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Darla Moore School of Business

Frequently Asked Questions

The Moore School MBA team realizes that starting an MBA program is a big step. Below you will find a compiled list of some the questions most frequently asked by incoming applicants.

We encourage all prospective applicants to engage with the MBA team to ensure the one-year MBA is the right fit for your needs. In addition, our on-campus visits are a great way to learn more about the MBA, attend class and connect with current students. Be sure to contact us or visit the school to learn more about the program. In addition, we travel to a number of cities in the United States and internationally each year and welcome the opportunity to meet you at one of our upcoming admissions events.

Our diverse candidates come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds prior to joining the program. International students add a valuable dimension to the classroom cohort. The one-year MBA program is designed for individuals who have clear goals in what they want to achieve in the program, due to the fact that candidates start their elective coursework early on in the program. Our class profile provides additional information on the makeup of our candidates.

Applicants should have two years or more of significant, professional work experience prior to the start of the program. Individuals can be considered for admission if they do not meet the work experience requirement at the time they submit their application, but the two-year requirement should be met by the start of the program. Prior work experience is an important part of classroom discussions and post-MBA career placement.

The MBA Admissions Committee requires either the GMAT or the GRE for admissions consideration and does not have a preference of one exam over the other. For admissions consideration, the committee takes a holistic approach in reviewing an application. This means that all aspects of your application are carefully evaluated, including your GMAT or GRE score, prior work experience, letters of recommendation, prior academic performance and the quality of your admissions interview. 

The Moore School requires international applicants whose native language is not English to submit a valid TOEFL (95 or better iBT), IELTS (7.0 or better) or PTE Academic (68 or better). The admissions committee does not have a preference for which test is submitted, and the test must be less than two years old. Non-native English speakers who graduated from a college or university in an English-speaking country (Ex: UK, Canada, Australia) may be able to waive the requirement.

All admitted applicants are considered for scholarship opportunities. Your admissions application also serves as your scholarship application. Additional information on scholarship opportunities can be found in the Financing Your Education section.

The MBA starts in early July of each year (Summer II term). In addition, all students are required to attend orientation, which starts in late June or early July, the week prior to the start of classes.

The MBA charges a program fee for the duration of the program. The program fee is charged instead of a per-credit-hour fee. Additional information can be found in our Graduate Tuition & Fees page.

The MBA program starts once a year in early July (Summer II term) and finishes in early May of the following year.

The International MBA is completed in 22 months.

The J.D./MBA is offered in conjunction with the School of Law at the University of South Carolina. Individuals complete their first two years of law school prior to starting the MBA portion of the joint program. Additional information is provided regarding the JD/MBA including admissions requirements and a joint degree timeline.

Due to the large number of applications we receive each year, we encourage applicants to apply as early as possible. Individuals that apply during by the Priority and Round I deadlines are given the best consideration for admissions and scholarship funding. We encourage international applicants to apply as early as possible to ensure enough time to secure a student visa. If you have waited until rolling admission, it is best to contact us to ensure space is still available. Be sure to stay informed about upcoming admissions deadlines.

No. However, we do recommend that incoming MBA students have basic knowledge of financial accounting principles, statistics and Microsoft Excel. In addition, all undergraduate majors are welcome to apply.

No. You may choose to either pursue a language track in French, German or Spanish, or choose the global track. For all tracks, the international immersion is an integral part of the International MBA experience and is a requirement for degree completion.

For the language tracks, students first start with introductory language classes on campus prior to completing their in-country language instruction. No prior knowledge of your chosen language track is required when you start the program. It is also common for students who speak multiple languages to use this opportunity to learn a new language or strengthen their expertise in a language in which they already have prior knowledge.

For the global track, students will continue to pursue their specialization and may add additional international business or management expertise through their choice of elective courses. For their in-country immersion, students will pursue business courses in a country where English is spoken widely.

The one-year MBA is full-time and we recommend not working more than 10-15 hours per week. It is advisable to not work when you first start in the Summer II term due to the initial course load. Domestic and international student do have the opportunity to be considered for graduate assistantship positions within the Moore School in the summer, fall and spring semesters. Additional part-time on-campus opportunities are also available. Information on both opportunities can be found in Financing Your Education. 

No. The Moore School's top-ranked Professional MBA program is designed for working professionals with classes offered on evenings and weekends.

 


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