No matter the goals of the learner, Gies has a path to success that suits their needs – whether that’s a full degree, a graduate certificate, or a single course. At Gies, learners can complete a specialized master’s degree, and then if they apply and are accepted into the iMBA program, they can take 24- 36 credit hours (dependent on the subject of the specialized master’s degree) and put them toward the 72-credit-hour MBA.

The Gies MBA is built in a modular way with courses that stack together to comprise the finished product. Courses are designed with a clear beginning, middle, and end – and learning objectives that bring all learners to a similar level of strength by the end. Because each course is specifically designed to be able to stand alone, we reduce the need for prerequisites and allow learners to take courses and specializations is almost any order so they can build the learning experience that best fits their personal life and professional needs.

For graduates of our management programs (iMSM, MSM, and MSTM), 36 credit hours of your initial degree can be applied to your MBA degree (50% of the 72 hours) upon acceptance. For graduates of our non-management programs (iMSA, MSA, MAS, MSF and MSBA), 24 credit hours of your initial degree can be applied to your MBA degree (33% of the 72 hours) upon acceptance. Learners admitted to the iMBA must work with a Student & Academic Success Specialist to determine which courses you should take during the iMBA program to ensure you meet all degree requirements. You will also be required to complete two specialization capstones and the Program Capstone as a part of the iMBA curriculum.

To earn two graduate degrees, a learner must complete the specialized master’s degree first and then apply for acceptance to the iMBA program. A learner who has already earned a Gies MBA is not eligible for the iMSM or MSM program and cannot receive both degrees. A learner who has already earned a Gies MBA and is interested in a graduate degree in accounting, finance, technology management or business analytics will be required to complete the full degree requirements for the second degree.

No. Learners must submit a new application for the iMBA program, and an interview may be requested. A holistic review of your application materials will be completed by the admissions committee.

Yes, you will have the opportunity to apply for these scholarships based on the application deadlines for each admissions cycle.

Yes! If you have already received a specialized master's degree from Gies and are interested in stacking it into the iMBA program, you can apply to the iMBA.

At this time, there is no time limit on when you can apply to the iMBA program after completing the your first master’s program. Significant curriculum changes may require additional courses to be completed depending on the length of time that has passed from completion of the specialized master’s and admittance to the iMBA.

Yes – the Graduate College allows up to five years to complete each degree program.

If you are eligible for the iMBA and that program aligns with your current goals, it is highly recommended that you apply and start that program directly. This will allow for you to design a degree plan which will enable you to reach your end goal of the MBA degree in a more timely and straightforward way. iMBA students are also grouped with other iMBA students throughout the program, based on the different admissions requirements for both programs. Please note that admission to the iMBA is not guaranteed after completion of the specialized master’s degree.

A learner may choose to forgo their iMBA studies and petition to join another program if that degree aligns better with their goals; however, they are not granted automatic admission back into the iMBA program upon completion of the specialized degree. They will need to reapply to the iMBA program and explain via essay why the iMBA program is the best fit for them now when it wasn’t previously. There is no guarantee for admission to the iMBA program. Please note that our iMSM students will be grouped with other iMSM students who may have less work experience. They will also be restricted from taking iMBA courses and capstones while enrolled in the iMSM program.