Graduate School of Business

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission to Harding University’s Graduate School of Business (GSB) is determined on an individual basis with the following criteria considered: (1) academic preparation, (2) character, (3) educational interests and (4) academic potential. Effort is made to admit all students who qualify and who can benefit from the unique educational program and opportunities available at Harding University irrespective of their religious faith, national origin, sex, race or color. When applying, students should be aware of the distinct purpose of Harding University and be willing to commit themselves to upholding institutional values.

Unless stated otherwise on the catalog page of a specific program, application requirements for the GSB include:

1. A baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by an agency nationally recognized by the US Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
2. Three letters of recommendation. Recommendations should preferably be from professors or employers.
3. One writing sample (essay questions in application form.)
4. Official copies of all transcripts from the college or university that granted the bachelor’s degree and any other institution attended before or after that time.
5. A current resume.
6. Test Scores:

• GMAT (target score of 500) or GRE (target score of 300) is required unless the applicant has one of the following: 
  • A cumulative bachelor degree GPA of 3.5 or higher.
  • A cumulative bachelor degree GPA of 3.0 with a minimum of 5 years full-time work experience.
• TOEFL scores for international students (550 PBT, 213 CBT, 80 IBT minimum score)

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

The GSB operates on a semester basis (fall, spring and summer). Students may begin study in August or October in the fall semester, in January or March in the spring semester, and in May for the summer semester.

Applications must be submitted online. The application is not considered complete until all documentation is submitted. Applicants are urged to complete their applications early, as openings may be filled well in advance.

Additional information is available:

1. Online: www.harding.edu/gsb.
2. By phone: 501-279-5789.
3. By mail: Graduate School of Business, Harding University, Box 10774, Searcy, AR  72149.

APPLICATION REVIEW AND CANDIDATE SELECTION

The Admissions Committee reviews each completed application. Entrance into the GSB is selective. From a large applicant pool, the Admissions Committee seeks to admit the best-qualified individuals - those who are academically strong and who will not only benefit from, but also contribute to, the program.

In reviewing the information of each prospective student, many different indicators of performance are evaluated. Neither undergraduate study in business or work experience is required, but having either or both will strengthen most applications. The Admissions Committee may also consider a wide variety of other criteria, including but not limited to: academic performance at the undergraduate and graduate level, general intellectual ability, work history, ability to assume responsibility and achieve measurable results, personal statements made by the applicant (including goals, challenges, and experiences), interpersonal and communication skills, and extracurricular activities. Additionally, an attempt is made to see if there is congruence between the program’s goals and the applicant’s interests, as well as an attempt to determine student motivation for seeking the degree.

Students may be granted admission based on the following criteria*:

• Fully Matriculated Standing: Students who have earned an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher and have completed all documentation necessary for entry, may be admitted without condition.
• Provisional Standing due to Incomplete Documentation: Students who have not completed all documentation necessary for entry may be granted provisional admission with the condition that all necessary documentation be submitted prior to the student’s enrollment for the first semester. Upon receipt of all materials, the student will be granted full matriculation.
• Provisional Standing due to Academic Reason: Students with an undergraduate GPA of 2.50-2.99 may be granted provisional admission with the condition that the student maintains a GPA of no less than 3.0 on the first 9 hours of graduate work completed. Upon satisfying this condition, the student will be granted full matriculation.

NOTE: The Admissions Com­mittee will meet during the last week of the last month of each semester (after all grades have been posted) to determine the status of any student in provisional standing due to academic reason. The student will be notified as soon as is practical if any changes in status are deemed necessary by the committee.

*Students may be admitted to the program under both provisional standing due to completion of records and provisional standing due to academic reasoning.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

The GSB offers master’s degrees and graduate certificates. Each program is available in a 100% online format, although certain on-campus courses may be available. While the master’s degrees vary in length, each graduate certificate is 12 credit hours consisting of 4 courses. Unless stated otherwise on the Catalog page of a specific program, the following information applies to each GSB program.

All students will be required to complete the Graduate School of Business Tutorial (BUS 6000 ). This online orientation provides students with essential information about Harding and the GSB.

Course Load: Students are considered to be full-time students if they are taking 9 graduate hours in a given semester. The maximum number of courses which may be taken in any Fall or Spring semester is four (12 semester hours), while the maximum number of courses which may be taken in any Summer semester is two (6 semester hours). No more than 2 classes may be taken per block. There are no exceptions to these policies.

The duration of each program varies based on the student’s start date and course load. All programs offer flexible scheduling because they are designed with the needs of working professionals in mind. A student can complete a master’s degree in as little as 12 months, or take up to 7 years from the term of their first course. Each graduate certificate can be completed in as little as 8 months or up to 4 years.

As a general rule, classes are conducted online. Online classes are conducted in eight-week blocks with two blocks per semester. (The summer has only one eight-week block.) To ensure successful progression through the course, students are strongly advised to participate at least five out of seven days per week.

Computer Requirements: Each student entering the GSB at Harding University must have convenient access to a personal computer and the internet. Students will be expected to provide any hardware, software, or other technical resources necessary to communicate in an online environment. This is especially important for those taking online courses. Harding uses Canvas as the interface for online classes as well as web support for some traditional on-ground classes. This is an asynchronous platform allowing students and instructors to visit the classroom independently during the class week. The student will be provided detailed instructions regarding accessing and using this system.

Harding University’s Web portal, Pipeline, is continuously available for student and faculty access, and is an integral part of the communication link in the GSB, providing convenient access to Harding’s email platform.

At a minimum, the student should provide the following hardware and software specifications:

1. A modern computer with up-to-date antivirus software (access to a Windows machine is required for IS 6350 ).
2. Broadband internet connection.
3. Microsoft Office suite of products will be the standard office tools used in the program. Students are required to have versions of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint that are no more than two versions old. This software is available at special student pricing through the Harding University Bookstore (HUB).

Due to the breadth of our coverage, the following guidelines are used: 

1. Every student is expected to check for announcements and information posted online regularly via Harding email. Even in terms when students are not enrolled in a course and have no need to be online, they should make it a habit to log in at least weekly to check for announcements and other valuable information.
2. Registration may be accomplished completely online. If students are not logging in regularly, they may miss registration and possibly a course needed to stay on schedule.

In short, we expect students to be online regularly. We post anything of importance online, typically by Harding email. It is the students’ responsibility to keep current.

Course Work in Other Colleges of Harding University: While the majority of course work at the graduate level is taken in the College of Business Administration, a student’s particular career objectives may make it desirable to take some approved course work in colleges outside of the College of Business Administration. Students have access to course work in most colleges of the University, provided they have the course prerequisites.

Specific policies governing approval are the following: 

• Course work must be related to the student’s program of study.
• Course must be offered for graduate credit (numbered 5000 or higher).
• Course must count as credit toward degree for graduate students majoring in the department offering the course.
• No more than three courses may be transferred from other graduate programs.

Students should seek admission to the GSB as early as possible in order to receive appropriate guidance in planning their programs of study.

Program Advisors: Full-time faculty teaching graduate courses serve as the advisor(s) to GSB students. Although program advisors are happy to offer assistance, it is the student’s responsibility to become familiar with all degree requirements and to enroll in appropriate courses.

TRANSFER, INTERNATIONAL, AND NON-DEGREE SEEKING STUDENTS

Transfer students: In general, graduate students complete all degree requirements at Harding University. However, recognizing that students are subject to relocation for personal or professional reasons, the University has provided for a limited amount of transfer credit. 

Specific policies governing transfer credit are as follows:

1. A maximum of five courses may be transferred from another accredited graduate program with the approval of the chair of the GSB. In very special or unique circumstances, the chair may allow a sixth course to be transferred from another institution. In no instance may students complete less than one half of their degree program at Harding University. 
2. If approved by the dean of the College of Business Administration, students may take courses from another graduate school after matriculation.
3. A course may be considered for transfer credit only if there a Harding University equivalent.
4. To be accepted, course credit must have been completed during the seven years immediately prior to matriculation. (For students with significant and continuing work experience, the dean of the College of Business Administration may waive this requirement).

International Students: The TOEFL is required of all incoming international students. Students who (1) speak English as a second language, and (2) have not previously completed an undergraduate degree from an institution within the United States accredited by an agency nationally recognized by the US Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation must meet a minimum score on a nationally recognized test of English language proficiency such as the TOEFL or IELTS. An iBT Score of 80 with a Speaking Sub-scale 27 are the required minimum scores.

Minimum TOEFL scores acceptable for admission to the University are 550 (paper-based test), 213 (computer-based test), or 79 (internet-based test). The minimum IELTS score is 6.0. Scores must not be older than two years prior to the date of application to the University. Please note that individual programs may have more stringent minimum requirements.

Non-degree seeking students: Harding University welcomes students who do not wish to earn a graduate degree, or who are working to earn such a degree at another university (and desire to take a maximum of three courses at Harding). Students who have been admitted to another accredited graduate school program and wish to take courses for transfer may establish non-degree status by submitting an application for admission and either a letter of good standing or a graduate transcript indicating good standing from the other institution.

DUAL DEGREE OPTIONS

Opportunities for Undergraduate Students: Undergraduate students seeking a jump-start on their graduate studies may apply for one of the BBA-graduate programs if admission requirements are met. Please review the Catalog page of the desired graduate program or contact the GSB office for details.

Opportunities for Pharmacy Students: Students enrolled in Harding University’s Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program who desire to concurrently pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or a Master of Science degree in Information Systems (MSIS) through the GSB may choose to take courses to fulfill the elective requirements in the PharmD program, provided the prerequisites are met.

Admission to either GSB program requires completion of a minimum of 90 semester hours of pre-professional education at an institution accredited by an agency nationally recognized by the US Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Pharmacy students will be allowed by the MBA program to substitute three Pharmacy courses in place of two MBA courses: PHA 6030  for BUS 6520 , and PHA 5060  and PHA 7500  for BUS 6010 . Pharmacy students will be allowed by the MSIS program to substitute three pharmacy courses in place of two MSIS courses: PHA 6030  for IS 6510  and PHA 5060  and PHA 7500  for IS 6450 .

Pharmacy students will take the remainder of the GSB courses outside of the PharmD curriculum. A Pharmacy student who pursues one of these options could concurrently earn up to 15 GSB credit hours by the time he or she graduates with the PharmD. The PharmD is conferred by the College of Pharmacy and the MBA/MSIS is conferred by the College of Business.

A dual Pharmacy and GSB student who does not already have a bachelor’s degree must complete the PharmD prior to or simultaneous to the GSB degree. Failure to complete the PharmD will require the student to complete an undergraduate degree before earning an MBA/MSIS.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID

Graduate Assistantships are available on a competitive basis.

ACADEMIC STANDING REQUIREMENTS

The GSB recognizes that academic disciplines in business change rapidly, and graduate students need an up-to-date curriculum relevant for today’s managers. Therefore, graduate students are expected to make steady progress toward the program. To achieve this goal, the following policies have been established:

Any student who is admitted to the GSB but is unable to matriculate during the semester admitted must request in writing permission to defer admission until a later term. Deferred admission, if approved, will be honored for one calendar year. Students wishing to begin their studies more than one year after admission is granted must reapply for admission and be evaluated under current admission standards.

Any student who must take time off from graduate studies is required to submit a written request for a leave of absence to the dean of the College of Business Administration if the student expects to be absent more than one semester.

A student not satisfactorily completing at least one course in three consecutive terms will be declared “inactive” and must request readmission before being permitted to return to the program.

Grading System: Grades of A (4.0), B (3.0), C (2.0), I (Incomplete) or F (0.0 - Failing) are given for course work in the GSB. The Registrar’s Office automatically changes an I (Incomplete) grade to an F if it is not removed by the following dates: Fall “Incompletes” must be removed by Friday of the eighth week of the spring semester; spring “Incompletes” must be removed by July 1; summer “Incompletes” must be removed by Friday of the eighth week of the fall semester. A student should not re-register for a course in which an Incomplete was received. The staff in the GSB can advise as to the proper procedures for the removal of an Incomplete. Professors have at least 14 days to read and grade papers or other materials submitted to remove an incomplete.

A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on coursework is required for graduation. Please note the following special circumstances:

• Undergraduate courses required as prerequisites for graduate courses are not calculated in the cumulative graduate GPA.
• Grades earned in graduate courses taken as electives within the University, but outside the College of Business Administration, will be calculated in the overall grade point average, if accepted for credit toward the student’s selected GSB degree program.
• Any course taken on an audit basis will not count toward degree requirements and cannot be repeated for credit.
• A grade of F is calculated in the GPA as number of credit hours attempted, no quality points earned. If a grade of F is received in a required course, that course must be repeated. If the student receives an F in the second attempt, the student is automatically dismissed from the program.

The following model is provided in order to ensure students a successful and timely completion of the program:

Academic Warning

1-12 hours, less than 2.75 GPA
13-24 hours, less than 2.95 GPA
25-graduation, less than 3.00 GPA

Academic Probation

1-12 hours, less than 2.25 GPA
13-24 hours, less than 2.75 GPA
25-graduation, less than 2.95 GPA

Academic Discipline

1. Academic Warning status is an early warning to students who are in danger of being put on academic probation, and as such, does not carry any restrictions.
2. Academic Probation status limits students who are in academic trouble to enroll in no more than 9 credit hours per semester. Students under Academic Probation are not eligible to represent the University in extracurricular activities.
3. Academic Probation policy applies to fall, spring and summer semesters. Upon the completion of the probationary terms, Academic Probation is lifted at the end of a semester. Failure to remove Academic Probation status the following semester may result in the student being dismissed from the program.
4. Students that have been dismissed will be on Academic Suspension for one semester. During the suspension period students will not be allowed to take any graduate classes. After the suspension is lifted, the student may return to classes under Academic Probation status.
5. If a student receives a “failing” grade in any course during the first semester of enrollment, he or she may be dismissed from the program.
6. The decision to dismiss a student for failure to meet the required standards of progress does not preclude the student from returning to Harding University in a later semester.
7. In all cases, a second dismissal will be final.

Programs

• Management and Business Ethics (MBA)

• Information Systems (MSIS)

• Data Analytics (Graduate)
• Entrepreneurship (Graduate)
• Executive and Workplace Coaching (Graduate)
• Healthcare Management (Graduate)
• Human Resource Management (Graduate)
• Information Assurance and Security (Graduate)
• Learning and Development (Graduate)
• Principled Leadership (Graduate)
• Project Management (Graduate)