Belk College of Business Administration

University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Belk College of Business Administration History

University of North Carolina at Charlotte, founded in 1946, is a public, coeducational institution. The 1000-acre campus is located in an urban area 8 miles northeast of uptown Charlotte. Total undergraduate and graduate enrollment is 21,519.

The Belk College of Business Administration was founded in 1970 and is located on the main campus, in its own building, Friday Building. Courses also are offered at UNC Charlotte Uptown Center. (MBA). The basic educational approach is a balance between theory and practice, using the case method, experiential learning, team-based and individual projects, and simulation.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Belk College of Business Administration Academics

The Belk College of Business Administration offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Economics (MSEcon), Master of Science in Accounting (MAcc), and Master of Science in Mathematical Finance (MsFin) as well as a Doctor of Philosophy in Business. Other programs include an interdiciplinary program in mathematical finance. The strongest areas of study are finance/commercial banking, management, information and technology management, economics, accounting, and marketing. The most popular courses are Investment Management, Entrepreneurship, and Executive Communication. Regular programs bring distinguished speakers and visiting professors to campus. The Executive Leadership series has featured prominet business leaders from many of the world’s most prestigious companies and non-profit organizations.

Forty-two total credits are required to complete the MBA, including 15 elective credits. Required courses include:

• The Economics of Business Decisions
• Business Information Systems
• Operations Management
• Organizational Leadership and Behavior I
• Managerial Accounting
• Marketing Management
• Financial Management
• International Business
• Management Policy

Required courses for the MSEcon include:

• Advanced Macroeconomic Theory
• Advanced Microeconomic Theory
• Graduate Econometrics
• Advanced Business and Economic Forecasting

Required courses for the MAcc (tax track) include:

• Tax Research, Planning and Practice
• Taxation of Corporations and Shareholders
• Taxation of Partnerships and S-Corporations
• Taxation of Estates, Gifts, and Trusts

Required courses for the MAcc (financial accounting/auditing track) include:

• Advanced Accounting Information Systems
• Advanced Auditing
• Controllership
• Business Tax Strategies
• Accounting Theory and Practice

Required courses for the MSFin include:

• Financial Economic Theory
• Financial Econometrics
• Derivatives I: Financial Elements
• Derivatives II: Partial Differential Equations
• Risk Management and Fixed Income Derivatives
• Statistical Techniques in Finance
• Stochastic Calculus for Finance
• Numerical Methods for Financial Derivatives

Students may eliminate or substitute requirements by transferring 6 hours from another AACSB-accredited program.

Business students may take relevant nonbusiness courses in other departments. The minimum time permitted to complete the master’s degree program attending full time is 1.5 years; maximum, 6 years. For students attending part time, the minimum is 2 years; maximum, 6 years.

There are 57 total full-time graduate business faculty, all of whom hold a doctorate; there are 3 part-time faculty, of whom 33% hold a doctorate. Faculty salaries are rated above average for Category IIA institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average number of courses faculty teach is 4; average business class size is 34.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Belk College of Business Administration Unique Programs

Library

The university’s main library houses a collection of more than 1 million volumes and 1.2 million microform items, and subscribes to 24,000 periodicals. The business library is particularly strong in accounting, management, organizational behavior, small business, information systems, and marketing. Students have access to such databases and networks as Business Insights, EconLit, Value Line Investment Survey, Investext Plus, SRDS Newspaper Advertising Source Checkpoint (RIA), Tax Research Network (CCH), Hoover’s Company Records, Regional Business News, Reference USA, Wall Street Journal, Risk Abstracts, and World Data Analyst.

Computers

Graduate business students need not have their own PCs. The business school has its own computer facilities, consisting of 73 PCs located in 2 computer laboratories and 7 classrooms with multimedia capabilities. Other computer laboratories are at various locations on campus and are open to all students. Hours are generally 8 a.m. to midnight on weekdays and afternoons on weekends. Software includes MS Word, WordPerfect, Excel, Powerpoint, SAS, SPSS, Lotus, TCP/IP, Dow Jones, SLAM, Netscape, and many other programs.

Career and Job Placement

In spring 2006, 30 companies recruited on campus. Seventy percent were national corporations. Majors most in demand were accounting, finance, marketing. Placement services are extensive. Placement services for alumni include professional job coaches, resume critiques, job fairs and workshops, maintaining placement credentials, individual counseling, web page job listings, resume referrals, and on-campus interviews. Placement is available through the university placement office. Ninety percent of the most recent graduating class found jobs within three months of receiving their degree.

International Students

International students must take the TOEFL. International students must score 557 on the Paper-Based TOEFL (PBT) or 83 on the Internet-Based (iBT) version. They also must submit a translation of their transcripts, proof of health consisting of an immunization record and evidence of good physical and mental health, and proof of adequate funds to cover 1 year of study. There is a $100 fee for processing paperwork. Check with the school for current application deadlines.

Calendar

The school operates on a traditional semester basis. Semesters are 15 weeks long; summer sessions, 5 to 6 weeks. Graduate programs are offered during the evening only.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Belk College of Business Administration Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required, along with a GPA of 2.75 and a GMAT score of 500. The formula for using the GPA and GMAT scores is (GPA x 200) + GMAT, or a minimum 1100. Most important admissions factors are grades in upper-level courses, GMAT results, and work experience. A strong mathematics background is required.

The number of applicants for a recent class was 170; 105 were accepted; 79 enrolled. The average GPA was 3.23; average GMAT score was 580. Transfers are accepted.

Students may begin the MBA program in the fall, spring, and summer. To apply, students must submit an application form, 2 transcripts, GMAT scores, a nonrefundable application fee of $55, 3 letters of recommendation, an essay/statement of purpose, and a resume or description of work experience. The application deadlines are May 1 for fall entry; October 1, spring; March 1, summer. Students are notified of the admissions decision as soon as the completed file is reviewed. The latest acceptable test date for fall entry is June 30. Once accepted, students may defer admission for up to 1 year.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Belk College of Business Administration Financial Aid

In a recent year, about 15% of graduate business school students received financial aid from scholarships, loans, and graduate assistantships, for a total average of $11,469 annually; maximum $18,500. Stipends and programs available for minority students include the North Carolina Minority Presence Grant Program. The FAFSA is required. Check with the school for current application deadlines.

Tuition for in-state residents is $4637 per year. Nonresidents pay $9740 per year. On-campus room and board costs approximately $2000; books and supplies, $450; personal expenses, $1000, for an estimated annual total of $8087 for in-state residents and $13,190 for out-of-state residents. Graduate student housing is available in apartment-style or high-rise accommodations. Most graduate students choose to live off campus. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Belk College of Business Administration Students

Thirty-two percent of the current graduate business school class are enrolled full time; 85% have had an average of 6 years of full-time work experience prior to entering graduate school, a factor preferred by the school. The greatest percentage of students are from North Carolina (77%). Thirty-three percent are women, 11% are minorities, and 28% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 29; ages range from 20 to 57. Twenty-three percent enter directly from undergraduate school. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 36%, business; 19%, social sciences; 12%, engineering; 11%, liberal arts; 10%, economics; 10%, math and science; and 3%, computer science. About 6% of entering students leave by the end of the first year due to academic or personal reasons; 61% remain to receive their degree. In 2006, 281 graduate business degrees were awarded.