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Timelines & Requirements (MBA)

Dakota State’s online Master of Business Administration (MBA) program accepts domestic students from a variety of backgrounds in the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms.

This program is offered entirely and exclusively online.

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Admission requirements

Requirements to apply

A bachelor’s degree in business administration (or closely related field) from an institution with full regional accreditation for that degree.
A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent).
Two years of professional employment and a baccalaureate or graduate degree in any discipline with a GPA of at least 3.0.
Students without an undergraduate business degree may need to complete foundational courses to be ready for graduate study in business. This will be determined by the applicant's education and experience in the application process.
No GRE required.

Application deadlines

Send in your applications by:

August 15 for admission the following Fall semester
November 30 for the following Spring semester
April 30 for the following Summer semester

Application deadlines are subject to change, to accommodate available capacity and program needs. We encourage you to submit your application as early as possible.

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Application materials checklist

Completed online application
- Submit the $36 application fee.
- After submitting your online application, you can log into your application portal to complete any remaining application documents and check the status of your application.
Purpose Statement (in online application)
- In 200 to 300 words, share your purpose for choosing this graduate degree and how you feel prepared. Our admissions committee wants to know:
  - Why are you choosing to pursue this degree?
  - What role does this degree program play in your career objectives?
  - What special knowledge, skills, or experiences prepare you to succeed in this program?
- This is also an opportunity to expand on how you meet the program admission requirements.
Official transcripts
Official transcripts should show a conferred bachelor's degree. Transcripts with graduate credit can be submitted for credit-transfer consideration.

Official trancripts can be submitted to DSU-GraduateAdmissions@dsu.edu.

FAQS

How much does the program cost?
DSU bills tuition per credit hour and the MBA program is a 30-credit degree, making the cost of the MBA program less than $15,000. DSU bills tuition on a semester-to-semester basis and payment plans are available. You can review the breakdown of costs per credit here: DSU Tuition Costs.

Does this program require the GRE to apply?
No, GRE Scores are not required to apply to the MBA program.

How long does the program usually take to complete?
For part-time students, the program can take about 3 years to complete (1 class at a time). For full-time students, the program can take 1-2 years to complete (2-3 classes at a time).

Are assistantship awards available?
No. Since this program is offered only online, assistantships are not available for this program.

Can the application fee be waived?
The $35 application fee is required for all programs and cannot be waived per University policy.

Have a question not answered here?
Contact GradOffice@dsu.edu for additional support.

Graduation requirements

The MBA program requires a total of 30 credit hours beyond the baccalaureate. This includes:

Successful completion of all courses listed on your MBA Plan of Study within the 5-year time limit.
Achievement of a GPA of at least 3.0 (a "B" average), with no more than six credit hours of a "C" grade and no grade below a "C" in the courses on your Plan of Study.
Satisfaction of Regental standards for residency, this is satisfied by completing all but a maximum of nine credit hours of your coursework at DSU (distance courses count as "at DSU").
21 credit hours of core courses.
Six credit hours of electives.
Three credit hours of a capstone course, including a comprehensive exam.