MS in Administrative Studies

NOTE: This site is an archive of 2011–2012 programs and policies at Boston University Metropolitan College. If you are looking for current information about Metropolitan College and its programs, please go to our official website: www.bu.edu/met.

The Master of Science in Administrative Studies (MSAS) is a multidisciplinary program designed to provide the opportunity for focused graduate study in one of five specialized or industry-specific areas of interest. Each of the concentrations will allow students to develop creativity, global awareness, communication skills, and the ability to use technology to increase productivity and efficiency.

Concentrations

• Economic Development & Tourism Management
• Electronic Commerce, Systems & Technology
• Financial Economics
• Innovation & Technology
• Multinational Commerce

To prosper in business today, you must have the flexibility to embrace rapid change, and a commitment to continued education and specialization. The MSAS degree is best suited to those who have gained an understanding of their profession’s general skills and abilities, and who are seeking advanced specialized education. It is important to note that the program’s specialized nature is different in its goal and scope from a master’s degree in business administration (the MBA), which is designed to provide individuals with a general overview of management skills and abilities.

Vision

The Department of Administrative Sciences responds to the educational needs of students by providing industry-specific academic programs that are innovative, scholarly, challenging, interdisciplinary, and practically focused. We design these programs to incorporate the technologies necessary so they can be delivered at times and places, and in formats, that meet a wide array of needs. Our teaching mission is to produce critical and innovative thinkers—broad in perspective, international in attitude, skilled in communications—who are competent, capable, and comfortable in their ability to make decisions either alone or in teams, and practiced in using the tools necessary to compete in their specialization. We prepare students to succeed in a global environment, within a professional and ethical framework.

An Array of Programs

The Administrative Sciences department offers international diplomas, certificates, and online programs, in addition to the MSAS.

The MSAS concentrations that include the appropriate Project Management courses are accredited by the Project Management Institute’s Global Accreditation Center.

Classes are held on Boston University’s Charles River Campus as well as in foreign locations with our international partner universities in Spain, Mexico, Korea, and Turkey, providing valuable opportunities to engage with students and scholars in those countries.

Dual Concentration Option

This is a unique opportunity for students to obtain additional specialized knowledge by completing two Administrative Studies concentrations. Students can qualify for a second concentration by completing (1) the prerequisites, (2) the concentration requirements for each concentration, and (3) a minimum of three additional concentration courses (15 concentration courses). The exact number of courses needed may be more than 15 depending on the student’s concentrations and the courses selected.

Dual Degree Option

Actuarial Science, Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, or Telecommunication with Administrative Studies.

Appreciating the converging nature of management skills and technology, the Administrative Sciences department has a special relationship with Metropolitan College’s Computer Science and Actuarial Science departments. Students in either program are able to apply 8 credit hours from one degree toward a second degree, thereby reducing their coursework on the second degree by two courses. Students must be accepted independently by appropriate departments, but they may request that application materials, such as references and transcripts, be forwarded from their initial program to their second.

Prerequisites

All students must demonstrate proficiency in mathematical skills for management by taking MET AD 510 Mathematics for Management.

International students are required to demonstrate proficiency in written and oral English skills. International students must take MET AD 501 Business Communications for International Students unless waived by the department.

Department courses to satisfy the prerequisites are:

• MET AD 501 Business Communications for International Students (4 cr)
• MET AD 510 Mathematics for Management (2 cr)

Waiver Policy

A waiver exam is available for AD 510 (Mathematics for Management). Students must take this waiver exam prior to the start of classes or must sign up for AD 510 in the first semester.

Admission Information

In order to determine suitability for the Master of Science in Administrative Studies program, the Administrative Sciences department reviews each student’s academic background in relationship to their current professional standing. Candidates for admission to the MSAS degree program must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution; they are selected on the basis of academic transcripts, academic and personal references, and, in some cases, interviews.

Degree candidates have six years to complete the program from the date of their first course.

To apply for admission to the Master of Science in Administrative Studies program, contact the Department of Administrative Sciences at 617-353-3016 or adminsc@bu.edu, or visit www.bu.edu/met/admissions.

International Applicants

Applicants who require an I-20 from Boston University must submit an International Student Data Form, along with financial and other documentation as required by the International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO). Since financial aid is not available to foreign students, each international applicant will be asked to provide a financial declaration showing adequate funding for both tuition and living expenses for the duration of the program. All credentials must be submitted in English. International students must submit copies of a current or recently issued visa or I-20 documentation. Boston University will not issue an I-20 without this information. Additional information may be obtained by visiting bu.edu/isso.

International students must demonstrate an understanding of English, including the ability to read and write with proficiency. Students whose native language is not English must submit the following:

• The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-Based Test (iBT) with a minimum total score of 84 and minimum scores in each section as follows: Reading–21; Listening–18; Speaking–23; Writing–22

Visit the TOEFL website for more information. Information may also be obtained at United States embassies or consulates. The institutional code for Boston University’s Department of Administrative Sciences is 9034. Students who have completed four years of study in the United States, earning a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, may have the language testing requirement waived. Students who do not meet the minimum iBT requirement may wish to contact Boston University’s Center for English Language & Orientation Programs (CELOP) for further information. Call 617-353-4870.

Financial Assistance

The Metropolitan College Graduate Financial Aid office offers comprehensive financial aid services to graduate students, including assistantships, Federal Stafford Loans, and Graduate Plus Loans.

Financial assistance is not available to international students.

To learn more, call 617-358-3993, email finanaid@bu.edu, or visit bu.edu/met/financial_aid.

Transfer of Credits

A maximum of two graduate-level courses (eight credits), completed with a grade of B+ or better and not used toward another degree, may be transferred from an accredited university with approval from the Administrative Sciences department. The courses must have been completed no more than two years prior to matriculation. To request transfer of credits to the MSAS, students must fill out a transfer of credit form and attach all pertinent information.

Part-time students who hold a bachelor’s degree, but have not yet applied as degree candidates, may enroll in a maximum of two courses on a space-available basis. Please note that only two courses taken prior to acceptance into the MSAS program will be counted toward the degree.

Good Standing

No grade lower than B- may be applied toward degree, certificate, or diploma requirements. Students with less than a 3.0 cumulative GPA will be placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation must make satisfactory progress toward achieving a minimum of 3.0 by the following semester, and must be in a position to graduate with a 3.0 or better within the remaining program courses. While grades of B or B- are considered passing, these grades will not assist in raising an unsatisfactory GPA to a satisfactory level. Therefore, students must obtain a minimum grade of B+ during a probation period.

Students who, in the determination of the department and based on past academic performance, are not in a position to raise their GPA to the necessary level to graduate within the remaining courses will be dismissed from the program. Students who have not removed themselves from academic probation after one semester for full-time status (three semesters for part-time status) will be dismissed from the program.