

An application file must be completed with all required official documents before it can be reviewed for admission. Admission decisions will not be made based upon incomplete application files and/or unofficial documentation.

In order for an application file to be considered complete, the following items must be received by the Graduate School:

1. Online Application
2. Statement of Purpose + Resume
3. Three (3) Letters of Recommendation
4. $35 Application Fee
5. Official Transcripts (from all institutions previously attended)
6. Official GMAT or GRE score^*
7. Proof of English Proficiency^**

_{*Individuals with significant post-baccalaureate professional work experience in mid- to upper-management levels (i.e. leadership, managerial, or supervisory roles) -AND/OR- individuals who have earned a terminal degree (e.g. PhD, EdD, MD, JD, PharmD, PsyD, DPT) may request consideration for a GMAT/GRE waiver. Requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and are not guaranteed.} 

_{**Met in one or more of three ways: 1) Raised in a country in which English is the only official language; 2) Earned a bachelor's degree or higher from a recognized institution within a country in which English is the only official language; or 3) Official English language test score—TOEFL ibt 71 or higher, IELTS academic 6.0 or higher; PTE academic 50 or higher; or Duolingo 100 or higher.}

Application Instructions