MBA ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

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1 MBA ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

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3 ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 1. Introduction This document sets out the policies and procedures governing participation in the full-time MBA Program at IESE Business School. Participation in the Program implies acceptance of these rules. To ensure the smooth running of the program, participants must be familiar with the content of this document. 2. Mission and Objectives of the MBA Program The MBA degree is awarded to students who have the knowledge, skills, attitudes and personal qualities necessary to serve as a foundation on which to build a solid career as a manager. This implies that candidates must progress in the following three areas: Knowledge about management i.e., functional areas such as Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Leadership and Ethics, Supply Chain Management, and other functional areas required to do the work of a manager. Managers must know about their job. The skills needed to perform managerial tasks i.e., teamwork, communication, open-mindedness, etc. that enable a manager to put acquired knowledge into practice. Managers must know how to do their job. Personal qualities, such as professionalism, cultural awareness, maturity and motivation, combining a high sense of responsibility, honesty and a desire to serve others. Managers must have integrity. MBA PROGRAM

4 3. Administrative Structure 3.1 The MBA Committee Responsibility for the running of the MBA Program lies with the MBA Committee: Director Prof. Franz Heukamp Executive Director Elena Liquete Academic Director, MBA-I Prof. Alejandro Lago Academic Director, MBA-II Prof. Carlos García Pont The Executive Director is responsible for all non-academic issues. 3.2 Section Heads It is the responsibility of the Section Heads to ensure that the Program runs smoothly within their sections. For this purpose, they hold periodic meetings with team mentors and faculty in their areas, to monitor progress and receive suggestions. Elena Liquete Amalia Colom Monica van der Kroon Head of Sections A and B Head of Section C Head of Section D 3.3 Teamwork, Team Mentors and Facilitators During the first year each student is assigned to a team. That team meets daily to discuss the day s cases and to work on projects. The teams are designed to ensure professional, cultural, and linguistic diversity. Regular and punctual attendance of team meetings is an overriding obligation, part of the level of professionalism expected and an essential requirement for achieving the objectives of the MBA Program. It is the team s responsibility to ensure that it functions as a cohesive unit, with all students contributing in a mutually supportive environment. Each team is assigned a Team Mentor. The Team Mentor is a member of the IESE faculty and/or management. The role of the team mentor is to monitor the progress of team members in developing the attributes mentioned in point 2 above and to advise students on how to get the most out of the Program. Each team is also assigned a Facilitator. The Facilitator is a second-year student who voluntarily wants to help a first-year team during the first weeks of the Program. The facilitator shares best practices of team work with the assigned team, provides useful information and serves as a link to second-year students. 2 IESE BUSINESS SCHOOL

5 3.4 Communication with Professors To achieve the Program s objectives, there must be an unrestricted flow of communication between students and faculty. It is the responsibility of the students to speak with their professors directly to clarify concepts, discuss their academic performance and seek advice. 4. Academic Structure of the Program The first year of the MBA Program is made up of core courses taught over three terms. In the second year, students choose elective courses taught over two terms. At the end of the first year students have the opportunity to complete a Corporate Internship. The International Exchange Program takes place in the first term of the second year. 4.1 FIRST-YEAR Requirements Students in the first year of the Program must complete all the courses. In addition, there is a minimum academic performance, measured by grades, described in point (5.2) below. 4.2 Corporate Internship The Corporate Internship is an important part of the Program as it allows students to put into practice the knowledge acquired during the first year, to gain relevant work experience, and to further develop their abilities as managers. It exposes students to different functions and/or industries and frequently results in an employment offer. The Corporate Internship is a requirement for all students. 4.3 Second-Year Requirements During the second year, students are required to take five credits in each of the two terms. Credits taken in one term do not compensate credits taken in the other. Full information on courses and dates is available on the Global Campus. Students are assigned to courses using a bidding system based on preferences and points. 4.4 International Exchange Program The International Exchange Program takes place during the first term of the second year and is supervised by the MBA Committee. During the second term of the first year, students will be informed about participating schools, number of places available and conditions for obtaining a place. The selection is based on academic performance, language proficiency, and specific requirements of the host school, if any. MBA PROGRAM

6 4.5 Bilingual MBA Requirements The school awards the MBA Degree or the Bilingual MBA Degree. In order to qualify for the Bilingual MBA Degree, students must do the following: Non-native Spanish speakers should have passed or be exempted of the Spanish language examination (DIEN). All students should have taken a minimum of two credits taught in Spanish with at least a B in both. When in doubt, the Director of the Business Spanish Unit will determine who qualifies as a native Spanish speaker. When these conditions are met, students are awarded the Bilingual MBA Degree instead of the MBA Degree. 4.6 Changes to the Program IESE has the right to change the courses offered (as, for example, new courses are developed and existing courses are reviewed or substituted) and to cancel 2 nd year courses with less than 20 enrolled students. 5. Academic Rules 5.1 Grades First Year: At the end of each course, professors give each student a grade, ranging from A to C: A s are given to students who perform in the upper 15% of the class. Professors may decrease this percentage if they consider it appropriate, after consultation with the MBA Committee. C s are given to students who perform in the lower 10% of the class. Professors may increase this percentage if they consider it appropriate, after consultation with the MBA Committee. B s are given to students who have not received either an A or a C. Professors, at their discretion, may award the grades B+ and B- to indicate that a student has completed the course in the upper or lower range of the B s, respectively. Second Year: During the second year, an A is given to the top 20% of the class. A C is given to those in the lower 10% of the class. Professors, at their discretion, may award the grades B+ 4 IESE BUSINESS SCHOOL

7 and B- to indicate that a student has completed the course in the upper or lower range of the B s, respectively Minimum Academic Requirements First Year: Students who receive three or more credit-equivalent C s in any given term will be placed on probation and warned of poor academic performance. And accumulation of 6 credit C s during the first year may lead to dismissal from the Program. Corporate Internship: Non-fulfillment of Corporate Internship contracts or serious misconduct affecting the professional relation will initiate an Academic Evaluation Process (see point 5.7). Second Year: Students who receive three or more credit-equivalent C s in any given term will be placed on probation and warned about their poor academic performance. When this happens in the last term of the second year, the student may be asked to repeat the term and will therefore not graduate with his or her class. 5.3 Class Attendance Class attendance is compulsory and recorded daily. In the case of unavoidable absences, students should inform the professor and the MBA Office. It is the student s responsibility to make up for any missed work. Any student who accumulates 20% of absences in any given course will receive an Incomplete for that course independently of the academic grade awarded by the professor in the course. Two or more Incompletes in one term or three or more Incompletes in the first year will trigger an Academic Evaluation Process. This Process will also be initiated when a student misses more than 15% of the classes in a given term. It is the responsibility of the MBA Committee (and not of the course professor) to evaluate each Incomplete. The Commitee can ask any student with an Incomplete grade to do some remedial work or attend specific courses in the second year. When these remedial conditions have been completed to the satisfaction of the MBA Committee, the Incomplete grade will be substituted by the academic grade awarded to the student. Failure to complete the remedial work or follow the Commitee instructions will automatically trigger an Academic Evaluation Process. For the purpose of the Exchange Program, any unresolved Incomplete grade shall have the same consideration as a C. MBA PROGRAM

8 5.4 Behavior in Examinations Students must take all examinations required for each course as they are an integral part of the Program. Examinations are conducted according to the following standards: Communication between students during exams is forbidden, as is collaboration with other students in written exams unless otherwise stated by the professor. No books or notes are allowed in exams unless otherwise stated by the professor, and then only within the limits set by him/her. Should a student wish to quote contents from materials that are not self-originated, he or she must cite the source clearly. Otherwise, it may be considered as plagiarism. This applies to textbooks, periodicals and other published sources, as well as articles posted on the Internet. Failure to comply with these rules amounts to dishonesty and is unfair to the other students. It will therefore be considered serious misconduct that will result in the opening of an Academic Evaluation Process, which may lead to the student being asked to leave the Program. 5.5 General Conduct As a sign of professionalism and respect towards professors, guest speakers and classmates, students must refrain from eating and drinking in class, except water. Walking out of class in the middle of a session should be avoided except in extraordinary circumstances. If students anticipate that they will need to leave the classroom before the end of the session, he/she should notify the professor or guest speaker before the session begins. Mobile phones must be turned off during classroom sessions. Laptop computers may be taken into the classroom but their use during a session must be specifically allowed by the professor. The use of computers in class for non-course-related work is not allowed. The appropriate dress-code for class attendance is business casual, as corresponds to a business setting. Career events, interviews and other IESE events usually require formal business attire. 5.6 Leave of absence If a student needs to interrupt the normal two-year course of study, he or she must request a leave of absence in writing from the Executive Director of the MBA, and indicate the reason for the request and the length of the anticipated absence. Depending on the circumstances, a leave of absence may be granted for up to two years. Leave of absence is only granted to students with a good academic standing. 6 IESE BUSINESS SCHOOL

9 5.7 Academic Evaluation Process (AEP) The MBA Committee is responsible for ensuring that the Program s rules are consistently applied. An unsatisfactory academic performance, absenteeism (point 5.2 and point 5.3), or serious misconduct (points 5.4 and 5.5) may initiate an AEP. In cases of unsatisfactory academic performance or incompletes, the MBA Committee may ask the student to take a comprehensive examination at the end of the first year. The examination date can be found in the Academic Year Calendar and is usually one week after the third-term final exams. If the MBA Committee stipulates that a student must take the exam, but he or she fails to do so, the student may be dismissed from the Program. When conducting the evaluation process, the MBA Committee will take into account the academic record and the views of the student s mentor and section head. The reasons behind the absences that lead to the Incomplete courses will also be considered. The MBA Committee may bring additional members to its deliberations as required. In cases of serious misconduct, and as part of the AEP, the MBA Committee will ask the student to explain the circumstances of the perceived misconduct. Failure to do so may lead to a recommendation that the student leaves the Program. The AEP may conclude with an unconditional or a conditional continuation of the student in the Program, or with a recommendation to the Executive Committee of IESE that the student leaves the Program. 5.8 APPEALS Any student who is subject to an AEP or has been dismissed due to academic reasons may appeal the decision by petitioning the MBA Committee. Students are entitled to one appeal during their tenure at the IESE. If reinstatement is granted but the conditions are not satisfied within a specified period of time, dismissal is automatic and not subject to further appeal. Appeals should be made within three days of the communication of the MBA Committee s decision and sent in writing to the MBA Office. The appeal is made to the Executive Committee of IESE which will designate an ad-hoc Committee of no less than three Faculty Members to resolve it. 5.9 Financial Matters Tuition fees for the Academic Year have been set at C36,600. In order to confirm their placement in the program students must pay an initial tuition deposit of C15,000. The full balance of the tuition fee for all students is due by October 30, MBA PROGRAM

10 Tuition fees for the second year of the Program (Academic Year ) are also set at C36,600 and will be due in full by October 30, The tuition fee includes printed materials (cases, outlines and other support material; text books are not included) required for the MBA Program as well as a health insurance policy. Students who withdraw from the program to rejoin at a later date must pay the fees effective the year they rejoin the Program. Students who fail to pay the tuition fees by the due date without any plausible explanation or payment plan may lose the rights they would otherwise have as participants in the MBA Program Student visas It is the students responsibility to ensure that they have the legal right to study in Spain. While the MBA Office will do all it can to facilitate the process, each student is responsible for fulfilling Spanish immigration requirements. 6. Standards of Professional Ethics and Behavior Each and every one who works at IESE (students, faculty and staff) is expected to conform to high standards of professional ethics and honesty. This will be manifested by, among other things, respect for people and property and truthfulness in all that we do. We take for granted that all students will respond to the highest standards of ethical behavior in particular in their course assignments, class preparations and examinations. Misconduct in this, or equally serious matters, will trigger an Academic Evaluation Process. 7. IESE s Image All sessions taught by IESE s faculty or given by speakers within any of the IESE Programs are property of IESE Business School. Video or audio recording and the taking of photos of any IESE session is not allowed unless expressly authorized by IESE Business School for academic, marketing or media purposes. Prior approval from the MBA Committee is required to publish, on a website or in any other media, any material in which IESE s brand or image is displayed. 8 IESE BUSINESS SCHOOL

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