Business (MBA)

Purdue University Fort Wayne
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Richard T. Doermer School of Business  

Melissa L. Gruys, Ph.D. - Dean
Chadi Braish, MBA - Director of MBA Programs
260-481-6495 ~ Fax: 260-481-6879
Richard T. Doermer School of Business 101B - 260-481-6498
e-mail: chadi.braish@pfw.edu 

Introduction

Information about MBA programs can be found at: https://www.pfw.edu/business/master-business-administration

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is designed to prepare qualified students and working professionals for positions of responsibility as managers and leaders who are capable of making effective and ethical business decisions in an ever-changing global environment. Upon completion of the MBA degree, students will:

• Conduct innovative problem solving
• Transcend functional boundaries
• Make complex, short-term decisions
• Engage in strategic decision making
• Solve managerial problems
• Effectively utilize information technology
• Build organizational environments
• Develop a sense of professional and social responsibility 

The Doermer School of Businss and the MBA programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Busness-International or AACSB. It is the longest serving global association dedicated to advancing management education worldwide. It provides internationally-recognized, specialized accreditation for business and accounting programs at the bachelor, master and doctoral levels. Currently, it accredits 740 of the best business schools across 50 countries and territories; that is less than 10 percent of the world’s business schools. The Doermer School of Business at Purdue University Fort Wayne is the only AACSB accredited business school in northeast Indiana.

The faculty who teach in the graduate program have earned doctoral degrees from a broad range of distinguished universities and bring a wealth of experience through their scholarly research and consulting in the business community.

Program Delivery

During regular semesters, the MBA Graduate business classes are offered Monday through Thursday evenings and occasionally on Friday evenings. This provides MBA students with an opportunity to earn a nationally accredited professional business degree with minimal disruption to their careers. Classes typically meet one evening per week (6-8:45 p.m.) on weekdays. Courses may be offered in one of three formats: face-to-face, hybrid, or online. Each summer, a selection of core classes will be offered in either a hybrid or online format. These courses are offered to add flexibility to the program.

During regular quarters, Accelerated MBA (AMBA) graduate business classes are offered on Saturday. This provides MBA students with an opportunity to earn a nationally accredited professional business degree with minimal disruption to their careers. During the quarters, classes typically meet Saturday, 8:00 am to 12:30 pm. Courses in the Accelerated MBA program will be offered either as hybrid or online.  

General Requirements to complete an MBA Degree

The MBA requires 36 credit hours with a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 or better.

The AMBA requires 36 credit hours with a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 or better.

In the MBA program, six credit hours in electives may be taken in other graduate studies programs on campus. These courses must contain significant business content and be approved by the MBA Director.

All students have four years from the start of their program to complete their degree.  

Program Requirements

Admissions Qualifications for the Purdue Fort Wayne Doermer School of Business MBA

As the only AACSB-accredited business school in the region, Purdue Fort Wayne seeks to recruit top applicants.  The Doermer School strives to enroll a student body with a variety of skills and backgrounds that will work together to foster personal and professional growth in a dynamic learning environment. 

We conduct a holistic review of each application.  Our admissions office considers an applicant’s academic record, employment experience, recommendations, and test scores. We are especially interested in evidence of strong academic performance and a brief, clear statement of purpose.

For our Accelerated MBA program, we require the following:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• Two letters of recommendation
• All official transcripts from universities or colleges attended
• Statement of Purpose
• GMAT, GRE or approved GMAT waiver
• Interview with MBA Director

For our MBA program, we require the following:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university        
• Two letters of recommendation
• All official transcripts from universities or colleges attended
• Statement of Purpose
• GMAT, GRE or approved GMAT waiver
• Interview with MBA Director

Admission requirements are the same for both programs so students may switch back and forth, at the discretion of the MBA Director, in order to complete degree requirements.

For international applicants, in addition to the above, we require proof of English proficiency through one of the following:

Test of English as a Foreign Language

1.  TOEFL iBT Overall Score Required:  80

With the following minimum section requirements:

                                    Reading:    19

                                    Listening:  14

                                    Speaking:  18

                                    Writing:    18

     2. TOEFL Paper-Delivered Test - no overall score reported

With the following minimum section requirements:

                                    Reading:    19

                                    Listening:  14

       Writing:     18

     3. International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

Minimum overall score required (Academic Module):  6.5

With the following section requirements:

    Reading:    6.5

                                 Listening:  6.0

                                 Speaking:  6.0

                                 Writing:    5.5

     4.  The Graduate School will consider applicants who have (a) enrolled at one of the following intensive English programs and (b) satisfied the exit requirements established for the program as having met the Graduate School’s English proficiency requirement:

• Purdue University Calumet English Language Program (ELP) Exit Requirement:  achieve a minimum 80% (Level 4 examination) and pass an Exit Test (consisting of speaking and writing components).

  Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Program for Intensive English (PIE) Exit Requirement:  pass all classes with grades of at least B (82%), and pass the PIE Proficiency Exit Test at the Level 7 level.

• For Purdue Fort Wayne applicants only, the Graduate School will consider applicants who have enrolled in ELS Language Center’s English for Academic Purposes program and who have passed ELS Level 112 as having met the Graduate School’s weeks of intensive study using curricular materials written at the native speaker level (approximately 360 hours of classroom instruction in speaking, listening, reading, writing); completion of an extensive research paper using standard research protocols in a monitored setting; Passing of the Michigan English Language Institute College English Test (MELICET) and Listening Comprehension Test (LCT) standards; passing of speaking evaluations; passing of writing evaluation.  These results must be certified, in writing, by ELS Language Center to the Fort Wayne graduate office before applicants using this method of establishing English proficiency may be admitted to the Graduate School.

Conditions of Continued Enrollment

Applicants may be enrolled with conditions specified for continued enrollment at the discretion of the director and/or MBA Graduate Policy Committee. Specific requirements of continued enrollment will be addressed in the applicant’s letter of admission.  To remain in good standing, all MBA students (AMBA or MBA) must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA or above as a condition of continued enrollment.