College of Business Administration

Master of Business Administration

Application Requirements

Persons seeking admission to the MBA program must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and show promise of high quality work on the graduate level. Prior study in business is not required for admission, although students with undergraduate degrees in disciplines outside Business Administration may be required to take additional coursework. Only completed applications are reviewed by the MBA Admissions Committee.

A completed MBA application consists of the following:

Completed Graduate Application for Admission Online
One official copy of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts
Official scores from the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Exam (GRE) OR successful completion of the College of Business Administration Pre-MBA Program.
A 500-1,000 word statement of purpose
Two letters of reference
A Certificate of Immunization
A current resume highlighting professional and personal accomplishments, as well as linguistic abilities, computer expertise, and leadership experience.
$25 application fee
TOEFL- for students whom English is not a native language. Minimum acceptable scores:
- Minimum of 550/667 on the paper-based test (PBT)
- Minimum of 240/300 on the computer-based test (CBT)
- Minimum of 96/120 on the Internet-based test (iBT)

Admissions

The MBA Admissions Committee reviews all submitted application materials and may conduct a personal interview. Based on its assessment of materials submitted, the Committee will make the decision whether or not to admit the candidate to the MBA Program.

Pre-MBA Program

The Pre-MBA program was developed by the College of Business Administration faculty as an alternative for students who do not have time to prepare for the GMAT or who believe they will be more successful preparing for graduate school utilizing online coursework. The Pre-MBA program is offered online all year round. The Pre-MBA is a non-credit bearing course and is not transferable to other institutions. The program consist of two online course modules. Successful completion of the Pre-MBA Program will be accepted in lieu of the required scores on the GMAT (or the GRE) for admission to the Savannah State University MBA program.

Pre-MBA Program Application Requirements

Persons seeking admission to the Pre-MBA Program must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and a 2.50 GPA. To apply to for the Pre-MBA Program at SSU, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies.

A completed Pre-MBA application consists of the following:

Pre-MBA Application for Admission
One official copy of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts
Cost of the Pre-MBA Program is $200 and can be paid online

Non-Degree (Special) Admission

Non-degree seeking students must be approved by the MBA office. Once approved, non-degree seeking students are limited to 6 credit hours of graduate business courses. Coursework taken during non- degree status may count towards the hours required for the MBA only if a non-degree student subsequently seeks admission into the program and the coursework is approved by the department.

Non-Degree (Special) Admission is different from admission as a provisional or regular admit. Students admitted in non-degree status are not eligible for financial aid.

Academic Probation/Program Suspension

Students enrolled in the MBA program are expected to maintain good academic standing. To maintain good academic standing, a graduate student must preserve a cumulative institutional GPA of at least 3.0 in all graduate level courses. Students must also make reasonable progress toward graduation requirements.

If the GPA of a graduate student falls below a 3.0 in a given semester, a letter of scholastic warning from the Office of Academic Affairs will be sent to the student placing him/her on Academic Probation. A student is allowed up to 9 credit hours, (not including summer) to achieve good academic standing (3.0 GPA). If not achieved by the end of the academic probation term, the student will be required to sit out for one semester. The student may then reapply, and if accepted return to complete his/her studies. Students placed on Academic Probation a second time, will be dismissed from the program. Only credits earned in graduate business courses offered by the College of Business Administration at Savannah State University may be used to repair deficiencies in a student’s GPA.

Readmit After Probation

Students suspended due to academic performance after being placed on probation, may reapply for admission to the Dean of the College of Business Administration after a one semester (fall, spring or summer) hiatus. If readmitted, the only coursework eligible for meeting degree requirements are those courses in which the student earned a minimum grade of B. That is, students readmitted following academic suspension will retake all graduate coursework where the grade earned was less than a B. Students in the MBA Program are allowed to repeat a course only one time.

Non-Academic Suspension

Students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the standards of the Student Code of Conduct at Savannah State University. The University reserves the right to exclude at any time any student whose conduct is deemed improper, unethical, or detrimental to the welfare of the college community. Faculty or fellow students in the MBA Program may initiate charges against a current student by filing a written charge with the Dean of the College of Business Administration and/or the Vice President for Student Affairs.

New Student Orientation

Orientation to a new graduate program is an important key to success in graduate studies. All incoming MBA students are asked to review orientation documentation as many questions about the program and institutional resources are addressed in this digital presentation.

Graduate Student Advisement

Each student enrolled in the MBA Program is assigned to the MBA Program Coordinator. The advisor will help the student plan a program of study consistent with the student’s academic goals and will approve all course selections prior to registration.

Transfer Credits

Up to 6 graduate semester credit hours may be transferred from a graduate institution accredited by AACSB International. Transfer credit may be granted if the applicant meets the following:

Has met all admission requirements for regular admission to the MBA Program and Savannah State University Graduate School requirements.
Courses being considered for transfer credit were taken in an approved program within the last five years. Courses exceeding the five year mark must be approved by the Dean.
Courses being considered for transfer must be equivalent to courses offered in the SSU MBA Program. Elective courses must be approved by the Dean.
A minimum grade of “B” earned for each requested transfer course.
Submission of the university catalog containing the course description for each requested transfer course at the university where the course was taken.
A copy of the course syllabus or outline is required for each requested transfer course.

Admissions Appeal

An applicant denied admission to the MBA program may appeal the decision in writing to the Dean of the College of Business Administration. The applicant will be required to provide additional information in support of the appeal. The appeal process begins with the Dean’s Office and continues through the channels as described elsewhere in this document.