Core Curriculum: Full-Time MBA

First Year

The first year of the Ross MBA program immerses students in our broad based business core curriculum, and concludes with a seven-week Multi-Disciplinary Action Project - or MAP - enabling students to apply what they’ve learned in a real-life business situation. Students take their core courses in cohort sections.

1. FIN 513 in Fall A will be offered for those students pursuing a career in finance.  Students must waive one of the other Fall A core in order to register for this class.  Those who pass FIN 513 will not take FIN 503 in Fall B, thereby freeing up a second elective slot in that term.
    
2. During the second seven weeks of the Winter Term of the first year, students participate in MAP (BA 553 - Multidisciplinary Action Projects). Students are strongly discouraged from taking additional coursework while enrolled in MAP due to time obligations and intensive group work.  More specifically, participation in an international MAP project especially requires that no other course work is concurrent with MAP in Winter B.

Second Year

The second year of the Ross MBA program allows students the freedom to customize their experience by selecting from a wide range of elective course work. A few final degree requirements (in addition to the year one sequenced core courses) are typically completed during the second year; however, these requirements are flexible, and can be completed at any time throughout the two-year program.

Students must take enough coursework to complete 57 total graduate credit hours during their two years here at Ross.

1. Of the 57 credits, at least 25 may be taken as electives. Elective classes may be 1.5, 2.25, or 3.0 credits. Students may choose to focus on one functional area or may tailor their experience by combining various functions for a more broad based management curriculum. At least 47 of the 57 credits must be made up of Business Administration coursework.
2. MBA students may broaden their experience by electing up to 10 hours of graduate study in other units of the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor campus).

Additional Degree Requirements:

1. Law/Ethics: This requirement can be met by waiver request or by taking ONE of a selection of courses at any time during the two years. (Students who have earned a Juris Doctor degree are automatically waived from this requirement.) The following courses will satisfy the Law/Ethics requirement: BA 512, LHC/ES 504, LHC 506, LHC 507, LHC 508, LHC 509, LHC 511, LHC 512, LHC 513, LHC 514, LHC 515, LHC 516, LHC 517, or LHC 582.
    
2. Communication Requirement: To help develop communication skills, all students must fulfill the Communication Requirement.  This requirement can be satisfied by passing a waiver exam or with course work. Students must complete ONE of the following options:
   1. Complete any one of the following classes: LHC 520, LHC 521, LHC 522, LHC 524 or LHC 560.
      OR
   2. Pass the Communication Waiver Exam: Offered online in August and November. Students must take the communication waiver exam within the first year of the program (either in August prior to the first term or in November of the first term). Students who have not successfully completed the assessment within the first two offerings will need to fulfill the communication requirement with course work prior to graduation.
      
      Dual Degree MBA Students: A Dual Degree MBA student should take the Communication Waiver exam during the academic year in which he or she is automatically enrolled by the Ross School of Business into the full MBA core course schedule under Ross (paying Ross tuition). The July/August exam immediately prior to that academic year counts as the first opportunity. The November/December exam of the same year would be the second & last opportunity. Dual Degree students should not take the Waiver Exam during their first year at the University if they begin their enrollment elsewhere (such as under the School of Natural Resources). They should wait until the July/August prior to the academic year in which they plan to complete all MBA core, including MAP.
       
3. World Economy (STRATEGY 503 - 1.5 credits) must be completed at any time in the two years.