Professional MBA

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Drexel Professional MBA?
2. What is the Student Profile?
3. How is the program structured?
4. Is the Professional MBA an accredited program?
5. How will an MBA affect my career?
6. What is the program cost?
7. Are concentrations available in the Professional MBA program?
8. What are the admissions requirements for the program?
9. Is financial aid available for the Professional MBA program?
10. Do I have to have an undergraduate degree in business?
11. Does a particular academic or professional background give me any advantage in the admissions process?
12. What kind of work experience does the admissions committee consider?
13. Will my application be considered if I have little or no work experience?
14. If my GMAT or GPA is below the average, should I still apply?
15. Does LeBow College require calculus, statistics or other quantitative courses as prerequisites?
16. If I am admitted this year, may I defer my enrollment until next year?
17. When are the admission decisions made?
18. Is there a way for international students to waive the TOEFL?
19. How do I choose my recommenders?
20. What is LeBow's policy on interviews?
21. What is the financial aid timeline?
22. Is there a computer requirement?

As a traditional MBA program with ultimate flexibility, the Drexel Professional MBA is an innovative program that is designed to build a solid, comprehensive foundation of business skills, as well as provide the broad knowledge of business expected of all MBA graduates. Students pursue the degree in part-time format, while also having the option of either pursuing a general MBA or exploring areas of concentration. During your participation in the Professional MBA, you will gain a wide range of new skills and increased analytical abilities. Your educational experience and hard work will allow you to reenter the job market prepared to advance in your chosen career.

The current student profile of the Professional MBA is:

• 580 GMAT
• 3.20 GPA
• 6 years of work experience
• 28 years old (students range in age from 21-50)
• 40% women
• 29% international students

The Drexel Professional MBA curriculum is designed as integrated sequences that build upon each other to provide a solid, comprehensive foundation of business skills, as well as advanced-level courses that provide the broad knowledge of business expected of all MBA graduates. Students also have the option of pursuing a general MBA, or they may explore areas of concentration.

The LeBow MBA is a fully accredited program by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Twenty-eight percent of the nation's business schools hold this status.

With an MBA, you will have attained a high level of knowledge about a wide range of topics considered essential in modern business leadership. As such, the MBA marks you as a person who was willing to invest the time and effort needed to gain the degree, and as someone who is prepared to accept and meet all the challenges the business world has to offer. It says that you not only want to succeed, but that you have been tested and are capable of success.

There is a full-time general fee of $220 for students in the LeBow College of Business, and a part-time general fee of $115. The rate is $835 per credit hour, creating an average cost of $2,505 per class.

Students in the Professional MBA program have the option of either pursuing a general MBA or exploring areas of concentration. The program offers ten areas of concentration from which students can choose one or two for their degree. The concentrations are: Accounting, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Financial Management, International Business, Investment Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing, Organization Management, and Production and Operations Management.

• Completed Application Form – additional items will be submitted on separate sheets.
• $50 Application Fee
• Transcripts – must be provided for every institution attended.
• Referrals – two letters are required.
• Standardized Test Scores – GMAT and TOEFL (if applicable)
• Professional Resume
• I-20/DS-2019 (if applicable)
• Admissions guidelines and requirements

• Students in the Professional MBA Program are provided with many financial assistance options, such as Merit Scholarships, the Drexel Alumni-Trustee Endorsement Grant, the Drexel Grad Grant, and Federal Stafford Student Loans.
• FAFSA
• Graduate Studies Financial Aid Website

No, applicants must only have received a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Degrees earned abroad will be evaluated and must be deemed equivalent.

LeBow seeks students from a wide variety of backgrounds. Diversity in all forms -- academic, professional, cultural, ethnic, gender, geographic, socioeconomic, etc. -- is an important component of the LeBow College MBA experience.

All kinds, but only full-time post-baccalaureate work experience is counted in the official statistics reported. In the evaluation of an application, the admissions committee considers all full-time work, military experience, part-time work, internships, co-op experiences, summer jobs, and volunteer work.

The admissions committee reviews every application received, regardless of the amount of experience, and admits candidates with little or no experience as long as other areas of the application are exceptionally strong. However, applicants with a greater number of years of full-time post-baccalaureate experience, who have shown a consistent career progression and have clearly defined short-term and long-terms goals, are generally more competitive.

Yes. The admissions committee evaluates a number of factors in evaluating an application. Applicants’ overall academic record, the quality of the undergraduate institution, the difficulty of the course of study, and the consistency of academic performance are also indicators of potential for success in the Professional MBA. Candidates who are weak in one area of the application should have strengths in other areas of the application.

No. However, the admissions committee looks for a variety of abilities in all applicants, including critical thinking, analytical, and interpersonal communication and leadership skills.

In general, we do offer students the opportunity to defer their admission from one year to the next. Admitted applicants that have been awarded merit scholarships will have their awards reevaluated in the context of the applicant pool for the following admission year.

Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis. Generally, admission decisions are made within one week after the application is complete. Available spaces as well as merit scholarships are limited so candidates are encouraged to apply early in the process.

Students whose native language is not English and who do not hold a bachelor's degree from a Unites States institution are required to take and submit a score from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). The official score report needs to be sent directly from the Education testing Service to Drexel before an admissions decision can be made. Students who will earn a bachelor's degree from a Unites States institution before enrolling or have worked full-time in an English speaking country for more than two years may have this requirement waived.

While academic references are permitted, professional references are preferred. As the MBA is a professional degree, the admissions committee is interested in evaluating the applicant's professional accomplishments and ability to work in a professional setting. Applicants who do not feel they can ask current supervisors to submit a letter of reference are encouraged to seek out former supervisors, clients, customers, or individuals who can discuss their professional experiences and accomplishments.

Informational Interviews are offered through the Campus Visitation program. Evaluative interviews are conducted by invitation only. If required for admission, a member of the admissions committee will contact the applicant. Evaluative interviews can be conducted in-person or via telephone.

In order to qualify for the Federal Stafford Loan program, it is required that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is completed. Students can complete this form online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. The Title IV code for Drexel University is 003256. To assure timely processing, a priority deadline for filing the FAFSA is May 1st. Financial aid is always determined by the federal income tax information filed for the prior year. Filing of the FAFSA is the first step in applying for federal financial aid. The FAFSA should be completed as early as February, but no later than June to assure timely processing. Four to six weeks after filling the FAFSA, students will be sent the resulting Student Aid Report (SAR) for verification.

All incoming students are required to have a laptop computer and wireless network cards. This will permit access to web-based course materials, online career management tools, the Internet, e-mail, and more. Accepted students receive minimum laptop and card specifications in their welcome packet prior to the program start. These specifications are updated yearly.