Day MBA

The MBA is a general management degree requiring a minimum of 42 graduate credits. For students with no prior study in business, the MBA includes 18 credits of additional study in the various business functions: managing people and organizations, accounting, finance, marketing, operations, and business law, for a total of 60 credits.

The heart of the MBA consists of a specialization in one field or concentrations in a few fields. Every student must complete either a cross-functional specialization of at least 16 credits or three functional concentrations amounting to 18 credits. The specialization in Sustainable Business is offered every year. Other specializations and concentrations offered in any given year will depend on student demand. Popular areas of advanced study in the recent past have been Business Process Improvement, Accounting, Marketing, International Business, and Human Resource Development.

Sustainable Business
Because society increasingly recognizes the importance of sustainability, new opportunities abound, but an entrepreneurial approach is necessary to recognize and implement them. The curriculum of Maharishi University of Management offers a range of business courses to train students to create new businesses that offer life-sustaining products and services. Issues of ethical integrity, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability are integrated into all the business courses.

Maharishi University of Management embraces the vision that business can be “green both ways,” making money and operating in harmony with Nature. Examples of green business and “natural capitalism” — often referred to as “the next industrial revolution”—are integrated throughout the MBA curriculum.

At Maharishi University of Management, the theme of sustainability has five key components:

• Self Sustainability — Developing your full mental potential, physical health, and leadership abilities through Consciousness-Based education
• Sustainable Entrepreneurship — Creating successful “green” businesses that produce real value for society
• Sustainable Business Solutions — Learning techniques of continuous process improvement to sustain business success—serving the evolutionary needs of customers while eliminating waste for the business and the environment
• Sustainable Management — Practicing the interpersonal and organizational skills needed to successfully carry out transformational change
• Sustainable Living — Gaining advanced knowledge and experience in renewable energy production, renewable fuels, energy-saving devices and methods, organic agriculture, waste management, and the other principal fields of sustainable living

Work-Study Internship MBA Program
This program offers an opportunity for students to earn their MBA degree while working full-time in an internship position at Maharishi University of Management or with a local company. At the Fairfield, Iowa campus, these students take 26 credits per year in the evenings and on weekends rather than the normal 44 credits per year for daytime students. By studying in the evenings, their internship work during the day becomes a form of curricular practical training for which they can get academic credit by integrating and applying the knowledge they learn in class. As a result, this program can be completed in two and a half years.

Admission Requirements for MBA Program    Applicants must have an undergraduate degree. Acceptance is based upon the quality of undergraduate performance, aptitude test scores, work experience and other achievements.

Before enrolling for the first semester of the MBA, students should be familiar with principles of economics, from a prior college course or from reading a Principles of Economics textbook. Knowledge of college algebra is strongly recommended for acceptance into the program. Students who do not have the prerequisite knowledge of mathematics will be required to take MGT 417 Mathematics for Business in a summer session prior to their first semester or as an elective course.

GPA and GMAT
Students with a Bachelor’s degree in Business and accumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and grades of B or better in the foundational subjects of business (see below),  are eligible for the 1 Year track of the MBA Program.

Students with a Bachelor’s degree in Business and a 2.8 to 3.0 cumulative GPA may also be eligible for the 1 Year MBA Program. Acceptance to the 1 Year track will be determined by the student’s performance in specific business courses at the Bachelor’s level. Students in the 2.8 to 3.0 GPA range who do not qualify for the 1 Year MBA program will be asked to take our 1 ½ Year MBA program.

All students with cumulative GPA’s in the range of 2.5 to 2.8 who are eligible for the MBA program will be asked to enroll in our 1 ½ Year MBA Program.

Students with a cumulative grade point average below 2.5 may also apply to MUM’s MBA program but will be asked to take the International GMAT Standardized test. A score in the 35th percentile or higher in the GMAT is required before any application with a cumulative GPA below 2.5 can be considered for acceptance into the 1 ½ Year MBA Program.

Please note that academic ability is a vital aspect of a student’s application. However, other factors, like recommendations and the desire to participate in Consciousness-Based Education, also play an important part in the process of accepting an application.

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is recommended but not required.

If you have a business major

If you have an undergraduate degree with a major in business, you may receive waiver credit for undergraduate business courses in any of the seven Foundation areas in which you received a grade of B or higher: Marketing, Accounting, Financial Management, Business Law and Ethics, Operations/Quality Management, Human Resource Management, and Sustainable Business. Maximum 18 credits may be waived.  Students taking classes on campus in the daytime schedule could earn their MBA in as little as one year.

The Transcendental Meditation Technique
The MBA program includes the daily practice of the Transcendental Meditation® technique as described on this website. Please make sure you are comfortable with this aspect of the program and intend to participate in it as with any other course required for the degree.

The following sections pertain to international students
All international students must submit official English proficiency test scores (either TOEFL or IELTS) as part of their application. Students who are from Canada, the U.K., Australia or New Zealand are exempt from this requirement. The test must have been taken within the last two years.

Students with scores below 6.5 on IELTS, 575 TOEFL paper-based, 232 TOEFL computer-based, or 90 TOEFL internet-based will be asked to take Intensive English classes before enrolling in degree program classes. Find out more about the TOEFL.

The time spent in Intensive English classes will vary depending on the student’s level of English when they arrive, as well as their motivation and natural ability to acquire a new language. Students at a higher level of English upon arrival may need to take only a semester of Intensive English. Students beginning at a lower level of English should expect to spend 2 or 3 semesters developing their English proficiency to the level required for successful academic study.

International equivalents: Our admissions counselors are familiar with the interpretation of transcripts based on grading systems from most nations. We will evaluate your marks and notify you if you qualify, and if you are required to take the GMAT.

Please note the following points:

• At least 16 years of education are required (15 years may be considered at the discretion of the University).
• Bachelor’s degree must be a 4-year degree (a 3-year degree may be considered at the discretion of Maharishi University of Management, particularly when the applicant has additional training or extensive work experience).
• Undergraduate Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.00 must be equivalent to “B” average in letter grade or higher, based on the USA grading system.

Our recommendation to help you obtain a visa
All international applicants who reside outside the U.S. are encouraged to take the GMAT, regardless of grades and diplomas. A high GMAT score is likely to increase the chances of obtaining an F-1 student visa from the U.S. Embassy. Find out more about the GMAT.

Tuition & Financial Aid 
$35,138 Total yearly charges (tuition, room & board, health insurance, fees) 
$15,024 Typical on-campus financial aid offered by the University (per year) 
$20,114 Minimum on-campus estimated payment to the University (per year) 
$2,000 Personal expenses, books and supplies, emergency expense (per year) 
$22,114 Typical amount I must bring per year (not including the cost of learning the Transcendental Meditation technique)

Important Points 

1. Students are required to submit a bank statement (or sponsor’s bank statement) as proof of funds. 
2. There is no additional financial support available from the University. Students are required to show proof of funds to be eligible to apply for this program. 
3. The cost of instruction in the Transcendental Meditation technique is not included in the program cost shown above. 
4. At any point in your application your admissions counselor may request an SAT, ACT, GRE or GMAT exam.