M.B.A.-M.A. in Asian Studies

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The M.B.A.-M.A. in Asian Studies combines the analysis, decision-making, and managerial concepts and techniques taught at the Darden School with intensive language and area studies in East Asia, primarily Japan and China.

Students are expected to complete the M.B.A.-M.A. program in three years instead of the four years required if each degree were taken separately.

Administration of the Program The program is administered by one member of the East Asian Studies faculty and one member of the Darden School faculty, as designated by the respective deans. The responsibilities of these faculty members extend to admission to the program, development of curricula for the students involved, coordination of courses and examinations, and promotion of joint offerings by the two schools where that seems feasible.

Curriculum

A joint degree candidate must satisfy the grading standards of the appropriate school or department granting the non-M.B.A. degree and receive passing grades in their Darden School courses, with grades below B- in no more than 3.5 course units. Students must also take the required portion of the M.A. program, which consists of 24 graduate credits.

Following the Darden first year, students normally spend the summer in intensive language study. The second year is followed by a six-month internship in an East Asian location. For their sixth semester, students return to the University to complete their degree requirements. One research paper based on field work conducted in Asia may be used to satisfy both a Darden Business Project at Darden and the master’s thesis requirement at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. These research projects are jointly supervised by a faculty member from both the Darden School and the East Asian Studies faculty.

Students in the joint program must comply with the Darden grading standards for recognized joint programs.

At the successful conclusion of the three years, the student is awarded both an M.B.A. and an M.A.