Darla Moore School of Business

University of South Carolina-Columbia, Darla Moore School of Business History

University of South Carolina/Columbia, founded in 1801, is a public, coeducational institution. The 150-acre campus is located in an urban area in Columbia. Total undergraduate and graduate enrollment is 26,977.

The Darla Moore School of Business was founded in 1946 and is located on the main campus, in its own building, H. William Close and Francis M. Hipp Buildings. Courses also are offered at 25 locations throughout the state for the Professional MBA program. The basic educational approach is a mix of practical and theoretical study, internships, and consulting opportunities, with an emphasis on international business practices.

University of South Carolina-Columbia, Darla Moore School of Business Academics

The Moore School of Business offers the Master of Accountancy (MAcc), Master of Human Resources (MHR), Master of Arts in Economics (MAEc), International Master of Business Administration (IMBA), and Executive International Master of Business Administration (EIMBA) as well as a doctoral program in business administration and economics with majors in accounting, business policy/strategic management, finance, international business, management information systems, marketing, operations research, organization behavior, international finance, production/operations management, and economics, and a joint degree in the Moore School of Business, in cooperation with the University of South Carolina Law School, which offers programs that permit students to obtain a JD/IMBA, JD/MAcc, JD/MHR, or a JD/MAEc. The student must first be admitted to both the law school and the Moore School of Business. Then, through the combined program, the total course load may be reduced by as many as 18 credit hours from the number required if the 2 degrees were earned separately. Other programs include interdisciplinary programs for the IMBA in foreign languages, cooperative programs for the IMBA with Wirtschaftuniversitat Wien, Vienna, Austria, and for the EIMBA with Tec de Monterey, Guadalajara; foreign exchange with 9 countries; and internships (required for the IMBA and MHR). The strongest areas of study are international business, finance, information technology, operations management, and marketing. Regular programs bring distinguished speakers and visiting professors to campus. Corporate executives and foreign dignitaries are brought in as an ongoing part of the course’s guest lecture series; attendance by IMBA students is required.

Fifty-four total credits are required to complete the IMBA, including 15 elective credits. Required courses for the IMBA include:

• Financial Accounting in the Global Environment
• Global Strategic Management I
• Decision Analysis
• Global Economics
• International Management
• Global Finance
• Global Marketing Management
• Management Accounting in the Global Environment
• Operations Management
• Information Systems

Required courses for the MHR include:

• Management of Compensation
• Staffing
• Employment Relations Law
• Labor Relations
• Management of Employee Benefit Programs
• Organization Development
• International Employment Relations
• Labor Economics and Labor Markets
• Personnel and Employment Relations
• Issues in Personnel and Employment Relations
• Internship in Personnel and Employment Relations

Required courses for the MAcc include:

• Auditing II
• Financial Accounting IV
• Seminar in Accounting Information Reporting
• Systems II

Required courses for the MAEc include:

• Applied Macroeconomics
• Applied Microeconomics
• Introduction to Econometrics
• Quantitative Methods I

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 2 years; maximum, 6 years. For students attending part time, the minimum is 3 years; maximum, 6 years.

There are 87 total full-time graduate business faculty, all of whom hold a doctorate; there are 19 part-time faculty, of whom 26% hold a doctorate. Faculty salaries are rated average for Category I institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average number of courses faculty teach is 4; average business class size is 30.

University of South Carolina-Columbia, Darla Moore School of Business Unique Programs

Library

The Eliot White Springs Library houses a collection of more than 29,500 volumes, 400 microform items, and 575 special business collections, and subscribes to 375 periodicals. The business library is particularly strong in international business, human resource management, finance, and economics. Students have access to such databases and networks as ABI/INFORM, BP on Disc, Compact Disclosure, USCAN, Computer Select, and DRS on-line services. Other opportunities for research consist of the main library and a law library.

Computers

Graduate business students need not have their own PCs. The business school has its own computer facilities, consisting of more than 200 Dell and Gateway PCs (Pentium IIIs) available from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. All PCs are linked to the university’s open system network. A computer laboratory exclusively for IMBA students has been created.

Career and Job Placement

In spring 2006, 36 companies recruited on campus. Eighty percent were national corporations. Majors most in demand were international business, marketing, finance, information technology, operations management, and human resource management. Average starting salary of the graduating class was $76,657; range was $50,000 to $125,000. The percentage of graduates finding jobs were:

• national corporations 80%
• regional corporations 11%
• local large enterprises 8%
• self-employment 1%

Placement services are extensive. Placement services for alumni include career development seminars, resume writing workshops, placement advisers, on-campus recruiting, and the placement library. Placement is available through Graduate Placement, Moore College of Business, the university placement office, and an alumni job bank. Eighty-eight percent of the most recent graduating class found jobs within three months of receiving their degree.

International Students

International students must take the TOEFL or the college’s own test. They also must submit a translation of their transcripts, proof of health consisting of immunization records, and proof of adequate funds to cover 1 year of study. There is a $375 enrollment fee. Financial aid is available for these students and consists of fellowships, fee reductions, and work grants. The application deadline for fall entry is December 1.

Calendar

The school operates on a traditional semester basis. Semesters are 16 weeks long; summer sessions, 5 weeks. Graduate programs are offered during the day and evening and weekends.

University of South Carolina-Columbia, Darla Moore School of Business Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required, along with a GPA of 3.0, a GMAT score of 500, and GRE scores of 1200. Most important admissions factors are GMAT results, grades in upper-level courses, and academic accomplishments and ability. A strong mathematics background is not required.

The number of applicants for the 2006-2007 class was 755; 463 were accepted; 331 enrolled. The average GPA was 3.25; average GMAT score was 610. Transfers are accepted. Minority students are actively recruited by annual recruiting at minority schools, annual recruiting at GMAC Destination MBA sessions, select mailings, and liaisons with area minority businesses.

Students may begin the MBA program in the fall and summer. To apply, students must submit an application form, 2 transcripts, GMAT scores, GRE, a nonrefundable application fee of $40, 2 letters of recommendation, a statement of intentions, and a resume. The application deadlines are December 1 for fall entry; February 1, summer. Students are notified on a rolling basis of the admissions decision. The latest acceptable test date for fall entry is January 1. Once accepted, students may defer admission for up to 1 year.

University of South Carolina-Columbia, Darla Moore School of Business Financial Aid

About 97% of graduate business school students receive financial aid from scholarships, loans, and graduate assistantships, for a total average of $23,644 annually; maximum $38,000. Stipends and programs available for minority students include fellowships. The FFS, the school’s own financial statement, and the previous year’s tax return are required. The application deadlines are December 1 for fall entry; February 1, summer.

Tuition for in-state residents is $410 per credit. Nonresidents pay $450 per credit. On-campus room and board costs approximately $13,000; books and supplies, $1000; personal expenses, $3000, for an estimated annual total of $33,000 for in-state residents and $40,500 for out-of-state residents. Graduate student housing is available on campus only for married couples. Off-campus housing is readily available. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

University of South Carolina-Columbia, Darla Moore School of Business Students

Fifty-four percent of the current graduate business school class are enrolled full time; 77% have had an average of 4 years of full-time work experience prior to entering graduate school, a factor preferred by the school. The greatest percentage of students are from the South (73%). Thirty-three percent are women, 12% are minorities, and 15% are foreign nationals. The average age at entrance is 27; ages range from 22 to 46. Twelve percent enter directly from undergraduate school; 14% already have a graduate degree. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 40%, business; 17%, engineering; 11%, math and science; 11%, social sciences; 7%, economics; and 7%, liberal arts. About 2% of entering students leave by the end of the first year due to academic or personal reasons; 98% remain to receive their degree. In 2006, 215 graduate business degrees were awarded.