IMBA

MBA COURSEWORK IN CHINA

While we hope your stay in Beijing and Shanghai is fun and rewarding, being an MBA student in the International MBA program is challenging especially due to the condensed time frame of the courses.

International MBA classes, while different in atmosphere, are taught in a manner consistent with Graduate School of Management (GSM) MBA standards.  You are encouraged to participate and ask questions during class.  Preparation for all International MBA classes is essential to your success in the program.

To receive full credit, you must be in residence for the duration of the International MBA program.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT / PROGRAM SUPPORT

Director Amanda Miller and Asst. Director Jen Duclos will be with you every step of your IMBA Program. During your semester in China, one of us will be close by — sitting in classes, going on site visits and living down the hall from you. We’re available for questions big and small, day or night.

TEACHING ASSISTANTS

During selected courses, there will be TAs assigned to provide additional support. TAs in the China Program maintain flexible office hours in afternoons and at night.  They can advise you on assignments and reinforce concepts you may have questions on. Additionally, they support professors by assisting with grading papers, presentations and final exams.

• OB TA Kim Ramsdell
• OM TA Jon Beebe 
• MK TA Matthew Meng
• AC TA Bingyi Chen
• AC TA Janelle Conaway

ENGLISH LANGUAGE SUPPORT / WRITING SUPPORT

To provide additional support with coursework, especially for non-native English speakers, John Kopec, from BU’s Center for English Language and Orientation Programs (CELOP) will be in residence for most of the summer semester after teaching the Executive Presentation and Writing Communication courses.  John has been working with IMBAs for over 15 years and knows how to help you communicate effectively.

CLASS AND COHORT REPRESENTATIVES

You will also have the chance to elect 2-3 classmates to serve as your Class Reps for the summer in China and 1 Cohort Rep to the Graduate Student Council for Fall/Spring Semesters.

Class Reps are the liaisons between the class and BU faculty and staff, especially for class-wide issues. If you have individual or personal issues, you are welcome and encouraged to come and see Amanda or Jen or speak directly with your professors if it is course related.

The Cohort Rep is your voice on the Graduate Student Council, and will represent Cohort A once you’re back on campus in Boston. While the term doesn’t begin until August, If you are interested in becoming cohort rep, you should take a look at the Cohort Representative Training Document: MBACouncilTrainer-CohortRepV.2

ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS

The IMBA Program is intense and fast, so missing even a class can really set you and your team back. You are expected to attend every class session as well as IM site visits/guest lecturers and official program dinners/events.

SICK DAYS

Almost everyone feels under the weather at some point during the summer. If you are not feeling well enough to participate in the day’s activities, including class, trips and meals, let Jen or Amanda know as soon as possible. We can make arrangements for you to make up missed work and meals and try to help you get back on your feet as quickly as possible.

ACADEMIC CONDUCT CODE

Any breach of the school’s Academic Code of Conduct during the program in China will result in the case and the student(s) involved being brought before the Academic Conduct Committee upon return to Boston. Please make sure you have read and are familiar with the school’s Academic Conduct Code before you arrive in China.

Click here for the BU Code of Conduct

GSM ACADEMIC STANDARDS

All credit courses in International MBA and at the School of Management are graded on a letter scale according to the following criteria

INCOMPLETE  “I”

A grade of “I” indicates that course requirements, such as a final exam or written course work, have not been completed by the end of the semester. An “I” grade is given at the instructor’s discretion. The student must arrange with the instructor to complete the remaining requirements no later than the end of the following semester (not including summer). When the work is completed, the instructor will determine the final grade.

If work is not completed and a final grade is not submitted within one full academic semester of when the “I” was issued, the “I” will be converted into an “F” grade. In extenuating circumstances, a student may petition for an extension of the time limit to complete the work. The instructor who gave the “I” grade must endorse the written petition, which must then be submitted to the Graduate Programs Office. Students with incomplete grades in core classes, excluding Executive Skills courses and PL700, are not eligible to be inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, the national business honor society.

An “I” grade has no honor points; therefore, it is not calculated into the cumulative GPA (CGPA). When the professor reassigns the grade once the student completes the work, or when the Graduate Programs Office Senior Systems Administrator (Registrar) converts the “I” to an “F” following the procedures outlined above, the grade for the course is then included in the calculation of the GPA. A student may not graduate with an “I” grade on his or her transcript.

COURSE FAILURE  “F”

A grade of “F” indicates failure to pass the course. A student who earns a grade of “F” in a core course (including Executive Skills classes) must repeat that course with a passing grade. A student who earns a grade of “F” in an elective course must subsequently repeat that course or take another elective and earn a passing grade. When a course is repeated, both the “F” and the subsequent grade remain on the student’s permanent record, and both grades are included in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average (CGPA). Note that cohorted students who receive an “F” in a core class, excluding Executive Skills classes, cannot be cohorted the following semester.

A grade of “W” in a course indicates that the course was dropped after the semester deadline to drop a class without a “W”. A student who withdraws from a course forfeits the right to complete the course in that semester and to receive a grade. Note that cohorted students who receive a “W” in a core class (excluding Executive Skills classes and PL700) cannot continue to be cohorted the following semester.

Note that students are charged full tuition for “W” grades.

GRADING GUIDELINES

The School of Management has the following school-wide voluntary grading guidelines for MBA core courses:

• No more than 40% of the grades in a given MBA required course should be in the A or A- range
• Grades in the C+, C, or C- range are legitimate passing grades, and they should be used in the case of very low performing students

CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE [CGPA]

All graded graduate-level courses taken at the Boston University School of Management to fulfill the MBA or MSIS requirements are included in the computation of the cumulative grade point average (CGPA). Grades are computed on a 4.00 scale. Please note: ES700, ES701, ES740, ES743, ES707, and PL700 are pass/fail courses. The grade of pass does not count towards the GPA but the grade of “F” does count in the GPA. Coursework taken outside the Boston University School of Management will not be calculated into the student’s CGPA. If a student drops from the MS·MBA program, all MSIS courses taken would count toward the student’s MBA CGPA.

SUMMER COURSES

IM842 FIELD COURSE – BUSINESS IN ASIA PACIFIC

Professor/Faculty Director Aimin Yan
May 13 – August 3

This course provides students with an understanding of the special features of the business environment in Asia-Pacific countries through field trips and case discussions. It includes a semester-long team project and guest lecturers, including top business leaders and professors from East Asia. (4 Credits)

ES700 EXECUTIVE PRESENTATION

Professor John Kopec
May 15 – May 16

A presenter’s delivery skills impact the audience’s image of the presenter and the clarity of the message being communicated. A combination of lecture, discussion, and hands-on practice and simulation, this course is designed to help you exercise leadership through verbal communication. (1 Credit)

EX701 EXECUTIVE WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

Professor John Kopec
May 17 

This course is a combination of lecture, discussion, and hands-on practice. It’s designed to help you exercise leadership through writing and understand how strategies of written communication are an essential aspect of effective management, working relationships in the network era, and overall business strategy. (1 Credit)

OB712 MANAGING INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS

Professor Jack McCarthy
May 20 – June 5

This course introduces you to some fundamental concepts, models and frameworks to help you better understand the organizations you work for, the teams you work in, the people you work with, and your own personal development.  Specifically, this course has five tracks: 1) how to develop yourselves as managers, (2) how to work well within teams, (3) how to develop effective organizations, (4) how to assess the external environment, and (5) how to initiate change in each one of the above arenas. Tying all of these elements together, we will devote particular attention to the traits, skills, and behaviors that are indicative of good leadership and how organizations and managers can be transformed for better alignment with the business demands of the future. (4 Credits)

OM726 CREATING VALUE THROUGH OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Professor Robb Dixon
June 6 – June 22

Managers deal with a large amount of information in quantitative form. Effective managers must understand the conditions under which quantitative techniques may be appropriately applied for decision-making. In this course, students develop skills in using the computer to examine and report data. The focus is on deriving meaning from particular data sets, and the use of statistical estimation, hypothesis testing, and regression/correlation analysis in decision-making. (4 credits)

MK724 MARKETING MANAGEMENT

Professor Frederic Brunel
June 25 – July 10

This course builds an in-depth understanding of basic marketing concepts and applies those concepts to a variety of management situations, including non-profit and public sector settings. The course provides working knowledge of the tools of marketing (product policy, pricing, distribution, promotion, consumer behavior), and the ways in which these tools can be usefully employed. The course builds practical skills in analyzing marketing problems and opportunities, and in developing marketing programs. (4 Credits)

 AC711 FINANCIAL REPORTING AND CONTROL

Professor Moshe Hagigi
July 15 – August 2

This is an introduction to accounting, and an examination of how it helps in decision-making.  Financial accounting (information needs of stockholders, creditors, and analysts) and managerial accounting (information needs of managers) are stressed equally. Topics covered include income statement and balance sheet format, purposes, and limitations; statement of cash flows; analysis of financial statements; cost behavior; use of relevant costs in decision making; budgeting; and divisional performance measurement.  This course is conducted in a combination of lectures, exams, and team project. (4 Credits)