Course Overload
Questrom School of Business Policy
Undergraduate
Each student has a maximum unit limit, and the University applies a per-unit tuition fee to students who register for units above their maximum unit limit. Full-time first-year students, sophomores, and juniors have a maximum unit limit of 18 units, and students with senior standing (96 or more units completed) have a maximum unit limit of 20 units. Undergraduate students should discuss their term workload and course overload plans with their Academic Advisor. Students on academic probation are strongly discouraged from overloading.
The Questrom Registrar’s Office increases the maximum unit limit for Questrom students in the following circumstances:
- Executive Skills Seminars: Students’ maximum unit limit is increased by one unit if they are registered for QST ES 110, ES 210, or ES 310, and by two units if they are registered for ES 215.
- QST SM 132: Students’ maximum unit limit is increased by two units if they are registered for QST SM 132 for the first time.
- Honors Program Seminars: Students’ maximum unit limit is increased by two units if they are registered for SM 450, SM 453, SM 454, SM 455, or SM 456, or by four units if they are registered for SM 460.
- GPA of 3.30 or Higher: Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher can enroll in up to 20 units, or 21 units if they are enrolled in an Executive Skills Seminar, without incurring any additional tuition charges by submitting the Tuition Waiver for Course Overload form.
- SM 395: Students’ maximum unit limit is increased by .5 units if they are registered for SM 395 Management Internship.
Graduate
Course Overload Approval—Full-Time MBA Program
Standard full-time tuition covers 12–18 units per term. All full-time students can automatically take up to 18 units per term. Overloading is registering for more than 18 units in a term. Every additional unit beyond 18 units will incur per-unit charges. If a student’s program units a student to take a course load beyond 18 units, the student will automatically be granted an overload covering the additional charges. Please note that there are different overload policies varying by program and start date. If the following conditions are met, charges for a course overload may be waived:
- Student is in last two terms of program.
- Student has cumulative Questrom GPA of 2.70 or higher.
In order for the additional charges to be waived, the student must submit a Course Overload Tuition Waiver form to the MBA Center. See chart below for overload unit limits.
|
2nd-Year Fall Term Prescribed Curriculum |
2nd-Year Fall Term Potential Max Units |
2nd-Year Spring Term |
2nd-Year Spring Term |
|
| Full-Time MBA | 15.5 units | 18 units (an extra 2.5 units is already built in) | 12 units | 18 units (an extra 6 units is already built in) |
| MSDT•MBA | 18.5 units | 19 units (automatic overload) | 15 units | 18 units (an extra 3 units is already built in) |
*Please note that we will consider an additional one-unit overload (beyond what is outlined above) if you are registered for QST IM 885 or because you are taking a 4-unit graduate elective at another BU program. To overload for an additional unit for one of these reasons, please submit the overload form on the Graduate Programs website.
Course Overload Approval—PEMBA Program
Students may register for up to 11.5 units in a given term to be considered in part-time enrollment status. The normal course load for PEMBA students is between 3 and 9 units per term. Students who have been enrolled part time since they began the PEMBA Program may register for 12 units in their last term of study and pay by the unit (instead of paying the full-time tuition rate). To take advantage of this payment arrangement, students should notify their advisor in writing. Part-time students should be aware that enrolling in a full-time course load, even at 12 units during their last term, will have an impact on payment options and plans available to them.
MS in Mathematical Finance & Financial Technology
Mathematical Finance & Financial Technology students take 13 units in the fall term and 13 units in the spring term of their first year. They may participate in an internship in the summer between the first and second years and take 13 units in the fall of their second year.
Standard full-time tuition covers 12–18 units per term. All full-time students can automatically take up to 18 units per term with permission from the Executive Director of the program. Overloading is registering for more than 18 units in a term. Every additional unit beyond 18 units will incur per-unit charges.
Students who are not in good academic standing (Questrom GPA below 2.70) may not register for more than their prescribed curriculum (13 units) in any given term.
MS in Business Analytics
Business Analytics students take specific BA courses and units each term. Standard full-time tuition covers 12–18 units per term. Students need permission from the Faculty Director to take additional courses at the University.
Students who are not in good academic standing (Questrom GPA below 2.70) may not register for more than their prescribed curriculum in any given term.
MS in Management Studies
MS in Management Studies students take 18 units in the fall term and 18 units in the spring term. Standard full-time tuition covers 12–18 units per term. All full-time students can automatically take up to 18 units per term. Overloading is registering for more than 18 units in a term. Every additional unit beyond 18 units will incur per-unit charges.
Students who are not in good academic standing may not register for more than their prescribed curriculum (18 units) in any given term.
PhD in Mathematical Finance and PhD in Business Administration & Management
Doctoral students must have their faculty mentor’s permission to register for more than 18 units in a given term. Every additional unit above 18 will incur per-unit charges.
Charges for the course overload up to 20 units are waived if at least one of the following conditions is met:
- The student’s cumulative grade point average is 3.70 or higher.
- The student wants to register for a fifth course (up to 20 units) in their last term of required PhD courses.
