MBA courses are not easy to waive and most core courses are not eligible for a waiver. Even though a course title may be similar to a course you completed as part of an undergraduate degree, the content and method of graduate level courses are generally very different from undergraduate courses.

There are two types of core course waivers - the "Credit Waiver" and the "Substitution Waiver." Both waiver options are designed to help students work at advanced levels of study and get the most from their Willamette MBA education.
1) A "Credit Waiver" automatically applies credits from a waived core course toward graduation requirements and does not require a substitute course.
2) A "Substitution Waiver" requires a specific elective course to replace the waived core course, and credits from the waived core course do not apply toward graduation.

The criteria for granting a waiver for a first-year core course are determined by the faculty member responsible for the course, and based on an assessment of whether the student meets the academic requirements for waiving the course.


General Waiver Policies

* Students who waive a core course are responsible for the content of the waived course as it is applied in other MBA core and elective courses.
* Early Career and Career Change MBA students are limited to a maximum of six credits of core course work that can be waived via a Credit Waiver. There is no limit to the number of core courses which can be waived via a Substitute Waiver.
* MBA/JD students may pursue Substitution Waivers for core course work, but are not eligible for Credit Waivers.


Waiver Review Procedure for Incoming Students
1. GSM 5104 (Managing Organizations) and GSM 5107 (Marketing: Creating Satisfied Customers) are courses that may be waived by an administrative review if the student meets all of the requirements described below.  Judy O'Neill, Associate Dean and Director of Admission, will review the file of each incoming student by August 12th and email those who are eligible for an administrative waiver for GSM 5104 or GSM 5107.  Students who qualify for and accept a waiver as outlined by the Associate Dean/Director of Admission will receive the waiver as stipulated.

2. Students seeking to waive GSM 5105 (Accounting for Managers) or GSM 5110 (Economics, Finance and Markets) must follow the process listed in the waiver requirements shown below. Students should contact Judy O'Neill if they have questions about this process.

3. GSM 5103, 5108, 5109, and 5114 are not eligible for waiver.

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Waiver Requirements for Early Career/Career Change MBA Core Courses

* GSM 5104- Managing Organizations (fall semester)
Students who have completed ALL of the following may be eligible for a Credit Waiver for GSM 5104: a bachelor degree in business from an AACSB accredited program within five years of entry to the Atkinson School with a major in Organizational Behavior, Organization Theory or Human Resources; six or more undergraduate courses in HRM/Personnel (including course work in ethics) and earned a minimum grade of 3.0 (B) in each course; four or more junior/senior level courses in Organizational Behavior, Organization Theory, Leadership or Decision Making with a minimum grade of 3.0 (B) in each course; and have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better.

* GSM 5103 - Data Analysis, Modeling and Decision Making (fall semester)
GSM 5103 cannot be waived.

* GSM 5105 - Accounting for Managers (fall semester)
GSM 5105 cannot be waived by an administrative review of course work or certification. Students who have completed a course in Financial Accounting with a minimum grade of 3.0 (B), a course in Cost or Management Accounting with a minimum grade of 3.0 (B), and have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better may be eligible to substitute an approved upper division accounting course for the core course Accounting for Managers. Qualified students must contact Professor Kawika Pierson during Compass Week to review their waiver options. Students who wish to discuss a waiver with Professor Kawika Pierson before Compass Week should contact Judy O'Neill for assistance.

* GSM 5107 - Marketing - Creating Satisfied Consumers (fall semester)
Students who have completed six credits or more of undergraduate course work in marketing with a minimum grade of B (3.0) in each of the marketing courses, have a cumulative GPA of B+ (3.3) or better in all marketing course work, and a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (B) or higher may be eligible for a Substitution Waiver. Students granted a substitution waiver for GSM 5107 are required to complete either "GSM 6260 - Research for Marketing Decisions" or "GSM 6261 Marketing Strategy" in place of GSM 5107.

* GSM 5108 and GSM 5109 - PACE: Practical Application for Careers and Enterprises (fall and spring semester)
GSM 5108 and 5109 cannot be waived.

* GSM 5110 - Economics, Finance and Markets (spring semester)
GSM 5110 cannot be waived by an administrative review of course work or certification. All students who seek a waiver must submit an application for review to Professor Robert Couch before spring semester. To qualify for a review by the professor, the student must have completed an undergraduate course in Intermediate Micro, Intermediate Macro, and Corporate Finance course in the U.S. with grades of "B" or better in each course and a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (B) or higher. In addition, a student seeking a waiver must familiarize himself or herself with the syllabus of GSM 5110 and explain in the application for a waiver where he or she has already learned the course material. The finance professors also strongly recommend students seeking a waiver attend the first class meeting of GSM 5110 before making a final decision.

* GSM 5114 - Operations and Systems Management (spring semester)
GSM 5114 cannot be waived.

Willamette University

Early Career and Career Change MBA

Salem Campus

Address
900 State Street
Salem Oregon 97301 U.S.A.
Phone
503-370-6167

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