Full-Time MBA (FTMBA) Policies

Please review the sections below for more information about this program's policies.

Degree Completion

The Full-Time MBA degree program requires completion of a minimum of 67 credit hours. These credits include the following:

38.5 credits of required core courses and a minimum of 28.5 elective credits.

A minimum of 58 credits must be completed in 500-level MBA courses taught by faculty members of Olin. The remaining 9 credits may be comprised of the following:
- Additional Olin MBA electives;
- Preapproved Washington University non-business, graduate-level electives taken after the student has begun study as an Olin MBA candidate; or
- A maximum of 9 credit hours of graduate course work from another AACSB-accredited program, if the grades earned are B or better and the Vice Dean for Education and Globalization deems the course to be equivalent to Olin MBA classes in quality and content.
Students studying in an approved semester-long international exchange partner program must complete a minimum of 52 credit hours in 500-level courses taught by faculty members of Olin. The remaining credit hours (a maximum of 15) will be applied from the preapproved partner school.

Pursuing an Olin Dual Degree

Students admitted to the Full-Time MBA and one of the Specialized Master’s Programs (SMPs) at Olin Business School will be able to pursue a dual degree format. Students are able to pair their MBA degree with one of the following on-campus SMPs: Master of Accounting, MS in Corporate Finance, MS in Wealth and Asset Management, MS in Quantitative Finance, MS in Supply Chain Management, or MS in Analytics (with tracks in Customer Analytics, Financial Technology Analytics, Health Care Analytics, Supply Chain Analytics, Accounting Analytics and Talent Analytics).

Full-Time MBA students are strongly encouraged to apply to and enroll in the chosen SMP during their first semester. This allows students to complete their degree programs by the end of their second spring semester and allows for 15 credits to be shared between both programs. The total number of credits required will vary depending on the SMP degree program that is selected. Students should consult with their academic advisors for clarification of degree requirements.

Full-Time MBA students enrolling in an SMP after the first semester are not guaranteed to be able to complete both programs by the end of the second spring semester.

Pursuing a Washington University Dual Degree

Students are able to complete the following preapproved dual degrees: MBA/JD, MBA/MSW, MBA/MPH, MBA/MA in East Asian Studies, MBA/MD, MBA/March, and MBA/MS in Biomedical Engineering.

Students pursuing a dual degree with another school at Washington University in St. Louis must complete a minimum of 52 credits in 500-level MBA courses taught by faculty members of Olin Business School. These may include credits from an approved international exchange program. The remaining 15 credits will be applied from the preapproved dual degree program.

Washington University dual degree and 3/2 Engineering, Arts & Sciences, or BSBA dual degree candidates are not eligible to pursue Olin dual degree status and may not add an SMP during their program of study.

MBA Grading System

All Olin MBA programs utilize a pass/fail grading system. As such, grade points are not assigned, and semester class rankings are not calculated. The Olin MBA grading system is as follows:

HP (High Pass): Maximum of 20% of any section/course
P (Pass): Satisfactory performance
LP (Low Pass): Minimum level of acceptable performance
NP (No Pass): If a required course, the course must be repeated. There is no credit for NP.
N (No Grade): The faculty member has not yet entered a grade for the course.
I (Incomplete): Extenuating circumstances preclude the satisfactory completion of course work. With permission of the instructor, students have 60 days after the final exam in which to make up incomplete work. After 60 days, the grade is automatically changed to “No Pass.” The instructor has discretion regarding the 60-day limit.

Grade Changes

A nondisciplinary grade may be changed only by the professor in whose course the grade was initially given. A faculty member may change a grade from "N" providing that the work is made up within 60 days of the completion of the course. Exceptions to the 60-day limit must be discussed with the faculty member and/or an academic advisor.

Academic Performance Standards

The cumulative academic performance of a student is evaluated at the end of each semester to determine continuation eligibility. All attempted and completed course work will be reviewed. When a student’s cumulative performance meets one of the following conditions, their record will be brought to the Academic Review Committee for review. If the student remains enrolled, their record will continue to be reviewed at the end of each term.

Two or more NP grades are earned; or
Three or more LP grades are earned; or
The combination of NP and LP grades meets or exceeds three grades or 6 credit units.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal aid recipients' academic progress will be evaluated on an annual basis by WashU Student Financial Services. Failure to meet the necessary criteria can result in the suspension of future aid eligibility, although students will be granted an opportunity to appeal. Graduate students are expected to achieve the minimum GPA requirements for their specific programs, in addition to meeting federal standards for cumulative pace and completion of their degree program within a prescribed number of attempted hours (grades of W, I, and NP will place a student in jeopardy of not meeting these standards). Please direct any questions about Satisfactory Academic Progress standards or the appeal process to olinfinancialservices@wustl.edu.

Professional Code of Conduct/Academic Integrity

Olin Business School is a community of individuals with diverse backgrounds and interests who share certain fundamental goals. Primary among these goals is the creation and maintenance of an atmosphere conducive to the learning and personal growth of everyone in the community.

Becoming a member of the Olin community is a privilege that brings certain responsibilities and expectations. The success of Olin in attaining its goals and maintaining its reputation of academic excellence depends on the willingness of its members, both collectively and individually, to meet their responsibilities. It is imperative that all individuals associated with Olin conduct themselves with the utmost integrity in all aspects of their lives, both on and off campus.

Plagiarism and other forms of cheating will not be tolerated. Where a student has violated the integrity of the academic community, an instructor may recommend that the student be brought before the Academic Review Committee. Please review Integrity Matters (PDF) for more information.

Course Registration

The Student Affairs team works with the Olin Registrar Office to register Full-Time MBA students for course work during the Global Immersion and their second semester of course work. For other courses, students perform their own registration via WebSTAC. After the second semester of course work, students are required to meet with their academic advisors to obtain authorization for registration.

Adding a Course

Students may add a course to their registration during specified periods at the beginning of each term; please refer to the Olin Graduate Programs Academic Calendar. A faculty member’s signature is not required to add a course.

Short courses or weekender courses may be added to the student’s registration until 24 hours before the course begins, unless otherwise specified by the course instructor.

Semester Credit Cap

Each semester, students are able to enroll in a maximum number of credits according to the semester credit cap listed in their Conditions of Enrollment. If the semester’s established limit is exceeded, the student will be charged the per-credit rate for all credit units beyond the limit. If the student has extenuating circumstances, they may petition the Graduate Programs Office to exceed the stated semester credit cap without incurring additional tuition charges.

Auditing a Course

Students wishing to audit a course must first speak with the professor of the course to determine if auditing is an option and, if so, to learn the specific requirements for a successful audit. If approval is granted, the student should send the email approval to their academic advisor, who will work with the Olin Registrar Office to change the grading option for the course to from "P" to "A."

Audited courses do not apply to the credits required to graduate, but they do apply to the maximum credits allowed each semester without paying additional tuition.
Audited courses are listed on student transcripts. A grade of "L" is given for a successful audit, and a grade of "Z" is given for an unsuccessful audit.
Audited courses do not meet prerequisite requirements. If a student has audited a particular prerequisite for a course, they will need instructor permission to enroll in that course.

Dropping or Withdrawing from a Course

Students may drop or withdraw from courses during specified periods during the registration period and term as listed in the Olin Graduate Programs Academic Calendar. A faculty member’s signature or Graduate Programs Office approval is not needed for students who are dropping or withdrawing from a course during the period specified by the academic calendar.

Before the first day of a short course or a weekender course, a student may drop a course unless the instructor indicates otherwise.

Withdrawal and Federal Loans

Regulations governing the return of Title IV funds (unsub and Graduate PLUS loans) require the school to determine the earned and unearned portions of disbursed loans as of the date the student ceased attendance. Students who are considering a withdrawal from any or all course work should contact the Olin Financial Services team in order to understand the implications for their current student loan amount and the impacts on their grace period.

Leave of Absence (LOA)

Students who need to take an LOA should discuss the process and implications with their academic advisor and Olin Financial Services.

Voluntary LOA: A student may request an LOA for academic or personal reasons by submitting a statement in writing to the Graduate Program Office. Such a statement should include an indication of the beginning and anticipated ending dates and a brief statement of the reason for the LOA (academic or personal). Requests for LOAs must be approved by the Assistant Dean for Academic Advising.

LOA Impact on Financial Aid: Students receiving financial aid should be advised that at the end of 60 days or more LOA, the grace period for loan repayment during an LOA may be exhausted. In such cases, there will be an obligation for the student to start making payments. According to the federal rules under which loans are made, the use of a grace period during an LOA will generally mean that the schedule for loan repayment may be changed. Students who are receiving financial assistance should consult with the Olin Financial Aid Office to determine the implications of an LOA for their financial aid.

Disengagement

A student is considered disengaged when they fail to attend class, do not respond to communications from faculty and/or staff, or have not completed the registration process for the next academic term. Advisors will attempt to contact the student by utilizing both the phone and email addresses on record with the school. If the student fails to respond to communication, does not register for their required academic course load, or is not in financial good standing by the add/drop date of the semester, the leave of absence would be initiated as soon as the Graduate Programs Office becomes aware.

If a student is placed on an administrative leave of absence in the middle of a semester, they remain responsible for the tuition charges according to the refund schedule. If the student fails to respond at the end of the leave term, the leave will be extended for one additional semester (excluding summer terms). At the end of two semesters on a leave of absence, if the student has not developed a plan to complete their curriculum with their academic advisor, the student will be administratively withdrawn from their graduate business program at Washington University. Summer terms are excluded for Full-Time MBA and SMP students but included for Executive MBA, Professional (Part-Time) MBA (PMBA), and online programs. If the student wishes to return to the program at a future date following their withdrawal, they will follow the application process for the program in the term they wish to start and be required to meet all admission requirements for the program.

Transfers Between Full- and Part-Time MBA Programs

Students interested in transferring between the Full- and Part-Time MBA programs should contact their academic advisors. Students enrolled in the Full-Time MBA program are required to pay at least four semesters of tuition at the Full-Time MBA student rate. After fulfilling the tuition requirement of the Full-Time MBA program as stated in the Conditions of Enrollment, students are able to formally request to switch to the PMBA program by completing a petition with the Graduate Programs Student Affairs Office. This approval will allow them to switch to the PMBA program and pay the PMBA per-credit-unit tuition rate. Any scholarship awarded upon admission to the Full-Time MBA program will not apply for students switching to the PMBA program. PMBA students do not receive Olin scholarships.

Students who transition from the Full-Time MBA program to the PMBA program will be required to complete a total of 60 credit units to satisfy the degree requirements.

Transfer Credit

As many as 9 units of transfer credit may be accepted toward Olin MBA degree requirements, provided that the prior course work meets the following criteria:

The credits were taken at the graduate level at another business school program accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
It can be demonstrated (e.g., by course syllabi) that the course work taken is comparable in content (for required courses) or acceptable in quality (for elective courses) to Washington University courses.
A grade of B or better was achieved in the course work for which transfer credit is requested.

Students seeking the acceptance of transfer credit should submit a transcript, applicable syllabi, and a petition requesting review of the proposed course work to their academic advisor. Transfer credit requests will then be reviewed for approval by the Academic Director for the Full-Time MBA program.

Course Waivers

Course waivers are intended to allow students to avoid the redundant study of subjects already mastered. They do not reduce the number of credits required to earn the degree.

No more than two required MBA core courses can be waived. The following courses may not be waived:

Course List
Code	Title	Units
OB 500F	Foundations for Impactful Teamwork	3
MGT 5311	Intro. to Management and Strategy	2
MGT 560T	Building Business Narratives	1.5
MGT 560U	Global Institutions and Values	2.5
MGT 560P	Business Models in a Global Context	2.5
MGT 560Q	Implementing Strategy through Global Operations	2.5
MGT 560V	Values-Based/Data-Driven Decision Making	2.5
OB 5603	Leading Across Differences	3

Students wishing to request a course waiver should complete the Course Waiver Form and return it to their academic advisor. Course waiver requests will then be reviewed for approval by the Academic Director for the Full-Time MBA program.

Course Work in Other Divisions

Olin Business School recognizes that students may wish to take course work outside of Olin in order to achieve an individual education. Students may elect to take course work in other divisions of Washington University, under the following conditions:

No such course may be taken during the first and second semesters of the program.
Courses must be selected from the day division of our partner schools (courses offered through the School of Continuing & Professional Studies or in evening divisions are not eligible).
Students must be in good academic standing.
Courses must be preapproved in order for the associated credits (up to 9) to be applied toward the 67 credits required for the MBA degree.

Students hoping to enroll in course work in other divisions should contact their academic advisor to submit the request. Requests will be reviewed for approval by the Academic Director of the Full-Time MBA program.

Independent Study

Independent study under the direction of a faculty member is available on a selective basis. The purpose of independent study is to provide an opportunity for students to pursue subject matter beyond the specific course offerings found in the school. Independent study is not viewed as a vehicle for getting credit for something in which the student may already be involved (e.g., a job, a project in another course). It is an opportunity to get more in-depth exposure to an area of interest under the supervision and direction of a faculty member.

Typically, a student will discuss with a particular faculty member the possibility of receiving supervision on an independent study research project. Projects may receive anywhere from 1.5 to 6 academic credits, but normally no more than 3 credits may be granted in any one semester. Students may apply a maximum of 6 units of independent study credit toward the 67-credit degree requirement.

Once a project is agreed upon between student and professor, the student must submit an Independent Study Form to the academic advisor for evaluation and approval. The petition should outline the topics to be covered, the texts or other research material to be used, and the research methodology to be employed. Students must be in good academic standing to be approved for independent study.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

CPT is work that is a part of a structured program offered in the curriculum. Examples of CPT at Olin include summer internships and internships during the final semesters of the program.

Students must get approval from Olin, enroll in the CPT-approved course, and then obtain approval from the Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS).
Students must complete one academic year (both fall and spring semesters) before becoming eligible for CPT.

Enrolling in CPT

After a student has accepted an offer of paid or unpaid employment, they must follow these instructions:

Report the offer to the Weston Career Center.
Request that the company mail or email an offer letter on company letterhead to the student.
1. Status: Part-time work is considered up to 20 hours per week. Full-time work is considered 21 to 40 hours per week. Students are permitted to work part-time during the academic year (fall and spring semesters), but they can work part-time or full-time during the summer semester.
2. Length of internship: Four weeks is the minimum for part-time internships, and eight weeks is the minimum for full-time internships.
3. Term Dates: Please refer to the Washington University Academic Calendar.
Complete the CPT Application Form, which can be accessed in the Graduate Programs Office of by contacting the academic advisor. (Students should not sign and date this form; the student’s signature will be added when they pick up their I-20 from OISS at the end of this process.)
Submit the completed form and a copy of the offer letter to the advisor in the Graduate Programs Office for their signature. The advisor will return this form to the student within 24 hours. The student will be enrolled in MGT 513 Special Topics in Management for the current term.
1. Credit units = 0.5; grading method = pass/fail
2. Note: Students will not be charged tuition by the credit unit for this 0.5-credit course during the summer term.
3. These credit units do not count toward the student’s degree total credit requirements of 67 credits.
4. Deliverables for MGT 513 must be completed for the student to successfully complete the course.
Submit the signed CPT application form to OISS. OISS will issue the student a new I-20 based on the offer letter’s dates of employment. These must fall within the semester dates listed on the calendar.
Pick up the new I-20 from OISS before starting the internship. The new I-20s will be ready two to five business days after the completed CPT application form has been received by OISS. The entire process, after the submission of the offer letter, will take three to seven business days. Note: Students will need to present the I-20 to their employer on their first day of work and should not begin work until the process is complete.

Group Study Room Policies and Reservations

The primary purpose of Olin Business School group study rooms is to provide a space for Olin students and clients to engage in collaborative and cooperative study in small groups. The following policies exist to ensure that Olin students and clients have priority use of the rooms, the rooms are appropriately maintained, and clear expectations are in place.

Group study rooms in Bauer Hall and Knight Hall may be reserved only by Olin Business School degree candidates and only via the online reservation system. Students not enrolled in Olin Business School degree programs may not reserve these rooms.
Group study rooms in Simon Hall may not be reserved. They are subject to the policies below, as applicable.
Group study rooms in the Kopolow Business Library located in Simon Hall may be reserved by any Washington University student. Students should visit the library’s front desk for information.
Charles F. Knight Executive Education & Conference Center group study rooms (located on the second floor of the Knight Center) are strictly for the use of Olin Executive Education students and clients. Olin undergraduate and non-Executive Education graduate students may not use Knight Executive Education & Conference Center group study rooms under any circumstances. Knight Center group study rooms located on the first floor are available as noted below.
Rooms are primarily intended for group use. A group is defined as two or more users engaged in collaborative study. Individuals engaged in simultaneous individual study are not considered a group.
Bauer Hall/Knight Hall:
- Group rooms may not be reserved for individual student use.
- An individual may use an unoccupied or unreserved room. However, should a group need the room, the individual must vacate it. One group member must reserve the room using the online system at that time and prior to informing the individual that they must vacate it.
- If no more than one individual representing a group reservation is present 15 minutes or more after the reservation start time, the reservation is considered forfeited, and the room may be used by another group during the time that the forfeited group had reserved it.
Simon Hall and the first floor of the Knight Center:
- An online reservation system is not currently in place for the group study rooms in Simon Hall and on the first floor of Knight Center. An individual may use an unoccupied room. However, should a group wish to use the room, the individual must vacate it.

Room Usage Policies

Room users are responsible for their personal property and should not leave items unattended. Olin Business School is not liable for loss or damage to personal property. Rooms cannot be reserved or held by placing personal belongings in them. Unattanded items (e.g., backpacks, coats, laptops, binders) may be removed and taken to lost and found for safekeeping. Lost and found is located in the Undergraduate Office (Simon Hall) or in the Graduate Programs Office (Knight Hall and Bauer Hall).
Rooms must be left clean and in good condition for the next users. Whiteboards must be erased and trash thrown away. “Do not erase” requests on the whiteboards will not be honored.
Do not remove items from the group study rooms (e.g., chairs, markers, erasers, remotes).
Should a room need to be cleaned or should an accident occur (e.g., a spilled beverage), students should email General Services immediately.
Should audiovisual assistance be required, students should email General Services.
Violation of these policies may result in suspension from room reservation and usage. Students should report all violation issues to their program office.

Students in the Full-Time MBA program must complete the degree within seven years of beginning the program.

Intent to Graduate

Every candidate for a degree must indicate their intent to graduate by filing an Intent to Graduate Form via WebSTAC near the beginning of the semester in which the degree is to be conferred.

If the student is completing more than one degree program at Washington University, they must file a separate intent for each degree program and provide all of the requested information.

Awards and Honors

Olin Business School awards are given to honor outstanding achievement. Recipients of the awards listed below are selected based on a variety of factors, and the selection process may include one or more of the following criteria: faculty vote, overall academic record and course performance.

The Charles F. Knight Scholar Awards are presented to the top 7.5% of MBA graduates. This distinction is based on the percentage of credit units receiving HP grades.
The top 20% of graduates in each program are invited to join the Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society. This distinction is based on the percentage of HP grades.
The Dean’s Special Service Award is presented to those students or student organizations that have rendered extraordinary service to the school.
The Dean’s Award for Corporate Social Responsibility recognizes a graduating MBA student who has demonstrated outstanding scholarship, leadership, and/or practice in the area of corporate social responsibility.
The Hubert C. “Hub” Moog Prize is awarded to a graduating MBA who, in the opinion of their fellow students, best exemplifies qualities of character, leadership, and service and who also enjoys the respect, admiration, and affection of their classmates.
The John Wayne Latchum Memorial Award is awarded to a graduating MBA who has best exemplified the qualities of integrity, loyalty, courage, and high standards of personal conduct as judged by the faculty.
The Joseph W. Towle Prize in Organizational Leadership is awarded to the student with the strongest academic achievement in the area of organizational leadership.
The Milford Bohm Prize is presented to an outstanding graduate student in the field of marketing as judged by the marketing faculty.
The Paul Cuffe MBA Award for Outstanding Leadership is awarded to a graduating African-American MBA student for outstanding leadership, academic excellence, and involvement in Olin extracurricular activities.
The Powell Niland Prize in Operations and Manufacturing is awarded to the student with the strongest academic achievement in the area of operations and manufacturing management.
The Olin MBA Finance Award is presented to an outstanding student in the area of finance.