Accelerated BA/MBA
Accelerated BA/MBA
B.A. in International Studies/MBA Accelerated Dual Degree (ADD/4+1)
Combine a B.A. in International Studies with the International Business & Economics concentration and Rowan’s 36-credit Master of Business Administration (MBA). This Accelerated Dual Degree (ADD/4+1) connects interdisciplinary global study with graduate business preparation in the Rohrer College of Business.
Eligible students complete 12 approved MBA credits during undergraduate study. These credits apply toward both degrees and are billed at the undergraduate tuition rate. After completing the B.A. and transitioning to graduate status, students complete the remaining 24 credits of the 36-credit MBA. The 4+1 name reflects a common path of about four undergraduate years and one additional year of full-time graduate study. Actual timing depends on course sequencing, eligibility, and pace of study.
Plan your courses
Review the International Studies B.A./MBA Program Guide for the detailed curriculum and course sequence. Confirm your individual plan with the International Studies program and Graduate Business team.
Why combine International Studies and an MBA?
International Studies gives students a way to understand how political institutions, economic conditions, histories, cultures, and languages shape decisions across borders. Through interdisciplinary research, writing, communication, world-language study, and the International Business & Economics concentration, students learn to examine an issue from more than one national or disciplinary perspective. That preparation matters when an organization is entering a new market, working with international partners, responding to policy changes, or serving communities with different needs and expectations.
The 36-credit MBA adds the business tools to act on that understanding. Students develop capabilities in finance, accounting, marketing, operations, strategy, leadership, and organizational decision-making. Together, the degrees connect careful analysis of global conditions with the practical work of weighing opportunities and risks, allocating resources, communicating across stakeholders, and carrying plans through inside an organization.
Career directions
The pairing can be useful in organizations that work across markets, serve international communities, manage global relationships, or respond to economic and policy developments. Depending on their experience, interests, and the roles available, graduates may pursue directions such as:
- global business operations and strategy, including market research, expansion planning, and coordination across regions;
- consulting, international marketing, and communications for varied audiences and stakeholders;
- trade, supply chain, banking, finance, and other work affected by international markets and regulation;
- international development, government, and public-sector roles that connect policy and organizational practice; and
- nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations working with international partners or communities.
The pathway does not point to one job title. It gives students a combination of global and cross-cultural understanding, research and communication skills, and business preparation they can apply in different sectors. Internships, language proficiency, study abroad, and other experiences can help students shape that combination toward their own goals.
Plan your undergraduate pathway
Begin planning early with the International Studies coordinator. Dr. Carla Lewandowski (lewandowskic@rowan.edu).
The International Business & Economics concentration, world-language study, experiential learning, and MBA Foundation preparation all need to fit with the shared graduate coursework. International Studies students are strongly encouraged to consider study abroad and should discuss how that experience could fit their degree plan.
Use the program guide for the combined curriculum and the RCB Graduate Business Foundation Requirements page for current ways to satisfy Foundation requirements. Transfer students should request an individualized review of how accepted coursework applies to the B.A. and whether there is room for the 12 shared MBA credits. The RCB transfer-planning page provides further guidance.
Application Process
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. If you're interested in applying for this program, begin the application process by emailing the Coordinator of International Studies, Carla Lewandowski (lewandowskic@rowan.edu) to discuss the BA/MBA program.
International Studies majors with a Concentration in International Business & Economics who have a GPA of at least 3.3 and have passed Calculus: Techniques and Applications (MATH03.125) OR Calculus I (MATH01.130) AND Statistics I (STAT02.260) with at least a C may be admitted into this program as early as the summer after freshman year (30 credits). After meeting with the coordinator to discuss whether the program fits their needs and goals and whether they meet the criteria listed above, students will be added to the BA/MBA by the Coordinator of International Studies.
Students who are interested in the program are encouraged to contact the Coordinator of International Studies during their freshman year, however, to ensure they take the courses necessary to complete the program on schedule. Students should also review the program guide and suggested sequence carefully and remain in touch with the Coordinator to ensure they're following the curriculum.
Junior Admission: After earning 60 credits, students who wish to apply to the BA/MBA program must meet the criteria listed below to ensure that they can finish undergraduate requirements within 4 years. Transfer students who have fulfilled the requirements may also apply.
- International Studies major with an International Business & Economics Concentration;
- Minimum overall GPA of 3.3 in undergraduate coursework with at least a C in MBA prerequisite courses and at least a C- in all courses that count towards the International Studies major.
- Completion of at least five of the MBA prerequisite courses listed below with at least a C in each course:
- Calculus: Techniques and Applications (MATH03.125) OR Calculus I (MATH01.130)
- Statistics I (STAT02.260)
- Introduction to Macroeconomics* (ECON04.101)
- Introduction to Microeconomics* (ECON04.102)
- Principles of Accounting I** (ACC03.210)
- Principles of Accounting II** (ACC03.211)
- Completion of the International Studies requirements listed below:
- At least one year of Foreign Language study (or equivalent placement testing)
- At least three of the International Studies core courses (see program guide)
- At least one course that counts towards the International Business & Economics Concentration.
* Macroeconomics & Microeconomics can both also be satisfied by taking one course, ECON 04303 Principles of Economics: A Survey, at Rowan University.
** Accounting I & Accounting II can both also be satisfied by taking one course, ACC 03405 Foundations of Accounting, at Rowan University.
Students in this program are encouraged (but not required) to pursue a minor within the College of Business. Students in this program can complete requirements for the Minor in Business Administration, for example, with just two additional courses. (Back to top)Requirements for beginning MBA program as a senior (90 credits):
To begin taking MBA courses during their senior year, students who have been accepted into this accelerated dual degree program must meet the criteria listed below by the spring of their junior year.
- At least 90 credits (counting credits from spring semester) with a 3.3 overall GPA (GMATs are waived for MBA applicants with at least a 3.3 GPA);
- Completed all prerequisites for the MBA with a grade of at least C (or enrolled in these courses for spring):
- Calculus: Techniques and Applications (MATH03.125) OR Calculus I (MATH01.130)
- Statistics I (STAT02.260)
- Introduction to Macroeconomics* (ECON04.101)
- Introduction to Microeconomics* (ECON04.102)
- Principles of Accounting I** (ACC03.210)
- Principles of Accounting II** (ACC03.211)
- Principles of Marketing (MKT09.200)
- Operations Management (MGT 06.305)
- Principles of Finance (FIN04.300)
- Completed or enrolled in the International Studies requirements listed below:
- Two years of a foreign language or at least intermediate level proficiency in a foreign language
- At least four of the six International Studies core requirements (see program guide), including Introduction to International Studies (IS25.300)
- At least two of the five required courses for the International Business & Economics Concentration (see program guide).
* Macroeconomics & Microeconomics can both also be satisfied by taking one course, ECON 04303 Principles of Economics: A Survey, at Rowan University.
** Accounting I & Accounting II can both also be satisfied by taking one course, ACC 03405 Foundations of Accounting, at Rowan University.
Students who meet these criteria should submit to the Coordinator of International Studies the material listed below, preferably in January of their junior year.
- A statement of purpose (300-500 words);
- Names and email addresses of two professors who will provide letters of recommendation (preferably one from the Rohrer College of Business). Ask your recommenders to send their recommendations—which may be in email form rather than a formal letter—to the Coordinator of International Studies via email or in hard copy if they prefer.
Students who have completed the requirements listed above and gained permission to take MBA courses as a senior will then meet with the Director of the MBA program, preferably prior to registrationation, to review coursework and requirements for the MBA Students enrolled in this accelerated BA/MBA program may take up to 12 credits of graduate courses at the undergraduate rate in their senior year (two in fall and two in spring), providing they meet the criteria listed above. Beyond this, students will pay graduate tuition rates for their MBA courses.
The International Studies coordinator will meet with students who do not meet the criteria and have not gained permission to take MBA courses to discuss the best alternative for the student, e.g. graduating with a BA in International Studies with a Concentration in International Business and Economics and possibly a minor in business. (Back to top)
Requirements for Graduation
To graduate from this Accelerated Dual Degree program with a BA and an MBA, students must:
- Complete all requirements for the International Studies BA with an International Business & Economics Concentration, including General Education and Rowan Experience requirements, as outlined above;
- Earn a grade of C- or better in all undergraduate foundational, core, and concentration courses.
- Complete all prerequisites for the MBA program;
- Complete all requirements for the MBA, which is a level III program at Rowan. In level III programs, students must achieve a 3.0 overall GPA with no grade lower than C and no more than two Cs.
Contingency for Students who do not complete the MBA program:
Students who are dropped from the graduate program or choose not to complete the BA/MBA program may earn a BA in International Studies with a Concentration in International Business & Economics (or any other International Studies concentration) once they have completed all requirements for that undergraduate degree, achieved at least a 2.0 GPA, and earned at least 120 credits. Students may count up to 12 credits of their graduate courses towards their BA requirements; these courses will count as free electives towards the 120 credits required for a BA
Planning and Support
For International Studies program planning, contact Carla Lewandowski, Coordinator of International Studies, at lewandowskic@rowan.edu. For MBA and Graduate Business Foundation questions, contact GraduateBusinessStudies@rowan.edu.