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Learn more about admissions requirements and the process of applying to Thunderbird's Global MBA On-Demand program.


Admissions Standards & Requirements

Application Requirements

  • A completed application form
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Personal essays (one essay may be substituted by an admission interview)
  • One copy of transcripts from all post-secondary institutions, validating completion of a four-year degree or equivalent
  • GMAT scores, sent directly from Pearson Vue (Thunderbird's code for reporting scores is P5K-H2-21)
  • A current resume
  • TOEFL English language exam is required for non-native English language students
  • Non-refundable application fee of $125.
  • For detailed information, please also see the Application Checklist.

Evaluation Process

  • Assessment is based on a qualitative evaluation of the admissions documents you provide.
  • Once your application is complete, it is presented to the Executive Admissions Committee for evaluation.
  • Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis and are accepted throughout the year. Each application is considered for the next entering class, so the sooner you complete the process, the sooner a decision is made.
  • If your native language is not English and you did not receive your qualifying degree in a country where English is the primary/native language, a TOEFL score must be sent to Thunderbird. You must receive a minimum of 600 (paper-based test) or 250 (computer-based test).

Program Requirements

  • Global MBA On-Demand degree requirements must be completed within five calendar years of your initial enrollment. Courses completed earlier than five years before the effective date of graduation may not count toward degree requirements.
  • You must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0. If you do not maintain the appropriate cumulative grade point average, you will be placed on academic probation for one term. Failure to achieve a 3.0 minimum cumulative grade point average after one term on academic probation results in dismissal from the program. Note: When filed with the Registrar's Office, all grades are final and are not subject to change by reason of a revision of the instructor's judgment. Changes may be made only to correct an error in computation or transcription.

Conduct

  • As a student in the Global MBA program, you are preparing yourself for a career in which you will likely be given supervisory responsibilities at a senior corporate level. You are, therefore, expected to demonstrate maturity, self-discipline and ethical behavior throughout the period of your study.
  • The School may cancel your registration at any time for conduct deemed inconsistent with the maturity expected of an international executive.
  • You must abide by the Honor Code, which is available on the Web site and printed on the Global MBA On-Demand Application for Admission.

On-site Seminar Visa Requirements*

  • For Phoenix, foreign nationals require a B-1 visa.
  • For Geneva, you may require a French (Archamps) and Swiss (Geneva) visa, depending on your nationality.
  • For Beijing, you need a Chinese visa (including U.S. citizens).
  • For Santiago, a visa may be required.

*Please check with the consulate of each country to verify the process for obtaining a visa based on your citizenship.

Technical Requirements

  • To participate in the program effectively, you must have an up-to-date computer system and related software.
  • Your computer must provide access to the Internet for course information, as well as interaction with faculty, other students and the Global MBA administration.
  • Selected course materials may be distributed on CD-ROMs. Your computer must be multimedia compatible.

Computer hardware must meet or exceed the following standards:


On-Demand Minimum Requirements
On-Demand Recommended Requirements
PC Desktop or PC Laptop (Mac not supported)
PC Desktop or PC Laptop (Mac not supported)
350 Mhz Processor 1.2 Ghz Processor or greater
64MB of RAM 256 MB of Ram
6G Hard-drive 10G Hard-drive
CD ROM 12x CD-RW Combo drive
56k Modem 56k or High Speed Network Card (LAN) or Cable/DSL
Wireless Networking Capability
15" Monitor 17" Monitor
Speakers Speakers
Headset with microphone Headset with microphone
Webcam Webcam
E-mail account E-mail account (7.5MB)
Windows 2000 Operating System (Vista not recommended) Windows XP Operating System (Vista not recommended)
Internet Explorer 5.5 Internet Explorer 6.0
Media Player 9 Media Player 10
Microsoft Office Suite 2000 MS Office Suite XP
Recommended Materials: USB drive (Thumb drive)

E-mail Account Requirements

You are responsible for maintaining a useable e-mail address server. Occasionally, e-mails "bounce back" to the program administration because of insufficient storage to receive incoming e-mail. Sometimes this happens because the receiving server has limited storage capacity and/or the user has saved too many e-mail messages. Because of this issue, it is recommended that your permanent e-mail address has a minimum storage capacity of 10MB.

Note: Thunderbird provides you with an E-mail account which meets this standard.

Software Requirements

The Microsoft Office XP software and Windows XP are used in most courses and you must be proficient in their use. Therefore, you must have the most current versions of Internet Explorer, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and MSN Messenger installed on their computers. Global MBA On-Demand students are also responsible for Internet provider access fees and access fees to online research.

Note: Program policies are subject to change. At any time, the Global MBA On-Demand program reserves the right to make whatever changes it deems appropriate in course scheduling, assignment of instructors, and prerequisites.

LINKS: Other Helpful Information

Admissions checklist »
GMAT Admissions exam »
TOEFL English Language Exam »
Online application (Embark) »