Master of Science in Management (MSM)
Frequently Asked Questions and Responses
1. What is the Master of Science in Management Program (MSM)?
The MSM is
a graduate degree that prepares students for outstanding managerial and
leadership positions in the highly competitive and global business environment
of the 21st century. The MSM
degree program specializes in educating students in three critically important
and rapidly expanding careers areas – Human Resources Management (HRM),
Management Information Systems (MIS), and Transportation/Supply Chain
Management (T/SCM).
2. How does
the MSM degree program compare to a MBA (Master of Business Administration)
degree?
The MSM is
a focused degree that allows more courses in a specific concentration
area. The MBA degree is a more general
business degree covering all the business functional areas, but typically fewer
courses in an area of concentration. The
MBA degree is more suited for individuals who have not yet determined which
area of business they wish to pursue.
The MSM degree, by contrast, provides instruction in the basic business
areas (e.g., economics, accounting, management), but allows the student to
complete additional courses, and therefore gain additional expertise, in a
chosen area of concentration.
3. How do I
apply for admission to the MSM program?
The School
of Graduates Studies encourages potential students to apply online. Visit their website at http://www.ncat.edu/~gradsch/.
You may also call (336) 334-7029 or stop by the School of Graduate Studies, 120
Gibbs Hall. The MSM program, (336)
256-2277 here in the School of Business and Economics has a limited supply of
applications upon request.
4. What is
needed to complete my application to the MSM program?
All
the following items are required to complete your application packet to the
Graduate School and the MSM program.
·
A completed Graduate School
application and payment of the application fee.
·
Official copies of transcripts of
all undergraduate and graduate programs attended.
·
An official score on the GMAT
(Graduate Management Admission Test) examination reported to the Graduate
School.
·
Three letters of recommendation
(These can be from college professors, professional supervisors, etc.)
·
A letter of intent, which
expresses why you are pursuing a master’s degree, why you have selected this
degree program (MSM), and why you have selected our University and School of
Business and Economics to pursue this degree.
·
International students are
required to take the TOEFL exam. (A minimum score of 550 is required on this
examination.) For further requirements
dealing with international students, please refer to the Graduate School
website.
5. What are
the admission criteria for the MSM program?
For
admission to the MSM program the School of Business and Economics requires a minimum
2.6 undergraduate GPA, and a minimum total GMAT score of 400 (the average on
this national examination is typically about 500). In addition the School examines the letters
of recommendation for the respondents’ judgments on the applicant’s ability to
successfully perform graduate level work and the Letter of Intent for the applicant’s reasoning for
applying to the MSM program and writing sophistication.
6. What if
I do not have a 2.6 undergraduate GPA or score at least 400 on the GMAT
examination; is there any way that I can still be admitted into the MSM
program?
Yes, there
still are some paths available for admission.
·
If the applicant has an
undergraduate GPA relatively close to 2.6 and a
GMAT score of at least 400, he/she may be allowed to take graduate courses
under a provisional basis. For example,
the provision may be that the applicant must score a B average (3.0) or above
on the first three courses taken. This gives the applicant an opportunity to prove that despite a low
undergraduate GPA, he/she can do graduate level work.
·
If the applicant has an acceptable
undergraduate GPA but a GMAT score below 400, the applicant may study for and
retake the GMAT exam in an effort to achieve the minimum 400 score. The GMAT exam may be retaken as many times as
the applicant wishes; we only need one exam score at or above 400.
7. Can I
take graduate courses while I am completing the application requirements? Can I register for graduate courses while I
am studying to take/retake the GMAT exam?
Yes, to both
questions. The PBS (Post Baccalaureate Studies)
Program allows applicants to register for graduate courses without completing
all the required admission requirements.
To register for the PBS program applicants must: (1) complete the PBS
application, (2) pay the application fee, and (3) provide a copy of his/her
undergraduate transcript(s), which show that the applicant did complete an
undergraduate degree. The PBS program
allows students to take up to 12 credit hours of course work and, upon
acceptance into the MSM program, transfer these credit hours directly toward
the MSM degree. Thus, the student loses
no time or credit hours in pursuit of the MSM degree.
8. I have an undergraduate degree in a business discipline. How many courses will I need to take to
complete the MSM degree?
Typically, a
student admitted to the MSM program with an undergraduate degree in a business
discipline can complete the MSM degree with 12 courses or 36 credit hours. However, this may depend on the type and
number of business courses taken and the grades achieved.
9. I do not have an undergraduate degree in a business discipline. How many courses will I
need to take to complete the MSM degree?
Students without a
degree in a business discipline typically are required to take 16 courses or 48
credit hours to complete the MSM degree.
The additional 4 courses (Foundation Courses) are necessary to equip the
student with a sufficient business/economics foundation upon which to build the
master’s level courses.
10. Is the program offered online, or are there
any courses in the MSM Program offered online?
At the current
time all courses are offered in a classroom setting. The faculty feels strongly that the direct
interchange (in real time) among students and faculty is an essential benefit
of graduate education.
11. Can I attend the program on a full time or
part time basis?
Students
can attend the program on a full time or part time basis. Approximately 90% of current students attend
on a part time basis, taking 2 courses per semester. However, the number of full time students is
steadily increasing. At the graduate
level a full time load is considered 9 credit hours.
12. When are the courses offered?
Most
courses are offered on Monday through Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.
13. Are courses offered during the summer
sessions?
Yes,
a minimum of 2 courses are offered during the summer.
14. Where are the classes held and is parking available nearby?
The
classes are held in the new Craig Hall and the adjacent, newly renovated
Merrick Hall. These two facilities house
tiered classrooms and state-of-the-art computer laboratories. For evening classes parking is available in
the lot directly in front of Craig Hall.
On street parking is available at the front of Craig Hall and the
football stadium parking lot is within a short walk. All lot parking is by permit only.
15. What are the tuition costs and expenses per
semester?
For
the fall 2005 and spring 2006 semesters the tuition and fees per semester are
the following:
In-state
student Out of state student
1-2 hours $327.50 $1,525.75
3-5 hours $622.25 $3,018.50
6-7 hours $916.90 $4,511.40
8 hours $1.362.75 $4,957.25
9 hours or
more $1,593.00 $6,385.50
16. Is financial aid available to students
admitted into the MSM program? Is
financial aid available to students not yet admitted into the MSM program, but
admitted to the PBS program?
Yes, financial aid
is available to students accepted (unconditionally or provisionally) into the
MSM program who are taking at least 6 credit hours. Financial aid is available only to students who have been admitted to a degree
program. Therefore, students who have
been admitted into the PBS program, but not yet into the MSM program, are not eligible for financial aid.
17. What kind of scholarships, work study
programs, and other financial support programs are available?
There are several
kinds of scholarships, tuition remission, and work study programs available for
graduate students admitted to the MSM program.
·
The Woodland E.
Hall Scholarship is granted by the university to students with
outstanding credentials (minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA). This scholarship pays all tuition for the
student’s first year of study plus a $5,000 scholarship (with half paid each
semester). The student, in turn, is
assigned to aid in administrative or research support for up to 20 hours per
week.
·
The Tuition
Remission Program is also available for limited number of outstanding
graduate students. The School of
Business and Economics contributes a minimum $1,000 scholarship to the student
per semester, while the graduate school absorbs the student’s in-state tuition
for each semester. This program can be
repeated annually.
·
Graduate
Work Study assignments are also available to a select number of
graduate students. Graduate students
work up to 10 hours per week on administrative or research support activities
and are paid on a hourly basis.
18. Which companies, government agencies, or
private institutions employ
graduates of the
MSM program?
A
small sample of the companies, agencies, etc. employing our MSM graduates
includes: Accenture, Bank of America,
Pentagon-Washington, D.C., VF Corporation, Lockheed-Martin, U.S. State
Department, U.S. Census Bureau, Bridges Consulting Group, Merchants
Distributors, Florida A & M University, and the United Parcel Service.
19. What additional resources are available to MSM
students? Are the same resources
available to students enrolled in the PBS program, but not yet admitted to the
MSM program?
The
Graduate Resource Center located in suite 312 Craig Hall houses the
administrative offices and graduate student offices for the MSM program. This area provides carrels, computers,
printers, copy machines, and group work tables for graduate student use. This center is open from Monday through
Thursday from 8:00 AM until 9:00 PM and on Friday from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM.
20. Once admitted, who will I see for advisement?
Dr. Roger Gagnon,
Director of the MSM Program can assist you in the planning of your program of
studies. His office is located in room
312C in Craig Hall. He can be contacted by telephone at 336-256-2277 or by
email at gagnonr@ncat.edu.
21. Does the School of Business
and Economics have the most current and sufficient computer software, computer
hardware, and pedagogical equipment to support the MSM program?
Absolutely, Craig
Hall and Merrick Hall contain new tiered classrooms and three computer
laboratories, all with the latest computer and pedagogical projection
equipment.
22. What is the deadline for admission for the spring
and fall semesters?
The
deadlines for all admission materials for each semester are shown below:
Fall Semester Spring
Semester Summer Sessions
Domestic
students July 1 November
1 April 1
International
students June 15 October 15 March 15
