http://www.whitworth.edu/sgcm
Graduate Studies in Business
The School of Global Commerce & Management comprises the department of economics & business, the organizational management program (a program for the adult learner seeking a baccalaureate degree), and the following graduate-degree programs: master of business administration (MBA) and MBA in international management (MBA in IM).
The School of Global Commerce & Management seeks to equip students, via a rigorous, collaborative, values-based education, to serve and lead successfully in business throughout the world.
Vision in Action: As part of our vision, the School of Global Commerce & Management students will have done the following by the time they obtain their graduate degrees:
- Received comprehensive training and education in global business management
- Developed an understanding of the nature and complexities of business decision-making in times of change and uncertainty
- Participated in an academic culture in which students learn through relational interaction with outstanding faculty who are highly qualified as scholars and practitioners, from each other, and from other stakeholders (alums and other business professionals) of the university through challenging, relevant and diverse teaching methods
- Joined top-quality students who are interested not only in becoming competent in traditional business disciplines, but in living lives of distinction and meaning as world citizens in an ever-changing, competitive environment
- Gained practical business experience through application, while developing essential communication, interpersonal and leadership, and critical-thinking skills
- Further developed character, integrity, and a capacity for ethical analysis and judgment, traits that are important to an increasingly complex, diverse and globalizing world
- Enhanced their value in the employment marketplace
- Connected to a worldwide alumni network
Programs and Curricular Focus
The School of Global Commerce & Management is recognized as an academic leader in preparing graduate students to compete successfully in today’s international marketplace. Our goal is to provide comprehensive training and education for the business leaders of tomorrow, based on the dynamic globalizing environment of business in the 21st century. Courses in finance, ethics, operations and project management, marketing, human resources, law and communications are designed to give students the business skill-sets needed to be competitive in the job market, while developing their intercultural intelligence and expanding their knowledge of world markets. Evening seminar-style courses offer students the choice of full- or part-time study. Full-time enrollment of two courses per each six-week module provides students the opportunity to earn an MBA or MBA in IM degree in 12 months. Part-time enrollment allows a student to take only one course each module and still complete his or her degree in less than two years.
Faculty
Faculty members are active in the fields of global business and management studies, and they bring practical business and cross-cultural experience to the classroom. Faculty members engage in research and consulting for governments and corporations locally and throughout the world. Qualified business practitioners from the community bring added expertise and experience to the classroom through special courses, guest lectures, and supervision of internships, special projects, and business-plan development.
Application Procedures and Admission Criteria
Due to the graduate programs’ unique eight-module design, students may apply for admission throughout the year.
Admission decisions are based on an applicant’s undergraduate academic record, recommendations, prior experience, graduate examination (GMAT or GRE) score, and approved English-language exam (TOEFL) score for students whose native language is not English. Students may also be invited for an interview.
The following guidelines apply:
- Transfer courses from other graduate programs will be assessed; typically, only six semester credits, or 10 quarter credits, will be considered for transfer as a student enters the MBA or MBA in IM programs.
- A TOEFL score of at least 213 (550 computer-based or 79 Internet-based TOEFL) or a 6.5 IELTS score is required for students who are not native speakers of English, unless a student has received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university.
- A minimum GMAT score of 500 or a combined minimum GRE score of 300 is generally required for admission to the MBA or MBA in IM programs. However, the committee takes a holistic perspective in its review. Appropriate consideration is given to all components of the application packet.
- All applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Students holding a bachelor’s degree, or its equivalent, from a college or university outside of the United States may be asked to submit their transcripts to an independent transcript-evaluation agency for review.
Prerequisites
Undergraduate introductory courses in the following disciplines are generally required for admission to the MBA and MBA in IM programs. Applicable work experience can be applied after review:
- Accounting
- Microeconomics
- Macroeconomics
- Marketing
- Statistics
- Finance
Application Procedures
Online Application and $35 fee:
The online application has several components and gives you the opportunity to upload your résumé and essay, send recommendation requests to your references, and pay your $35 application fee.
You also have the option of e-mailing your resume and essay to us at a later time (gsb@whitworth.edu). In addition to submitting your application materials, you will meet with the program director to talk about your particular goals in obtaining an MBA.
GMAT/GRE:
Test Scores: Whitworth accepts both the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) and the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). All applicants are required to submit valid GMAT or GRE scores. Test scores are an important component of each application. You are encouraged to take the GMAT or GRE early in your MBA application process so that if you do not perform as well as you would like, you may retake the exam prior to your preferred start date.
•Whitworth evening MBA GMAT code: 5LH-BF-55
•Whitworth evening MBA GRE code: 4953
Resume
On your résumé, please include both work experience and, where applicable, service activities and recognitions.
We strongly recommend that MBA applicants have full-time work experience. The Admissions Committee is especially interested in the quality of an applicant’s professional skills as evidenced in her/his level of responsibility, leadership, supervision and teamwork. The committee also considers the relevance of these skills both to the applicant's intended course of study at Whitworth and to the career goals as stated in the essays.
Service, activities and recognition, such as public, community or military service, travel experiences, extracurricular activities, and any honors or recognitions received are all important indicators of an applicant's motivation and character. The most appropriate place to include this information is on your résumé. The accompanying essays may also be an appropriate place to discuss your personal background.
Recommendations:
Recommendations should come from individuals who have a superior working knowledge of the applicant, should be professional in nature, and should speak to the applicant's professional work, qualities, career potential and likelihood of success in the classroom.
Recommendations are completed via an online recommendation request sent directly to each reference once you begin the application process.
Transcripts:
Though a student’s GPA is reviewed for probability of academic success, we understand that undergraduate GPAs, particularly those from several years ago, may not reflect current ability or commitment to academic success.
Order official transcripts from ALL colleges or universities previously attended; have them sent directly to:
Whitworth University, Graduate Admissions
300 W. Hawthorne Rd.
Spokane, WA 99251
Prerequisites:
Whitworth’s MBA program requires prior coursework or equivalent work experience in key functional areas of business: accounting, economics, finance, marketing, and statistics. If applicants do not have the necessary background, Whitworth offers several online and self-paced completion methods to satisfy these requirements.
Personal Essay:
The essay is a critical component for assessing an applicant’s motivation for attending Whitworth’s evening MBA program; it sums up the applicant’s background and goals, as well as his/her communication and presentation skills. In your essay, you are asked to respond to three particular questions: Why Whitworth? Why an MBA? Why now? Your essay should be no longer than one page, single-spaced, or approximately 600 words. A strong essay will convey careful research on Whitworth and enthusiasm for the program.
Non-U.S. Citizens must also include the following:
-
TOEFL and/or IELTS Tests
Whitworth requires the TOEFL or IELTS exam for all international applicants unless the applicant acquired her/his bachelor’s degree from the U.S. or a country where the official language is English. A score of 88 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) OR an overall score of 7.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is considered the minimum for admission to Whitworth University. Test scores must be sent directly to Whitworth.
For the TOEFL, an official score report must be sent directly to the MBA office at Whitworth University ( 300 W Hawthorne, Spokane, WA 99251), from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Whitworth’s institution code is 4593. To learn more about TOEFL or to request your score, contact ETS at: www.ets.org.
- Student Financial Statement
A detailed International Student Financial Statement form with supporting verification documents must be provided to the Whitworth Office of International Admissions. Submit documents to gsb@whitworth.edu. In compliance with U.S. Immigration Service requirements, your documents must show evidence of adequate available financial resources to attend Whitworth and the MBA program.
An affidavit of financial support is required from students whose financial resources are supplemented to any degree by someone other than themselves. Use INS form I-134 for sponsors from the US.
- University transcript and degree requirements
All applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Requirements for admission include an undergraduate GPA of 3.0. International applicants with diplomas from non-English-speaking universities may be required to provide a professional credential evaluation of their university transcripts. To obtain a professional credential evaluation, submit official transcripts and/or documentation of degree earned to:
U.S.A. Telephone/FAX 212-966-6311; e-mail online: www.wes.org/contact
Please choose the "Document by Document" service. All transcripts and evaluations should be forwarded to Whitworth University.
Non-degree-seeking students may be asked to meet the same requirements expected of degree candidates. Class enrollment is on a space-available basis, giving priority to degree-seeking students. Non-matriculating students are generally limited to six credits in the MIM or MBA program before being expected to apply for admission.
International Students: In some cases, additional English-language study may be recommended, although such coursework does not apply toward the MBA or MBA in IM degree.
Academic Policies
Academic Standards:
- Documentation of experience will be required of anyone petitioning to substitute experience for prerequisites.
- To be considered a full-time student in the MBA or MBA in IM programs, a student must complete at least six credits within the academic semester at the university. International students are required to be enrolled for each module to maintain full-time status in compliance with immigration guidelines.
- A student may apply six semester credits of MBA or MBA in IM coursework taken as a non-degree enrollee for completion of the degree. After completion of at least two courses with non-degree status, the student is encouraged to submit a formal application for degree standing.
Registration:
- Registration every semester is based on a program plan that each student will pursue following admission into his or her program.
- A student who officially drops or withdraws from classes during the course of the term is eligible for an adjustment of charges as follows:
- First week: 100 percent
- Second week: 80 percent
- No refunds are given after the third week of class. If you receive a 100-percent refund and have already received the books for the course, you will be responsible for paying back the cost of the books.
