University of Notre Dame MBA Program
2007-2008 MBA Program Academic Policy  

University of Notre Dame Graduate Academic Code of Honor

All MBA students have read and signed the Mendoza College of Business Graduate Academic Code of Honor prior to matriculation.  Compliance with this code is required of all students at all times.  The University of Notre Dame Graduate Business Programs are a community of students, faculty and administrators committed to learning, working and growing together in moral character. This community holds dear the University of Notre Dame values of honesty, integrity and honor; all members of the community are assumed to possess these values. To affirm our commitment to the values and the community, all students are required, upon admission, to read and sign the University of Notre Dame Graduate Business Honor Code, (herein referred to as the Honor Code).

The Honor Code requires that students take responsibility for establishing norms of ethical behavior. The Honor Code briefly outlines the community’s expectations and the procedures for handling actions that fail to meet those expectations.  Many faculty use their syllabi to remind students of the Honor Code and its applicability within their course.  If you have any questions regarding appropriate compliance, you are to ask your instructor. 

Honor Code Expectation Summary

The community expects all students to continually conform to standards of conduct and, by signing this document shall, at a minimum, demonstrate:

• Academic honesty and integrity;
• Honest disclosure of personal information in the admissions and career development processes;
• Compliance with faculty requirements regarding course work;
• Respect for the program and its community of people; and,
• Respect for academic and administrative professionals.

Please refer to the full document on the MBA Website:  http://www.nd.edu/~mba/academics/honorcode/honorCode.shtml

Grading System
A student's work in each course is graded as follows:

Academic Semester GPA Forumla

• Determine quality points for each course by taking point value of each grade received × credit hour earned.  (example: a grade of  ‘A-‘ in a 2.0 credit hour course earns 7.334 quality points, 3.667 × 2.0 = 7.334 quality points)
• Repeat step #1 for each course enrolled
• Add total quality points
• Take total quality points ÷  total number of credit hours earned in the academic semester

Cumulative GPA Formula

• Add total number of quality points for each academic semester ÷ total number of credit hours earned toward degree.

Good Standing Status

All matters concerning academic regulations and policies are decided by the dean of the Mendoza College of Business.  Decisions will be made on the advice and recommendations of the Committee on Academic Performance. 
A review of all students’ grades will be conducted by the Committee on Academic Performance at the end of each academic semester.  A cumulative grade point average of 2.999 or below at the end of any academic semester will cause a student to be placed on academic probation for the following semester.  The Committee on Academic Performance may recommend dismissal of the student if it is judged that a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 cannot be reasonably attained in the following academic semester.  All fellowships will be suspended for any semester in which a student is placed on academic probation.  Fellowships will be considered for reinstatement at the end of every semester upon a student’s return to good standing.   Students must also maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in the academic semester prior to their participation in the China, Europe, India or Santiago, Chile study abroad programs.  Students must successfully complete all core course requirements and carry a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in their graduation semester to graduate from the MBA program.

Honors Designations

• Beta Gamma Sigma - Two- Year  and One-Year Program students who are ranked in the top 20% of their class are eligible for Beta Gamma Sigma induction.  The ranking is based on Two-Year program students’ cumulative GPA after Fall semester of second year and One-Year Program student’s cumulative GPA after Spring (graduation) semester to determine eligibility. 

• All students are eligible to receive honors status in the MBA program.  Honors status is based on a student’s cumulative GPA at graduation and are as follows. 

4.0  Highest Honors (Summa Cum Laude)
3.8  High Honors (Magna Cum Laude)
3.6  Honors (Cum Laude)
(Note:  There is no rounding of GPA in determining honors designations)

• Due to the short lead time between when final grades are due and graduation, the final honors designations will not be printed on your diploma or in the UND campus-wide Main Commencement program at the MBA diploma ceremony.  The final honors status will be announced as your name is called to receive your diploma.

• If you are affected by these changes, you will receive a corrected diploma and a copy of the final amended program by mail. 

Tutoring Assistance

The MBA office provides student tutors for all MBA core courses and topics in selected electives.  Please contact Andrea Kreps in student services for a tutor assignment. 

Full-time Student Status

All MBA students are required to maintain full-time student status within each academic semester enrolled.  The Two-Year program, including MBA/Engineering, MBA/Juris Doctorate and MBA/Science consists of four academic semesters containing eight modules.  The One-Year Program consists of three academic semesters including a 10 week summer semester and two additional semesters containing four modules.  Students must be registered for at least 12 credit hours in a given semester and at least two (2) courses per module. 

Class Attendance Guidelines

The MBA Program assumes that students will attend all sessions of all classes for which they are registered.  All faculty believe that class attendance is beneficial in student learning and failure to attend can be detrimental to the learning process.  We do understand certain circumstances arise where students may need to miss a class for legitimate reasons including, medical emergency, family emergency and/or job interviews.  MBA faculty reserve the right to determine class attendance policy in their respective course(s); however, the MBA program recommends that students miss no more than two class periods in courses that meet two times per week, and only one absence in courses that meet one time per week.  Class absences that involve exam periods are acceptable only in extreme and unforeseen circumstances such as medical and family emergencies.  Furthermore, students are expected to be on campus and attending classes from the first through the last day of the scheduled module class date and applicable interterm periods.   Start and end dates of internships, travel/study abroad programs and fall/spring breaks should be scheduled around module and applicable interterm start and end dates.  Note: individual faculty reserve the right to establish specific attendance policies for their respective courses.

Course Registration Policy

Students are required to meet with a student services advisor prior to course registration to discuss backgrounds, career goals and graduation requirements.  The goal of these meetings is to assist students in selecting appropriate elective courses and ensure graduation requirements are met.  These meetings are required to participate in the priority course registration process.  You will receive further information each semester about the courses available and course registration process.  Be advised that if you do not submit your class choices before the registration deadline, you will not be enrolled until all other students have been registered. The choice of classes (and sections) available to you then will be greatly diminished. 

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