The following section details the full range of programs for students interested in pursuing an MBA, an MS, or an MBA and another degree at the same time. Unless otherwise noted, additional information regarding these programs may be obtained by contacting the Admissions Office.

Contact Information

Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business

Director of MBA Admissions

301 Mervis Hall

412-648-1700

Fax: 412-648-1659

E-mail: mba@katz.pitt.edu

www.business.pitt.edu/katz/mba

Full-Time MBA Program

One-Year Program

In 1963, the Katz School launched a unique MBA program that presented the classical two-year American MBA format in one calendar year. This is not a general management program, but contains full concentration in all business disciplines—all conducted in parallel with the core of business, arts and sciences, and logistically integrated by the world-class faculty dedicated to the merger of research and teaching.

The one-year MBA is typically for people who do not require an internship to reach their career goals. It begins in August and ends in July and, through its module format, covers the same ground that a traditional MBA programs does in two years.

Two-Year Program

The two-year MBA program is built on the solid foundation of the established one-year program. Students begin in August, add a professional internship during the summer, and return in the subsequent fall. After finishing the core curriculum, students may choose up to 30 credits from electives across the school. Graduation takes place in April of the second year.

The two-year MBA is typically for people who wish to develop their professional focus, and who need an internship to confirm and advance that professional focus. Individualized coaching and mentoring programs are designed to support the professional growth and development of each student.

MBA/Master of Science in the Management of Information Systems Dual Degree Program (MS-MIS)

MS Degree in Management of Information Systems

The Katz School offers a dual-degree program that awards both an MBA and an MS in the management of information systems. The curriculum extends the one-year MBA program to include advanced MIS course work and a practicum in information management. Full-time students can complete the dual-degree program (66 credits required) in 20 months, four of which are usually spent working in an internship position. The program can be completed on a part-time/evening basis (66 credits required). Students who have already earned an AACSB-accredited MBA degree can complete an MS degree in management of information systems by fulfilling a requirement of 30 credits.

For additional program information, contact the associate director, 345 Mervis Hall, phone: 412-648-2268, e-mail: mba-admissions@katz.pitt.edu, or visit our Web site at www.katz.pitt.edu/dual_mib.html.

MBA/Master of International Business Dual Degree Program (MBA/MIB)

With this dual-degree program, students can earn an MBA and a Master of International Business degree in about two years. To qualify for the program, candidates must have a minimum of two years of college-level language education or the equivalent proficiency in a second language. In addition, an integral part of the program is a required foreign internship in which a relevant second language is used in the work setting on a routine basis. The full-time and part-time MBA/MIB dual degree requires a total of 64.5 credits.

For additional program information, contact the program coordinator, 349 Mervis Hall, phone: 412-383-8835, e-mail: mba-admissions@katz.pitt.edu, or visit our Web site at http://www.business.pitt.edu/katz.

MBA/Master of Arts Joint Degree Program

The Katz School and the Area Studies Programs offer a joint MBA/MA degree that incorporates MBA courses and graduate-level interdisciplinary courses in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences (A&S). Four area studies programs—in East Asian Studies, Latin American Studies, Russian and East European Studies, and West European Studies—allow students to tailor the curriculum to prior experience and current interests. Students must meet a second language competency requirement and submit separate applications to the Katz School and to A&S. This program requires a total of 75 credits and can be completed on a part-time/evening basis as well.

MBA/Master of Public and International Affairs (MPIA) Joint Degree Program
MBA/Master of International Development (MID)

Offered with the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA), the joint MBA/MPIA enables students who are in the process of acquiring professional training in public policy (with a focus on international relations) to simultaneously obtain a substantial knowledge of private sector management with a focus on international business. Similarly, the MBA/MID allows a student to focus on international development at GSPIA. These programs normally require at least five terms of full-time study and 75 credits.

MBA/Master of Science in Engineering Joint Degree Programs

The Swanson School of Engineering and the Katz Graduate School of Business have established joint MBA/MS programs with each of seven engineering departments. These programs are designed to meet the clear and growing need felt by various industry sectors for managers with sophisticated business and engineering skills. In today’s environment, such cross-functional skills are essential in addressing multifaceted problems involving issues related to product development, quality, information systems, modeling and quantitative analysis, finance and accounting, international relations, and marketing.

Both full-time and part-time options are available. The full-time option can be completed in two academic years, whereas the part-time option may typically require a period of four to five years. The programs generally consist of 64.5 credits for full-time and part-time. It is designed for students with undergraduate degrees in engineering and, in some cases the physical sciences, preferably with industry work experience. Candidates must meet the admissions criteria of both the MBA program and the specific MS engineering program of interest.

Students accepted into the program will be expected to complete both degrees concurrently and pay full tuition. Courses will be scheduled in such a manner as to preclude students from receiving one degree before the other.

This program is only for those students seeking a professional MS engineering degree. Students interested in the research MS engineering degree track will not be admitted. Further, because of the high credit demands, students in the program will not be able to hold either research or teaching assistant positions. Students who are enrolled in the joint degree program are expected to complete both degrees.

Full-time students will register for the program through the Katz Graduate School of Business for four semesters at the one-year MBA tuition rate.

MBA/Master of Science in Bioengineering

This new program, offered with the School of Medicine and the Swanson School of Engineering, is at the intersection of business, medicine, and engineering. It’s designed for those who see themselves as managers of emerging companies in the biotech and biomed fields. This program requires completion of 64.5 credits for full time and part time.

MBA/Master of Science in Industrial Engineering (MBA/MSIE)

This program, offered with the Swanson School of Engineering, prepares students for a career in product development and management (or in other relevant areas) at manufacturing and service companies with a significant engineering and/or technological focus. The combination of material and engineering/technical skills is particularly valued by these particular companies in today's business environment. This program requires completion of 64.5 credits for full-time and part-time.

MBA/Law Joint Degree Program (MBA/JD)

The Katz School and the School of Law provide the opportunity for a student to earn both an MBA and a JD degree in a period of three and a half years of full-time study. A total of 115 credits are required for both degrees.

For additional program information, contact the Admissions Office, School of Law , Phone: 412-648-1412.

Executive MBA Program (EMBA Worldwide)

The Executive MBA (EMBA Worldwide) Program enables professional managers to earn a fully accredited and globally recognized MBA degree (48 credits required) while continuing to invest in their career. The EMBA Worldwide is now offered in three continents: North America—in Pittsburgh; South America—in Sao Paulo, Brazil; and E. Europe— in Prague, Czech Republic.

Our unique program allows professionals the opportunity to improve their careers while furthering their education, develop a strong local and global network of contacts, and gain international experience through our three Global Executive Forums—all in a 15-19 month program with a convenient schedule designed for working professionals.

For additional program information, contact Nicholas Hamilton-Archer, Director of Operations, EMBA Worldwide, 515 Alumni Hall, Phone: 412-648-1607, e-mail nih24@katz.pitt.edu, or visit www.business.pitt.edu.

MS Master of Science in Accounting

The Master of Science (MS) in Accounting is a full-time, 30-credit professional graduate degree program. Graduates of the program will be well prepared to take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination and will increase their employment marketability both nationally and internationally.

For additional program information, contact Jessica Fick, Assistant Director, 276A Mervis Hall, phone: 412-624-0147, e-mail: macc@katz.pitt.edu, or visit www.business.pitt.edu/katz/macc.

KATZ Immersion MBA (KIMBA)

The Katz Immersion MBA (KIMBA) is a unique blend of the Katz MBA and the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. The program is designed for working professionals who want a degree that offers them flexibility. Katz Immersion students are enrolled in a six-term, cohort based program, completing 52.5 credits in two years. Classes are held Friday through Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. one weekend a month at Pitt-Greensburg. For additional program information, contact Pitt-Greensburg, phone: 724-836-9893, e-mail: lam9@pitt.edu, or visit www.business.pitt.edu/katz.

Application Procedures

Applicants should have earned an undergraduate degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or its equivalent and should demonstrate quantitative competence via academic coursework and GMAT. Applicants should be able to demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills that are evaluated through written essays, test scores, and/or a personal interview.

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is required, and for international applicants, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is also a requirement. International applicants should also see the section on Admissions of International Students in the front section of this bulletin.

Financial Assistance

The primary sources of financial assistance for incoming full-time Katz students are tuition scholarships and loans.

Merit-based scholarships are awarded in various dollar amounts and are directly applied against tuition charges. Katz School scholarships are available to full-time U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, and international students. Award notifications are mailed along with the official admission decision. While consideration for scholarship candidate is independent of the admissions decision, there is no additional application required.

There are several educational loan programs available for MBA students. All of them offer very reasonable interest rates.

Tuition and Fees

Actual tuition for the one-year and two-year programs is approximately the same. However, students in the two-year program will incur additional cost in academic fees, as they will be attending the equivalent of one additional term.

MBA Program Academic Standards

The following section details academic standards for the full-time MBA programs.

Good Academic Standing

In order to maintain good academic standing, a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or above in all courses applicable to the MBA degree is required throughout the program and for graduation from the MBA program.

Academic Probation and Dismissal Policy

Any student whose GPA falls below 3.00 at any time during the program may be subject to academic probation and/or dismissal from the full-time MBA program. Exceptions to the school’s guidelines and procedures may be considered only through written petition to the assistant dean for MBA programs.

Dean’s List

The Dean’s List for full-time MBA students is compiled at the end of each term and consists of 20 percent of the student body with the highest grade point averages (3.75 or above).

Other Academic Honors

The Katz School recognizes high academic achievement and leadership through the following honors and awards.

Albert Wesley Frey Prize is awarded to a full-time MBA student for the highest academic performance among all full-time graduating students.

Beta Gamma Sigma is an international honor society recognizing the outstanding academic achievements of students enrolled in collegiate business and management programs.

Brosius Creativity Award is awarded to those students demonstrating exceptional creativity in their program of study.

Dean's Outstanding Student Service Award is awarded at graduation to an MBA student for exemplary service and leadership.

Marshall Alan Robinson Prize is awarded at graduation to a full-time MBA student who has demonstrated academic and professional excellence in the MBA program.

Outstanding Part-time MBA Student of the Year Award is awarded at graduation for exemplary academic performance and leadership.

Outstanding Master of Science in Accounting Student of the Year Award is awarded at graduation for exemplary academic performance and leadership

Peter Stipanovich Award is awarded to the outstanding full-time MBA student in finance.

Sheth Scholar in Marketing is awarded to two MBA students each year for exemplary performance in marketing course work.

Vincent W. Lanfear Prize is awarded to an evening MBA student for highest academic performance among all part-time graduating students.

Transfer of Graduate-Level Courses

Students are permitted to transfer up to 17 graduate credit hours (for the one year program), 19 (for the two year program) from other AACSB-accredited MBA programs. However, these credits may not have been applied to another degree. If a student earned a degree at another school, the student must verify by letter that the courses desired for transfer did not apply to that degree; if a degree was not earned then a letter is not necessary. All courses must be completed with a grade of "B" or higher to be eligible for transfer consideration.

If a student wishes to have previously earned graduate credits applied to the MBA degree as transfer credits, the appropriate forms must be completed and returned to the school’s student records office. The appropriate faculty members will inform the student of the results after a review.

If a student must relocate during his or her studies at the Katz School, one-third of the total required credits may be taken at an AACSB-accredited MBA program to complete the MBA degree at the University of Pittsburgh. Courses taken at other institutions must be approved by the Katz School faculty. It is therefore recommended that each course be pre-approved for transfer before enrollment.

A student must have earned two-thirds of their total required credits from the University of Pittsburgh in order to qualify for an MBA from the Katz School. Note that all transfer credits are subject to the guidelines imposed by the statute of limitations.

Statute of Limitations

The Katz School requires completion of all degree requirements within four years of original registration. Under extraordinary circumstances, this statute may be extended, one year at a time, to a maximum of six years. The director of student services, upon written request, will consider extension of the statute of limitations. A detailed request must be filed before the end of the statutory period. Under no circumstances will a student be allowed more than six years to complete the MBA degree.

This statute of limitations also governs the acceptability of transfer credits. Presented as part of the MBA, credits earned outside the Katz School must have been earned within the four-year period of the date of graduation. Credits more than four years old but less than six years as of graduation will be considered for acceptance upon written petition to the executive associate dean.

Academic Integrity

All students are expected to adhere to the school’s Code of Academic Standards, copies of which are available in the dean’s office as well as the school library. These standards follow the University’s guidelines with several procedure changes. Students may also contact the school’s academic integrity officer for advice or clarification of academic integrity guidelines.

MBA Advising

Full-time professional academic advisors provide academic advising to full-time and evening MBA students and serve as information resources. Advisors are available to meet with students throughout the year to assist with the registration process, review course offerings, plan course schedules for the term, and address issues related to academic performance and fulfillment of degree requirements. Faculty members also provide MBA students guidance on course selection based on course content and career options within a concentration area.

Career Services

The goal of the Career Management Center is to help students meet their career objectives. Additional information on career services/placement can be found at www.business.pitt.edu/katz/mba/career.

MBA Degree Requirements

Students in the one-year program must fulfill the following requirements in order to receive the full-time MBA degree:

(1) A minimum of 51 credits of approved graduate work
(2) The appropriate distribution of required core courses and elective courses
(3) A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00

Students in the two-year program must fulfill the following requirements in order to receive the full-time MBA degree:

(1) A minimum of 57 credits of approved graduate work
(2) The appropriate distribution of required core courses and elective courses
(3) A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00

MBA Core Curriculum

The following core courses are required of all full-time MBA students:

The remaining credits required for the degree are to be taken in the student’s area of study and in other elective course work.

Areas of Study

In place of majors, the Katz School offers areas of study in accounting, finance, management of information systems, marketing, organizational behavior and human resource management, operations management, and strategy. Students can customize their MBA to suit their career goals by choosing from a wide array of electives in these fields.

Students may also choose to take elective courses through other professional schools at the University including the School of Law, the Swanson School of Engineering, the School of Social Work, the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, and the School of Information Sciences.

A description of each of the areas of study follows:

Accounting

Advanced study in accounting prepares students to better understand the activities of business and not-for-profit organizations. The accounting courses emphasize the understanding of accounting data to facilitate the use of these data by business managers concerned with the proper allocation of resources and with making investment decisions.

Finance

The study of finance is designed to prepare students for managerial careers in corporate finance, investment analysis, financial consulting, and financial institutions. The coursework presents an integrated treatment of the economic foundations of finance, and the functions of capital markets and financial institutions. The courses provide a thorough understanding of how capital and financial markets operate, and how to manage corporate assets and financial claims in the marketplace.

Management of Information Systems

An MBA with a focus in information systems (IS) prepares students to lead and manage by helping them develop their ability to recognize and capitalize on opportunities to use information systems to increase efficiency, support growth, and enable innovation.  Though course and project work related to the specification, evaluation, and management of technology-enabled business initiatives, the IS concentrations available within the Katz MBA program prepare student for careers as leaders in both the IS functional area (e.g. CIO, CTO, Director of IT) and in other business areas that rely heavily on information technology for success (e.g. Supply Chain Management, Customer Analytics/Marketing Research, Financial Operation management, etc.). 

Students seeking a stronger foundation in the management of IS and greater depth in their MBA specialty should consider the Katz MBA/MS-MIS Dual Degree program.   This program combines a full set of MBA courses, a core of IS technical and management courses, and a range of specializations including: IS Management, Supply Chain Management, Customer Analytics, Entrepreneurship/New Venture Creation, and Healthcare and IS.

Marketing

This area of study is designed to prepare students for careers in marketing management. Marketing is a critical decision area not only in commercial (for profit) organizations but also in healthcare, government, educational, and other non-profit institutions. Among the topics discussed are marketing strategy, new product development, marketing research, pricing, distribution, advertising and promotion, brand management, and global marketing.

Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Management

Organizational behavior and human resources management focuses on understanding human behavior at work and developing effective management strategies for maximizing the human capital within organizations. This program examines current issues such as employee involvement, high-performance work systems, and the use of teams within organizations.

Strengths of this area are its interdisciplinary nature that relies on a solid grounding in the behavioral sciences, applied statistics, and economics.

Operations Management, Decision Sciences, and Artificial Intelligence

The "operations" function of a firm deals with the effective production and distribution of goods and services, and thus forms an integral part of the management activity in industries as diverse as banking, financial services, software, telecommunications, electronics, and automobiles. An MBA with a focus in operations prepares students for a line job in such industries as well as for a career in management consulting.

Strategy

Organizations of all sizes and degrees of complexity depend on the planning and implementation skills of their general managers for the attainment of their objectives. The strategic planning and policy field is concerned with the development of frameworks and processes for analyzing and responding to strategic problems and opportunities confronting corporate-level executives and managers of business units.

Ethical Leadership and Public Affairs

This area focuses on the management of public affairs and corporate social policies. Most business firms operate in complex environments where governmental regulations, public policies, social pressure groups, legal and political systems, technological innovations, and ethical standards directly affect managerial decision-making. The strategies and techniques for coping with these environmental forces and for managing a firm’s external social relations are given special attention in a series of advanced courses.

Part-Time/Evening MBA Program

The evening program offers nearly the same curriculum and encompasses the same teaching philosophies as the full-time MBA program. The MBA can be earned in three years by taking approximately 6 credits per term. The program runs year-round with fall, spring, and summer trimesters of 13 or 14 weeks each. Classes are conducted on weekday evenings.

Admissions

Students are admitted in the fall, spring, and summer terms. Applicants should check the school's Web site for preferred deadlines.

Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. school or the non-U.S. equivalent, and demonstrated quantitative competence via academic coursework and GMAT. Applicants should be able to demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills that are evaluated through written essays, test scores, and/or personal interview.

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is required, and for international applicants, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a requirement.

Tuition and Fees

Evening MBA students pay on a per credit basis each term (1.5–8.5 credits considered part-time). In addition to the University-wide fees, a $90 professional workshop fee (subject to change) is required each term.

Academic Probation and Dismissal Policy

If the student’s GPA falls below 3.00 upon completion of 12 credits or any time thereafter, the student will be subject to academic probation and/or dismissal from the program. Exceptions to the school’s guidelines and procedures may be considered only through written petition to the assistant dean for MBA programs.

Part-Time/Evening Degree Requirements

All students must fulfill the following requirements in order to receive the part-time MBA degree:

1. A minimum of 51 credits of approved graduate work
2. The appropriate distribution of required core courses and elective courses
3. A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00

Part-Time/Evening MBA Core Curriculum

The following core courses (totaling 22.5 credits) are required of all evening MBA students. Electives are similar to the full-time MBA offerings.

Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business Course Listings

Listed below are the master’s-level courses typically offered by the Katz School.

BSPP 2409 Strategic Management