Executive Programs

Admission Requirements for the Executive MBA

The EMBA application process is intended to ensure a good fit between the program’s objectives and the applicant’s experience, qualifications and potential. Admission decisions consider previous grade point average, work experience, and test scores, among other factors. Each applicant is assessed in a holistic way; no single criterion controls the admission decision.

To be considered eligible for admission to the EMBA program, the applicants must demonstrate exceptional business experience, knowledge and skills, and evidence of academic preparedness for successful completion for the EMBA program. These applicants are normally required to have an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited four-year college/university or foreign institution. International academic institutions must be accredited by the ministry of education or accrediting bodies from their respective countries.

1. A completed online Application for Admission with a specified essay, organizational chart, resume and the nonrefundable application fee must be submitted electronically to the Graziadio Business School Admission Office.
2. An official transcript must be provided for each college or university previously attended. All transcripts reflecting in-progress and/or completed coursework must be submitted to the Graziadio Business School Admission Office.  The official transcript(s) must be issued electronically by the Registrar’s secured transcript provider or issued by the Registrar in a sealed envelope.  If you have not completed your baccalaureate degree at the time of application, submit a current transcript.
3. A minimum of seven years of professional experience, of which at least two must be at a significant level of executive responsibility, is required.
4. Two letters of nomination and recommendation from senior business associates that objectively assess the applicant’s strengths, weaknesses, potential, and suitability for the Executive MBA program are required.
5. Two successful interviews are required: a preliminary interview with an executive programs representative and a final interview with an Executive MBA professor.
6. Access to a strategic business unit’s financial, marketing, and operations data is necessary for conducting the strategic management project.
7. The Graziadio Business School reserves the right to require an applicant to attain an acceptable score on either the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
8. Applicants who completed work outside of the United States or are not United States citizens/permanent residents must also meet the international student admission requirements listed in the Admission Information   section of the catalog.

Notification of Admission Decision

The Admission Office will inform the applicant of the status of the application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide all required admission documents by published deadlines. 

Applicants will be officially notified of their application decision via e-mail by the Graziadio Business School Admission Office. All other communication a candidate may have regarding his/her admission status will be considered unofficial and be superseded by the official notification. If accepted, a $2,000 nonrefundable deposit is required to reserve a place in class for which the student has been accepted. The deposit is included in the total tuition cost of the program and in accounted for in the first trimester’s tuition.

Details of the Notification of Admission Decision is listed in the Admission Information   section of the catalog.

Admission Requirements for the Presidents and Key Executives (PKE) MBA

The PKE application process is intended to ensure a good fit between the program’s objectives and the applicant’s experience, qualifications and potential. Admission decisions consider previous grade point average, work experience, and test scores, among other factors. Each applicant is assessed in a holistic way; no single criterion controls the admission decision.

To be considered eligible for admission to the PKE MBA program, the applicants must demonstrate exceptional business experience, knowledge and skills, and evidence of academic preparedness for successful completion for the PKE program. These applicants are normally required to have an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited four-year college/university or foreign institution. International academic institutions must be accredited by the ministry of education or accrediting bodies from their respective countries.

1. A completed online Application for Admission with a specified essay, organizational chart, resume and the nonrefundable application fee must be submitted electronically to the Graziadio Business School Admission Office.
2. An official transcript must be provided for each college or university previously attended. All transcripts reflecting in-progress and/or completed coursework must be submitted to the Graziadio Business School Admission Office.  The official transcript(s) must be issued electronically by the Registrar’s secured transcript provider or issued by the Registrar in a sealed envelope.  If you have not completed your baccalaureate degree at the time of application, submit a current transcript.
3. A minimum of 10 years of organizational or professional experience and at least one year in a senior executive position is required.
4. Two letters of recommendation from business associates are required.
5. Two successful interviews are required: a preliminary interview with an executive programs representative and a final interview with a PKE MBA professor.
6. The Graziadio School reserves the right to require an applicant to attain an acceptable score on either the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
7. Applicants who completed work outside of the United States or are not United States citizens/permanent residents must also meet the international student admission requirements listed in the Admission Information  section of the catalog.

Notification of Admission Decision

The Admission Office will inform the applicant of the status of the application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide all required admission documents by published deadlines. 

Applicants will be officially notified of their application decision via e-mail by the Graziadio Business School Admission Office. All other communication a candidate may have regarding his/her admission status will be considered unofficial and be superseded by the official notification. If accepted, a $2,000 nonrefundable deposit is required to reserve a place in class for which the student has been accepted. The deposit is included in the total tuition cost of the program and in accounted for in the first trimester’s tuition.

Details of the Notification of Admission Decision is listed in the Admission Information   section of the catalog.

Admission Requirements for the MS in Organization Development

The MSOD application process is intended to ensure a good fit between the program’s objectives and the applicant’s experience, qualifications and potential. Admission decisions consider previous grade point average, work experience, and test scores, among other factors. Each applicant is assessed in a holistic way; no single criterion controls the admission decision.

To be considered eligible for admission to the MSOD program, an applicant must have an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited four-year college/university or foreign institution. International academic institutions must be accredited by the ministry of education or accrediting bodies from their respective countries.

1. A completed online Application for Admission with a vocational self-evaluation inventory, a sentence completion form, a work history, resume and the nonrefundable application fee must be submitted electronically to the Graziadio Business School Admission Office.
2. An official transcript must be provided for each college or university previously attended. All transcripts reflecting in-progress and/or completed coursework must be submitted to the Graziadio Business School Admission Office.  The official transcript(s) must be issued electronically by the Registrar’s secured transcript provider or issued by the Registrar in a sealed envelope.  If you have not completed your baccalaureate degree at the time of application, submit a current transcript.
3. A minimum of five years of organizational experience, preferably as an external consultant; as a line or staff manager; or in an internal organization development, human resources, or strategic planning position.
4. Two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s educational, consulting, and/or management experience. Where applicable, it is strongly recommended that the applicant’s direct supervisor or organizational sponsor provide one of the recommendations.
5. Selected applicants with complete application files are scheduled for a personal interview with a member of the MSOD Admission Committee. This interview may be conducted in person or by telephone.
6. Superior applicants will have had at least one course in organizational behavior and a human interaction laboratory experience. The MSOD director, with the recommendation of the MSOD Admission Committee, may request applicant participation in such a laboratory experience as preparation for program attendance.
7. The Graziadio Business School reserves the right to require an applicant to attain an acceptable score on either the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
8. Applicants who completed work outside of the United States or are not United States citizens/permanent residents must also meet the international student admission requirements listed in the Admission Information   section of the catalog.

Notification of Admission Decision

The Admission Office will inform the applicant of the status of the application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide all required admission documents by published deadlines. 

Applicants will be officially notified of their application decision via e-mail by the Graziadio Business School Admission Office. All other communication a candidate may have regarding his/her admission status will be considered unofficial and be superseded by the official notification. If accepted, a $1,400 nonrefundable deposit is required to reserve a place in class for which the student has been accepted. The deposit is included in the total tuition cost of the program and in accounted for in the first trimester’s tuition.

Details of the Notification of Admission Decision is listed in the Admission Information   section of the catalog.

Admission Requirement for the Executive DBA

To be considered eligible for admission to the Executive DBA program, applicants must demonstrate significant executive-level business experience and evidence of appropriate academic preparedness for successful completion of the DBA program. Each applicant is required to have an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited four-year college/university or foreign institution. Each applicant is also required to have a master’s degree in a business or STEM discipline, or a doctoral degree from a regionally accredited college/university or foreign institution. International academic institutions must be accredited by the ministry of education or accrediting bodies within their respective countries.

The admission decision considers prior academic records, work experience, the proposed research project, academic and professional letters of reference, the applicant’s statement of purpose for undertaking the DBA program, and their performance in an interview with the Academic Director. Each applicant is assessed in a holistic way. Candidates are evaluated through a two phased process. Phase 1 explores the applicant’s resume, research interests, motivations, and academic background. The second phase moves into a more substantive evaluation of the student’s academic record, research proposal, letters of reference, and a personal interview.

Phase 1 application materials:

1. A completed online application.
2. A current resume/CV that documents significant professional experience, including a minimum of ten years of executive responsibility.
3. A 1-2 page reflection on the applicant’s rationale for pursuing an executive doctorate in business administration, including how completion of the DBA will align with career and personal goals.
4. A 1-2 page overview of a business- or management-related issue that the applicant wishes to research in the program.
5. Unofficial transcripts.

Phase 1 applicants are reviewed by the DBA admissions committee.  Individuals who meet all required criteria based on the committee’s assessment will be invited to complete Phase 2 of the application process.

Phase 2 application requirements:

1. Official transcripts of baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate degrees showing all coursework.
2. Official transcripts from any additional coursework beyond those from the degree-granting institution(s).
3. Official TOEFL or IELTS scores for international applicants.
4. A 3-5 page updated research proposal outlining a business-related research topic that the applicant would like to pursue in the program, ideally including reference to Graziadio Business School faculty who could serve as research mentors.
5. If available, examples of white papers, articles, or books authored by the applicant.
6. Two letters of recommendation from senior business associates that objectively assess the applicant’s strengths, weaknesses, potential, and suitability for the Executive DBA program.
7. A propose plan to open up time for your Executive DBA studies

Admission Process

1. Completed Phase 1 applications will be forwarded to the  admissions committee for review. Candidates who have met Phase 1 requirements will be invited to complete Phase 2.
2. Phase 2 applicants will be reviewed by the DBA admissions committee, with specific review of students essays for alignment with faculty subject matter expertise and a demonstration of student thought process.
3. Candidates with strong alignment with the program will advance to an interview with the academic director and/or admissions committee.
4. Following the interview(s), the Graziadio Business School reserves the right to require an applicant to attain an acceptable score on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

Notification of Admission Decision

The Admission Office will inform the applicant of the status of the application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide all required admission documents by published deadlines. 

Applicants will be officially notified of their application decision via e-mail by the Graziadio Business School Admission Office. All other communication a candidate may have regarding his/her admission status will be considered unofficial and be superseded by the official notification. If accepted, a $2,000 nonrefundable deposit is required to reserve a place in the program for which the student has been accepted. The deposit is included in the total tuition cost of the program and accounted for in the first trimester tuition.

Details of the Notification of Admission Decision is listed in the Admission Information   section of the catalog.

Program Requirements

Programs

Master of Business Administration

• •  Executive MBA
• •  Presidents and Key Executives MBA

Master of Science

• •  Master of Science in Organization Development

Doctor of Business Administration

• •  Doctor of Business Administration