Graham School of Business

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Objectives and Goals

The mission of York College’s Graham School of Business (GSB) is to establish and deliver distinctive, high-quality academic programs, facilitate linkages between academic and business communities, and to encourage ongoing scholarship. The School’s main purpose is to facilitate student learning and prepare students/graduates at the associate, baccalaureate, and graduate levels to best meet their goals and the needs of the business community.

By integrating academic theory with real-world relevance, graduate programs in the Graham School of Business are committed to preparing students for advancement in both the private and public sectors of the global economy, delivering innovative business education convenient for working professionals. Our faculty is devoted to providing learning opportunities for students that develop the specialized knowledge and skills necessary to become effective, socially responsible business and community leaders. We strive to inspire curiosity, develop strategic thinking, and help build ethical and creative business leaders.

Admission Criteria

All applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Further requirements include the following:

An undergraduate GPA of 2.8 or higher.

          OR

Permission of the MBA Director.  Permission may be granted based on:

• A graduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
• One of the following professional certifications:
  • Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
  • Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
  • Certified Six Sigma (Master) Black Belt (CSSMBB or CSSBB)
  • Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
  • Lean Gold or Silver Certified (LGC or LSC)
  • Project Management Professional (PMP)
• GMAT score (taken within the last 5 years)
• Work experience, 3 professional letters of recommendation, and an admissions interview

Non-Degree Student
A non-degree student takes only those graduate courses that meet his/her professional development or personal needs and does not pursue a degree. 

Individuals enrolled in a master’s program at another college or university, and who wish to take and transfer a York College course, should apply for non-degree admissions status.

Application Procedures

Application Procedures:

1. A Graduate Studies Application should be completed and submitted on line.
2. Official transcripts of all completed undergraduate and, if applicable, graduate studies must be sent to the Graham School of Business.  Undergraduate transcripts must verify that the applicant has been awarded a baccalaureate degree.
3. Applicants who want their GMAT score included in their application packet must grant York College of Pennsylvania permission with the Graduate Management Admission Council to view their GMAT score (with the exam having been taken within five years from the date of application) and notify the Graduate Director.  Applicants who who taken the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) may submit their official score report for consideration.  If such scores are below the 60th percentile, the applicant will be required to take the GMAT.
4. Additional materials may be requested from applicants who seek acceptance of transfer graduate credits.

Grading, Degree Progress and Dismissal

• Master’s degree candidates are required to maintain a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average to remain in good standing and to be eligible to graduate.
• Failed courses (courses in which a student earned a grade of 0) must be retaken in the earliest semester that the course is offered. A particular course may be retaken one time. A student is permitted to repeat no more than two courses total. If a course is retaken, both grades will be recorded on the transcript but only the highest grade is used in calculating the GPA.
• Each graduate student’s cumulative grade point average is reviewed upon completion of 12 graduate credits and at the completion of each spring semester. If the cumulative grade point average is less than 3.0 at any of these reviews, the student will be placed on academic probation and must achieve a 3.0 cumulative grade point average during the completion of the next nine graduate credits. While on academic probation, courses in which the student earned a grade less than a 3.0 must be repeated in the earliest semester that the course is offered. Failure to bring the GPA up to the 3.0 level within the above parameters will result in the student being dismissed from the MBA Program.
• Graduate students in the Graham School of Business are expected to follow the York College of Pennsylvania Academic Integrity Policy as well as the Classroom Codes of Conduct for individual courses.

Policies and Procedures

Graduate Program Orientation

All newly-admitted students must attend a New Student Orientation. Students admitted for the summer or fall semester should attend the program held in the fall of each year. Students admitted for the spring semester should attend the January orientation. Information about the orientation will be emailed after acceptance as a graduate student at York College.

Continuous Enrollment Policy for Graduate Students

Upon acceptance into a graduate program in the Graham School of Business, the student must maintain enrollment in each semester, excluding summer sessions, by either:

1. Enrolling in one or more courses toward the completion of their graduate degree
2. Registering for MBA/ACC 500 Continuous Enrollment and paying the fee. Students may enroll in MBA/ACC 500 Continuous Enrollment for no more than two consecutive semesters.

Failure to maintain enrollment status will automatically discontinue the studentʼs enrollment in the graduate program. A discontinued student must reapply for admission to the graduate program when reactivation is desired, and must follow the current program of study at the time of readmission.

Students who are enrolled in a course off campus in the fall or spring semester must also register for MBA/ACC 500 Continuous Enrollment in that semester.

Course Load

In determining appropriate course load per academic session, the student should consider that each graduate course entails, on average, approximately three hours of out-of-class study for each hour of in-class time.

The following are course load recommendations, based on the student’s work status:

Accreditation

York College of Pennsylvania (through its Graham School of Business) is accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) to offer the Master of Business Administration. ACBSP does not offer accreditation recognition until two classes of students have graduated.  The Master of Accounting (beginning fall 2017) will follow the same criteria of coursework that has led to the accreditation of our on-going programs.

MBA Scholarships

Three scholarship funds are available to MBA students who have been accepted as degree candidates:

The Susquehanna-Pfaltzgraff Foundation Scholarship Fund

This scholarship sponsors the George C. Hyde, Jr., Honorary Award, in honor of Mr. Hyde who was the first 4.0 average MBA graduate of York College. The partial tuition scholarship is available to current or prospective students in need of financial assistance. Need is established through results of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Both forms must be submitted by April 1st. Forms are available in the Financial Aid Office in the Miller Administration Building.

The George D. Everhart Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is available to a current or prospective student who is a resident of York County and a graduate of an accredited college. Preference is given to one pursuing an MBA as a full-time student who shows promise for success in a business profession.

Undergraduate academic excellence is a prime consideration; financial need is not a criterion. The recipient must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to have the award continued for the succeeding terms. To apply, the student should secure an application form from the MBA Office and submit the completed application to the MBA Office by April 1st.

The Hersha and Hasu Shah Scholarship Fund

This scholarship is designed to encourage students to explore the field of Master of Business Administration as a career option. Preference is for female or minority students pursuing an MBA. Students must maintain a grade point average of 3.2 to have the award continued for a succeeding term. To apply, the student should secure an application from the MBA Office and submit the completed application to the MBA Office by April 1^st.

4. Additional materials may be requested from applicants who seek acceptance of transfer graduate credits.

MBA Dual Degree Program

The MBA program at York College admits highly motivated undergraduates to the MBA Dual Degree program. An accepted student may enroll in up to 3 MBA courses (9 credits) during the senior year of his/her undergraduate program. These credits may count toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Tuition for these courses is billed at the undergraduate rate.

Admissions Procedures:

• An undergraduate student may apply for admission once 75 credits have been completed, with a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher.  This is typically in the spring semester of the junior year, allowing the student to begin graduate work in the fall of the senior year (or the summer prior to).
• Interested students should complete and submit the online Graduate Studies Application.
• Upon admission to the MBA Dual Degree program, a student meets with an MBA Advisor, who will, in consultation with the student’s undergraduate academic advisor, determine how the graduate courses fit into the student’s undergraduate program and help design a program of study.

Applicant Policies:

• Transfer students may apply for admission to the Dual Degree program when they have completed 75 total credits, 15 of which were completed at York College.
• Students who have already earned one baccalaureate degree, and are pursuing a second degree, are not eligible for the Dual Degree program.

Program Policies:

• Once accepted into the MBA Dual Degree program, a student is required to maintain a 3.0 or higher average in all courses (both graduate and undergraduate). Students who do not earn at least a 3.0 average while enrolled as an MBA Dual Degree student will be withdrawn from the Dual Degree program.  MBA Dual Degree students withdrawn from the program may apply to the MBA program after receiving the baccalaureate degree.  They must meet all admissions requirements.
• Undergraduate students enrolled in the MBA Dual Degree program may complete up to nine graduate credits (three courses) at the undergraduate tuition rate.  Once the student has completed either three graduate courses or earned the baccalaureate degree, all subsequent MBA courses are billed at the graduate tuition rate.

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