School of Business Administration

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The School of Business Administration offers Programs that prepare students to excel and lead in the modern global economy. Both businesses and not-for-profit organizations have to respond to ongoing technological developments, emerging demographic and cultural trends, increasing global competition, and changes in social values and laws. To succeed and grow in this challenging environment, they need agile structures, managers who can lead effectively, and employees who have the skills to adapt and deliver high levels of performance.

Our Programs enable students to take on challenging situations and succeed as managers and employees in the for-profit corporate sector, in entrepreneurial ventures, and in non-profit institutions. Students can chose from a range of master’s programs and graduate certificates to develop a customizable portfolio of skills that reflects their career aspirations.

Our courses deploy a hands-on learning-by-doing approach to teaching. This method engages students, enables greater proficiency in the subject matter, and produces graduates who are highly valued by employers for their ability to hit the ground running. Students participate in career planning activities with a goal of achieving desired career outcomes upon graduation. Small class sizes and favorable advisor-student ratios allow our faculty and staff to afford individualized care and attention to each and every student. We are vested in and measure ourselves by the success of our students and the satisfaction of our stakeholders.

Our Vision

To Empower Better Futures.

Our Mission

We Take Your Success Personally.

Our Values

Integrity, Inclusivity, Agility, Partnerships

Admission Requirements

Admission to graduate programs in business may be granted following evaluation of the application file.  Factors affecting the admission decision include previous academic performance, test scores (GMAT or GRE), recommendations and work experience. The minimum undergraduate GPA required for admission is 2.7. The minimum GMAT required for admission is 450. GRE scores will be converted to equivalent GMAT score. International students must earn a minimum TOEFL score of 80 or a minimum IELTS band score of 6.5.  Note:  The GMAT/GRE may be waived for:

• Applicants with five years or more of relevant work experience after graduation from a bachelor’s program; proof of work experience must be submitted.
• Applicants who hold a master’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Applicants with a minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.3
• For the MBA and MSBPI programs, applicants who have completed a graduate business certificate program and earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3
• For the MSTFP program, applicants who have completed a certificate program in Taxation and earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3, as well as applicants who have earned the CMA, CPA, CIA, CFA, CFP, CFM or CISA designation.

Transfer Credit

Graduate transfer credit must be approved by the dean of the School of Business Administration and may be permitted subject to the following restrictions:

• Requests for transfer credit must be made at the time of entry into the program
• No more than six credits in total will be accepted into the core or elective portion of the graduate degree program and not all core courses are eligible for transfer credit.
• Business courses must be taken at AACSB-accredited institutions.  Special consideration may be made for courses offered outside the purview of the transferring institution’s business school (e.g., economics is sometimes offered through the social science department).
• Taxation courses must be taken at AACSB or ABA accredited institutions.
• HCM-related courses must be taken at either CAHME or AACSB accredited institutions.
• Courses taken at institutions outside of the United States will be evaluated on a case by case basis
• Only courses which the applicant has completed within 5 years of entrance and earned a minimum grade of ‘B’ may be considered for transfer.
• Courses considered for transfer credit for core requirements will be evaluated by the appropriate department and must be equivalent in level and content to the Widener core course.
• Courses considered for transfer credit for electives will be evaluated by the appropriate department. They must be graduate level courses and in a field directly related to the business degree being pursued.
• Admitted students who want to take a course at another institution must obtain permission from the director of the graduate programs prior to taking the course.
• Transfer credit does not reduce the minimum hour residency requirement established for each program.
• For each program up to 6 credit hours may be taken in other Widener Graduate programs with the permission of the director of graduate programs.

Grading System

Grades are recorded as follows:

Each instructor has the option of using the + and – grade.  Students will be informed of the grading policy for each course at the beginning of the semester.

*Incomplete Grades

The grade of “Incomplete” (I) is assigned when a student has not completed the required coursework.  The I grade signifies that a grade is being withheld until the required work is completed and approved.

In all cases, the I grade is a privilege exercised by an instructor. It is not a right ascribed to a student. The instructor is not required to provide an I grade. An I grade cannot be employed to avoid the receipt of a low grade.

For an I grade to be assigned:

• The student must initiate the request with their instructor prior to the end of the semester (before finals begin) in which the course has been taken and must have completed the majority of work in a course.
• A formal agreement is developed between the student and the instructor delineating the conditions for removing the I grade.
• For the I grade to be removed, students are responsible for completing their work within one year.
• Individual instructors may require that work be completed in advance of these deadlines, and will provide such deadline to the student at the point of the Incomplete agreement.
• If there is reason to extend the deadline for an I grade removal, it is the student’s responsibility to initiate this by submitting a request to the instructor. This request must be signed by the instructor and Graduate Program Director. 

If the work is not made up within the prescribed period, the grade will be automatically converted to F.

Course Withdrawal Policy

• Students may withdraw from a course during the University Add/Drop Period without penalty.  In such cases, students will be deleted from the course and will receive a refund in accordance with University policy.
• After expiration of the Add/Drop Period, students may withdraw from a course and receive a W on the transcript, provided they do so by the midpoint of the given course with approval from the faculty member and the Graduate Program Director.  Students will not receive a refund for such a withdrawal in accordance with University policy.
• Students are not eligible to withdraw from a course after the midpoint of the semester, and students who fail to complete the required coursework may receive a grade of “F” or “Incomplete,” at the discretion of the course faculty member.  Students may apply for an exception to this policy when serious extenuating circumstances exist. The student submits their request in writing to their Graduate Program Director for consideration.  Final approval may be granted by the Dean. Students will not receive a refund for such a withdrawal in accordance with University policy.

SBA Academic Policies and Standards

The following academic policies and standards apply to students in all the graduate programs in business:

• No more than 6.0 credits with grades of less than ‘B-’ may be earned in 600-level courses taken in the graduate program.
• No more than 3.0 credits with a grade of ‘F’, including grades of ‘I’ that become grades of ‘F’, may be received in courses taken in the graduate program.  Courses may be repeated, but a second failure will cause dismissal of the student.
• Students not meeting the requirements stated above will be dismissed from the program. The dismissal decision is communicated to the student by the Graduate Program Director, with copies to the Deans of the School of Business Administration and Center for Graduate and Continuing Studies. An “Academic Hold” notification is sent to the registrar. 
• Students must complete the required course of instruction with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in order to graduate.
• Students must complete all degree requirements within the time period stated for their program in order to graduate.
• Students not taking a course for a 24-month period are automatically classified as inactive.  Students who wish to return must petition the director of graduate programs.  Students who are permitted to return must follow the curriculum in place at the time of return.
• Students dismissed for academic reasons may not enroll in additional courses unless they are reinstated to the program.
• Students dismissed for academic reasons may petition for reinstatement no sooner than six months after the end of the semester in which they received the grade that caused the dismissal.
• Students, once reinstated, will be dismissed from the program without the possibility of reinstatement if they earn a grade below ‘B’ in any subsequent course.  Permanently dismissed students cannot apply to any other graduate program in the School of Business Administration.
• Conduct inconsistent with the ethical and professional standards of the discipline, whether it occurs before or after matriculation, is grounds for dismissal from the program.  Such conduct includes academic fraud.  A student dismissed for academic fraud may no longer enroll in graduate programs and may not apply for admission into another division of the university.  See “Standards for Academic Integrity” in General Information  in the Graduate Catalog.

Academic Grievance Appeal Procedure

If a student has a grievance concerning a class in which he or she is enrolled, the student will first try to resolve the problem with the instructor of the class. If a student has a grievance concerning an academic requirement of the program, he or she will first try to resolve the problem with the director of the program. If it is impossible to resolve the matter at this initial level, the student must place the grievance in writing and can then appeal to the next higher level.  The student should inquire in the office of the SBA Dean for the proper appeal procedure if the grievance is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction after initial appeal to the instructor or the program director. Grievance appeals must be filed as close to the occurrence of the grievance as possible, and no later than two weeks from the final deadline for grades for the applicable module, session or semester of the grievance as noted in the university academic calendar.  Appeals will be reviewed by the School of Business Administration Academic Council.

Academic Integrity Policy

Graduate business programs will adhere to the University policies on Academic Integrity, Academic Review Board, and Academic Appeals approved by Faculty Council, which are detailed in General Information  in the Graduate Catalog.

Certificate Programs

Certificate programs are ideal for individuals who want to develop specialized knowledge and skills in a particular field but who do not, at this time, want to pursue a full-length master’s degree in that field. A certificate can typically be earned by completing four 3-credit graduate courses in a specific area or discipline. Certificate programs are stackable and some can be combined to create a more flexible and affordable pathway to a master’s degree. Contact the SBA graduate business programs office (Quick Center 243, phone (610) 499-4304/4305, email sbagradv@widener.edu) to learn more about the stackable aspects of certificate programs.

The School of Business Administration offers certificate programs in the following specialized areas

• Business Fundamentals    
• Business Process Innovation  
• Health Care Management  
• Organizational Leadership  
• Investment Management  
• SAS Business Intelligence and Analytics  
• Taxation  

Courses taught in the certificate programs are equivalent to courses taught in the MBA, MSBPI, and MSTFP degree programs. Academic credit earned in a certificate program is fully transferable to the corresponding graduate degree program, so students can opt to pursue a master’s degree at a later date. Also, completion of the certificate program with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or above may waive the GMAT for admission to the MBA, MSBPI, and MSTFP programs. Students in a certificate program must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (with no more than one grade below B-). Students must complete a certificate program within three years from the date of matriculation.

SAS Certificate in Business Intelligence and Analytics

Students enrolled in certain graduate business programs may earn a SAS Joint Certificate in Business Intelligence and Analytics upon completion of four SAS-approved courses. Students may obtain a list of approved courses from the SBA Graduate Programs office.

Certificate Program Admission

Persons who have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.7 are invited to apply for a certificate program. Applicants should:

• Complete the application online.
• Have official transcripts sent from previous colleges and universities attended.
• Submit one letter of recommendation.

All inquiries should be directed to the SBA graduate programs office: phone, 610-499-4305; fax, 610-499-4615; or email, sbagradv@widener.edu.

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