This is a named option in the Business: Finance, Investment, and Banking MBA.
Admissions
Fall Deadline | See program webpage: https://business.wisc.edu/graduate/mba/full-time/admissions/ |
Spring Deadline | This program does not admit in the spring. |
Summer Deadline | This program does not admit in the summer. |
GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) | May be required in certain cases; consult program. |
English Proficiency Test | All applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Pearson Test of English (PTE), or the Intensive English as a Second Language (IELTS). A minimum iBT TOEFL score of 100 or equivalent, computer-based PTE score of 73 or equivalent, or IELTS score of 7.5 or equivalent, obtained within two years of the intended start term, is required. International applicants who have completed a degree at an institution whose primary language of instruction was English may request a waiver of this requirement on the application. |
Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) | GMAT may be required in certain cases; consult program. |
Letters of Recommendation Required | 1* |
- *
Submission of a second letter of recommendation is optional.
Admission consideration for the MBA program requires a four-year undergraduate degree or the equivalent, in any discipline, from an accredited institution. The School of Business prefers a minimum of two years of professional work experience along with a strong undergraduate performance. In addition to academic credentials, a GMAT or GRE score, and work experience, personal achievements, motivation, communication skills (written and oral), and recommendation letters are all considered in the admission process at the master's and doctoral levels.
Note: The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) must have been taken within five years prior to receiving an offer of admission.
How to Apply
Students interested in Business degrees do not apply through the Graduate School application system and should instead refer to the School of Business Admissions page.
Funding
Graduate School Resources
The Bursar’s Office provides information about tuition and fees associated with being a graduate student. Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
Program Resources
Learn about costs and financial assistance on the program website.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum degree requirements and policies, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Named Option Requirements
Mode of Instruction
Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
---|---|---|---|---|
Yes | No | No | No | No |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.
Evening/Weekend: Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules. Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.
Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.
Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats. Contact the program for more specific information.
Online: These programs are offered 100% online. Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.
Curricular Requirements
Minimum Credit Requirement | 53 credits |
Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 47 credits |
Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 27 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244. |
Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203. |
Other Grade Requirements | Students may be required to retake a course in which they receive a grade lower than a C. |
Assessments and Examinations | No required assessments or examinations beyond course requirements. |
Language Requirements | No language requirements. |
Required Courses
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Required Core Courses | ||
GEN BUS 704 | Data to Decisions | 2 |
GEN BUS 710 | Ethics, Integrity and Society | 1 |
GEN BUS 725 | Consulting Practicum | 1 |
ACCT I S 700 | Financial Accounting | 2 |
FINANCE 700 | Introduction to Financial Management | 2 |
GEN BUS 732 | Economics for Managers | 2 |
M H R 706 | Leading and Working in Teams | 1 |
M H R 723 | Business Strategy | 2 |
MARKETNG 700 | Marketing Management | 2 |
OTM 700 | Operations and Supply Chain Management | 2 |
Required Specialization Courses | ||
FINANCE 635 | Business Valuation | 3 |
FINANCE 650 | Mergers and Acquisitions | 3 |
FINANCE 725 | Corporation Finance Theory and Practice | 3 |
FINANCE/INTL BUS 745 | Multinational Business Finance | 3 |
FINANCE 760 | Current Topics and Applied Learning in Finance (take twice) | 2 |
FINANCE 850 | Applied Corporate Finance I | 4 |
Elective Courses | ||
Students must complete 18 credits of Elective Courses (refer to "Elective Courses: Approved Electives") | 18 | |
Total Credits | 53 |
Elective Courses: Approved Electives
In addition to the required MBA core classes and the required Corporate Finance & Investment Banking specialization core classes, this degree allows students to select one or more areas of focus as they pursue their degree. These pathways are internal to the program and represent different curricular paths a student can follow to earn this degree. Pathway names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript. The pathways are as follows:
- Corporate Finance Pathway
- Investment Banking Pathway
- Entrepreneurial Finance Pathway
Of the 18 elective credits required, one three-credit elective must be a Finance, Investment and Banking (FINANCE) course numbered above 300. Students are required to take 12 credits from the approved elective lists (Career Pathways or Other Recommended Electives) below.
The remaining electives can be a Finance, Investment and Banking (FINANCE) course numbered above 300 or any course numbered 600 and above from the Business School offerings. Other courses may be used as an elective with the approval of the Nicholas Center Director.
Career Pathways
Corporate Finance
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ACCT I S 603 | Financial Statement Analysis | 3 |
ACCT I S 701 | Financial Reporting I | 3 |
ACCT I S 702 | Financial Reporting II | 3 |
FINANCE 730 | Derivative Securities - Theory and Practice | 3 |
or FINANCE 330 | Derivative Securities | |
FINANCE 740 | Analysis of Fixed Income Securities | 3 |
FINANCE 765 | Contemporary Topics | 1-4 |
GEN BUS 714 | Corporate Governance and Board Membership | 2-3 |
M H R 628 | Negotiations | 2-3 |
or M H R 728 | Bargaining, Negotiating and Dispute Settlement for Managers | |
M H R 715 | Strategic Management of Innovation | 2-3 |
MARKETNG 730 | Strategic Pricing | 2-3 |
OTM 752 | Project Management | 1-3 |
R M I 655 | Risk Financing Techniques | 3 |
REAL EST 710 | Real Estate Finance | 3 |
Investment Banking
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ACCT I S 603 | Financial Statement Analysis | 3 |
ACCT I S 701 | Financial Reporting I | 3 |
ACCT I S 702 | Financial Reporting II | 3 |
FINANCE 420 | Investment Banking and Capital Markets | 3 |
FINANCE 640 | Introduction to Credit Analysis & Trading | 3 |
FINANCE 730 | Derivative Securities - Theory and Practice | 3 |
or FINANCE 330 | Derivative Securities | |
FINANCE 740 | Analysis of Fixed Income Securities | 3 |
FINANCE 765 | Contemporary Topics | 1-4 |
GEN BUS 714 | Corporate Governance and Board Membership | 2-3 |
M H R 628 | Negotiations | 2-3 |
or M H R 728 | Bargaining, Negotiating and Dispute Settlement for Managers | |
OTM 752 | Project Management | 1-3 |
R M I 655 | Risk Financing Techniques | 3 |
Entrepreneurial Finance
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ACCT I S 701 | Financial Reporting I | 3 |
ACCT I S 702 | Financial Reporting II | 3 |
E P D 706 | Change Management | 1 |
FINANCE 757 | Entrepreneurial Finance | 2-3 |
FINANCE 765 | Contemporary Topics | 1-4 |
M H R 628 | Negotiations | 2-3 |
or M H R 728 | Bargaining, Negotiating and Dispute Settlement for Managers | |
M H R 715 | Strategic Management of Innovation | 2-3 |
M H R 722 | Entrepreneurial Management | 2-3 |
M H R 734 | Venture Creation | 2-3 |
M H R 738 | Wisconsin Applied Ventures in Entrepreneurship (WAVE) | 3 |
M H R 741 | Technology Entrepreneurship | 3 |
MARKETNG 730 | Strategic Pricing | 2-3 |
OTM 752 | Project Management | 1-3 |
Other Recommended Electives
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
ACCT I S 640 | Foundation in Accounting Analytics | 3 |
GEN BUS 308 | Cloud Based Business Analytics | 2 |
GEN BUS 720 | Data Visualization for Business Analytics | 1-2 |
GEN BUS 740 | Experiments and Causal Methods for Business Insights | 2-3 |
GEN BUS 760 | Data Technology for Business Analytics | 2-3 |
GEN BUS 780 | Cloud Technology for Business Analytics | 1 |
R M I 655 | Risk Financing Techniques | 3 |
R M I 660 | Risk Analytics and Behavioral Science | 3 |
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures serve as the official document of record for Graduate School academic and administrative policies and procedures and are updated continuously. Note some policies redirect to entries in the official UW-Madison Policy Library. Programs may set more stringent policies than the Graduate School. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Named Option-Specific Policies
Prior Coursework
Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions
With program and department approval, students may transfer up to 6 credits of graduate coursework completed two years prior to admission at an AACSB accredited institution, in which a grade of B or better was earned.
Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison
No credits from a UW-Madison or other institution undergraduate degree are allowed to transfer toward the degree.
Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UW–Madison
No credits earned as a University Special Student at UW-Madison are allowed to transfer toward the degree.
Probation
Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.
Advisor / Committee
Every graduate student is required to have an advisor. An advisor is a faculty member, or sometimes a committee, responsible for providing advice regarding graduate studies.
Credits Per Term Allowed
15 credit maximum. Refer to the Graduate School: Maximum Credit Loads and Overload Requests policy.
Time Limits
Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.
Grievances and Appeals
These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:
- Bias or Hate Reporting
- Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
- Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
- Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
- Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
- Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
- Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
- Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
- Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
- Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
- Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)
Any student who feels that they have been mistreated by a faculty or staff member has the right to lodge a complaint. Complaints may concern course grades, classroom treatment, program admission, or other issues. To ensure a prompt and fair hearing of any complaint and to protect both the student's rights and the person at whom the complaint is addressed, the grievance procedures below are used in the School of Business.
The person against whom the complaint is directed must be an employee of the School of Business. Any student or potential student may use these procedures unless other campus rules or contracts cover the complaint:
- If the student feels comfortable/safe doing so, the student should first talk with the person against whom the grievance is directed. Most issues can be settled at this level. If the complaint is directed against a teaching assistant (TA) and the student is not satisfied after discussion of the grievance with the TA, the next step would be to talk to the TA's supervisor, who is usually the course professor. If the complaint is still not resolved satisfactorily, the student may continue to step 2.
- If the complaint involves an academic department, the student should contact the chair of the department. The chair will attempt to resolve the problem informally. If this cannot be done to the student's satisfaction, the student may submit the grievance to the chair in writing. This must be done within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment.
- If the complaint does not involve an academic department, the procedure outlined in Step 4 below should be followed.
- On receipt of a written complaint, the chair will refer the matter to a departmental committee, which will obtain a written response from the person at whom the complaint is directed. This response shall be shared with the person filing the grievance. The chair will provide a written decision within 30 days to the student on the action taken by the committee.
- If either party is not satisfied with the decision, they have five working days from receipt of the decision to contact the dean's office (at the number below), indicating the intention to appeal. If the complaint does not involve an academic department in the school, the student must contact the dean's office within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment.
- In either case, there will be an attempt to resolve the issue informally by the appropriate associate dean. If this cannot be done, the complaint can be filed in writing with the Office of the Dean. This must be done within 10 working days of the time the appealing party was notified that informal resolution was unsuccessful.
- On receipt of such a written complaint, the Chief Engagement, Culture, and Organizational Effectiveness Officer will convene a subcommittee of relevant stakeholders pending the nature of the issue. This subcommittee may ask for additional information from the parties involved and may hold a hearing at which both parties will be asked to speak separately. The subcommittee will then make a written recommendation to the dean of the School of Business who will render a decision. Unless a longer time is negotiated, this written decision shall be made within 20 working days from when the grievance was filed with the Office of the Dean.
Questions about these procedures can be directed to the School of Business, Office of the Dean, 4339 Grainger, 975 University Avenue, 608-262-7867.
State law contains additional provisions regarding discrimination and harassment. Wisconsin Statutes 36.12 reads, in part: "No student may be denied admission to, participation in or the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any service, program, course or facility of the system or its institutions or center because of the student's race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, disability, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status or parental status." In addition, the UW System prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression. Students have the right to file discrimination and harassment complaints with the Office of Compliance, 361 Bascom Hall, 608-265-6018, uwcomplianceoffice@wisc.edu.
The Graduate School has procedures for students wishing to appeal a grievance decision at the school/college level. These policies are described in the Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/grievances-and-appeals/
Other
Students are expected to be enrolled full-time for all semesters. Exceptions may be granted in the final semester.
Professional Development
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.