Policies

Transient Student Policy

Only students enrolled in the graduate degree program or admitted for coursework will be permitted to take GSB courses for credit.

Admission as a Coursework Only Student

Students who do not wish to enroll in the graduate program but wish to take courses for credit, may enroll as “Coursework Only” provided they hold a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and complete the graduate application form (indicate Coursework Only). A $25 application fee is due unless the applicant uses the online application process. The Program Director reserves the right to make the final decision with regard to granting permission for “Coursework Only” students. Students with a Bachelor’s degree are only allowed to take up to 19 semester hours without being formally admitted to a degree program, and still have the hours count towards a Master of Business Administration degree, if approved by the Program Director. “Coursework Only” students must follow the prescribed application process.

Students seeking Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent Certification by the Ohio Department of Mental Rehabilitation & Developmental Disabilities (MRDD) may be admitted as “Coursework Only” students. (See admission requirements above.) The state of Ohio has authorized GSB 541: Managerial Finance, GSB 561: Management Information Systems, GSB 575: Management, and GSB 576: Competition and Strategy as conforming with the requirements of certification as Superintendents or Assistant Superintendents as prescribed in O.R.C. 5123:2-5-03. Students wishing to complete the four Entrepreneurship courses (GSB 585, GSB 586, GSB 587, and GSB 588) can be admitted as “Coursework Only” students with the permission of the Program Director.

Transfer Student Policy

Heidelberg College will accept up to nine (9) hours of transfer credit into the Master of Business Administration Program. Several factors should be noted when transferring credit:

The coursework should have been completed within three years prior to application at Heidelberg College. Coursework must be comparable with the Heidelberg College MBA Program coursework. The grades in the course to be transferred must be "B" or better.

Transfer credit does not affect the cumulative grade-point average established with Heidelberg College.

Credit by Examination

A student may earn up to six (6) graduate credit hours in specific courses by demonstrating ability on proficiency examinations through the MBA Program Committee. To complete a proficiency examination, the student must secure approval from the MBA director and the course professor who will administer the examination. A fee will be charged. Students may not earn credit by examination in the following courses: GSB 576, GSB 591, GSB 595, GSB 596.

Limitation of Transfer and Examination Credit

In the event a student transfers nine semester hours of credit, he/she can obtain only three semester hours through credit by examination. If a student transfers six semester hours of credit, he/she can obtain six semester hours through credit by examination. No total combination of transfer credit and credit by examination may exceed 12 semester hours.

International Students

Heidelberg's MBA program welcomes international students. Please contact the Director of Graduate Studies in Business.

Academic Advising

The Director of Graduate Studies in Business will serve as the advisor for MBA graduate students.

Student Counseling and Other Support Services

The MBA graduate student will have access to counseling services, Stoner Health Center, Campus Security, the College Bookstore and the Campus Center. The overall physical plant is described in the Heidelberg undergraduate Catalog.

Evaluation of Student Performance

Courses generally follow the discussion method using case studies. Grades will be determined by two criteria from four sources: written analysis of assigned cases, classroom discussion of those cases, a mid-term and a final exam, which will require the written analysis of a case and other assigned questions. Grade policy will be determined by the course instructor.

All weekly written analyses of cases will be due at the beginning of the class period and printed according to the Discussion Pedagogy Guidelines for MBA Students distributed to each student during program orientation. Students will be expected to have made a duplicate copy of each of their written case analyses for their personal use in classroom discussions.

Grading System

To be in good standing, a student must maintain a cumulative 3.0 quality point average at all times. Grades will be expressed on the student's permanent record in the following manner:

A = Excellent: 4 points assigned for each semester hour
B = Average: 3 points assigned for each semester hour
C = Poor: 2 points assigned for each semester hour
F = Failed: No points assigned for each semester hour

I = Incomplete through no fault of the student. Must be completed within one year
PR = Progress reported
W = Withdrawal from a course prior to the published last day to drop the course
WF = Withdrawal from a course after the published last day to drop the course

Academic Probation/Dismissal

At the end of each term, the academic performance of each student will be reviewed by the Director of GSB. If a student fails to maintain the required cumulative 3.0 quality point average, the director will review the student's performance in consultation with the GSB Program Committee and will make recommendations to the Graduate Committee regarding possible academic discipline. As a result of Graduate Committee action, the student may be placed on academic probation. A student on academic probation will be required to meet specified academic performance standards (normally a 3.0 cumulative quality point average) by the end of the subsequent semester. The student's performance will then be reviewed at the end of the subsequent semester by the Director of GSB in consultation with the GSB Program Committee, and a recommendation will be made to the Graduate Committee to remove the student from probationary status, to continue probationary status or to dismiss the student from the program.

A detailed review of each student's progress toward the degree will be made by the Director of GSB in consultation with the GSB Program Committee on at least a yearly basis. The reviews will be held at the end of the summer term. As a part of the review process, statements regarding students' academic performance, professionalism and objectives will be solicited from faculty, advisers, and (if appropriate), MBA Field Study supervisors. As a result of the review, students may be required to remediate skills or professional conduct as deemed necessary by the committee.