Advising Services

The Graduate and Professional Programs Office provides advising to enrolled students through our advisors Marian Newman, Nadia Ali and Rebecca Chaiban. Current students are able to see an advisor in-person or virtually by appointment.

Please email your advisor directly with your full name, academic program, and student ID number to set up an appointment.

MBA/MS Advising FAQs

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions by current Bauer graduate students. For more detail on the University of Houston policies regarding general academic regulations and requirements please refer to http://publications.uh.edu/content.php?catoid=22&navoid=6361. If you have questions not covered by the below FAQs please reach out to your academic advisor.

• New Student Advising Questions

  I am an incoming student to the Bauer MBA/MS program. How do I enroll and what should I enroll in?

  1. Refer to your degree plan and the information sent by the academic advisors shortly after your acceptance letter.  You must log in to the myUH system and go to the ‘enroll’ tab. You may search for courses and enroll yourself for the recommended first semester or work with your academic advisor to select a different plan for your first semester.  Add courses to your cart and then proceed through the rest of the steps of enrollment.
  2. International students on certain visa types are required to be enrolled full time (which is 9 credit hours at the graduate level) in the fall and spring semester. Please consult your academic advisor and the ISSSO regarding your visa status and academic requirements.

  I have enrolled for my first semester of courses. What books should I purchase? What other things should I do to prepare?

  1. MBA students: Shortly before the semester begins a graduate academic advisor will email a list of the textbooks for the recommended courses. *Note, this is done just for the first semester. If you enrolled in courses other than what is suggested, your course books will not be included in the listing. You may go to the bookstore on campus to find out what books your professors have ordered. You will want to purchase a parking permit through your student account. Be sure to pay your tuition bill by the deadline to avoid being dropped from courses. Ensure your personal information is correct in your online student account (name, email and physical address, phone number, etc.). Pay attention to emails that come from the GPP office as they will specify orientation and academic information, as well as important deadlines. You may want to meet with the Rockwell Career Center. This will help align your academics with your career goals.
  2. MS Students: You may go to the bookstore on campus to find out what books your professors have ordered. You will want to purchase a parking permit through your student account. Be sure to pay your tuition bill by the deadline to avoid being dropped from courses. Ensure your personal information is correct in your online student account (name, email and physical address, phone number, etc.). Pay attention to emails that come from the GPP office as they will specify orientation and academic information as well as important deadlines. You may want to meet with the Rockwell Career Center. This will help align your academics with your career goals.

  I have completed a course/courses similar to my required courses at a previous institution. Can I waive any courses?

  1. MBA students; No, course waivers are not allowed in the Bauer MBA program.
  2. MS students; Yes, you may be eligible for a waiver with substitution if you took an equivalent course at the undergrad level with a grade of B or better, which means instead of taking the core course you will substitute with an elective of your choice (usually this is a higher level course in the same department). If you took an equivalent course at the graduate level and received a B grade or better, you might be eligible for a waiver without substitution, which means you won’t need to take the core course or substitute the credit hours with an elective choice. This would reduce the total number of hours required for your MS degree. Only core courses are eligible for waivers, electives cannot be waived. Please consult with your academic advisor.

• Enrollment Questions

  I want to take a course but it’s full. Can you enroll me or should I contact the professor to be forced in?

  1. Neither. If a course is full (even if it’s an online course) you will need to monitor the enrollment in the myUH system and enroll yourself when space becomes available. There is a lot of movement 1-2 weeks before courses begin due to students changing their minds or being dropped for non-payment. If it’s your last semester, there might be more leniency especially if it’s a core course you need to graduate. Please consult with your academic advisor.

  I got dropped for non-payment, can you re-enroll me?

  1. You should be able to do this for yourself as long as it's not past the deadline to enroll but you will then have to make your payment arrangements immediately. Please make payments on time as the drop process runs automatically overnight. After the 12th class day for session 1 and the 4th class day for sessions 3 & 5, you cannot be re-enrolled.

  Can I transfer classes from another university/college toward my MBA/MS?

  1. MBA Students; No, the Bauer MBA program does not accept transfer credit.
  2. MS students; While we do not accept transfer work, you may be able to obtain a waiver for core courses only, depending on the course, how long ago you took the course, the institution you completed the course at, and the grade received. Please consult with your academic advisor to request a waiver.

  I want to take a course but I don’t have the prerequisite, can I do that?

  1. It depends on what the course is and your circumstances. What is your background? Do you meet the prerequisite with work/other experience? If it seems like you might have a case, please consult with your academic advisor.

  I need to take a semester off, how do I do that?

  1. If you are taking the summer semester off, there is nothing you need to do. If you will be taking off a fall or spring semester, you should fill out a petition requesting a leave of absence. If you need a leave of absence for more than one semester you are required to file a petition. If you need to do a medical withdrawal once the semester has started, please work with your advisor to complete the necessary paperwork.

  I need to be a full-time student (9 credit hours) but I don’t see courses (core and/or electives) I need/want to take or that fit into my schedule. What are my other options? Or, I want to work with a certain professor on a project. How can I do this?

  1. You may enroll in an independent study/special problems course. A student works with a professor to do research or a project for credit (1.5 or 3 credit hours). The student will need to fill out the ‘special problems’ petition form with a description of the course work and send it back to the advisor. Work with your advisor to gather signatures and approvals. The advisor will then send it to Bauer’s records office to create the course and enroll the student.

  I want to take a course outside of the Bauer College/my degree plan but still at UH. Can I and what is the process?

  1. MBA students; Yes, you may petition to take courses in other colleges within the University of Houston for elective credit. A maximum of 6 credits can be applied to your degree from outside the Bauer College/degree plan. These courses must be approved before beginning coursework. Consult with your advisor for the proper paperwork. Are you sure Bauer doesn’t offer a course similar to the one you want to petition to take? Can you do an independent study with a Bauer professor on the same topic?
  2. MS students; Yes, you can petition to take courses outside of your degree plan. While courses may be within the Bauer College, if they are outside of your degree plan you must obtain permission through a petition before taking the course if you want it to count toward your degree.
  3. Please work with your academic advisor to fill out the graduate petition form. Not all petitions are approved. The petition process must be done before you begin the course.

  I want to take an undergraduate course at UH (such as a foreign language or physical education course). Is that allowed?

  1. Yes, but we will need to request that an undergraduate career be created for you in myUH via a petition. Undergraduate courses do not count toward your graduate degree requirements or cumulative graduate GPA. Please consult with your academic advisor (and financial aid advisor, if needed).

  I’m a graduate student outside of Bauer and want to take one/a couple course(s) next semester. Can I do that?

  1. Yes if there is space available and you meet the prerequisites. We will not enroll any non-Bauer students into courses until two weeks before courses start. You will want to email the Bauer graduate advisor two weeks before courses begin with your student ID number in order to be enrolled. There are no waiting lists.

• Graduation/Alumni Questions

  What are the requirements to graduate?

  1. The MBA degree requires a minimum of 48 credit hours. MS degrees require at least 30 credit hours.
     1. * MS students who qualify for waivers without substitution must still complete 27 credit hours of new coursework at UH to obtain their degree.
  2. You must complete all the required courses (core).
  3. The remaining courses (electives) must be within Bauer/your degree plan.
     1. *petitions for substitutions are on a case by case basis.
  4. You cannot have earned 12 credit hours or more of C+ or below grades for graduate level courses attempted at UH. You will receive warning letters when you receive grades of C+ or below from the GPP office.
  5. You must have a minimum graduate GPA of 3.0 at the time of graduation. Your graduate GPA includes all graduate courses taken at UH, whether or not counted toward your Bauer degree.
  6. You must complete your degree within 5 years from when you began the program.
     1. *In rare instances you may be allowed up to 7 years, but you must complete 30 credit hours within the last 5 years. Consult with your academic advisor regarding the specifics on time limitations and your situation.
  7. International students: if in your graduating semester you do not need 9 credit hours (which is full-time at the graduate level) to complete your degree requirements you may be eligible to take a reduced course load. Consult with your academic advisor.

  Am I required to earn a certificate to graduate?

  1. No, certificates are optional. You may have a focus/specialization in an area if you complete 12 credit hours or more in that area. You will not receive an additional piece of paper/award unless you complete the requirements for the specific certificate and file for each certificate early in your graduating semester. It is recommended that students consult with the Rockwell Career Center about what will be the best way to help you transition and meet your career goals, and whether earning specific certificates will be beneficial.

  How do I file for certificates?

  1. You will receive an email from a graduate academic advisor with instructions early in each semester. If you plan to graduate in that semester, you will fill out the certificate form notifying your academic advisor of the certificate(s) you plan to earn. We verify that you meet the requirements for the certificate and then request the option be created for you to apply for each certificate in your myUH student account. You will be notified via email once that option is created. You will need to apply through myUH by the deadlines listed on the UH calendar and in the original email from the advisor. Each certificate costs $25 ($50 if you apply late).

  I plan to graduate in summer but I want to walk in May. Can I do that?

  1. Yes, if you are finishing your last courses in summer, but want to walk in the May convocation ceremony, please contact GPP to let us know. There may be a priority deadline to file for graduation if you want your name printed in the May convocation program. Summer graduates will be invited to the following fall graduation dinner, not the spring graduation dinner. You also have the option to walk in the December ceremony since there is no ceremony in August.

  I graduated in the last month or so but haven’t received my diploma and/or certificates yet.

  1. The UH OUR (Office of the University Registrar) has these printed through a third party. The deadline for the university to approve/deny graduation applications is a couple weeks after the close of the semester. After that deadline OUR requests the degrees and certificates be printed and mailed. Most students receive those 1.5 - 2 months after graduation.

  Do we have honors at graduation?

  1. Graduate students do not receive the cum laude, magna-cum laude and summa cum laude designations like undergraduates. However, if you graduate with a 3.7 or higher cumulative graduate GPA, you will receive the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence. The Dean’s Award will be mailed approximately 2 weeks after diplomas.

  I am a Bauer MBA/MS alum and want to come back and take a class or two. Can I do that?

  1. Yes, if you are a Bauer graduate alum you may return to take additional graduate courses as a non-degree seeking student. Please consult with your academic advisor regarding the process for this. International students on a student visa are not eligible for non-degree seeking status.

  I have completed/will soon complete my MBA. How many more courses would I need in order to also earn another Master’s degree (ex. MSF)?

  1. You will need a minimum of 27 new credit hours in order to earn a second master’s degree from the Bauer College. We cannot double-count more than 9 credit hours of core/required courses from any previously completed graduate degree. Any core/required courses you have successfully completed will not have to be repeated unless they are too old (any credits over 7 years old at the time of graduation will not be used toward your degree).