Carlson School of Management

Master of Business Taxation — Frequently Asked Questions

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When are classes held?
The MBT program is designed to be flexible for people with full-time obligations during the day or for the students who are able to attend class full-time. MBT classes meet once a week—Monday through Thursday, from 5:45–9:05 p.m. Four credit classes meet for the full term and two credit classes meet for a half-semester during either the A term (first half) or B term (second half).
How many credits do I need to earn to complete to earn a MBT?

All MBT students are required to complete 30 credits.

How long does it take to earn the MBT?

Students control how quickly they move through the curriculum by tailoring their course load each semester. Some students are able to graduate in three semesters, though the average student takes about 2–3 years. Students are allowed to take up to 5 years to earn an MBT. The program is very flexible, allowing students to accelerate or decelerate their program as needed.

How many credits will I take per semester?

Students may take as many or as few credits per semester as they feel they can handle. International students must take a minimum of six credits to fulfill their visa requirement. To stay active in the program, students must register for a class in fall and spring semester. However, those who need a semester off may apply for a leave of absence.

What if I travel for work?

Many MBT students travel for work and our faculty are aware of the tensions and difficulties that come with balancing a busy career and a graduate business education. Our faculty tries to be flexible about students needing to miss occasional sessions due to professional travel; such situations are resolved in advance on a case-by-case basis with the professor and student. In some courses, it is more of a problem to miss a session than in others.

Additionally, the MBT program offers flexibility for students who travel by providing two and four credit courses that start and end at different times throughout the semester. Four-credit classes meet once a week for the full 14 weeks and 2-credit classes meet during either the first half of the semester (A-term) or the second half (B-term). So, for example, a student who knew they needed to travel extensively during the second half of a semester could take 2-credit courses during the A-term and no classes during the B-term when they are traveling.

What courses will I be taking in the program? Can I concentrate in a specific area of study?
The MBT curriculum is divided between four required courses (12 credits) and fourteen elective courses (need 18 credits). A student may want to concentrate on a specific area of study in MBT because their career choice may be a corporate tax or middle-market tax professional.
How much time will I need to spend outside of class to complete my work?
The amount of time students spend outside class on readings and assignments depends on the course, but the general guideline is that you will spend approximately 3–5 hours per class per week.

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