Master of Business Administration

Location(s): Online

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32 hours

The University of North Georgia (UNG) Cottrell Master of Business Administration (MBA) is an online graduate program that helps working professionals advance or change their careers. The Cottrell MBA prepares students to become ethical, innovative, and adaptable business leaders, ready to optimize opportunities and manage risk in a diverse global environment. 

The Cottrell MBA is designed to be completed in approximately two years. Students generally carry six or seven semester hours during both the fall and spring semesters and usually no more than ten semester hours during the summer. Additional coursework before the start of the Cottrell MBA program may be necessary for students with non-business undergraduate degrees.

Students may also pursue graduate certificates in Compliance & Ethics, Cybersecurity, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, and Technology Leadership (see “Graduate Certificates” below). Certificates provide specialized skills and knowledge in a specific area of business. Courses from the certificate programs can be used as electives in the MBA program.

Graduate Admissions Procedures

Application materials may be obtained from Graduate Admissions or the Cottrell MBA website www.ung.edu/mba. Applicants must pay a non-refundable application fee, and admission requirements are listed below. When all application materials have been received by Graduate Admissions, notification will be sent to the applicant and a copy of all materials will be forwarded to the program. Once application materials have been authenticated and reviewed, the candidate will receive an official admission letter from the program verifying acceptance or denial.

Students who are admitted, but do not enroll with the cohort must reapply to the program by submitting a new application to Graduate Admissions for readmission. Students who were previously enrolled but have not been in attendance within the last three semesters must also reapply to the program by submitting a new application to Graduate Admissions for readmission. All documents and materials submitted to fulfill the application requirements for entry to a program at UNG become the property of the university and will not be returned. Materials are kept for one year for incomplete application files and three years for completed application files.

Cottrell MBA Admission Eligibility

In order to be eligible for admission, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information section of the Graduate Catalog). Transcripts of applicants will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis. Applicants who are deficient in one or more foundation content areas must complete foundation courses before starting MBA courses. The MBA Program Coordinator may grant exceptions to this requirement based on the applicant’s work history.

Evaluation of Credit for Meeting Foundation Requirements

The Cottrell MBA academic advisor will evaluate students’ prior academic credit for meeting the following foundation content requirements:

Financial Accounting
Corporate Finance
Macroeconomics
Business Math or Statistics

Applicants may apply to the program even if their academic record does not include some or all of the prerequisite courses listed above. If they are accepted, they will be expected to complete any required prerequisite courses prior to or during the first semester of the MBA program via online, self-paced classes. Students will need to complete all of the required courses successfully in order to continue to the second semester of the program. Information on the classes required and how to register for and take them will be provided to students who are accepted to the program.

Cottrell MBA Admission Requirements

Graduate Admissions application.
Non-refundable application fee.
Minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75.
Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education previously attended. Official international transcripts must have a foreign course-by-course credential evaluation by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE). Evaluations must include certification that the applicant has received a baccalaureate from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information section of the Graduate Catalog) with a minimum grade point average of 2.75.
Current resume that shows all professional work experience.
Statement of purpose of up to 500 words discussing the applicant’s short-term and long-term career goals, reason for seeking an MBA, and anything else they would like us to know about themselves relevant to their participation in the program.
Two professional letters of recommendation from professional references, along with their contact information. It is preferred that at least one of the recommendations is from a current direct supervisor. Family and friends of applicants are not permissible recommenders.
Minimum of two years of full-time professional work experience.

Transient Student Admission

An individual currently enrolled at an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information section of the Graduate Catalog) as a graduate student in good standing may apply to UNG as a transient student. Transient students may only enroll in MBA elective courses. These are typically offered in summer semesters. Individuals must receive pre-approval from the MBA Program Coordinator before enrolling in courses. Requests will be considered on a space-available basis.

The following documents must be received before admission:

Graduate Admissions application.
Non-refundable application fee.
Letter of good standing or transient permission form documenting that the student is not on academic probation or suspension or disciplinary suspension at the student’s home institution. The letter or form should state that the student is in good standing and should indicate the course(s) the student is allowed to take at UNG.
Proof of lawful presence in the United States, if applying for in-state tuition.

Transient admission is for one semester only. An individual who wishes to return to UNG as a transient student for a subsequent semester must reapply to Graduate Admissions.

Admissions Requirements for International Students who are Non-Native English Speakers

Students requiring an F1 visa to study in the United States are not eligible for the Cottrell MBA because our program is part-time and F1 visas require students to be enrolled as full-time students.

Applicants whose native language is not English must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. Minimum acceptable scores on the TOEFL are 550 on the paper version; 213 on the computer version; 79 on the Internet version; or 6.5 on the IELTS. This language proficiency requirement is waived for applicants who have received a degree from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information section of the Graduate Catalog) or from institutions in countries where English is the primary language.

Cottrell MBA Transfer Residency Requirement

To be awarded the MBA degree, students are expected to take all coursework as part of the Cottrell MBA cohort and must earn a minimum of 26 semester hours of graduate degree requirements in residence. The MBA Program Coordinator and the Dean’s Office of the Mike Cottrell College of Business must approve all transfer credit. Transfer credit will be evaluated for use only in meeting elective credit in the Cottrell MBA program at the 6000-level. Transfer credit will not be given for any course in which a grade of less than a B was earned. All credits presented for the MBA degree must have been earned within six years of the date of graduation from the Cottrell MBA program.

Cottrell MBA Academic Policies

Satisfactory Progress

Cottrell MBA students progress through the Cottrell MBA program of study as long as no more than one grade in a designated core course is below a B and the final grade point average in the program, among designated core courses, is at least a 3.0. Students who earn a second C in the program will be withdrawn. The student may apply to Graduate Admissions for readmission as part of a later cohort.

Academic Integrity

The University of North Georgia recognizes honesty and integrity as being necessary to the academic functioning of the university. UNG graduate students are expected to uphold the university regulations addressed in the Student Code of Conduct, Article 3, Rule 2.

Professional Integrity

The Cottrell MBA adheres to the university’s definition of professional integrity as described in the Academic Information portion of the Graduate Catalog.

Technology

Students are expected to:

Engage in electronic collaboration using email and the basic functions of software for online meetings (e.g., Zoom, Teams).
Develop proficiency with the learning management system(s) used to administer courses.
Be competent using word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
Have access to a personal computer (and not rely on cell phones, tablets, or Chromebooks) to run required software.
Follow additional IT guidance found here: https://ung.edu/information-technology/FAQ.php.

While the program is primarily asynchronous, online synchronous meetings may be required for program orientation and occasionally throughout the program.

Work Expectations

A minimum of two years of professional work experience, after receiving a bachelor’s degree, is required before being admitted to the Cottrell MBA program. An applicant who has extensive professional experience before receiving a bachelor’s degree may be granted admission at the discretion of the MBA Program Coordinator. While enrolled in the Cottrell MBA program, students generally are expected to be employed full-time. Class engagement and course assignments require students to draw from experiences in their careers.

Cottrell MBA Degree Requirements

Graduation requirements for Cottrell MBA students include:

Completion of designated semester hours of study. MBA graduates must complete 26 semester hours of designated core courses and 6 additional semester hours of electives.
Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher (a maximum of one C) with no grade of less than a C in designated core courses.
Completion of at least 26 semester hours of graduate degree requirements in residence.
Completion of all degree-related course requirements, including transfer credit, within a six-year period.

MBA Core Courses - 26 Required Hours

The plan of study for students (not including the electives) is shown below. Students who want to deviate from this schedule must obtain approval from the MBA Program Faculty Advisor prior to beginning the program.

First Semester: 6 Semester Hours

Second Semester: 7 Semester Hours

Third Semester: 6 Semester Hours

Fourth Semester: 7 Semester Hours

Elective Courses - 6 hours

Students can complete summer electives (offerings vary on an annual basis) to meet their total credit hour requirements. Courses for the certificate programs simultaneously are MBA electives.

Students may also take graduate-level courses not offered by the MCCB in order to satisfy the 6-credit hour requirement needed to earn the MBA degree. These classes can be taken either at UNG in another degree program or at a different university. Prior approval is required by the MBA Program Coordinator before taking non-MCCB courses for MBA elective credit.

Graduate Certificates

The Mike Cottrell College of Business offers several graduate certificates. Certificates are credentials that target specific business fields and can usually be completed within a single term.

Certificates offered in the Mike Cottrell College of Business: