Graduate Study in the Sykes College of Business

Sykes College of Business

The Sykes College of Business (COB) offers graduate degree programs designed to help students become distinguished business practitioners. The degrees offered include the following:

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Science in Accounting (MS-ACC)
• Master of Science in Finance (MS-FIN)
• Master of Science in Marketing (MS-MKT)

Vision of the College of Business

To be recognized as the leading business school in the Southeast for preparing future world business leaders.

Mission and Values

Preparing students to succeed in the global marketplace through educational excellence.

Values and Goals

People First: We attract, develop and support talented students, faculty and staff.

Teaching Excellence: We focus on teaching excellence and high quality student-centered learning.

Dynamic Programs: We offer academically challenging graduate and undergraduate programs that prepare students for the dynamic local, regional and global workplace.

Scholarship: We enhance faculty teaching effectiveness and advance business knowledge through intellectual contributions and scholarship.

Partnerships: We form strong partnerships and alliances with universities, communities and businesses on a local and global basis.

Accreditation

The Sykes College of Business is accredited by AACSB International — the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, baccalaureate and master’s degrees.

Tuition and Graduate Fees

Graduate tuition is $546 per credit hour for the part-time and full-time Master of Business Administration (MBA) and the Master of Science (M.S.) business programs. A $40 student service fee is assessed each term for the aforementioned programs.

The Executive MBA program is $42,960 for the fall 2013 entering cohort (total for two years, payable in six equal installments due at the beginning of each academic term) and includes books, some meals, the student services fee, parking and a substantial portion of the international study trip.

Tuition for audited courses is 50 percent of the graduate tuition rate (see the Continuing Studies section of this catalog for additional information on auditing courses).

Admission

Admission to UT’s Sykes College of Business graduate programs is competitive and based on a number of important factors. Part-time and full-time MBA, MS-ACC, MS-FIN and MS-MKT applications are continually processed with admissions deadlines for fall and spring terms. Executive MBA applications are for fall sessions only. Individual interviews may be required in some cases and are required for all Executive MBA program applicants. All students admitted must have earned a four-year undergraduate degree or the equivalent from a regionally accredited college or university. A specific undergraduate major is not required.

Application materials should be sent to the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies. Applicants can check www.ut.edu/graduate/business/requirements for all deadlines and requirements.

Students entering the programs are expected to be competent in mathematics, to have strong communication skills (both written and oral) and to be competent with the use of computers. It is the student’s responsibility to develop these proficiencies through coursework and self-study. Students entering the Executive MBA program are expected to have seven years of relevant work experience and pass the assigned preliminary online module(s) with at least a 75 percent prior to Boot Camp.

Full Degree-Seeking Students

In order to be considered for acceptance as a full degree-seeking student, the applicant must meet the following minimum criteria:

1. Competitive verbal and quantitative scores on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are required for all business graduate programs. The GMAT and GRE may be considered for waiver for the following applicants:

• MS-FIN applicants who have a business degree from an AACSB-accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or better in relevant coursework and who have passed any level of the CFA exam or have three or more years of relevant, sufficiently documented professional work experience within the past five years.
• MS-MKT applicants who submit sufficient evidence of three or more years of relevant professional work experience within the past five years and who have a business degree from an AACSB-accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or better in relevant coursework.
• Executive MBA applicants who submit sufficient evidence of seven or more years of relevant professional work with a GPA of 3.0 or better in relevant coursework as deemed appropriate by the admissions committee.
• Students who have completed a master’s degree at a regionally accredited institution may petition the admissions committee to be waived from the GMAT requirement.
• UT students who have a baccalaureate degree from the Sykes College of Business may qualify for a GMAT waiver if they meet the following requirements: 

   o Overall GPA of 3.5 or higher 

   o Grade of B or higher in each of the following undergraduate business classes:

      - (MBA): Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Financial Management, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Business Statistics, Management and Marketing Management 

      - (ACC): Intermediate Accounting I, Intermediate Accounting II, Cost Accounting, Accounting Information Systems, Federal Tax Accounting, Law and Society, Auditing and Attestation I 

      - (FIN): Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Financial Management, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Business Statistics

      - (MKT): Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Financial Management, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Business Statistics and Marketing Management 

   o To be eligible for the waiver, students must submit their application for a business graduate program no more than two years after graduating from the baccalaureate degree program.

2. Competitive GPA for all previous college work.

3. For international applicants, a TOEFL score between 560-577 (paper-based test) or 83-91 (Internet-based test) is required.

UT students who wish to complete the B.S. in chemistry (biochemistry)/MBA joint degree program receive provisional acceptance into the program at the end of the second year. Final acceptance into the program is granted by the Sykes College of Business at the end of year three. See the B.S. in chemistry (biochemistry)/MBA joint degree section of this catalog for detailed application instructions.

Non-Degree Seeking Students

Non-degree seeking status is available for MBA, MS-ACC, MS-MKT and MS-FIN applicants. Those who have completed an undergraduate degree with either a 3.0 GPA overall or a 3.0 GPA in the last 60 credit hours of academic work, but who have not taken the GMAT, may be considered for acceptance as non-degree seeking students. In this case, a student may take no more than 8 credit hours of approved courses and will be required to submit GMAT scores to the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies before continuing enrollment.

Acceptance as a non-degree seeking student does not ensure acceptance into the respective program, regardless of grades received. Once the GMAT score has been received, the student’s admission status will be reevaluated. If, at that time, the student meets the criteria for acceptance, the status will be changed to full degree seeking. Non-degree seeking students are not eligible for University or federal financial aid. International students are not eligible for non-degree seeking status.

Academic Certificates

Certificate in Nonprofit Management. This graduate-level certificate program is offered in partnership with the Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay. It is a high-quality academic program taught by doctoral degree faculty in partnership with leading nonprofit practitioners. The courses are delivered as intensive cohort-based, one-week seminars representing 12 credit hours of graduate-level instruction. Scholarships are available. Admissions requirements and additional program information can be found at www.ut.edu/graduate/nonprofit.

Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Accounting. This certificate is designed for students with a degree in business who desire to earn the accounting credits necessary to sit for the CPA exam. See the Certificate in Accounting section of this catalog for additional information.  

Transfer and Transient Credit Policy

A maximum of 8 credit hours of graduate-level credit beyond Business Essential courses can be transferred from other AACSB-accredited institutions. Only credit earned with a grade of “B” or better will be considered for transfer.

Coursework completed more than seven years prior to admission may not be applied toward a master’s degree. Transient credit, correspondence credit and credit for extension courses are generally not accepted, except as may be specifically approved by the respective program director in the Graduate Business Programs Office.

Earning a Dual Graduate Degree from the Sykes College of Business

Students enrolled in business graduate programs may earn a concurrent degree by completing the appropriate 24 credit hours of 600-level courses. Students must meet all admissions requirements for the two degrees being pursued. In order to graduate with both degrees, students must earn a 3.0 for each degree. Contact the Graduate Business Programs Office or the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies for more details.

Dual Undergraduate Enrollment

Undergraduate students within 8 credit hours of undergraduate graduation from The University of Tampa may take 8 credit hours of graduate credit if they have a minimum GPA of 3.275 and meet the requirements for acceptance into the relevant graduate program, including the GMAT or GRE requirement.

How to Apply

To be considered for graduate admissions, each applicant must submit a $40 application fee along with the following:

• Completed application
• Official transcripts for all previous college work (must be received directly from each institution)
• Important: Transcripts must show specific subjects taken and the grade earned in each. If grades are expressed in other than the American system (A, B, C, D, F), a statement from the school must accompany the transcript showing conversion to the American system. Diplomas, certificates or general letters indicating attendance at a school will not substitute for transcripts.
• Applicants who have attended foreign colleges or universities may be asked to submit their transcripts and documents to a recognized international transcript evaluation consultant (e.g., World Educational Services Inc. or Josef Silny & Associates Inc.) for multipurpose evaluation of the undergraduate degrees earned and the institutions granting them. Application forms for evaluation by these services are available from Admissions in the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies.
• GMAT score report (required for all business graduate programs unless waived)
• Two personal reference forms
• A résumé that provides details of education and work experience
• Personal statement that discusses professional objectives, significant professional or academic achievements and demonstrated leadership abilities
• TOEFL or IELTS score report (international applicants only)
• Financial certification with appropriate supporting documents
• Portfolio of work and professional accomplishments (required for M.S. programs and Executive MBA applicants who are not submitting GMAT scores; otherwise, recommended)

Graduate Internships

Graduate students wishing to gain practical experience may do so by participating in a maximum of two graduate internships. The internship cannot be done with a student’s full-time employer. For more information, students should contact the Graduate Business Programs Office at (813) 253-6287. Mid-term and final internship reports are required during the internship. Internships are graded as any other course in the graduate program and are assigned grades in accordance with University standards. Only approved internships may be completed for academic credit. The employer must submit an Internship Request Form supplied by the Office of Career Services. Students wishing to pursue academic credit while participating in an internship must register for an internship course. Full-time students can request to count up to 4 credit hours of internship (two internships at 2 credit hours each) toward the fulfillment of the practicum requirement in the MBA curriculum; normal graduate tuition fees apply. The same internship cannot count for all 4 credit hours; for the practicum, internships must be two different internships with the same company or two internships with two different companies. All internship paperwork must be finalized prior to the start of the semester in which it will take place.

Internship applicants must be taking graduate classes at The University of Tampa, must have completed a minimum of two semesters of graduate-level courses with no grade less than a “B” in the discipline and must have an overall GPA of 3.2. Additionally, to qualify for an internship, students must create a résumé and attend the internship preparation workshop. A graduate student who has earned a bachelor’s degree at UT may, upon the recommendation of a UT faculty member, commence an internship prior to completing two graduate courses.

International students must have maintained their immigration status for one academic year before they are eligible to apply for a paid internship, and they are limited to working a total of 20 hours per week for all paid positions while school is in session. They may work full time during the summer and vacation periods if they are not enrolled in classes. Students enrolled in the B.S. in chemistry (biochemistry)/MBA joint degree program are required to complete two business internships.

Graduate Business Academic Advising

Graduate Business Programs Office academic advisers are available to assist students in evaluating course options and in planning successful completion of educational goals. Major responsibilities include (1) making information about academic policies and requirements available to every student; (2) referring students, as appropriate, to one of the many academic support services available; and (3) helping students process the following forms: Degree Application Form, Transient Student Status Form, Request for Change of Program or Concentration, Special Permission for Class Overload, Registration for Classes, Dropping/Adding of Classes and Petition of Academic Appeals.

Student Organizations

Students in the full-time and part-time graduate programs have the opportunity to elect representatives to the graduate student organizations whose purposes are to provide feedback to the administration and to initiate activities and programs to enhance the overall educational experience.

UT-GOLD

Business graduate students are encouraged to join The University of Tampa Graduate Organization for Leadership Development (UT-GOLD). This is a student organization that represents all business graduate students and enhances the academic experience. UT-GOLD hosts social and professional events that provide students with the opportunity to network, socialize, be engaged with the community and each other.

Sykes Organization Graduate Alumni

MBA and M.S. alumni are welcome to join the Sykes Organization Graduate Alumni (SOGA). This chapter of the UT alumni association was established to enhance the value of the business graduate programs and keep alumni connected to UT and each other.

SOGA fully supports the mission of the Sykes College of Business at The University of Tampa. In support of this mission, SOGA develops and presents programs, services and networking opportunities that add value to the graduate business programs and facilitates ongoing relationships with alumni. For more information on SOGA, contact the director of alumni and parent relations at (813) 253-6209 or the Graduate Business Programs Office at (813) 253-6287.

Graduate Retention Standards

Sykes College of Business graduate students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA in their required courses and a cumulative 3.0 GPA to graduate. Students who fall below a 3.0 GPA are placed on academic probation and will have an 8-credit probationary period in which to raise their grades to a 3.0 GPA. Students failing to do so will be dismissed. Students with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or lower will be dismissed with no probationary period. Conditionally admitted MBA, MS-ACC, MS-FIN or MS-MKT students who fall below a 3.0 GPA during their first 8 credit hours will be dismissed. No grade below a “C” will be accepted toward a graduate degree or certificate completion. Therefore, students must retake any class in which they earn a grade below a C. Any student who earns three grades of C or below will be dismissed with no probationary term.

Business Essentials Requirements for Full-Time and Part-Time MBA, MS-MKT and MS-FIN

The Business Essentials courses are designed to prepare students with the fundamentals of business. In this sequence, they learn the basics of sound theory and practice. All full-time and part-time MBA, MS-MKT and MS-FIN students must meet the Business Essentials requirements prior to taking any core courses. Applicants with baccalaureate degrees in business or economics from AACSB-accredited schools (or equivalent schools, as determined by the Business Graduate Curriculum Committee) may meet this requirement by demonstrating a "B" or better in the following undergraduate business courses: financial accounting, managerial accounting, financial management, microeconomics, macroeconomics, statistics, management and marketing. These courses must have been completed within the previous seven years. Waivers are not given for professional experience, professional development courses or courses taken at professional institutes.

For the M.S. in Finance program, passing level I of the CFA exam may waive some essential classes but determination will be made on a case-by-case basis depending on individual section test scores.

For the M.S. in Accounting program, students may waive the prerequisite courses if these courses were taken as part of their baccalaureate degrees or as post-baccalaureate students with a "C" or higher in the following undergraduate course(s) within the previous five years from a regionally accredited college or university.

1. Intermediate Accounting I
2. Intermediate Accounting II
3. Cost Accounting
4. Accounting Information Systems
5. Federal Tax Accounting I
6. Auditing
7. Business Law I  

If the student has completed the respective undergraduate course(s) with a "C" or higher, but it has been longer than seven years, the prerequisite may be waived if the student has current relevant work experience.

Students who have completed any of the required courses at an AACSB-accredited college or university within the previous seven years with a "B" or better in the respective course will be required to substitute the course with an elective allowed within the M.S. in Accounting program. A minimum of 32 graduate credit hours must be completed in order to earn the degree, 18 credit hours of which must be accounting courses. 

However, a student may demonstrate competency in a Business Essentials subject by passing a departmental subject (waiver) examination. Exams must be taken prior to the start of the student’s first term and may be taken only one time. Deadlines for completion of waiver exams may be obtained from the Graduate Business Programs Office.

In order for a course from an international institution or from a domestic non-AACSB-accredited institution to be considered for a waiver of a Business Essentials requirement without examination, the following conditions must be met:

• The student must be able to provide a course syllabus for at least two courses taken in the discipline.
• The student must indicate the textbook used for the course and provide a table of contents, if possible.
• At least one course must have been completed at a more advanced level than the Business Essentials course being considered for a waiver.
• All courses completed in the discipline must have been completed with a grade of “B” or better.

International students who graduate from a three-year degree program may not waive essential courses. 

Graduate Academic Appeals

The following policy applies to disputes over academic grading.

1. The student should first discuss the situation with the faculty member involved.
2. If the dispute remains unresolved, the student should contact the appropriate department chair.
3. If still unresolved, the student may submit the case to the college’s appropriate appeals committee, which will render a decision.
4. The student may appeal the decision of the appeals committee to the dean of the college, whose decision is final.

The student must submit written notification of the appeal no later than the completion of the seventh week of the term following the semester in which the grade was awarded. If the contested grade was awarded in the fall semester, this appeal procedure must be initiated no later than the end of the seventh week of the following spring semester. If the contested grade was awarded for the spring semester, May Term or summer session, this appeal procedure must be initiated no later than the end of the seventh week of the following fall semester. No course grades will be subject to change after final graduation certification.

The following policy applies to disputes over all other academic appeals (none grade-related).

1. The student may submit the case to the college's appropriate appeals committee, which will render a decision.
2. The student may appeal the decision of the appeals committee to the dean of the college, whose decision is final.