Mar 28, 2024  
2015-2016 Shepherd University Catalog 
    
2015-2016 Shepherd University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

4+1 Bachelors/MBA Option (Fifth-Year MBA)


The Shepherd University 4+1 Bachelors/M.B.A. Program allows interested and qualified undergraduate students to complete a bachelor’s and an M.B.A. degree in as little as five years. Students in the 4+1 program focus on their bachelor’s degree requirements during their first three years, a mix of bachelor’s and M.B.A. requirements in the fourth year, and mostly M.B.A. requirements in the fifth year. Each degree is awarded once the specific degree requirements are successfully met.

Apply to the 4+1 Bachelors/M.B.A. program when you have completed 90 undergraduate hours and met other requirements of the program, such as the minimum GPA requirement (3.0). Later, students must also provide the additional materials required for graduate admission to the M.B.A. program: graduate application for admission, C.V., letter of intent, and two letters of recommendation. Qualified undergraduate students approved for the program may select up to four M.B.A. courses (up to 12 graduate credits) form the Business Administration M.B.A. Core, Electives and/or Concentration courses.

Students without a business background can take the three M.B.A. foundation courses (9 credits) during the senior year. These credits may count as undergraduate electives (where applicable), but are also applied toward the M.B.A. for admissions requirements. 

  • MBA FDA         Foundations of Accounting*
  • MBA FDE         Foundations of Economics*
  • MBA FDS         Foundations of Statistics*

*Foundations courses may be waived based on relevant undergraduate courses in these areas. Students must fulfill any prerequisite requirements for these courses such as any core curriculum math requirement. The M.B.A. foundational courses may not count as fulfilling core curriculum requirements. Students should take the appropriate undergraduate course that fulfills those specific requirements. 4+1 students must earn at least a “B” grade in each foundation course in order to matriculate into the M.B.A. program. Students who earn less than a “B” will need to retake the course.

Students already in the undergraduate business programs should work closely with their advisor to choose the appropriate courses to fulfill undergraduate requirements. All students  will work closely with their undergraduate advisor and the M.B.A. program coordinator to make sure they are selecting coursework that covers both degree requirements. Additionally, students are encouraged to meet with the university’s Financial Aid Office since financial assistance (whether in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, etc.) is unique to each student/family situation.

Students reduce the number of hours required to complete the bachelor’s degree by the number of graduate hours they complete (up to a maximum of 12). Graduate coursework/credit will appear ONLY on the graduate transcript, and graduate course grades will be calculated at the graduate level. The undergraduate transcript will indicate that graduate courses were used to fulfill the undergraduate requirement(s).

The courses taken at the graduate level count toward the fulfillment of the necessary hours (36) for the M.B.A. degree. The student at the end of the M.B.A. program will have accrued a minimum of 144 credits.

Contact Person: Dr. Scott Beard, Dean, Graduate Studies, 304-876-5630.