Flex MBA Policies

Please review the sections below for more information about this program's policies.

Degree Completion

The Flex MBA degree program requires completion of a minimum of 48 credit hours based on the following parameters:

  • Students must complete 24 credits of required core courses and a minimum of 24 elective credits.
  • A minimum of 42 credits must be completed in 5000-level MBA courses taught by Olin faculty members. The remaining 6 credits may be comprised of the following:
    • Additional Olin MBA electives;
    • Preapproved Washington University, non-business, graduate-level electives taken after the student has begun study as an Olin MBA candidate;
    • Credits from one of Olin’s international MBA exchange partners; or
    • A maximum of 6 credit units of graduate coursework if the grades earned are a B or better and the MBA Academic Director deems the courses to be equivalent to Olin MBA classes in quality and content.

Academic Policies

Academic Performance Standards

A Flex MBA student with an NP in a required course or whose combined No Pass (NP) and Low Pass (LP) credits are 12 or more is not considered to be in good academic standing and cannot graduate. To restore good academic standing, a student must repeat core courses with an NP and achieve a passing grade. Non-required courses can also be repeated after an NP or LP to improve the grade and restore a good academic standing.

The Graduate Programs Office evaluates the cumulative academic performance of each student at the end of each semester to determine continuation eligibility. All attempted and completed coursework is reviewed. When a student’s cumulative performance meets one of the following conditions, their record is brought to the Academic Review Committee for review:

  1. An NP in any required course or
  2. The combined NP and LP credits are 6 or more.

The Academic Review Committee can place a student who meets either of the above conditions on academic probation. Academic probation typically imposes student-specific limits and requirements designed to help the student achieve good academic standing. Common examples include limits on the number of credits a student can enroll in, requirements to retake a core course, or to meet with an academic advisor. Academic probation also serves as a notice to the student that they are either no longer in good academic standing or at risk of no longer being in good academic standing.

For each student on academic probation, the Academic Review Committee can establish student-specific conditions for reinstatement to good academic standing. If the student remains enrolled, the Academic Review Committee can either remove them from academic probation in case of satisfactory progress or continue to review their record at the end of each semester and until graduation.

Olin maintains the right to remove financial scholarships for students on academic probation or not in good academic standing, and the Academic Review Committee can dismiss from the program any student whose combined NP and LP credits are 18 or more.

Attendance Expectation

Attendance is required during all program orientation events and all class sessions. Consistent attendance and active participation and engagement are necessary for learning material and proceeding to graduation. Exceptions for short-term extenuating circumstances should be directed to the faculty for each course. 

Students who do not participate in their courses as indicated by course requirements or fail to notify the University that they are no longer attending the course may be at risk of failing the course. This may result in the requirement for the return of previously awarded federal financial aid. If the University is required to return federal student aid funds, the student will be required to pay any outstanding balance owed to Washington University.

Degree Completion Time Limit

Students in the Flex MBA program must complete the degree within seven years of beginning the program.

Disengagement

A student is considered disengaged when they fail to attend class, do not respond to communications from faculty and/or staff, or have not completed the registration process for the next academic term. Advisors will attempt to contact the student by utilizing both the phone and email addresses on record with the school. If the student fails to respond to communication, does not register for their required academic course load, or is not in good financial standing by the add/drop date of the semester, the leave of absence will be initiated by the Graduate Programs Office.

If a student is placed on an administrative leave of absence in the middle of a semester, they remain responsible for the tuition charges according to the refund schedule. If the student fails to respond at the end of the leave term, the leave will be extended for one additional semester (excluding summer terms). At the end of two semesters on a leave of absence, if the student has not developed a plan to complete their curriculum with their academic advisor, the student will be administratively withdrawn from their graduate business program at Washington University. Summer terms are excluded for Full-Time MBA and SMP students but included for Executive MBA, Flex MBA, and online programs. If the student wishes to return to the program at a future date following their withdrawal, they will follow the application process for the program in the term they wish to start and will be required to meet all admission requirements for the program.

Grade Changes

A non-disciplinary grade may be changed only by the professor in whose course the grade was initially given. A faculty member may change a grade of N providing that the work is made up within 60 days of the completion of the course. Exceptions to the 60-day limit must be discussed with the faculty member and/or an academic advisor.

Students who fail a required course must retake the course. Students may choose to retake failed elective courses but are not required to do so. Students will not earn the course credit required for program completion for failed courses.

If a student would like to dispute a grade, they should first speak with their Academic Advisor regarding the process. Course grade appeals must be made within 120 days following the official end of the semester in which the course occurred. (The official end of each semester is available on the university website and should align with the deadline date for course grades to be uploaded.) Appeals after 120 days will only be allowed in extenuating circumstances and will require approval from the Vice Dean of Education.

Grading System

Olin MBA programs utilize a Pass/No Pass grading system. The Olin MBA grading system is as follows:

  • HP (High Pass): Very good to excellent performance. This grade can be received by a maximum of 20% of MBA students enrolled in core courses and 25% in elective courses.
  • P (Pass): Satisfactory performance
  • LP (Low Pass): Minimum level of acceptable performance
  • NP (No Pass): The course must be repeated if it is a core course. Moreover, no credit is awarded.
  • N (No Grade): The instructor has not yet entered a grade for the course.
  • I (Incomplete): Extenuating circumstances preclude the satisfactory completion of coursework. The instructor is allowed to give a student a maximum of 60 days after the end of the semester to make up for incomplete work. After 60 days, the grade is automatically changed to No Pass.
  • L (Successful Audit)
  • Z (Unsuccessful Audit)

An N or I grade may be changed only by the instructor. The instructor may change a grade from N or I to another grade within 60 days of the completion of the course. Extensions of the 60-day limit require approval from the Vice Dean of Education.

Leave of Absence (LOA)

Students who need to take an LOA should discuss the process and implications with their academic advisor and Olin Financial Services.

Voluntary LOA: A student may request an LOA for academic or personal reasons by filling out the form linked on the University Registrar website. Requests for LOAs must be approved by the Assistant Dean for Academic Advising. 

LOA Impact on Financial Aid: Students receiving financial aid should be advised that at the end of 60 days or more of LOA, the grace period for loan repayment during an LOA may be exhausted. In such cases, there will be an obligation for the student to start making payments. According to the federal rules under which loans are made, the use of a grace period during an LOA will generally mean that the schedule for loan repayment may be changed. Students who are receiving financial assistance should consult with Olin Financial Services to determine the implications of an LOA for their financial aid.

Modality Policy

Flex MBA students will have the ability to declare either an in-person or online modality on a semester-by-semester basis. This will only apply to core coursework and must be consistent for all core classes that semester (i.e., students cannot declare one course in-person and one course online). Prior to course registration each semester, the Graduate Programs Office will collect modality preferences for the upcoming semester. Students who wish to switch their modality after course registration will need approval from the Graduate Programs Office.

Modalities for elective coursework will be listed in Workday (e.g., in-person only, fully online, or mixed modality). Students do not need to follow their declared core coursework modality preference for elective courses (e.g., an in-person student can take an online elective). 

Recordings and Remote Attendance Accommodations

  • Students requesting absence from class on an ad hoc basis with advance notice (i.e., at least 48 hours before class) may request an absence and receive a recording of the class up to two times during full-semester courses and one time during a mini-course. If the course already has arrangements made to be live-streamed via Zoom, students who have requested an absence should receive access to the live-stream link in addition to the recording. 
  • Accommodations for requests made on short notice (i.e., 48 hours before the class session) or other ad hoc remote attendance requests will be at the discretion of the instructor.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal aid recipients' academic progress will be evaluated on an annual basis by WashU Student Financial Services. Failure to meet the necessary criteria can result in the suspension of future aid eligibility, although students will be granted an opportunity to appeal. Graduate students are expected to remain in good academic standing in addition to meeting federal standards for cumulative pace and completion of their degree program within a prescribed number of attempted hours (grades of W, I, and NP will place a student in jeopardy of not meeting these standards). Please direct any questions about Satisfactory Academic Progress standards or the appeal process to olinfinancialservices@wustl.edu. 

Transfer Credit

As many as 6 units of transfer credit may be accepted toward Flex MBA degree requirements, provided that the prior coursework meets the following criteria:

  • The credits were taken at the graduate level.
  • It can be demonstrated (e.g., by course syllabi) that the coursework taken is comparable in content (for required courses) or acceptable in quality (for elective courses) to Washington University courses.
  • A grade of B or better was achieved in the coursework for which transfer credit is requested.
  • The credits were completed within seven years of the student's anticipated graduation date. 

Students seeking the acceptance of transfer credit should submit a transcript, applicable syllabi, and a petition requesting a review of the proposed coursework to their academic advisor. Transfer credit requests will then be reviewed for approval by the MBA Academic Director. 

Transfers Between MBA Programs

Students must complete the program to which they were admitted and enrolled as it was designed. Transfers from one program to another are not allowed. Students who wish to accelerate their degree can do so by using up to two approved semesters for exceeding the credit cap. For more information on this policy, please see the Semester Credit Cap section below.

Professional Code of Conduct/Academic Integrity

Olin Business School is a community of individuals with diverse backgrounds and interests who share certain fundamental goals. Primary among these goals is the creation and maintenance of an atmosphere conducive to the learning and personal growth of everyone in the community.

Becoming a member of the Olin community is a privilege that brings certain responsibilities and expectations. The success of Olin in attaining its goals and maintaining its reputation of academic excellence depends on the willingness of its members, both collectively and individually, to meet their responsibilities. All individuals associated with Olin must conduct themselves with the utmost integrity in all aspects of their lives, both on and off campus.

Plagiarism and other forms of cheating will not be tolerated. Where a student has violated the integrity of the academic community, an instructor may recommend that the student be brought before the Academic Review Committee. Please review Integrity Matters (PDF) for more information.

Courses and Registration

The Graduate Programs Office works with the Olin Registrar's Office to register Flex-MBA students for their first semester of coursework. Each semester thereafter, students perform their own registration via Workday. 

Adding a Course

Students may add a course to their registration during specified periods at the beginning of each term; please refer to the Olin Graduate Programs Academic Calendar. A faculty member’s signature is not required to add a course.

Short courses or weekend courses may be added to the student’s registration until 24 hours before the course begins unless otherwise specified by the course instructor.

Auditing a Course

Students wishing to audit a course must first speak with the professor of the course to determine if auditing is an option and, if so, to learn the specific requirements for a successful audit. If approval is granted, the student should send the email approval to their academic advisor, who will work with the Olin Registrar's Office to change the grading option for the course from P to A.

  • Audited courses do not apply to the credits required to graduate, but they do apply to the student’s semester course enrollment and will incur a charge of the per-credit-unit tuition rate.
  • Audited courses are listed on student transcripts. A grade of L is given for a successful audit, and a grade of Z is given for an unsuccessful audit.
  • Audited courses do not meet prerequisite requirements. If a student has audited a particular prerequisite for a course, they will need instructor permission to enroll in that course.

Course Waivers

Course waivers are intended to allow students to avoid the redundant study of subjects already mastered. They do not reduce the number of credits required to earn the degree.

No more than 6 credits of required MBA core courses can be waived.

Students wishing to request a course waiver should complete the Course Waiver Form and return it to their academic advisor. Course waiver requests will then be reviewed for approval by the MBA Academic Director.

Coursework in Other Divisions

Olin Business School recognizes that students may wish to take coursework outside of Olin to achieve an individualized education. Students may elect to take coursework in other divisions of Washington University under the following conditions:

  • No such course may be taken during the first and second semesters of the program.
  • Students must be in good academic standing.
  • Courses must be preapproved in order for the associated credits (up to 6) to be applied toward the 48 credits required for the Flex MBA degree.

Students hoping to enroll in coursework in other divisions should contact their academic advisor to submit the request. Requests will be reviewed for approval by the MBA Academic Director.

Dropping or Withdrawing From a Course

Students may drop or withdraw from courses during specified periods during the registration period and term as listed in the Olin Graduate Programs Academic Calendar. A faculty member’s signature or Graduate Programs Office approval is not needed for students who are dropping or withdrawing from a course during the period specified by the academic calendar.

Before the first day of a short course or weekend course, students may drop the course unless the instructor indicates otherwise.

Dropping a course will leave no record of the enrollment on the student's transcript. Withdrawing from a course will keep the enrollment on the transcript with a W grade. The student's GPA will not be impacted.

Independent Study

Independent study under the direction of a faculty member is available on a selective basis. The purpose of independent study is to provide an opportunity for students to pursue subject matter beyond the specific course offerings found in the school. Independent study is not viewed as a vehicle for getting credit for something in which the student may already be involved (e.g., a job, a project in another course). Rather, it is an opportunity for the student to obtain more in-depth exposure to an area of interest under the supervision and direction of a faculty member.

Typically, a student will discuss with a particular faculty member the possibility of receiving supervision on an independent study research project. Projects may receive anywhere from 1.5 to 6 academic credits, but normally no more than 3 credits may be granted in any one semester. Students may apply a maximum of 6 units of independent study credit toward the 48-credit degree requirement.

Once a project is agreed upon between the student and the professor, the student must submit an Independent Study form to the academic advisor for evaluation and approval. The petition should outline the topics to be covered, the texts or other research material to be used, and the research methodology to be employed. Students must be in good academic standing to be approved for independent study.

Semester Credit Cap

Flex students may be enrolled in no more than 7.5 credit units per semester. However, students may exceed 7.5 credit units in a semester — while adhering to the per-credit-unit tuition rate — twice during the duration of their program. Students cannot exceed 7.5 credit units unless they have completed a minimum of one semester within the Flex MBA program, their account/academic record is clear of any administrative holds, and the student is in good academic standing. Students will be asked to provide a rationale for increasing their credit load and to detail their plans for maintaining a healthy balance of external and academic responsibilities. Each request will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Tuition and Financial Information

For helpful information about Olin Financial Services, including the Tuition Refund Schedule, please visit the Financial Information page of this Bulletin.

Note: This schedule may not apply if a student is dropping all courses or withdrawing from their program. Questions should be directed to the student's academic advisor.

Withdrawal and Federal Loans

Regulations governing the return of Title IV funds (unsub and Graduate PLUS loans) require the school to determine the earned and unearned portions of disbursed loans as of the date the student ceased attendance. Students who are considering a withdrawal from any or all coursework should contact the Olin Financial Services team to understand the implications for their current student loan amount and the impacts on their grace period.

Other Olin Policies

Group Study Room Policies and Reservations

The primary purpose of Olin Business School group study rooms is to provide a space for Olin students and clients to engage in collaborative and cooperative study in small groups. The following policies exist to ensure that Olin students and clients have priority use of the rooms, the rooms are appropriately maintained, and clear expectations are in place.

  • Group study rooms in Bauer Hall and Knight Hall may be reserved only by Olin Business School degree candidates and only via the online reservation system. Students not enrolled in Olin Business School degree programs may not reserve these rooms.
  • Group study rooms in Simon Hall may not be reserved. They are subject to the policies below, as applicable.
  • Group study rooms in the Kopolow Business Library located in Simon Hall may be reserved by any Washington University student. Students should visit the library’s front desk for information.
  • Charles F. Knight Executive Education & Conference Center group study rooms (located on the second floor of the Knight Center) are strictly for the use of Olin Executive Education students and clients. Olin undergraduate and non-Executive Education graduate students may not use Knight Executive Education & Conference Center group study rooms under any circumstances. Knight Center group study rooms located on the first floor are available as noted below.
  • Rooms are primarily intended for group use. A group is defined as two or more users engaged in collaborative study. Individuals engaged in simultaneous individual study are not considered a group.

Bauer Hall/Knight Hall

  • Group rooms may not be reserved for individual student use.
  • An individual may use an unoccupied or unreserved room. However, should a group need the room, the individual must vacate it. One group member must reserve the room using the online system at that time and before informing the individual that they must vacate it.
  • If no more than one individual representing a group reservation is present 15 minutes or more after the reservation start time, the reservation is considered forfeited, and the room may be used by another group during the time that the forfeited group had reserved it.

Simon Hall and the first floor of the Knight Center

  • An online reservation system is not currently in place for the group study rooms in Simon Hall and on the first floor of Knight Center. An individual may use an unoccupied room. However, should a group wish to use the room, the individual must vacate it.

Reservation Instructions

  • Rooms in Bauer Hall, Knight Hall, and Knight Center (first floor only) are reserved through the Graduate Programs Office.
  • Reservations for the current day are displayed on the monitor outside each Knight Hall/Bauer Hall group study room. Reservations will also display on the GO WUSTL calendar of the student who has made the reservation on behalf of the group. First-floor Knight Center study rooms are not equipped with a monitor outside of the room, but reservations will appear on the GO WUSTL calendar of the student who made the reservation.
  • Reservations may be made up to two weeks in advance. Any reservations made in advance of two weeks will be charged a fee.
  • Reservations are limited to a period of two hours in length.

Room Usage Policies

  • Room users are responsible for their personal property and should not leave items unattended. Olin Business School is not liable for loss or damage to personal property. Rooms cannot be reserved or held by placing personal belongings in them. Unattended items (e.g., backpacks, coats, laptops, binders) may be removed and taken to lost and found for safekeeping. Lost and found is located in the Undergraduate Office (Simon Hall) or in the Graduate Programs Office (Knight Hall and Bauer Hall).
  • Rooms must be left clean and in good condition for the next users. Whiteboards must be erased and trash thrown away. “Do not erase” requests on the whiteboards will not be honored.
  • Do not remove items from the group study rooms (e.g., chairs, markers, erasers, remotes).
  • Should a room need to be cleaned or should an accident occur (e.g., a spilled beverage), students should email General Services immediately.
  • Should audiovisual assistance be required, students should email General Services.
  • Violation of these policies may result in suspension from room reservation and usage. Students should report all violation issues to their program office.

Graduation

Apply for Program Completion

Every candidate for a degree must apply for program completion via Workday. Deadlines vary depending on the anticipated graduation date, and students should reach out to their Academic Advisor if they do not know the deadline.

If the student is completing more than one degree program at Washington University, they must file a separate form for each degree program and provide all of the requested information.

Awards and Honors

Olin Business School awards are given to honor outstanding achievement. Recipients of the awards listed below are selected based on a variety of factors, and the selection process may include one or more of the following criteria: faculty vote, overall academic record, and course performance.

  • The Charles F. Knight Scholar Awards are presented to the top 7.5% of Flex MBA graduates. This distinction is based on a percentage of credit units receiving HP (High Pass) grades.
  • Graduating MBA students will be considered for election to Beta Gamma Sigma, the national business honorary, if they rank in the top 20% of their graduating class. This calculation is based on the number of HP (High Pass) credits. Summer, fall, and spring graduates are considered to be one graduating class for the purposes of election to Beta Gamma Sigma. Election occurs in April.
  • The Peer Recognition Award is awarded to the graduating Flex MBA student who, in the opinion of their fellow students, best exemplifies qualities of character, leadership, and service and who also enjoys the respect, admiration, and affection of their classmates.

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