The ISAT MBA is a program in which students receive a B.S. in ISAT (in four years) and an MBA from the College of Business (COB) in about 18 months. The ISAT MBA track will be highly selective: a maximum of ten students per year will be selected to participate. The advantage of participating in the ISAT MBA is that the usual requirement for two years of full-time work experience will be waived and students will be allowed to substitute six months of relevant internships or work experience. Specific information and instructions for students by class are provided below. The first class began the MBA in the fall of 2003. The class starting in the fall of 2008 has already been selected. Students who apply now will be starting the MBA in the fall of 2009. The application deadline for both seniors and juniors is Friday, October 26th, 2007 at 5:00 pm (see below for additional information). No extensions on the application deadline will be given.
Students in the ISAT MBA track must take six COB courses as prerequisites to the MBA program, usually in their junior and senior years. These courses may be taken as electives at JMU, although in some cases, prerequisites may be taken at a different university or at a community college. Prerequisites taken outside of JMU must be approved in advance by the COB MBA program director. To obtain pre-approval of a specific prerequisite at a different college or university, send a copy of the course syllabus or a detailed description of the course contents to the COB MBA director (Dr. Bahn) before taking the course. You will be notified regarding the decision. The six COB prerequisite courses that must be taken prior to admittance into the MBA program are listed below. Additional information on these courses is contained on the COB BBA page at http://cob.jmu.edu/bbacore.
There are two separate selection processes for successful participation in the ISAT MBA. The first selection process occurs in ISAT, normally during the junior year (see below), and the second selection process occurs in the College of Business prior to admittance to the MBA program. Each selection process has its own criteria, which are described below, and admittance into the ISAT MBA track is not a guarantee of acceptance into the MBA program. The ISAT MBA track selection committee consists of the ISAT MBA advisor Dr. Anne Henriksen, the ISAT program director Dr. Ronald Kander, the ISAT MBA co-advisor Dr. David McGraw, ISAT professor Mr. Paul Goodall, and the ISAT coordinator for students Mr. Paul Henriksen. The criteria considered in ISAT for participation in the MBA track are
The COB MBA selection committee is in the College of Business. Dr. Kenneth Bahn is the COB MBA Program Director. More information about the COB MBA can be found on the MBA web page at http://cob.jmu.edu/mba. The COB requirements for admittance into the MBA program are
The application and selection process for the MBA class of 2008 has been completed. If you are a part of the ISAT MBA class starting in fall of 2008, you should be making arrangements to take the GMAT if you have not already done so, and to complete the prerequisites. You should also be taking steps to formally apply for the MBA program. Contact the COB MBA office for information on applying. Please see the ISAT MBA coordinator if you have any other questions or concerns.
The Application Process
The application period for current juniors who would be starting the MBA in the fall of 2009 opens October 12th, 2007. Completed application materials are due by Friday, October 26th, 2007 by 5:00 pm in the mailbox of the ISAT MBA advisor, Dr. Anne Henriksen. Her mailbox is on the second floor of the ISAT building. Please Note: No extensions on the application deadline will be given. Application materials can be downloaded by clicking on the links below. There are links to all the required materials: the application form, the internship information form, the references form, and the essay form. Students are expected to supply an unofficial copy of their transcript with their application. Application materials must be put in a plain brown envelope and be of professional quality. Late applications, incomplete applications, or unprofessional applications will not be considered. Applications will be reviewed and students will be notified of the outcome in time to register for spring semester.
A complete application package consists of the following items:
After submitting your application materials, wait to be notified. Anyone entering the program will be informed regarding what needs to be done. In the meantime, you can investigate the times and places at which to take the GMAT, buy and study a GMAT preparation book, and think about where you can fit the prerequisites into your schedule.
After acceptance into the ISAT MBA track, students should buy and study a GMAT preparation book, arrange to take the GMAT, and arrange with the ISAT MBA advisor to complete the six MBA prerequisites.
The Application Process
Current sophomores will apply in the fall of 2008. There will be plenty of time for you to take the prerequisites, study for and take the GMAT, and complete your internships. If you are considering applying for the ISAT MBA Track, then you will want to obtain a summer job or internship in the kind of position that utilizes your ISAT professional skills.