1. What are the application deadlines for the 2009 Executive MBA Program?
The deadline for priority consideration is October 30, 2008.

2. Who participates in the program?
The Aerospace & Defense MBA Program has been designed for experienced, high-potential, aerospace industry professionals in, or headed toward, senior management levels. To learn more, please visit the class profile page.

3. Do applicants need to take the GMAT?
An applicant is automatically exempt from the GMAT requirement if he or she already has a graduate degree, and/or has an excellent record of professional achievement and an undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Taking the GMAT is strongly recommended for applicants with less than ten years of managerial experience. If applicants are not sure whether they would need to take the GMAT, please contact the Program Director at 1-865-974-2027.

4. How closely does the admissions committee look at undergraduate transcripts?
Transcripts are one indicator of potential for success in the Executive MBA Program. For many applicants, particularly those who have been out of school for ten or more years, transcripts are likely not the most important indicator that the admissions committee will use to determine the applicant’s potential. Career success, completion of work-related short courses, and other more recent successes are also important indicators.

5. Is an interview required?
Yes. Every applicant has an interview, either in person or by telephone, with the Director of the Aerospace & Defense MBA Program.

6. How are quantitative skills assessed in the admissions decision process? Is there help available prior to the start of the program?
Program leaders will review academic performance in quantitative courses. They also will consider career history and the types of quantitative experience demonstrated by an applicant. Individuals with a range of quantitative skills can be successful in the Aerospace & Defense MBA Program. In fact, many executives come into the Aerospace Defense MBA Program with a specific goal of improving their quantitative skills. If an applicant has had limited exposure to accounting and finance, the program office and faculty will provide extra support.

7. Do UT’s Aerospace & Defense MBA graduates receive the same degree as traditional full-time MBA students?
Yes. The degree is a Master’s in Business Administration. Additionally, while the program is tailored for students working in the aerospace industry and all students come from that business sector, the diploma and transcripts make no reference to the aerospace focus of the program. The curriculum teaches business principles and competencies that are also applicable to many other business sectors. For that reason, the Aerospace & Defense MBA degree does not limit long-term career path options of program participants.

8. Is UT's Aerospace & Defense MBA Program accredited?
The UT Aerospace & Defense MBA Program is fully accredited by AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business).

9. What electives are offered through this program? Is it possible to major in finance or marketing?
Since UT’s Aerospace & Defense MBA Program is a fully integrated, lockstep program, there are no electives or subject-specific courses. The Action Research Project topic chosen by each student and sponsor will provide an area of concentrated research and learning.

10. How accessible are the faculty between residence periods?
Faculty members are readily accessible at any point during the program. They work closely with students, and encourage close interaction both in and out of the classroom.

11. Are current students or alumni available to talk about their experiences in the Aerospace & Defense MBA Program?
Yes, please call the program office toll free at 866-AEROMBA or 1-866-237-6622 for contact information.

12. What computer skills are needed in the Executive MBA Program?
Prior to entering the program, students are expected to be proficient in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint.

13. What is the sponsoring organization’s involvement?
The employer must agree to the student’s attendance, authorize time away from work for residence periods, and support participation in the program’s applied research projects. Most employers provide financial support as well as sponsorship for the participant.

14. Does UT offer any other options for executives who cannot commit to six, week-long blocks of time?
For managers within driving distance of Knoxville, the UT College of Business also offers the Professional MBA, an integrated, weekend-format program completed over a sixteen month program of study.
Click here for more information.

15. What about transfer credits?
Transfer credits are not accepted since the Executive MBA Program is a lockstep program.

16. Will students who have been out of school for a number of years be able to keep up in the academic environment?
Most participants have been away from school for a number of years. The applied nature of the assignments and the interactive methodology of teaching typically facilitate the learning process for those who have not been in a college classroom recently.

17. How much time does the program require outside the classroom?
This varies by student, but most students report spending an average of fifteen to twenty-five hours per week on their work outside the classroom. However, since many of the assignments, including the action research project -- are directly job related, many of the students are able to do some of this work during their work day, since the outputs are applicable to both their job and their academic program.

18. How do students balance working on a degree with continuing their careers and spending time with their families?
The program offers skills development in the area of work/life balance. These skills assist students in maintaining this balance both during and after the program.

19. During the residence periods, do students who live close by need to stay with fellow participants in the hotel?
Yes. The structure of the program makes it a necessity for all students to reside in the same hotel to facilitate teamwork, learning and networking with classmates. In addition, residencies help students develop professional networks and lifelong friendships that are an invaluable product of the program.

20. If I don't have the minimum 5 years experience in the industry required for the Aerospace & Defense MBA program or my organization isn't ready to sponsor me in an Executive MBA program, does UT have other education programs to enhance my management and technical skills?
Yes. The UT Knoxville Center for Executive Education http://thecenter.utk.edu/ offers numerous non-degree business courses to support the development of junior professionals in the aerospace and defense industry. These include courses on lean, lean for MRO, supply chain management and logistics, and continuous improvement -- just to name a few. Additionally, for a degree program, The University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) http://www.utsi.edu offers an M.S. in Engineering Management. Classes can be taken part-time, on the campus near near Tullahoma, Tennessee or with live, internet-based, distance learning. For more information on the M.S. program, visit http://www.utsi.edu/academics/iieandem/ or call (931) 393-7318. You also may be interested in one of the graduate engineering programs offered by UTSI or by the College of Engineering in Knoxville http://www.engr.utk.edu/