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Graduate School of Business Administration

Home|Current Students|Waiver Policy/Exams

Waiver Policy/Exams

Waiver Policy

The Fordham Graduate School of Business faculty has designed prerequisite courses and a core curriculum that ensure each student learns the basic concepts and skills necessary to successfully complete the Graduate School of Business program. However, waivers from some of these courses may be granted based on coursework taken at the undergraduate or graduate level or a demonstrated proficiency in a particular discipline.

Students can qualify for waivers in two ways:

With prior coursework waivers if they have already taken coursework covering similar content, or
If they pass a waiver examination
Certified Public Accountants receive an automatic waiver from “Fundamentals of Accounting” and “Business Law” (A copy of your CPA license is required.)
JD/MBA students and lawyers receive a waiver from “Business Law I”

Prior Coursework Waivers

Coursework that qualifies a student for a course waiver must:

Be completed at an AACSB-accredited school,
Have a grade of “B” or better, AND
Have been taken in the last six (6) years
If from an undergraduate program, then there must be two courses of similar content
If from a graduate program, then it must be at least one course of similar or like content

At the time of admission, a Waiver Sheet will be mailed to you with your admissions package. The Waiver Sheet will list all your pre-approved waivers outlined with a “W,” meaning waived course. Required courses will be denoted by an “R,” meaning required.

Possible Courses to be Waived

Prerequisite Courses

Math Methods for Business
Statistics
Managerial Economics

Core Courses

Fundamentals of Accounting
Business Law
Fundamentals of Management
Marketing Management
Financial Environment
Information Systems
Operations Management

If a student is not granted an automatic waiver at the time of admissions, he/she is able to contest the decision by submitting a Waiver Request Form. The student must complete the form and include the course title, date course taken, and grade received. If the Admissions Committee approves the request, then the student will receive an updated Waiver Sheet listing the change. The Admissions Committee may ask the student to provide course descriptions or syllabi from the university to support the waiver request. All waivers based on prior coursework must be approved during the first term of enrollment. Students applying for a prior coursework waiver(s) should not register for those courses. The student may check with the Office of Program Management if he or she is uncertain what courses to select.

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Waiver by Examination

Any student who is not granted an automatic course waiver can demonstrate proficiency in a course by taking a waiver examination. If the student passes the waiver examination, the student will not have to take the waived course as part of his or her study. Students are limited to one attempt per exam topic and must take the exam during his or her first term of enrollment. There are no exceptions. Students who have received an early acceptance into the program can take the waiver exam prior to their first term when there is a scheduled exam.

Waiver exams are available for all of the prerequisite and core courses.
The prerequisites and the core waiver exams are two (2) hours long, except for Business Law, which is a four (4) hour exam.
Students can take up to two (2) exams per day unless you are taking the Business Law exam. In that case, it is suggested that students only take Business Law and reschedule the other waiver exams.
Note: Calculators are allowed for only Mathematical Methods for Business, Statistics, Financial Environment, and Fundamentals of Accounting waiver exams.
Each waiver exam costs $100 (non-refundable fee). Check or money orders should be made payable to Fordham Graduate School of Business.

To take the waiver exam, newly admitted students must complete the online waiver exam application, choose the waiver date and write in the waiver exam course number for the exams.