<p>My son has junior status (he is in his second year at ua) and i want to know if there is a 5 year MBA program for business majors? He is an accounting major. If there is a program when do you apply?</p>
<p>Wish there was. It’s great that there is a 5 yr stem/MBA but disappointing there isn’t one for business majors. My S is a Jr Biz major as well.</p>
<p>Why can’t the University Scholars Program be used? is it forbidden?</p>
<p>[University</a> of Alabama Undergraduate Catalog 2010-12](<a href=“Page Not Found | The University of Alabama”>Page Not Found | The University of Alabama)</p>
<p>Any department that offers a graduate program may, with the approval of the dean of the Graduate School, participate in the University Scholars Program.</p>
<p>Mom2collegekids business majors and accounting are not listed but it does say that with department approval it can be done. Am I reading this right?</p>
<p>Yes, you’re reading that right, which is why I would think this could be done.</p>
<p>Econ majors in the B-school can do this, so why shouldn’t accounting or other majors do this as well.</p>
<p>I think you just have to do some legwork to find out.</p>
<p>The reasoning behind the University Scholars program not being available for all graduate programs is that the program was originally designed to boost enrollment in graduate programs which were in danger of being discontinued due to low enrollment. While the realities have changed in that other programs are participating in the University Scholars Program and the original participating programs have plenty of enrollment, hugely popular programs such as Accounting and the MBA program still do not participate. There was to be a business major version of the STEM MBA program starting for the class of 2017, but it appears that the program was not started.</p>
<p>Based on certain trends and traditions in the business world, many well meaning C&BA faculty would likely vote against expanding the STEM MBA program to business majors. The reasoning behind this is that prestige is a factor for many companies hiring MBAs with undergraduate business majors and that many top MBA programs prefer applicants with some work experience. Both factors are less important for future MBAs who desire to work in occupations with rely heavily on their STEM background. </p>
<p>Additionally, while MBAs are masters degrees, they are often considered to be a separate class of degree from specialty masters degrees and masters degrees which comprise the first year(s) of PhD programs. The majority of University Scholars in C&BA are pursuing specialty masters degrees. </p>
<p>A rarely publicized benefit of UA’s merit scholarships is the ability for University Scholars to take graduate classes offered by other programs provided the student has completed the prerequisites or has instructor approval and their merit scholarship will be applied to the tuition. For example, I was able to take an MBA class and was offered the opportunity to take graduate courses in the College of Engineering and in the School of Law. I have not known any students who used this feature of UA’s scholarships to complete the requirements for a degree program in which they were not accepted into and later applied for candidacy, though I suppose a student could take most of the required courses and then apply for admission into the graduate program as a full pay or partially funded student who will formally enter the graduate program after they’ve graduated with their bachelor’s degree. This could be costly for OOS students however compared to the STEM MBA students who have been notified of UA’s intent to continue their academic scholarships for the extra 3 terms of the program. However, I do know of students who started 2 year master’s degrees as University Scholars and finished the second year as a funded graduate student.</p>
<p>It’s important to note that University Scholars are not legally graduate students, but are rather undergraduate students who were admitted into graduate programs. This means that University Scholars are not eligible for graduate student funding or graduate TA positions. An interesting aspect of UA’s graduation ceremonies is that most University Scholars will ceremonially have a master’s degree before before earning a bachelor’s degree. Officially however, all degrees are conferred at the same time on the Saturday after the term ends.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>National Merit Scholars entering in the class of 2014 will now have ten semesters of funding (vs. the 8 semesters of funding available to the class of 2013 and below), which may make such a plan workable and highly economical for students who come in with substantial AP credit.</p>
<p>There was to be a business major version of the STEM MBA program starting for the class of 2017, but it appears that the program was not started.</p>
<p>Who would have been developing that? Who would be the contact?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It would definitely be a workable plan for those NMFs. I would hope that UA would find similar funding for non-NMFs.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Apart from being on CC, I doubt that the STEM MBA program for business majors was well publicized outside of the people planning the program. Contacting Dr. Robert Morgan, who is the director of the STEM MBA program, or C&BA dean Dr. Mike Hardin.</p>
<p>One thing I noticed about the STEM MBA program is that it required participation in the Business Honors Program, which had previously been a rarely publicized program best known for organizing end of semester recycling initiatives. My guess is that requiring STEM MBA students to participate in the program had the dual benefit of boosting enrollment in the Business Honors Program and getting STEM MBA students ready to study business at the graduate level.</p>
<p>For a business student wanting to get an MBA at the same time as their bachelor’s degree, I’d suggest taking the GMAT, researching the MBA program, picking a possible concentration, and meeting with Dean Hardin for permission to enter the MBA program on a trail basis without needing to complete the undergraduate courses required of STEM MBAs. With a convincing presentation, one might be allowed to start in the MBA program.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I would also hope that if such funding is found, they would extend such an offer to the 2013 NMFs who received neither the additional 2 semesters of tuition and increased NMF stipend offered to the 2014 NMFs nor the four years of housing offered to the 2011 and 2012 NMFs.</p>