Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Prerequisites

The Florida State University MBA is designed for both working professionals with extensive professional experience and individuals who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their previous academic work and who have completed a significant internship or other work experience. Admission is competitive, and all applicants must have a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Previous coursework in business is not required, but all applicants are expected to have a general knowledge of economics, finance, accounting, statistics, calculus and management principles.

While prerequisites are not required for this program, the MBA faculty strongly recommends the completion of prep courses by all applicants who have not taken previous coursework in accounting. A preparatory course called FSU Fundamentals of Financial Accounting Tutorial (modules 1-4) is an alternative, offered online by Cambridge Business Publishers.

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Curriculum

The MBA program requires 39 credit hours. The current core curriculum requires the following courses. For a complete list of all MBA course descriptions, please visit business.fsu.edu/MBA-courses.

ACG 5026 Financial Reporting and Managerial Control (3 hrs) 
BUL 5810 The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business (3 hrs) 
FIN 5425 Problems in Financial Management (3 hrs) 
ISM 5021 Information and Technology Management (3 hrs) 
MAR 5125 Marketing Strategy in the Global Environment (3 hrs) 
MAN 5245 Organizational Behavior (3 hrs) 
MAN 5501 Operations Management (3 hrs) 
MAN 5716 Business Conditions Analysis (3 hrs) 
MAN 5721 Strategy and Business Policy (3 hrs) 

Note: Online and evening MBA programs may replace the Professional Development requirement with a 3-hour elective course. In addition to the core courses listed above, students will take an additional 12 hours of elective coursework (9 for full-time students who enroll in the required Professional Development course.) Elective course options will include applications of analytical tools in specific business disciplines, such as analytics, marketing, human resources, operations, finance or real estate.

Note: Program requirements are subject to change.

Please visit business.fsu.edu/MBA-courses to see a full listing of courses.

We know if pursuing an MBA is part of your career goals, you likely have a specific occupation in mind. That is why at Florida State University we have designed our MBA curriculum to suit you. As an MBA student you take a core set of courses aimed at strengthening your managerial skills in the fundamentals ranging from accounting and marketing to operations and strategy. Then, you may round out your degree with either courses that build your specialized expertise in a specific business focus or a slate of courses that will prepare you for any chosen career.

Students may customize their MBA by choosing 9 credit hours (3 courses) of electives to create an MBA specialization. See which specialization options are available for each FSU MBA format:

• Accelerated, Full-time MBA
• Accelerated, Evening MBA
• Part-Time, Evening MBA
• Online, Part-time MBA

* MBA specializations in the specialty master's degree disciplines of Business Analytics, Finance, Management Information Systems and Risk Management and Insurance will require prior approval from that program's director. 

Part-time MBA students attending in the evenings on campus may choose full-time elective courses and specializations; however, these are typically offered during the workday. Joint MBA degrees with the colleges of Law or Social Work do not have specializations. FSU's MBA diplomas do not note specializations, but graduates are encouraged to share their earned expertise on their resumes and digital profiles for professional networking websites such as LinkedIn.

Admission to the Master of Business Administration program is highly competitive. The decision is based on a portfolio of qualifications, including prior academic experience, work experience, optional entrance exam scores (such as GMAT or GRE) and letters of recommendation. Entrance exam scores are optional for this program and can be submitted if they will enhance an application. Any submitted test scores become part of the application and are used in the admission decision.

Application Checklist

I. The following items should be submitted through the Florida State Graduate Application portal, available exclusively online at admissions.fsu.edu/gradapp:

• Applicant Statement 
• Current resume/C.V., clearly indicating work experience including dates and positions held, noting full-time or part-time employment. Management, business and leadership experience should also be clearly detailed.
• Letters of recommendation: A minimum of one (1) letter of recommendation from your current supervisor is required, however at least two (2) recommendations are preferred
• Florida Residency Declaration if applicable
• Nonrefundable application fee of $30.00 (see University Application or go to fees.fsu.edu)

II. The following items should be sent to the Graduate Admissions Office, 222 S. Copeland St./314 Westcott Building, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1410 or to graduateadmissions@fsu.edu:

• One (1) official transcript from all colleges and universities attended (FSU transcripts are not necessary for FSU alumni, students). International applicants are required to submit an official NACES course-by-course transcript evaluation.
• Official test scores, if applicable:
  • GMAT or GRE scores are optional and should be submitted if they will enhance the application. Any submitted test scores become part of the application. The code to send GMAT scores to Florida State is PN8K567, and the code to send GRE scores is 5219.
  • English Language Proficiency scores are an FSU requirement for international applicants whose native language is not English or who have not completed an undergraduate or graduate degree from a U.S. institution or other institution where English is the required language of instruction; therefore, it cannot be waived). The code to send TOEFL scores to Florida State is 5219.

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International Applicants

International applicants whose native language is not English or who have not completed an undergraduate or graduate degree in an English-speaking country are required to take an English Language Proficiency exam and submit official test results in order to be admitted to Florida State University. The College of Business accepts all of the following examinations taken within the past two (2) years:

•    Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): a minimum score of 600 on the paper-based test and 100 on the internet-based test 
•    International English Language Testing System (Academic IELTS): minimum score of 7 
•    Pearson Test of English (PTE): minimum score of 66 
•    Duolingo: minimum score of 120 
•    Cambridge C1 Advanced Level: minimum score of 180 
•    Michigan Language Assessment: minimum score of 55 

Transcript Evaluation Requirement
The Office of Graduate Admissions requires all international students to submit an official course-by-course evaluation of all academic records from non-U.S. institutions prior to application review. This verifies degree equivalency and serves in place of additional official or unofficial transcripts. This evaluation must be done by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES): www.naces.org. FSU offers a partnership with The Evaluation Company (formerly SpanTran), our preferred credential evaluation service, which allows a streamlined process at a discounted rate. More information about this process is available after you submit the first part of your graduate application.

For more international applicant information, including financial responsibilities, degree equivalency, etc., visit gradschool.fsu.edu/admissions/international-admissions.

ESTIMATED PROGRAM COSTS FOR THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR

The cost of an FSU MBA varies depending on an applicant’s format choice. To learn more, visit our Program Costs page or each MBA format’s web page:

Accelerated, Full-Time MBA (including the Joint MBA Pathway with Law)
Accelerated, Evening MBA
Part-time, Evening MBA (including the Joint MBA Pathway with Social Work)
Online, Part-Time MBA

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Financial Resources

Assistantships

The College of Business offers a limited number of assistantships to students admitted into the Accelerated, Full-Time MBA format. Students enrolled in other MBA formats are not eligible for these awards.

• Recipients of these awards are required to work approximately 10 hours a week
• These awards provide a stipend of approximately $1,500 per term for three terms
• These awards do NOT cover certain non-academic fees of approximately $50 - $80 per graduate hour
• All students admitted to the accelerated MBA program are considered for the competitive assistantships

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SCHOLARSHIPS, FELLOWSHIPS AND LOANS
University Fellowships & Assistantships

• The University offers several fellowship and assistantship opportunities.
• These awards are competitive and awarded only to students of high academic standing.

The College automatically nominates those qualified applicants whose files are complete by Jan. 1 each year for these awards. Applicants are encouraged to complete application files by Dec. 15 in order to be considered.

Learn more about the college's financial assistance options for graduate students.

The FSU Office of Financial Aid website is the best source for more information including financial aid application forms.

National Scholarships and Fellowships
For information on national fellowships and scholarships, visit the Office of National Fellowships for assistance.

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MBA Loans Program®

The MBA LOANS® program is the only loan program endorsed by the Graduate Management Admission Council® (GMAC®) as part of the mission to promote access to graduate management education. The MBA LOANS Program is offered by Sallie Mae®, the largest student loan provider in the United States. MBA LOANS® has loaned over $2 billion to MBA students over the life of the program, and it is the largest loan program in the world for MBAs.

Additional financial aid and scholarship resources are available at mba.com.

Get an Early Start on an MBA

Top FSU undergraduates majoring in finance, human resource management, management information systems, marketing, real estate or risk management/insurance may get a jump-start on an MBA by applying to a combined pathway. Accepted students will be able to substitute three graduate courses for undergraduate ones and double-count up to nine required credit hours toward both bachelor's and master's degrees. Students are eligible if they have an overall grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.4, an overall, upper-division GPA of at least 3.2, and an upper-division GPA of at least 3.2 in their specific major's coursework. Students accepted to the combined pathway will still be required to apply separately to the MBA program and meet all MBA application requirements. Combined pathway students do not have to start their master's degree immediately after completing their undergraduate work. 

Interested students should meet with a Combined Pathways advisor before registering for senior coursework.