Admission Requirements for the Science BS/MBA Program
Students with the following qualifications will be considered for admission to the Science BS/MBA Program:
- Successful applicants typically will have an SAT score of at least 1300 or ACT score of at least 30;
- They rank in the highest 10 percent of their high school class; and
- Exhibit an ability to communicate effectively, an advanced level of maturity, and high motivation to pursue a joint science/business educational program.
Applicants’ secondary education must have included four units of English, one and one-half units of algebra
, one unit of plane geometry, one-half unit of trigonometry, three units of science, and five units from arts, humanities, social studies, and/or foreign languages.
The decision to extend an invitation to join the program will be reached by a three-step process. First, applicants meeting the criteria, which include admission to the University Park Campus and admission to the Eberly College of Science, are included in the initial application review. From that review, a limited number of top candidates are selected for on-campus or virtual interviews with representatives of the Eberly College of Science and the Smeal College of Business. Program admission decisions are made jointly by the Eberly College of Science and the Smeal College of Business.
Academic Performance
Students in this program select a specific science focus area (e.g., biology, chemistry, mathematics, etc.) and complete many of the same science courses as students majoring in those specific disciplines. They also participate in a range of professional development activities throughout completion of both degrees, developing the skills and networks needed to succeed. In addition, they incorporate three semesters (usually two summers and one fall or spring semester) of cooperative education work experiences into the undergraduate portion of their program, in order to be better prepared for entrance into Smeal’s one-year residential MBA program.
Students in the BS/MBA Program take the same courses and have schedules similar to students who are majoring in one of the scientific disciplinary areas found within the Eberly College of Science. They are expected to perform at an A/B level in all courses. Students will complete an application to the MBA in the final year of undergraduate study, which is comprised of their undergraduate transcript, resume, professional references, and interviews.
Students typically complete the B.S. in Science in four years and the M.B.A. in the fifth year. However, students who have a significant amount of college credit and/or an interest in taking summer courses can complete their dual-degree requirements in a total of four years, three years for the undergraduate degree and one year for the graduate degree.
If students are not performing at a 3.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) level and display the maturity necessary for acceptance into the MBA, they may be asked to withdraw from the BS/MBA Program. Typically, students withdrawing from the program would be eligible to remain at Penn State in another program of study.
Program Costs
While completing the requirements for the B.S. in Science degree, students will be charged Penn State’s undergraduate tuition rate. Upon completion of the B.S. in Science, students will be charged Penn State’s graduate tuition rate for the MBA.
Scholarships
Students in this program are eligible to receive scholarships during the undergraduate portion of the program from the Balog Endowment, based on availability of resources and the program director’s discretion.