Academic Procedures
Note: Academic procedures are updated periodically. Please refer to the current edition of the University of Richmond Graduate catalog for additional detail on all academic procedures.
Registration
Students shall register each term according to the instructions published by the MBA Office and the University Registrar. A calendar is published concurrently with pertinent dates.
Students are able to register for classes through BannerWeb, a secured Web site that may be accessed over the Internet through the University Registrar's home page. Through BannerWeb, students can register for classes, drop classes, view their class schedules, view grades for a specific term and view their unofficial University of Richmond transcript.
Students are responsible for all activity on their BannerWeb account, including PIN maintenance, registration and security.
Once registered, students may change their registration (drop/add) according to the published schedule. For a regular term, generally adds and withdrawals without academic record may be made during the first two weeks of classes. After that time only withdrawals-with-record are possible. The grade to be recorded during the withdrawal-with-record period is left to the instructor's discretion.
To initiate changes in registration, the student should contact the MBA office promptly.
Degree Requirements
To qualify for the Master of Business Administration degree, a candidate must complete the 54-hour curriculum satisfactorily, including the achievement of at least a 3.00 grade point average on all applicable coursework, within five years of starting the program. At least 42 of the required 54 semester hours of applicable graduate level course-work must be completed at University of Richmond. All coursework accepted in transfer must be completed at an institution accredited by the AACSB at the time the coursework is completed.
To graduate, a student must file a degree application and participate in commencement. Degree applications must be filed in the office of the University Registrar by the second Friday in September for the coming May or August commencement.
Course Load
A part-time MBA student may enroll in either 3 or 6 hours per semester. Part-time students should consider requirements of their employers when scheduling academic classes.
A full-time student carries from 9 to 12 semester hours in one semester. The maximum load for a graduate student is 12 semester hours in one semester.
All full-time students are urged to bear in mind that graduate work requires much more time and effort for reading, research, and organization of material than does undergraduate work. Every effort should be made to limit outside work of every sort. If outside employment is an economic necessity for a full-time student, that student must consult the Director concerning the advisability of limiting his or her academic load.
Class Attendance
All students are expected to attend all meetings of the courses in which they are enrolled. However, the specific attendance policy in each course of study is determined by the instructor.
A student may be held responsible for the work of a class missed. Acceptance of any excuse for an absence and any provision for make-up is at the discretion of the instructor. Missed classes, work, or tests may result in a poorer grade, or failure, in the course (see V grade below).
Credit and Grades
The MBA program uses the semester hour credit value and the four-point grading system as applied to a normal A - F grading scale. Individual faculty may, at their discretion, assign plus and minus grades in addition to the letter grade.
A semester hour is the value of one class hour of work a week through the semester. Grade points are given to each semester hour according to the following scale:
A+ 4.0 C- 1.7 A 4.0 D+ 1.3 A- 3.7 D 1.0 B+ 3.3 D- 0.7 B 3.0 F 0.0 B- 2.7 I 0.0 C+ 2.3 M 0.0 C 2.0 V 0.0
The grade point average is determined by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of academic hours attempted. Each of these totals is accumulated term by term.
Special grades are used as follows: V -- failing due to excess absence, W --withdrawn passing, M -- withdrawn failing, and X -- grade not received from instructor. The V and M count as F in the grade point average computation.
Incomplete Work
Two other letters are used in reports for the MBA students. I and Y mean that coursework has not been completed by the end of the term. The I, which counts as a failing grade in the grade point average, is given when the reasons for incomplete work are deemed unjustifiable by the instructor. The work is to be made up by the date the instructor specifies, but no later than the mid-term point of the next regular term.
If the work is not made up during the grace period, the I will be converted to F unless the instructor has submitted to the Registrar a written request for delay until a specified date which has been approved by the Director.
The Y, which does not count as a failing grade, is given when the reasons for incomplete work are deemed justifiable by the instructor. There is no deadline for completion of the work unless the instructor so specifies.
In any case, it is the student's responsibility to make arrangements for and progress to the completion of an incomplete course.
Part-time students carrying a grade of I or Y may not enroll for further coursework without the permission of the Director.
Academic Progress and Scholarship
A student is expected to make steady progress toward completion of his or her program. A student who, over a period of one year, fails to complete an MBA course at the University of Richmond, unless completing an approved course at another university for transfer credit, will be terminated in the program. Such a student desiring to return to the program must reapply. The reapplication will be considered under the catalog standards applicable at the time of reapplication.
A student is expected to maintain a grade point average of at least 3.0 to remain in the MBA program. A student whose grade point average falls below 3.0 at any time may be suspended from the program.
A student who earns three Cs, one C and one D, or one F will automatically be dismissed from the program.
A student who has been suspended or dismissed may apply for readmission after the lapse of one academic year. Application for readmission must be made in writing to:
Graduate Council
c/o Director
MBA Program
Robins School of Business
University of Richmond, VA 23173
Applicants for readmission must meet current admission requirements. Readmission is not guaranteed.
Transfer Credits
It is expected that all work for the MBA degree will be completed at the University of Richmond. Under certain circumstances, a maximum of 12 semester hours may be accepted in transfer. All coursework transferred must be completed at an institution accredited as degree-granting by a recognized regional accrediting body for higher education, as well as an AACSB accredited graduate school, at the time the coursework is completed.
Written approval by the Director must be obtained in advance if a student desires to take work elsewhere for transfer credit.
Upon completion of the approved work, credit will be allowed only if a grade of B or better is earned and after an official transcript documenting the fact is received by the MBA office directly from the institution giving the instruction.
Records and Progress Reports
Official transcripts of the permanent academic record are available from the Office of the University Registrar.
All work taken becomes a part of the student's permanent academic record regardless of the level of the course and whether it is taken to make up deficiencies, to earn professional certification, or to satisfy the student's personal interests.
Advice concerning progress toward the degree may be obtained in the MBA Office.