Credit Hours Summary for Full-Time Two-Year M.B.A. Program
33 credit hours of required courses
38 credit hours of elective courses
71 credit hours total for Cox M.B.A. degree
Note: For the 38 credit hours of elective courses, students complete one concentration. Each concentration requires 12–16 specific credit hours. (Additional information is in the Concentrations and Minors section.)
International Exchange Program
Understanding major political and economic trends outside the United States is critical to success in today’s business environment. Through the International Exchange Program, the Cox School provides full-time M.B.A. students with the chance to study and experience these trends firsthand by attending an exchange partner program during the fall or spring term of the second year. J.D./M.B.A. students and M.A./M.B.A. students are permitted to participate in the International Exchange Program for full-time M.B.A. students, although these students may find it difficult to complete their degree and/or concentration requirements within the appropriate term. Joint-degree students are encouraged to contact the Graduate Student Enrollment and Engagement Office or the associate director of M.B.A. Global Programs to further discuss their situation.
To apply for the International Exchange Program, students must be in good academic standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.200. In general, the courses taken on exchange earn a grade of pass (or fail) and count toward the degree but not toward the GPA calculation nor concentration requirements. Exceptions to this policy are addressed on an individual basis. For assistance in reviewing academic plans, students should meet with the associate director for full-time programs early in the planning process.
Registration is held in April for the fall program and in October for the spring program. For students participating in the International Exchange Program, tuition is paid to SMU. Living expenses, course materials and other miscellaneous costs are the students’ responsibility while living abroad. In addition, financial aid will be handled as though the student is studying at the Cox School of Business.
The M.B.A. Office of Global Leadership Programs reserves the right to decline anyone whose behavior at Cox indicates they might jeopardize Cox’s exchange relationship and thus prevent future Cox M.B.A. students from going on exchange to a particular school.
Cox’s International Exchange Program agreements allow one to two students per location; therefore, these spots must be assigned on a competitive basis. Information is available at www.cox.smu.edu/web/global-programs/mba-exchange-program.
Business Administration Exchange
Students in the full-time M.B.A. and P.M.B.A. programs participating in international programs at exchange partner schools will be enrolled in the appropriate BAEX courses to match the program and/or the number of credit hours being earned at the partner school. In general, the courses taken on exchange earn a grade of Pass (or Fail) and count toward the degree but not toward the GPA calculation or concentration requirements. Exceptions to this policy are addressed on an individual basis.
Working Professional MBA Programs
SMU Cox Working Professional MBA Programs (Professional, Executive, Online, Direct) are designed for students to complete their coursework while working full time. This employment requirement not only enriches the academic experience as students bring their professional challenges and opportunities into classroom discussions and projects, it also enables students to simultaneously gain critical professional experience required for many MBA-level roles. For these reasons, students who become unemployed at any point in the program are expected to actively seek employment and will have the ability to utilize the Career Management Center for support. Should a student choose not to seek full-time employment or be unsuccessful in securing full-time employment after six months, SMU Cox reserves the right to ask the student to pause classes until full-time employment resumes. Students do not have the option to transfer to the Full-Time One Year MBA, Full-Time Two Year MBA or Executive MBA programs.
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