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Graduate Studies
Graduate Studies

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master of business administration and master of science in management information systems dual degree program.

Objective / Rationale

In today's context of a globally integrated and interdependent businesses, ubiquitous information technologies, and mobile workforce, it is critical that graduate education provide students opportunities to develop integrated business and technology skills. Thus, the primary purpose of this dual degree program is to provide this integration by enabling students to complete an MBA and an MS in MIS degrees simultaneously. This track is designed for dedicated students who are willing to take on the challenges related to graduate education from two perspectives -- Business Administration and Management Information Systems. As such, this program involves intensive preparation in both business administration and information systems and a specialization in an area that combines both backgrounds. The dual degree program requires 54 hours of course work beyond foundation requirements. Students who wish to pursue this option will need to work closely with an adviser to develop an integrated plan of study at an early stage.

Application Procedures and Admission Standards

  1. Complete the online graduate application and pay the application fee for admission.
  2. Submit a detailed resume indicating your work experience and background.
  3. Submit a writing sample from work or previous academic experiences. Alternatively, if you do not have a writing sample, please submit a two page double-spaced word processed essay that addresses the following two topics:
    • Discussion of two accomplishments that demonstrate your potential for success in the dual-degree MIS/MBA program.
    • Discussion of your unique personal qualities and life experiences that distinguish you from other applicants to the dual-degree MIS/MBA graduate program.
  4. Three letters of recommendations - Please provide the names and email addresses for your recommenders. (A Request form will be emailed to recommenders by UNO when you submit your online application.)
  5. Send one official transcripts of all college coursework. All applicants must have earned a minimum JR/SR GPA of 2.85.
  6. Submit Official GMAT score: Minimum GMAT score of 500 with a minimum 20th percentile for both the verbal and quantitative portions.
  7. International applicants who do not have a baccalaureate or equivalent degree from an English-speaking institution of higher education in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, English-speaking Africa, Australia, Ireland or New Zealand are required to submit TOEFL scores. The minimum TOEFL score required for the joint MBA/MS in MIS program is 550 for the paper or 213 for the computer-based test.
  8. Interview (optional): Although not required, applicants are strongly encouraged to arrange for an interview with one or more members of the Graduate Program Committees by directly contacting the Committee Chairperson of the College of IS&T. Telephone interviews are highly recommended for applicants outside the local area.
  9. Students qualifying for admission based on the standards outlined above but lacking some foundation courses will be granted provisional status until all foundation courses are completed with grades of "B" (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or above.

Joint Admission

Students will be admitted jointly for the MS in MIS and the MBA programs under this track. The MBA and MS in MIS graduate program committee chairs will coordinate the admission process between the two programs. Though not required, it is highly recommended students complete the MBA foundation courses before taking MS in MIS courses.

Plan of Study

Each student admitted to the dual degree option will, within the first semester of their enrollment, file a plan of study in close consultation with a graduate advisor.

Academic Performance

In addition to UNO Graduate College Quality of Work Standards, Dual Degree (DD) students may repeat only once a BSAD 8-0-level course in which they receive any grade, including "W" or "I". Students earning three "C/C+" grades or a grade of "C-" or below, will be automatically dismissed from the DD program. Dismissed students will be immediately administratively withdrawn from all courses in which they are enrolled for DD credit.

Students who have been dismissed may not enroll in any courses for DD credit in any subsequent semester or summer session until reinstatement has been granted by the Dual-Degree Program Academic Standards Committee (DDPASC) comprised of the 2 GPC Chairs and 1 faculty member from each GPC.

  • Students who have been dismissed from the DD program may submit a written petition for reinstatement to the DDPASC.
  • Students petitioning the DDPASC for reinstatement may not enroll in any course for DD credit until after the DDPASC has ruled on the petition.
  • Upon receiving a petition for reinstatement, the DDPASC will evaluate the student's written petition for reinstatement.
  • As part of the reinstatement petitioning process, the DDPASC reserves the right to examine the student's academic record and reserves the right to speak to any previous instructor who has taught the student; this information may be used by the DDPASC in the reinstatement decision.
  • Information provided by previous instructors will not be shared with the student.
  • Reinstatement is a privilege and not all students who are dismissed will be reinstated. Students who have been reinstated will serve a probationary period of the DDPASC's discretion and must satisfy the probationary conditions specified by the DDPASC.
  • In addition to probationary conditions, reinstated students will be subject to additional reinstatement conditions as specified by the DDPASC. These reinstatement conditions will include retaking one or more courses in which the student must earn a grade of "B" (3.0) or higher (the exact grade requirements for retaken courses may in fact be higher than "B" (3.0)).
  • Students not satisfying the probationary or reinstatement conditions will be automatically dismissed.
DDPASC will consider grades earned in repeated courses

DDPASC will consider grades earned in repeated courses when making decisions related to the Quality of Work Standards issues. DDPASC will consider the initial grade(s) received in a course as well as the most recent grade received for the course. This approach differs from the method used to calculate GPA in a student's eBRUNO file, where the most recent grade replaces the grade received in the previous course attempt.

last updated: 11/9/2011 at 12:20pm