We are delighted that you are joining us, and soon you’ll be meeting the other members of your cohort.
MBA Orientation
SAVE THE DATE
Fall 2024 start date: MBA orientation will be in-person on the main campus in Harrisonburg, Virginia on Saturday, August 17, 2024. Watch for important emails from the MBA office with details about the day.
After you have been accepted and been granted access to your Student Portal in your MyMadison account, there are a few tasks for you to complete prior to attending your first class.
If you are not able to access the Student Portal in MyMadison, please contact mba@jmu.edu for guidance.
- Pay your MBA Deposit – Deposits are due a few weeks after you accepted your offer to attend JMU. If you have not already done so, please use the payment link to save your seat for the upcoming semester. Contact mba@jmu.edu with questions.
- Activate your JMU Email Account – The MBA Programs and the university will only use the @dukes email account to communicate with you. Check your email regularly for important information and updates.
- Check your MyMadison account – Visit your MyMadison account to be sure that you can access it. For instance, every 90 days you will need to change your password. Visit the JMU Computing Helpdesk if you have trouble using your e-ID to access your MyMadison account.
- Take the Honor Code Test – A JMU requirement. Don’t delay, your account can receive a registration hold for future classes if you miss this step.
- Purchase a JMU Parking Pass – If you will attend classes on-campus in Harrisonburg, you must purchase a parking pass. If you plan to only be on campus after 4 pm, then choose the $50 Evening Pass. However, if you plan to use other JMU facilities, for example, UREC or the Library, then you should choose the $80 Part-time Pass.
- Purchase your parking pass online at: https://jmu.aimsparking.com/
- You can learn more about the 24 hours a day, 365 days a year campus parking policies on the Parking Services website.
- Immunizations and the Health Center - according to The Graduate School, MBA students are exempt from the Immunization Form and the MyJMUHealth account requirements. If the JMU Health Center adds holds or fines to your account, contact them at 540-568-6178 and advise them of your MBA student status to have holds or fined removed. Additionally, please read the guidelines from the COVID task force University Health Center.
- Check your MBA Class Calendar – Calendars are posted inside your JMU Canvas account inside the MBA Program course: View in Canvas. You will follow the calendar for your MBA cohort until graduation—calendars are updated each semester—check them regularly.
- NOTE: To access the calendars, you will first need to join the MBA Program course by responding to an email from: Instructure Canvas <notifications@instructure.com> inviting you to join — contact the MBA program office (mba@jmu.edu) if you did not receive an invitation email and we can resend it.
- Submit your information to the MBA Student Yearbook – One important aspect of the MBA experience is developing relationships with the members of your cohort. Each year we put together a digital MBA Student Yearbook so that you can learn about other members of your MBA class. Use this link Submit my Info, it only takes a few minutes to be included!
Learn and Follow
The academic policies established by The Graduate School are vital for successful completion of your MBA degree. All JMU graduate students are required to understand the policies as written in The Graduate Catalog of the year that you began your program.
The importance of grades & GPA
Grade and GPA minimums are set by the Graduate School.
- The grading scale for graduate students is A, A-, B+, B, B-, C, F.
- In order to graduate, all graduate students must have a 3.0 at the time of graduation (remember that a B- equals a 2.7 grade point average).
- Graduate students are only allowed two C's on their transcript. The third C or any grade below a C means that you will be dismissed from JMU.
- One F grade results in dismissal from JMU.
- Incomplete “I” grades will automatically change to an “F” upon the deadline set by the registrar’s office. Therefore, you (in consultation with your professor) must submit a form to the registrar’s office to extend incomplete grades if more time is needed. It is a student’s responsibility to submit forms on time.
The Graduate School requires you to be in unconditional status to graduate. Students must remove any condition(s) by the date specified in the offer of admission letter.
The following are three typical conditions and how you can remove them.
IF Prerequisites were a condition...
- Take your required course(s) at http://www.mbamath.com/CourseTopics/AllSubjects.aspx
- Submit your certificate of completion(s) to mba@jmu.edu
IF “GMAT test scores” were a condition...
To remove this condition, send the test scores directly from the Graduate Management Admission Council to James Madison University, The Graduate School code 5392. Please notify the MBA Office at mba@jmu.edu when you have completed the exam and forwarded your scores to JMU. If you did not achieve the required scores, please contact the MBA Office to discuss your options.
IF “Maintain a specified GPA” was a condition...
The MBA Program office will have access to your grades and The Graduate School will notify you if you did not meet this condition.
The Graduate School policy allows up to nine graduate-level credit-hours to transfer into your program from non-JMU institutions. Transfer credit is not guaranteed and determined on a case-by-case basis. If you have transfer credit, forward the following documentation to mba@jmu.edu:
- An unofficial copy of your transcript with the course name, number and grade. Note: Transfer credit requires grades of B or better to receive credit.
- A course description from your previous institution and syllabus.
Wait until you receive a “permission to enroll” email for each class as they become available. Note: The MBA Program does not actually enroll you in classes; we only issue you a permission to enroll – therefore, you will log into your MyMadison account to complete the registration process. View this enrollment tutorial for detailed instructions.
Innovation MBA Students
- You will complete two courses every eight weeks for four semesters.
- You will enroll each fall and spring semester.
- No classes are offered during the summer term.
Information Security MBA Students
- You will complete one course every eight weeks for 28 consecutive months.
- You will enroll each fall, spring and summer semester.
Executive Leadership MBA Students
- You will complete one course every eight weeks for 28 consecutive months.
- You will enroll each fall, spring, and summer semester.
Please consult the University Business Office for tuition payment deadlines.
For payment plan enrollment, visit JMU.MyOnPlanU.com.
Contact the Financial Aid Office for questions about, or to apply for, financial aid or scholarships.
If you need assistance using your GI Bill to pay for tuition, please contact Kelly Burch in the Registrar’s Office about Veterans Educational Benefits.
JMU Library
University Career Center
- As an MBA student, you have full access to University Career Center programs and services, click here to find out more.
Networking
- MBA students have access to all campus facilities and professional development opportunities. Watch for emails from The Graduate School and JMU about resources and events.
Tutorials
- Student link to shortcuts to login to the various JMU campus systems
