2011-2012 Archived Catalog Information

Admission Requirements*

Required credentials for admission include: 

• a completed application form; 
• the appropriate non-refundable application fee ($50); 
• a current resume; 
• two recommendation letters; 
• official transcripts of all prior academic work (the Sawyer Business School requires proof of completion of the undergraduate degree); 
• professional goals statement; 
• official score reports:

GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) for all Sawyer Business School Programs except the following: MPA; Accelerated MBA for Attorney with documentation of LSAT; Accelerated MBA for CPAs with documentation of the CPA and minimum 2.7 GPA OR documentation of CPA and minimum of 10 years experience in accounting; Executive MBA, except under certain circumstances. The JD/MBA requires the LSAT only. The JD/MSF requires the GMAT and LSAT. 

The LSAT (Law School Admission Test) is required for all joint degree programs with Suffolk University Law School.

Courses in business administration or public management are not required for admission to the Business School. For both full-time and part-time master’s programs, candidates must demonstrate evidence of academic and management potential. In addition to the GMAT, prior academic performance and work experience are evaluated in the admission process. The MBA requires a minimum 1 year full time work experience or the equivalent.

*See the Global MBA section of this catalog for admissions requirements.

International Applicants

Suffolk University welcomes qualified international students to its full-time graduate programs. In addition to the requirements outlined above, the candidate must submit: 

• an explanation of the grading system if the candidate’s undergraduate education was not received in an American institution, 
• official TOEFL/IELTS test score; if English is not the candidate’s native language, this requirement is waived for permanent residents of the United States and those candidates possessing a baccalaureate degree from a U.S. college or university; 
• a statement of Financial Resources certifying that sufficient funds exist to cover the candidate’s academic and living expenses.

Waiver/Transfer Policy
Students admitted to the Business School may waive core courses and transfer up to two electives based on specific program criteria and residency requirements, as detailed in each of the following programs. In the MBA Program up to two electives may be transferred from an AACSB International MBA Program with a grade of B or better. (Not applicable to Global MBA.)

Deadlines and Notification
Excluding the Executive MBA, MSF, and MSFSB programs, all graduate programs admit students to the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters of the academic calendar. The Executive MBA admits students in fall only. The MSF and MSFS programs admit in fall and spring only. The Global MBA admits full-time students in fall and spring only; and admits part-time students in fall, spring and summer

Preferred Deadlines for full-time and part-time admission:

Fall Semester/Quarter:

March 15 (if applying for financial aid)

Pending funding, fellowship applicants reviewed through May 1

June 15

August 15
(Executive Programs only)

Spring Semester/Quarter:

November 1

December 1
(Executive Programs only)

Summer Sessions:

April 1

Applications submitted after these dates will be considered on a space-available basis only.

The Graduate Admission Committee relies on a variety of factors to determine a candidate’s potential for success in graduate school. Entry-level, mid-career, and career-change applicants are regarded as viable candidates. 

The Graduate Admission Committee evaluates each application as they become complete and makes an effort to notify candidates of their admission decision within four weeks.

Admitted students, wishing to enroll in a graduate program at Suffolk University, remit a $200 ($200 for Ph.D. and Executive Programs) non-refundable deposit, to reserve a place in the entering class. The non-refundable deposit is credited to the tuition bill at the time of registration.

Non-Degree Graduate Student Status
Available to MBA, Global MBA and MSF prospective students, the Business School offers the Management Advancement Professional Studies option (MAPS) that allows experienced, academically qualified individuals to take two MBA core courses (6 credits) prior to taking the GMAT. Entry criteria to MAPS include a minimum 3 years full-time work experience and 2.8 cumulative GPA. Go to www.suffolk.edu/mbamaps for information and application.

Tuition and Costs
For information regarding tuition and costs for graduate studies, please refer to the section in this catalog entitled Tuition and Fees.

Financial Aid
A variety of financial aid options are available to graduate students. For more information please contact the Financial Aid Office, (617) 573-8470. Merit-based fellowships are available for full-time students and academic scholarships for qualified part-time students. All admitted candidates are considered for merit-based fellowships/ scholarships.

Academic Standing
Students are expected to earn a 3.0 “B” or better in all courses attempted. Failure to maintain this average can lead to academic dismissal. Refer to the Sawyer Business School Graduate section of this catalog for specific academic standing information.

Grading System

Graduate Warning

A graduate warning is issued: 

• if the student’s grade point average falls below a 3.0 (“B”) for the first time or 
• a student receives a cumulative total of two “C” grades with a grade point average above 3.0

Subject to Dismissal

• A graduate warning has previously been issued and the student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0 (B), 
• An F grade with a GPA of above 3.0

Dismissed

• An F grade with a GPA of below 3.0 
• Two F grades 
• A student may retake one graduate course where an F grade has been received. The new grade will be included in his/her GPA. The original F will remain on the transcript, but will not be included in the GPA. Only one course with an F grade may be retaken during the student’s graduate program. If a second F is received, the grade will remain on the transcript and be included in the GPA.

“I” (incomplete) indicates failure to complete the course requirements. The “I” grade is given, at the instructor’s discretion, only if the student has completed at least half of the course requirements successfully at the end of the semester and there is a reasonable expectation that all course requirements can be completed in one academic year.

The “I” grade in the Business School converts automatically to an “F” after one calendar year, unless the instructor submits a grade or officially extends the incomplete.

The Sawyer Business School requires an Incomplete Form to be completed by the student and the instructor of the course. Upon completion, the form is returned to the Registrar’s Office.

Time to Complete the Degree

Normally, degree requirements should be completed within five years. Under extenuating circumstances, students may petition for additional time. A student may also request and file an official Leave of Absence. If granted by the Dean of Students' Office, this time shall not apply to the 5 year limit.

Course Numbering System

Graduate Level
600-899 Graduate Courses

900-999 Graduate Directed Study Course (faculty permission required) on a special topic course.

Re-Admission to Suffolk University
Students re-entering after an absence of one semester or more should request a special re-entry form from the Graduate Admissions Office. Re-entry is on a space available basis.

For further information on any graduate programs offered at Suffolk University, please contact the Graduate Admissions Office, 73 Tremont Street, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02108-2770, (617) 573-8302. Fax Number (617) 523-0116.

E-Mail: grad.admission@suffolk.edu

Academic Honesty Policy

Cheating on examinations, plagiarism, and/or improper acknowledgment of sources in essays or research papers, and the use of a single essay or paper in more than one course, without the permission of the instructor, constitute unacceptable academic conduct.

It is dishonest to buy, borrow or lend papers or to copy material from computer resources. It is unacceptable to make up or falsify data that are supposed to be collected from survey, experimentation, or other means. Work that you represent as your own should be your own; if not, the source should be properly identified. This applies to lab reports, computer projects and group projects as well as to individual assignments. Each instructor should fully explain the requirements of the course and the applicable policies regarding academic dishonesty. Because Suffolk University holds its students strictly accountable for their adherence to the highest standards of academic honesty, it is expected that graduate students know what does and does not constitute acceptable behavior.

Instructors who suspect academic dishonesty should report incidents to the Office of Student Affairs. Reports will be addressed through the Student Discipline System. An undergraduate student who has been found to have violated this policy is subject to an automatic grade of “F” in the course and to suspension, enforced withdrawal, or dismissal from the University or appropriate lesser penalties if warranted by the circumstances. Graduate faculty within the department may also be involved in the review of alleged academic dishonesty.