An MBA is a valuable credential for any employee who wants to fast track their career. In many instances, having a graduate degree “in hand” can give you a competitive advantage in the marketplace over similar applicants with only a bachelor’s degree. The MBA also provides undergraduate business majors with an advanced level of understanding of business issues in the global economy.
Current BAc or BBA candidates in the Labovitz School can take advantage of our Integrated Degree Program (IDP) option. This 4+1 program allows our undergraduate students to earn both their Bachelors and MBA degrees in 5 years. Admission to the 4+1 program occurs during the Junior year (see “Admission Requirements" for the IDP option below), with MBA classes starting during the undergraduate's Senior year.
Upon acceptance into the program, students will be eligible to take 5xxx-level courses during their Senior year that count toward their MBA. Courses appear on both the undergraduate and graduate transcripts (a maximum of 9 credits of coursework can count toward the BAcc/BBA and MBA requirements). In other words, students in the 4+1 program start their graduate coursework prior to the completion of their undergraduate degree and are allowed to count up to 9 credits of coursework toward both their undergraduate and graduate degrees. This significantly reduces the cost of the MBA program for current LSBE students.
The 4+1 option is also attractive to BAcc students who must complete 150 credits as part of the certification requirements to become qualified as a CPA and other BBA students who wish to continue graduate studies immediately after graduation from their bachelor’s program.
After transition to the Graduate portion of the 4+1 program, students will take the following courses:
Upcoming Duluth Class Schedule PDF
MBA Core Courses (20 credits)
- Business Ethics
- Data Analysis & Statistics for Managers
- Decision Making in Operations
- Accounting for Decision Making and Control
- Managerial Economics
- Financial Management and Decision Making
- Strategic Marketing Management
- Human Resources Challenges
Capstone Course (3 credits)
- Strategic Management
Elective Courses (9 credits) - taken during senior year of undergraduate degree
- 1-3 credit electives at the 5xxx or 8xxx level
- Other options include directed research, special topics, or short-term study abroad
Requirements
- BAcc or BBA student currently in good standing within the Labovitz School of Business and Economics.
- Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.3 (on a 4.0 scale) at the time of application or by the end of the spring semester.
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Current LSBE students who meet the above qualification and apply to the 4+1 program will not be required to take the GMAT or GRE exam prior to admission.
Applications for the 4+1 program should be submitted through the online application system in January or February of your Junior year (in order to allow you two semesters to take 9 credits of 5xxx-level courses during your Senior year). 4+1 Application Instructions.
Applications for the 4+1 program are due every year on March 1.
In addition to the required information in the online application, please make sure to complete the following to make sure you are given proper consideration:
- Applicant Statement Number 1: Statement of Purpose (limit one page).
- Applicant Statement Number 2: Diversity Statement (limit one page).
- CV or Resume
- One letter of recommendation from an LSBE faculty member
- Unofficial transcripts (APAS reports are not accepted)
- TOEFL Score - only required for applicants whose native language is not English.
Please see the 4+1 Application Instructions for more information.
For a detailed walkthrough, please see the 4+1 Application Guide.
The Application Fee for the 4+1 Program is $75 for US Citizens/Permanent Residents or $95 for International students. This fee is payable via credit/debit card at the time of application submission through the online application system. It is non-refundable.
Courses that are double-counted for the BAcc/BBA degree and MBA degrees must meet the requirements of both degrees. Only those courses that are pre-approved for graduate credit may be taken to meet the requirements for both degrees. Use the list of cross-listed 4xxx/5xxx courses to identify those courses eligible for dual credit. Students must be admitted into the 4+1 program PRIOR to taking the 5xxx-level courses in order to count them toward graduate credit. Graduate credit will not be given for 4xxx-level courses
Important Steps during your Senior Year
- Register for three 5xxx-level LSBE courses. Instructions will be emailed to you prior to the open of the registration window each semester.
- Apply for graduation from your undergraduate program when you normally would have.
- Fill out the form to select semester of transition (transitioning from UG to GRAD). Form will be emailed to you during spring semester along with other important steps.
The MBA degree must be started within 5 months of the award of the BBA/BAcc degree and must be completed within 1 year. Both the BBA/BAcc and MBA degrees must be completed in their entirety. The graduate degree cannot be earned before the undergraduate requirements are satisfied. For an idea of what your final year in the 4+1 program will look like, see the Duluth MBA Class Schedule PDF. More information is available on the "Academics" tab on this page as well.