get a jump start on your graduate degree
The world of business is getting more complex and competitive every day. That’s why Bentley now offers an Advanced Standing in Business (BA/BS & MBA) program. In the four years you would spend getting an undergraduate degree, you can also complete your first four graduate courses. Once you graduate from the Advanced Standing in Business program, you move into the MBA program, combining the start of your career with a commitment to continued learning.
Program Details
- Accessible from any Bentley major, both business and arts and sciences.
- Applications submitted during sophomore year and overlap courses begin in junior year.
- Four graduate courses are completed during junior and senior years. The remaining eight graduate courses are completed once in the MBA program.
- All MBA Foundation courses waived as specified below in the curriculum section.
Are you a current student looking to apply to the program?
Curriculum
The Advanced Standing in Business program is easily accessible for all business and arts and sciences majors. Depending on your major, you'll replace four undergraduate courses with graduate courses. Read more below about how the curriculum will work for each major.
- All students will be required to take IPM 300 and MG 300 as part of their core; these courses will be taken as GR 602 and GR 604.
- Students take 2 MBA electives using 2 unrestricted electives.
- In some isolated instances, there may be an opportunity/need to use graduate courses that have undergraduate course equivalents to either replace a course required for your major, or an arts and sciences elective instead of the standard process above.
- To complete the foundation waivers, students will be required to take EC 112, AC 215, and MK 250 (or two of the graduate equivalent courses as explained above). Students can take these courses standalone, or as part of completing the Business Administration double major.
- Students will need to take grad equivalents GR 602 and GR 604 in lieu of IPM 300 and MG 300, which is not part of their core.
- Students take 2 MBA electives using 2 unrestricted electives.
- In some isolated instances, there may be an opportunity/need to use graduate courses that have undergraduate equivalents to either replace a course required for your major (this likely only applies to Actuarial Science, Data Analytics and Mathematical Sciences majors) instead of the standard process above.
- To complete the foundation waivers, students will be required to take EC 112, AC 215, and MK 250 (or two of the graduate equivalent courses as explained above). Students can take these courses standalone, or as part of completing the Business Administration double major. Because there would be only one more course that these students would need to take (MG 215), it is recommended that arts and sciences majors who do the Advanced Standing in Business also do the Business Administration double major. (In the case of business majors, there are two extra courses that would have to be taken to upgrade to the Business Administration double major: MG 215 and ID 313 – so business majors may find it slightly less attractive to simply do the Business Administration double major to fulfill the waiver/grad substitute course needs).
Have Questions? Connect with the the Program Director.
Are you current Advanced Standing student?
Advanced Standing in Business (ASB)
Students are required to pay a $250 non-refundable deposit by an annually announced deadline. The deadline is typically two weeks after admission decisions are released. Failure to pay the deposit will result in cancellation of admission to the Advanced Standing program.
Costs and Financial Aid
Below are some frequently asked questions regarding financial aid and how it works for this program. Student Financial Services will be able to provide you with details of the program expenses in light of any financial aid you receive.
ASB FAQs
There is an $8,000 program fee charged in addition to the standard tuition and fees, which is billed at $2,000 per term with the first charge typically falling in the first term of junior year.
During the standard academic terms of fall and spring, you pay tuition at the undergraduate level until you complete your undergraduate degree. Once you’ve completed your undergraduate degree, you will pay regular graduate tuition for the remaining courses toward your graduate degree. Tuition rates can be found on the Student Financial Services website.
If enrolling in courses during the summer, you will pay on a per course basis depending on the level of the course, undergraduate or graduate. The program fee will also be charged in addition to the tuition.
As an undergraduate student you are eligible to apply for need-based financial assistance each academic year. You can find application information here. Financial aid is available only during the standard academic year (fall and spring) when enrolled full-time. You are eligible to receive institutional grants/scholarships for no more than 8 terms or until you meet your degree requirements, whichever comes first.
Graduate Aid
As a graduate student you are eligible to apply for need-based financial assistance each academic year. You can find application information here. The availability of Bentley graduate need-based grant funding is limited. As a rule, a lesser percentage of need is covered by grant funding. You can expect your financial aid to be heavily weighted toward federal loans.
Graduate level academic scholarships are not available for the program. Undergraduate level academic scholarships and grants cannot be used during the graduate portion of the program.
Institutional scholarship and grants are not available for intensive courses or the summer term.
Grant and scholarship aid is available only during the standard academic year (fall and spring) when enrolled full-time. You are eligible to receive institutional grants/scholarships for no more than 8 terms or until you meet your degree requirements, whichever comes first.
Winter intensive courses will be billed with the spring term at an additional cost. Grant and scholarship aid is not available for winter intensive courses.
May intensive courses will be billed with the summer term at an additional cost. Grant and scholarship aid is not available for May intensive courses.
For both winter and May intensive courses you will pay on a per course basis depending on the level of the course, undergraduate or graduate. Tuition rates can be found on the Student Financial Services website.