The degree of Master of Business Administration (MBA) will be awarded to candidates who have met the course requirements for graduation, set forth below:

• successfully completed a minimum of 19.0 course units (CU), of which a minimum of 15.0 CU is Wharton MBA coursework. The remaining 4.0 CU must be graduate level coursework taken within The University of Pennsylvania or as part of an approved dual degree or exchange program, and they cannot be online courses delivered asynchronously.
• successfully completed the Wharton MBA Core Curriculum
• successfully completed the requirements of a minimum of one major
• successfully completed the Second-year Graduation Requirements

The Wharton MBA degree requires 19 CU of graduate level courses, but allows up to 21 CU to be taken without incurring additional tuition charges. If you elect to waive courses, you must replace the waived credit units with elective coursework. The minimum requirement for graduation remains 19 CU at the graduate level regardless of courses waived. Thus, the typical course load in any semester is approximately 5 CU. In order to maintain status as a full-time student, you must be enrolled in a minimum of 3 CU per semester.

If you have a strong academic record, and wish to take more than 6 CU per semester, you may petition the MBA Program Office for permission. You must be in good academic standing and must demonstrate the ability to handle the extra workload. Course loads and limits differ for dual degree students.

(a) Academic Probation

A student will be placed on academic probation upon reaching any one of the following conditions: (1) receive two grades of F in any grading period or (2) have a semester Wharton GPA that is less than 2.67 in any of the first three semesters. Students placed on probation as a result of their performance in a given semester will be removed from academic probation when they do not satisfy either of the conditions for probation in a subsequent semester.

Once a student is notified, they are required to meet with their academic adviser within two weeks and develop a plan to succeed. This includes reviewing the course load, the balance between non-academic and academic activities, as well as other personal interest and needs. The student’s plan must be in writing. Failure to develop a plan within two weeks after being notified may result in a course registration hold, a suspension of school-sanctioned leadership roles, or a limit on career management services.

(b) Dismissal

Any of the following academic conditions will lead to dismissal from the MBA program during or at the end of the first year: (1) receiving three grades of F in any grading period or in any two contiguous grading periods during the first year; (2) receiving two grades of F while on academic probation during the first year; (3) having a semester Wharton GPA that is less than or equal to 2.33 for both semesters of the first year; or (4) having 5 CU of Wharton courses with a grade less than or equal to 2.33 (C+ or lower) at the end of the first year. In addition, a student will be dismissed if they fail to meet the second-year graduation requirements within the allotted time frame, which is discussed in (c).

(c) Second-year Graduation Requirement

In order to graduate, students must satisfy the following requirements during their second year in the program: (1) maintain a Wharton GPA that is greater than 2.33 in each semester of their second year, and (2) have no more than 4 CU of Wharton courses with a grade less than or equal to 2.33 (C+ or lower) in their second year. Students who fail to satisfy the second-year graduation requirements must successfully complete remedial work as determined by the relevant Program Office in conjunction with the MBA Executive Committee in order to graduate. Students who do not complete the remedial work within the time frame established by the relevant Program Office in conjunction with the MBA Executive Committee will be dismissed from the MBA program.

(d) Appeal

A student who is dismissed from the program for academic or other reasons, may appeal the decision by writing to the Chair of the MBA Executive Committee within seven days of receiving the notice. Upon receipt of the request, the committee will convene a hearing and give the student seven days advance notice. All MBA Executive Committee decisions are final. There is no further appellate body.

(e) Definitions

The Wharton GPA is based on the letter grades received in Wharton MBA courses. Thus, the GPA reflected on the transcript may not equal the Wharton GPA as the transcript GPA reflects all coursework taken at the University of Pennsylvania. A grading period may be a quarter or a semester. Contiguous grading periods are those immediately adjacent to each other. A semester refers to fall and spring semesters. The two summer terms combined shall be considered a semester if the student carries a full-time course load in the summer.  Students are considered to be in their first year through the end of their first two full-time semesters in the MBA program. Lauder students and three-year JD/MBA students are considered to be in their first year through the end of their first three full-time semesters, including their first summer term and the subsequent two semesters of full-time residency.

The Wharton School recognizes outstanding academic performance in the MBA Program in several different ways. Please review our academic awards and their corresponding criteria here.

Wharton students are free to disclose any aspect of their own academic transcripts to prospective employers or any other interested parties, and are encouraged to do so. Such disclosure is a legal right and it is Wharton policy to protect this right. Prospective employers are free to request from students any aspect of their academic transcripts.

Members of the Wharton community are expected to uphold the highest ethical standards. The MBA student body has articulated the following guidelines, approved by vote in the Spring of 1989, amended by vote in the Spring of 2005.

Attendance is an important aspect of the Wharton commitment, and the MBA Program seeks to foster a dynamic classroom environment in which students are fully engaged in the learning process, drawing knowledge from in-class instruction while also contributing to the shared knowledge of the class. The MBA Program Attendance Policy was formulated to engender such an experience by helping facilitate the community’s shared commitment to learning.

1.1  Student attendance is expected and required, unless excused by the faculty or the MBA Program Office. Wharton students are admitted in part because of the experiences they bring to the community and what they can contribute to class discussions. Without consistent attendance, learning as a collaborative process cannot exist.

1.2 Wharton’s policy is that only personal illness, military service, and personal or family emergencies are excused absences. If a student needs to miss several classes for these reasons, an academic advisor will follow up with them and request documentation. Religious holidays during which classes are scheduled may be excused for observant students. Conflicts due to job interviews, career pursuits, weddings, personal and professional commitments, or travel are not appropriate reasons to request an excused absence.

1.3 Participation in Wharton MBA Pre-Term is mandatory for all incoming students.  Attendance at all scheduled Pre-Term events and sessions is required, as these activities are essential to your academic, professional, and community preparation.  Attendance at all Learning Team Experience activities and MGMT 6100: Foundations of Teamwork and Leadership class sessions is also mandatory.  Failure to attend any portion of Pre-Term or MGMT 6100 may jeopardize your continued participation in the Program.

1.4 Faculty may have additional criteria regarding their specific attendance policy outlined in their class syllabus. Faculty are the final arbiters of their class attendance policy and have the full right to enforce these rules strictly.  Faculty may base part of the course grade on attendance, engagement, and participation and each faculty decides on the form of attendance taking. Notice that late arrival is disruptive to the learning environment and promptness is expected. A late arrival may be considered an absence.

Faculty may require attendance in the first few classes as a necessary condition of enrollment in the course regardless of the student’s registration status. Faculty have the full right to enforce the first-class mandatory policy strictly.  Some faculty may also require attendance in a minimum number of sessions to remain enrolled or receive a passing grade in the course. It is the student’s responsibility to find out in advance if the course has such requirements.

Faculty are the final arbiters of who is enrolled in their classes. If a student becomes disruptive to the class, the faculty can request that the MBA Program Office remove a student from the course roster.

1.5 Recruiting activities are not a basis for excusable absence. If you find yourself in a conflict due to your career search or recruiting activity, you should work with the MBA Career Management Office to find a resolution. Employers are prohibited from requiring recruiting-related activities, e.g., interviews, events or travel, that conflict with a student’s academic commitments. An employer’s inflexibility on this issue is considered a violation of Wharton’s recruiting policy.

1.6 The foregoing attendance policy is applied stringently in fixed core classes, in that MGMT 6100, MKTG 6110, STAT 6130, STAT6210, BEPP 6110, and BEPP 6120 require student attendance. For these classes, the use of aPlus+ attendance app is required.

1.7 Attendance is among the selection criteria used to select Fellows and participants in exchange programs. This includes the MBA Program Academic Awards, Leadership Fellows, Student-Life Fellows, Communications Fellows, Admissions Fellows, Venture Fellows, the Semester in San Francisco program, and exchange programs with our overseas partner schools.

MBA Program Attendance and aPlus+ Application

2.1 To check-in into classes, students must be physically present in the classroom and must use the aPlus+ Attendance tab via the Canvas mobile app or website. Students may not check in on behalf of others. Misuse of the attendance app is a violation of the MBA Code of Ethics.

2.2 Students must file an absence request through the aPlus+ attendance app if they cannot attend a class and the faculty is using the app. They may submit absence requests for class meetings up to 2 weeks in the past as well as for future class meetings.

2.3 Students are responsible for monitoring their own attendance records, which they can do via aPlus+.  The MBA Program Office monitors attendance.

The Wharton MBA Program is designed as an immersive, full-time, residential educational experience that relies on consistent attendance, regular physical presence on campus (or, where permitted, online), and ongoing engagement with faculty, classmates, and program activities. Students are expected to participate fully in the academic experience as a condition of maintaining full-time enrollment status.

Attendance is expected and required in every class unless excused by the MBA Program Office or, where appropriate, the relevant faculty member. These attendance expectations apply regardless of the weight an individual instructor assigns to attendance or participation in determining a student’s course grade. Consistent attendance and engagement are fundamental to maintaining satisfactory academic progress. In the event of a conflict between a faculty member’s determination and that of the MBA Program Office regarding whether an absence is excused or unexcused, the determination of the MBA Program Office shall govern for purposes of administering this policy.

If a student’s pattern of prolonged, repeated, or otherwise substantial unexcused absences, in the judgment of the Vice Dean or Deputy Vice Dean, materially interferes with the student’s ability to satisfy the requirements of full-time enrollment, the Vice Dean or Deputy Vice Dean may suspend the student for the remainder of the semester. In such cases, the student may be denied academic credit for affected courses or academic periods, consistent with Wharton and MBA policies and procedures.

Before any suspension or dismissal decision is made under this policy, the MBA Program Office will ordinarily provide the student with notice of the attendance concerns and an opportunity to provide relevant information or documentation. However, where a student is unreachable, has ceased communication with the University, or is otherwise clearly disengaged from the Program, the Vice Dean or Deputy Vice Dean may proceed without additional notice if the circumstances warrant immediate action. If the Vice Dean or Deputy Vice Dean determines that suspension is the appropriate course of action under the circumstances, the student retains the right to appeal the decision to the MBA Executive Committee. The decision of the MBA Executive Committee is final.

Following a prior suspension under this policy, a subsequent material violation after a student returns to the MBA Program may result in additional disciplinary action, including suspension or dismissal from the MBA Program. The process described herein for the review of absences and the opportunity to appeal to the MBA Executive Committee remains available to the student subject to such discipline.

Where appropriate and consistent with University policy, the Vice Dean or Deputy Vice Dean may discuss with the student the possibility of an approved Voluntary Leave of Absence as an alternative to disciplinary action.

* Nothing in this policy limits a student’s right to request reasonable accommodations through the Weingarten Center or other applicable University processes. When attendance concerns may relate to a disability, medical condition, or other protected circumstance, the MBA Program will work collaboratively with the appropriate University offices to conduct an individualized assessment, including consideration of whether reasonable accommodations or other appropriate measures would enable the student to satisfy the essential academic and programmatic requirements of the MBA Program.

Responsible and Approved Use of AI 

Generative AI tools can support learning, research, and productivity when used thoughtfully and responsibly. The School provides you with OpenAI and Anthropic AI tools – ChatGPT and Codex and Claude and Claude Code.  University-licensed platforms offer enhanced privacy, security, and data protection that safeguard students, faculty, and the School. Students are expected to use only Wharton-approved AI platforms when engaging with course-related materials or assignments. 

Faculty Expectations 

Neither the University nor the School has adopted a formal generative AI policy, and individual faculty set their own expectations for AI use in their courses. Students are responsible for reading each syllabus carefully, following each instructor’s policies on AI, and seeking clarification from faculty when unsure. Failing to follow a course’s AI policy falls within the scope of the MBA Code of Ethics, particularly its provisions on unauthorized aid and the originality of submitted work.  

Academic Integrity and Original Work 

The Wharton MBA Program is designed to develop accountable and ethical leaders, strengthen critical thinking, and encourage independent intellectual contribution. Generative AI should augment, and not replace, a student’s own learning, analysis, and original work. Students may not submit AI-generated content as their own without substantial engagement, modification, and integration, and they remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and appropriateness of everything they submit, whether or not AI tools were used in its preparation. 

Protection of Course Materials 

Course materials, including lecture slides, quizzes & exams, assignments, and other instructional content, are the intellectual property of the faculty and the School. Uploading or sharing these materials on any generative AI platform other than the School’s sanctioned platform violates the intellectual property and the MBA Code of Ethics and may also implicate copyright law. Such misuse may result in disciplinary or legal action. 

Your Responsibilities 

Students are responsible for the accuracy, originality, and appropriateness of any AI-assisted material they submit, including compliance with copyright, privacy, and fairness requirements. Students who use generative AI on an assignment should be prepared to describe how they used it and to stand behind the substance of their work as their own. By acknowledging this document, students affirm that they have read and accept the standards set forth in the MBA Code of Ethics and the Wharton MBA Academic Policies, and understand that misuse of generative AI falls within their scope. 

Examinations in Wharton MBA courses, including midterms and finals, are governed by University policies published in the University of Pennsylvania Almanac and Pennbook. Exams are scheduled during designated periods as provided on the MBA Academic Calendar. Students should be aware that exams may occur outside regularly scheduled class times, including evenings and Fridays. Students are responsible for taking exams as scheduled. Exams must be taken as scheduled to uphold the integrity of the exam and to ensure fairness and consistency across the program.

Requesting a Deferral 
Exam deferrals will be considered only in extraordinary circumstances, and most students should have no occasion to request one during their time in the program. Students are expected to plan their schedules around the exam calendar and to resolve foreseeable conflicts well in advance. Conflicts arising from employer- or professional-related activities — including firm retreats, trainings, conferences, speaking engagements, or networking events — are not grounds for a deferral. Instead, students with such conflicts should work with MBA Career Management to find a resolution. In rare cases involving documentable extenuating circumstances beyond a student’s control, a deferral request may be submitted to MBA Academic Affairs. Students who accumulate three (3) exam deferrals may be required to meet with MBA Academic Affairs to discuss their plan of study, and such patterns may prompt consideration of a leave of absence. Valid grounds for a deferral include:

• More than two (2) exams scheduled within a single calendar day
• Medical illness or injury; medical documentation required
• Death or serious illness of an immediate family member
• Observance of a religious holiday or practice recognized under University policy (see the Pennbook)
• The student’s own wedding ceremony, where the date was established prior to the exam schedule and directly conflicts with a fixed core course exam
• Birth or adoption of the student’s own child under Childbirth and New Parents Accommodation Policy
• A court summons or jury duty obligation
• Active military orders or mandatory military service

If approved, MBA Academic Affairs will coordinate with the instructor and department to reschedule. Deferral requests should be submitted before the scheduled exam whenever possible. Requests received within 24 hours after the scheduled exam time will be considered only under exceptional circumstances.
Deferred exams are scheduled at the discretion of the academic department, and students must take the exam at the rescheduled time. Deferred exams may take place several weeks after the regularly scheduled exam date, or in the subsequent semester during the University’s Postponed Examination Period.

Contacting Instructors 
The exam deferral process exists to ensure consistency and fairness across the program, and all requests must be submitted to MBA Academic Affairs. Students should not approach an instructor directly to request a rescheduled exam or seek individual accommodations; doing so may be considered a dishonest means of gaining an unfair advantage over other students. Even when an instructor expresses willingness to be flexible, students must submit a formal request through MBA Academic Affairs. An informal instructor accommodation is not an approved deferral and does not carry the same standing.

In some circumstances, students may take time away from their two-year, full-time Wharton MBA program by taking a leave of absence (LOA).  Students considering an LOA should think carefully about their goals while on leave and when they return.  Students should confer with their academic advisor before requesting an LOA.  Please review all LOA policies and procedures here.

Students who are eligible for, but do not wish to take a Leave of Absence under Section 1.4(B) of the Leave of Absence Policy may seek accommodation under the Childbirth and New Parents Accommodation Policy.  This Accommodation Policy acknowledges the demands upon students delivering a child and new parents.  Students in these situations are encouraged to work closely with their academic advisors.  With enough advance notice, the Wharton MBA program’s flexible curriculum allows these students to draft a reasonable plan that addresses their specific needs while completing their degree without delaying their graduation timeline in most cases.  The Childbirth and New Parents Accommodation Policy can be viewed here.

If you require disability accommodations in your MBA courses, visit the Accommodations at Wharton page for a step-by-step overview of how to register with Disability Services, connect with the MBA Accommodations Team, and submit your exam requests.