Professional Evening MBA (PEMBA)
Students are admitted to the Professional Evening MBA (PEMBA) Program in one of the following: General Management, Health Sector Management, Public & Nonprofit Management, or a dual degree program offered in conjunction with another Boston University school or college.
Once enrolled, students have the opportunity to formally concentrate in Entrepreneurship, Finance, International Management, Marketing, Operations & Technology Management, or Strategy & Business Analysis. Students who wish to graduate with a formal concentration must complete a concentration enrollment form through the appropriate department. General Management PEMBA students wishing to join either the Health Sector Management program or the Public & Nonprofit Management program should meet with their advisors to obtain application materials.
Curriculum Options
The Graduate School of Management offers Single-Degree PEMBA Programs (Self-Paced, Cohorted, BU North, Health Sector Management, and Public & Nonprofit Management programs) and Dual-Degree PEMBA Programs (MBA/MA in International Relations, MBA/JD, and MBA/MS in Manufacturing Engineering).
The PEMBA curriculum is comprised of a minimum of 64 credits, 40 of which must come from the following:
- 36 required core credits
- 2 required Law & Ethics credits
- 2 required Executive Skills credits (one Executive Communication course and Managing Career Growth).
All incoming students are required to attend PEMBA Orientation, which appears on the first semester schedule as MG 600: MBA Challenge.
There is some flexibility regarding completion of the remaining 24 credits.
Please note: ALL students are required to complete the MBA program within a six-year time frame.
Required Courses for All PEMBA Students
Core—36 cr
- OB 712 Managing Organizations and People
- AC 711 Financial Reporting and Control
- FE 722 Financial Management
- MK 724 Marketing Management
- QM 717 Data Analysis for Managerial Decision-making
- FE 730 Economics and Management Decisions
- IS 711 IT Strategies for Networked Economy
- OM 726 Creating Value through Operations and Technology
- SI 715 Competition, Innovation, and Strategy*
Law & Ethics—2 cr
- PL 700 Current Topics in Law and Ethics
Executive Skills—2 cr
- ES 701 Executive Written Communication or ES 700 Executive Presentation
- ES 707 Managing Career Growth
*Must be taken after completion of OB 712, AC 711, MK 724, and OM 726
Single Degree Programs
Cohorted PEMBA—64 cr
In the Cohorted program, students move through the first five core curriculum courses and ES 707 with the same group of students. The cohort experience enhances the role of teams and continuity of content between courses. Students are automatically enrolled in three courses for the Fall Semester, two courses for the Spring Semester, and one course during the first summer session.
Students must follow the prescribed curriculum to remain in the cohort. However, the program does allow one (and only one) core course to be waived either by licensure (CPA or CFA) or by examination.
Since cohorted students take five of their core courses before their electives, it is important to build a relationship with the Graduate Programs Office advisor to plan out the best elective program to fit their professional goals.
Self-paced PEMBA—64 cr
We strongly advise that all PEMBA students follow the sequence of courses presented on the curriculum map, as it promotes the program’s goals. Not all core courses are offered year-round, and only a limited number of courses are offered during the summer.
Health Sector Management Curriculum—64 cr
40 credits come from the required Core, Law & Ethics, and Executive Skills classes. (See Required Courses above.)
Requirements and Electives—12 cr
- HM 703 Health Sector Issues and Opportunities
- HM 710 Health Service Delivery or HM 7171 Drugs, Devices, and Diagnostics
- Two HSM elective courses (3 cr each)
General Electives—12 cr
Four elective courses at 3 credits each or any combination of approved GSM coursework totaling 12 credits. This can include GSM electives, approved graduate electives from other schools at BU, or directed studies.
Public & Nonprofit Management Curriculum—64 cr
40 credits come from the required Core, Law & Ethics, and Executive Skills classes. (See Required Courses above.)
Requirements and Electives—12 cr
- AC 840 Nonprofit Financial Accounting
- Three PNP elective courses (3 cr each)
General Electives—12 cr
Four elective courses at 3 credits each or any combination of approved GSM coursework totaling 12 credits. This can include GSM electives, approved graduate electives from other schools at BU, or directed studies.
PNP-track students are required to complete a 300-hour paid internship in a public, private, or nonprofit organization. PEMBA students may waive the internship requirement with applicable work experience, pending permission of the PNP faculty director.
BU North PEMBA Curriculum—64 cr
| Year 1 (22 cr) | Fall | Spring | Summer |
| Managing Organizations and People | 4 | ||
| Financial Reporting and Control | 4 | ||
| Managing Career Growth | 1 | ||
| Data Analysis for Managerial Decision-making | – | 4 | |
| Marketing Management | – | 4 | |
| Financial Management | – | – | 4 |
| Executive Written Communication or Executive Presentation | _ | _ | 1 |
| Year 2 (21 cr) | |||
| Creating Value Through Operations and Technology | 4 | ||
| Economics and Management Decisions | 4 | ||
| IT Strategies for a Networked Economy | 4 | ||
| Competition, Innovation, and Strategy | 4 | ||
| Elective | 3 | ||
| Business Law and Ethics | 2 | ||
| Year 3 (15 or 21 cr) | |||
| Elective | 3 | ||
| Employer Consulting Project Part I and/or Elective | 3/6 | ||
| Employer Consulting Project Part II and/or Elective | 3/6 | ||
| Elective | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | ||
| Year 4 (0 or 6 cr) | |||
| Employer Consulting Project Part I or Elective | 3 | ||
| Employer Consulting Project Part II or Elective | 3 | ||
| Total: 64 cr |
The BU North PEMBA Program is a four-year cohorted MBA program. BU North PEMBA students considering taking a course at the Boston campus must consult with their advisor. Students begin elective courses in year three. During years three and four, students have flexibility in scheduling electives. Year three can range from 15 to 21 credits and year four can range from 0 to 6 credits. Students have an option of enrolling in SI 831 and SI 832, the Employer Consulting Project.
Since the BU North program is sequenced and cohorted, students are required to meet with their advisor or the program director before dropping a course. Dropping a course can have a significant impact on the successful completion of the program.
Dual Degree Programs
40 credits must be completed in residence at the School of Management and consist of the required Core, Law & Ethics, and Executive Skills classes. Students who waive core courses are required to take an additional SMG elective. If any SMG course is counted toward the other degree program, the course must be replaced with a SMG elective. Please contact your advisor for MBA degree requirements.
Dual degree candidates must fulfill the degree and residency requirements of both schools. Dual degrees available to PEMBA students include:
MBA/MA in International Relations
For information on the MA portion of the degree, please contact the Department of International Relations in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at 617-353-9349 or irgrad@bu.edu.
MBA/JD in Law Management
For information on the JD portion of the degree, please contact the School of Law at 617-353-3100 or bulawadm@bu.edu.
MBA/JD in Health Law Management
For information on the JD portion of the degree, please contact the School of Law at 617-353-3100 or bulawadm@bu.edu.
MBA/MS in Manufacturing Engineering
For information on the MS portion of the degree, please contact the College of Engineering at 617-353-2670 or mfg@bu.edu.
Degree Completion
Single Degree MBA
To qualify for the MBA degree, students (except for dual-degree students) must:
- Complete all required courses (MBA core courses, Law and Ethics, Executive Skills courses, and any additional requirements, such as internships required for some Public and Nonprofit Management students) and approved electives for a total of 64 credits. A student may transfer and/or waive no more than the equivalent of 24 credits. At least 40 credits must be taken at the Boston University School of Management. Note that 1-credit Curricular Practical Training (CPT) courses for international students cannot be used to satisfy MBA degree requirements. PDP (physical education) courses also cannot be used to satisfy MBA degree requirements.
- Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.70;
- Have no “I” grades;
- Have no “MG” grades.
Dual Degrees
To qualify for the MBA degree, students enrolled in a dual degree program must:
- Fulfill the requirement of at least 40 credits in the PEMBA Program. If any credits are transferred or waived by exam, additional elective credits must be taken to satisfy the 40-credit residency requirement. Note that 1-credit Curricular Practical Training (CPT) courses for international students cannot be used to satisfy MBA degree requirements. PDP (physical education) courses also cannot be used to satisfy MBA degree requirements.
- Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.70 in the MBA portion of the program;
- Have no “I” grades;
- Have no “MG” grades.
Academic Performance Review
The Graduate Programs Office monitors students’ academic performance at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters. A student must maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.70 (on a 4.0 scale) to be in good academic standing (i.e., to graduate). Coursework taken outside the Boston University School of Management will not be calculated into the student’s CGPA.
PEMBA students are not permitted to take additional credits to improve their CGPA beyond the semester in which they have completed their degree requirements.
Students should be aware that their CGPA can also affect eligibility for continuing financial aid, including scholarships and loans. Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress (at least a 2.70 CGPA) in order to be eligible for continued Federal loan funding.
Single degree PEMBA students
The MBA Faculty Program Development Committee (PDC) has final responsibility for decisions regarding PEMBA students with poor academic performance. The Committee determines whether students will be permitted to stay in the PEMBA Program, and if so, what specific steps must be taken to regain good academic standing. Students with a CGPA below 2.70 after the fall, spring, or summer terms may be referred to the MBA PDC for review.
After 18 credits completed, PEMBA students with a CGPA less than 2.30 will be withdrawn from the PEMBA Program. PEMBA students with a CGPA between 2.30 and 2.69 after 18 credits may be dropped from the program or receive a written warning with recommendations for improvement.
After 36 credits completed, students with a CGPA less than 2.30 will be automatically withdrawn from the PEMBA Program.
Dual degree PEMBA students
Dual degree students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.70 (on a 4.0 scale) in the MBA portion of the dual degree program to be in good academic standing. The MBA Program Development Committee (PDC) reviews students’ academic records when their GPA is below 2.70 at the midpoint (20 credits) in the PEMBA curriculum (including “W” grades), if a student has a grade point average that is 2.30 or lower after 18 attempted credits (including “W” grades), or at their discretion. Coursework taken outside the Boston University School of Management will not be calculated into the student’s cumulative grade point average.
Dual degree students whose CGPA is less than 2.30 at the midpoint (20 credits) in the PEMBA portion of their dual degree curriculum will be automatically withdrawn from the PEMBA portion of their dual degree program.
The PDC has final responsibility for decisions regarding dual degree PEMBA students with poor academic performance. The Committee determines whether students will be permitted to stay in the MBA portion of the dual degree program, and if so, what specific steps must be taken to regain good academic standing.
