Business Administration (MBA)

In just one year, you will gain the strategic thinking, problem solving, analytical and leadership skills to to enable you to excel in our competitive business environment. The MBA program combines small, highly interactive classes in key business disciplines at our state-of-the-art Metro Campus in Providence with a required internship and international study to ensure inclusion of practical real-world experience, both at home and on the global stage.

Course Schedule

Spring Semester (Senior Year - current undergraduate students only): 3 Credits

Ethical Leadership of Organizations
(Offered at the Bristol Campus)

Summer Term

Roger’s Review workshop – 3-4 days in August

Fall Semester (Graduate): 12 Credits

Financial and Managerial Accounting (3 credits)
Decision Analysis (3 credits)
Managerial Economics (3 credits)
Decisions in Marketing Management (3 credits)
Ethical Leadership of Organizations* (3 credits) 

Spring Semester (Graduate): 15 Credits

Corporate Finance (3 credits)
Global Business (3 credits)
Strategic Management (3 credits)
Electives (6 credits)

Summer Semester (Graduate): 6 Credits

Internship (3 credits)**
International Experience (3 credits)**

* Only required if students did not complete the Ethical Leadership of Organizations course previously.

** May be completed in alternative semesters, i.e. summer between senior year and MBA year; in January of MBA year; or summer after completion of MBA coursework.

Requirements, Deadlines, & Financial Aid

Application Requirements

Applicants to the MBA program should have an undergraduate degree (or be completing an undergraduate degree) from a regionally-accredited institution. Please contact the Office of Graduate Admission if you have questions about your eligibility.

To apply, applicants must submit the following items to the Office of Graduate Admission:

1. Completed application form and $50 application fee
   An application fee is not required for RWU students. Please contact the Office of Graduate Admission for your fee waiver code. 
2. Letter of Intent (no more than two double-spaced pages) describing your interest in the MBA program, career goals, and how you can positively contribute to the graduate program at Roger Williams University
3. Two (2) letters of recommendation attesting to your potential to succeed in graduate school
4. Official transcripts from all institutions where undergraduate credit was earned. The Office of Graduate Admission will obtain transcripts on behalf of RWU students. Transcripts from other institutions must be official and sealed from the issuing institution and be submitted to the Office of Graduate Admission.

It is recommended that students present at least a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA in order to be considered for admission to the M.B.A. program. While standardized test scores are not required for admission to the program, students may be asked to submit scores to strengthen their applications. 

Each application will be reviewed using a portfolio approach - all parts of the application will be considered, inclusive of grades and trend of grades, letters of recommendation, the letter of intent, and other information that candidates for admission may wish to submit.

Where appropriate, documents should be submitted online through the applicant portal or via email to gradadmit@rwu.edu. Any official documents that must be mailed (i.e. transcripts) should be sent directly to:

Office of Graduate Admission
1 Old Ferry Rd.
Bristol, RI 02809

Have questions about the application process? Visit the How to Apply page from the Office of Graduate Admission.

Priority Application Deadlines

December 1st for undergraduate seniors who wish to take the spring semester course
August 1st for all others for fall 2023 consideration

Applications will be considered after these deadlines on a space available basis. Please contact the Office of Graduate Admission for more information. 

Scholarships and Institutional Aid

All accepted MBA students will be considered for limited scholarships and grants. Scholarships will be made on the basis of academic performance in undergraduate coursework. Limited grant opportunities will be considered for students with demonstrated financial hardship. Awards will be made at the time of application or soon thereafter. 

Offered with the RWU School of Law. 

View our latest virtual session about RWU Dual Degree programs.

Increasingly, individuals are called upon to understand multiple specialized fields that are inclusive of law and business. Familiarity with business concepts is particularly important for those who seek careers in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions and intellectual property, among others. Drawing on the strengths of the Roger Williams University School of Law as well as the Mario J. Gabelli School of Business, RWU offers a concentrated joint degree program for students interested in pursuing a Juris Doctor degree and a Master of Business Administration degree. The dual degree program allows students to complete the Juris Doctor (JD) and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) in an accelerated period of study – within four years, instead of the typical five years.

The MBA program combines classes in core business disciplines at our state-of-the-art Metro Campus in Providence with a required internship and international study to give you practical, real-world experience both at home and on the global stage. With strong connections to the legal and judiciary fields in the heart of Providence, the juris doctor program offers the highest-quality JD degree with classes at the RWU School of Law on our Bristol campus.

To earn the JD/MBA degree students must complete 78 credits at the School of Law and 24 graduate credits in the Gabelli School of Business. The School of Law and the Gabelli School of Business will each accept 12 transfer credits from the other school. The effect of these credit transfers between the School of Law and the School of Business will reduce the overall time needed to complete both degrees from five years to four years or less, assuming continuous, full-time study.

How to Apply

Applicants applying for the Joint JD/MBA degree must be in good standing at the end of their first year of study in the RWU School of Law. Application should be made through the RWU Office of Graduate Admissions. Applications should be submitted sufficiently in advance of the application deadline to assure adequate processing time at both Schools. Student transcripts will be obtained from the School of Law. Applicants must apply to and earn acceptance into both programs separately. Applicants to the JD/MBA program may use their LSAT scores in place of the normally required GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) or GRE (Graduate Record Examination) upon notifying the RWU Office of Graduate Admissions that this is their intent. Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis and using a portfolio approach, wherein all aspects of the application are considered by the admission committee in the Gabelli School of Business.

Apply to the J.D./M.B.A Online

Transferable Course Requirements for the joint JD/MBA Degree Program:

School of Business courses that are transferable to the Law School:

ECON550     Managerial Economics (3 Credits/Fall)
MGMT510   Decision Analysis (3 Credits/Fall)
FNCE 550    Corporate Finance (3 Credits/Spring)
MGMT599   Strategic Management (3 Credits/Spring)*

Joint degree students must also take Roger’s Review in the summer prior to the full matriculation in the MBA Roger’s Review provides a comprehensive overview of functional subjects necessary to MBA course work in fields that include accounting, finance, economics and analytics.

Up to a total of 12 credits of the below Law School courses listed below are transferable to the Business School:

LAW.781        Antitrust (2 or 3 Credits)
LAW.805        Banking Law (3 Credits)
LAW.784        Bankruptcy (3 Credits)
LAW.635        Business Organizations (3 Credits)
LAW.805        Business and Partnership Tax (3 Credits)
LAW.729        Civil Rights (3 Credits)
LSM.888        Climate Change Law and Policy (2 Credits)
LAW.637        Construction Law (2 Credits)
LAW.756        Contract Drafting and Transactional Lawyering (3 Credits)
LAW.604        Contracts I (3 Credits)
LAW.819        Employment Discrimination (3 Credits)
LAW.820        Employment Law (3 Credits)
LAW.647        Federal Income Tax (3 Credits)
LAW.720        Health Law and Policy (3 Credits)
LAW.788        Insurance Law (3 Credits)
LAW.740        Intellectual Property (3 Credits)
LAW.792        International Business Transactions (3 Credits)
LAW.770        International Law (3 Credits)
LAW.822        Labor Law (3 Credits)
LAW.793        Marine Pollution (2 Credits)
LAW.809        Mergers and Acquisitions (3 Credits)
LAW.733        Mediation (3 Credits)
LAW.736        Negotiation (3 Credits)
LSM.744        Patent Law (2 Credits)
LAW.831        Regulatory Compliance (3 credits)
LAW.653        Secured Transactions (3 Credits)
LAW.832        Securities Regulation (3 Credits)*

*Other courses may be substituted with the approval of the Dean of the Business School and the Associate Dean of the School of Law.

For a full listing of juris doctor courses, visit the RWU School of Law site.

Each year, MBA students take advantage of a study abroad experience over Spring Break. The required experience provides students with an opportunity to visit corporations in major international destinations, learn about foreign business practices and regulations, and immerse themselves in local culture. 

Athens, Greece - April 2023

Athens, Greece - April 2022

Beijing, China - March 2019

Panama City, Panama - March 2018

Our students benefit from competitive internship placements and are employed at top organizations throughout the U.S. Here is a sample of where our students have interned and found employment:

Competency Goal 1. Decision Making Competence

MBA students will have a comprehensive understanding of cross-functional business concepts and be able to synthesize and apply these ideas to make sound business decisions.  

Objective 1: students will apply relevant business frameworks/strategies to make effective decisions. 

Competency Goal 2. Responsible Leadership Competence

MBA students will understand the opportunities, challenges, and obligations existing at the intersection of business and society and enact leadership behaviors that enhance the common good.  

Objective 1: students will develop leadership strategies that seek to maximize positive societal impact and firm value.

Competency Goal 3.  Data Analysis and Visualization Competency. 

MBA students will understand contemporary approaches to data analytics and visualization and be able to develop effective business insights through the analysis and visualization of complex data sets. 

Objective 1: Students will apply diverse empirical approaches to analyze complex data sets. 

Objective 2: Students will create effective visualizations from the analysis of complex data sets.

Competency Goal 4.  Managerial Communication Competence

Students will understand and apply best practices in managerial communication across multiple functions of business.   

Objective 1: Students will create functionally-specific professional documents.

Objective 2: Students will create and deliver presentations professionally.  

Competency Goal 5. Global Management Competence

MBA students will understand the complexities of the 21st century global business environments and be able to manage effectively across cultural and economic borders.

Objective 1: Students will develop effective global business strategies. 

Objective 2: Students will demonstrate a globally inclusive managerial mindset.

Open Houses

Open Houses are scheduled on the Bristol Campus every June and November with virtual Open Houses available in January and August. Join us to learn more about your program, the admission process, and financial aid at these informative events with faculty and Graduate Admission staff.

View our upcoming events for the most current opportunities to hear about the MBA program.

Information Sessions

Join us on campus or virtually to learn more about the MBA program from faculty, staff, and current students.

There are no sessions scheduled at this time.

Most current information on Open Houses and Virtual Sessions.