Program Changes FAQ

General:

What are the changes in the Undergraduate Program curriculum?

Why did the Carlson School undertake these ambitious changes?

When will the new Hanson Hall building open?

How will these changes affect tuition and fees?

Who will be held to the new program requirements?

International Experience Requirement:

What opportunities are in place to meet the new international experience requirement?

When will I study abroad?

What length of program abroad will fulfill the international experience requirement?

Will I still be able to graduate in 4 years with this new requirement?

Does the international experience mean that I will need to learn a second language?

Will it be more expensive to attend the Carlson School because of the international experience requirement?

Does financial aid cover study abroad programs?

Will exceptions be allowed for students who do not want to go abroad?

Immersion Core Requirements:

What is the I-Core?

Will larger class sizes (120 students per section) diminish the student experience?

What if I took one of the I-Core courses at another institution?

Will I be able to complete the I-Core as a part-time student?

General:

What are the changes in the Undergraduate Program curriculum?

Four signature experiences will be introduced to students entering the program in fall 2008, including an introductory management course, an immersion core during the second year, an international experience, and a capstone experience at the end of the major.

In addition, a new major in Nonprofit Management was approved by the Regents in July 2007 and is available to students starting in fall 2007. The major, offered in conjunction with the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs was established to meet growing demand in the nonprofit sector of Minnesota.

Why did the Carlson School undertake these ambitious changes?

With the opening of Hanson Hall, one of the premiere undergraduate business facilities in the nation, it was the ideal opportunity to review our curriculum in full by our faculty, get feedback from our peers, and insure that our curriculum was both innovative and meeting the needs faced by undergraduate business students in today’s global economy. As a result of this intense review process, a number of enhancements were made to the curriculum so that the Undergraduate Program is, in fact, one of the premier undergraduate business programs in the nation.

When will the new Hanson Hall building open?

Hanson Hall will open its doors in fall 2008. This state of the art facility will house nine new classrooms, collaborative learning space, the Undergraduate Program office, the Business Career Center, and a tech-savvy computer and student lounge. The building will be connected to the current Carlson School building by skyway.

How will these changes affect tuition and fees?

Tuition costs are the same at the Carlson School of Management as other undergraduate colleges on the Twin Cities campus.

Carlson School students pay a slightly higher Technology and Collegiate fee than students across campus. All money from this fee goes directly back to students to support their undergraduate experience.

The $450/semester fee charged in the 2007-2008 academic year is broken down as follows:

Technology fees ($215/semester) cover the following:

Classroom technology
Computer labs
Help Desk
Printing
Wireless
The Edge
Network Security and Storage
WebCT / Vista
Training classes

Collegiate fees ($235/semester) cover the following:

Newspaper Readership Program
Academic advising services
Business Career Center services
New business development for internship and placement opportunities

Who will be held to the new program requirements?

Students who enter the Carlson School of Management in Fall 2008 will be held to the new program requirements. Students who entered the program as freshmen in Fall 2007 will be held to the revised major requirements, but not the study abroad requirement. All other current students will be held to the program requirements that were in place when they were admitted. It will be important for students to make continued progress toward degree requirements, however, as certain courses may be revised or phased out over the next several years.

International Experience Requirement:

What opportunities are in place to meet the new international experience requirement?

The Carlson School of Management’s International Programs office offers numerous study abroad options for students, including semester exchanges with 15 business schools around the world and short-term global enrichment courses offered overseas. In addition, the University of Minnesota’s Learning Abroad Center offers nearly three hundred short and long term study abroad programs on six continents.

New programs are currently being developed specifically for this requirement. Options for internships abroad are also being explored.

When will I study abroad?

Students may study abroad at any point during their four years. They will work with their advisor to determine the best time in the program for them to go abroad. The “best” time is different for each student and depends upon the academic expectations of the program of interest as well as the student’s readiness.

What length of a program abroad will fulfill the international experience requirement?

Students may meet the requirement with programs that range from 2 weeks up to one year. Students may choose to participate in one of the 2-week options available through the Carlson School such as Managerial Accounting in Argentina or Global Entrepreneurship in China. Students may also apply to spend a semester at one of our 15 exchange partners or a Learning Abroad program. The University of Minnesota also offers several 3-week Global Seminars during May Session.

Will I still be able to graduate in 4 years with this new requirement?

Students are encouraged to work closely with their Carlson advisor and advisors from the Carlson School’s International Programs office and the University’s Learning Abroad Center. With proper planning, coursework taken abroad can be used to fulfill degree requirements.

Does the international experience mean that I will need to learn a second language?

As businesses become more global, knowing a second language is a distinct advantage and students are strongly encouraged to continue with a second language beyond high school. However, many programs overseas are taught in English. Students who are not proficient in a second language are not necessarily limited to studying in England or Australia.

Will it be more expensive to attend the Carlson School because of the international experience requirement?

Tuition costs are the same at the Carlson School of Management as other undergraduate colleges on the Twin Cities campus.

Spending a semester abroad may or may not be more expensive than paying for a semester on campus. The cost of attendance for one semester is calculated as $10,125 for residents and $15,940 for non-residents. Some study abroad programs cost less.

Does financial aid cover study abroad programs?

Most federal and state financial aid will apply toward the cost of study abroad programs. Scholarships are also available through the Carlson School and the Learning Abroad Center to help defray some of the cost.

Will exceptions be allowed for students who do not want to go abroad?

All students will be expected to incorporate an international experience into their academic program at the Carlson School. Students with extenuating circumstances will be handled on an individual basis.

Immersion Core Requirements:

What is the I-Core?

The Immersion Core includes courses in strategy, marketing, finance, and operations and will be taken together as part of a cohort during spring semester of the sophomore year. This leading edge program is based on the MBA model of education and provides a more coordinated experience for students as well as an opportunity for faculty to collaborate and manage course expectations.

Will larger class sizes (120 students per section) diminish the student experience?

Before making the decision to move to larger section enrollment limits, several members of the Carlson School faculty participated in a research project testing instructional methods and classroom management techniques for these sections. The results showed that student satisfaction with instruction and student self-assessment of learning remained the same, or in some cases increased, when compared with the smaller enrollment sections.

In addition, while the Carlson core courses will be taught in sections with 120 students, we are still well below the average course enrollment for similar classes at peer business colleges and universities.

Upper division courses in the majors will continue to be offered in smaller sections.

What if I took one of the I-Core courses at another institution?

Students who are planning to apply for transfer to the Carlson School are strongly encouraged not to complete one of the four I-Core courses prior to transfer. The I-Core is a signature experience in the program and we want our transfer students to have the same experience in the program as the students who start at freshmen.

I work full time and can only take one to two classes each semester. Will I be able to complete the I-Core as a part-time student?

The University of Minnesota has a 13 credit minimum policy. The I-Core is 12 credits. Students who are currently enrolled at the Carlson School of Management and have an approved part-time status will be accommodated on an individual basis and may be able to take non-Carlson School sections of the courses to meet the requirement. New students should plan to progress through the program as a full-time student and will be expected to complete the 12 credit I-Core.