
Penn State University/Smeal College of Business
USA

The residential MBA Program at the Penn State Smeal College of Business attracts students from around the world for an experience that spans two academic years on the Penn State University Park campus. The internationally ranked program is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to land and thrive in that perfect post-MBA job and prepare you for success across the arc of your career.
We invite you to learn more about all that Smeal has to offer and hope you are inspired to connect with us as you consider your MBA future.
Before You Begin
From March until the start of the program in August, students will be expected to complete a set of onboarding tasks and assignments through Canvas, Penn State's online learning platform. This includes advanced career prep with our Career Services team, as well as course pre-work. To gain a better understanding of these assignments and the time frame within which they are completed, you can view the Onboarding Checklist used in Fall 2020 for the incoming MBA Class of 2022.
Year One: The Core
During the first year of the Smeal MBA, each module includes a set of required courses that focuses on business fundamentals and functional depth to build core competencies. For descriptions of each core course, please see our list of core course descriptions.
Year Two: Elective Coursework
Number of Students | 58 |
Average Months Prior Work Experience | 62 months |
Percentage of Women | 34% |
Percentage of Underrepresented Minorities (African, Hispanic, and Native Americans as a percentage of domestic students) | 14% |
Percentage of International Students | 30% |
Citizenships held by members of this class | Canada, China, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Ukraine, United States, Venezuela |
Average GMAT | 657 |
Mid 80% GMAT Range | 560 - 720 |
Average GRE Quantitative | 157 |
Average GRE Verbal | 157 |
Mid 80% GRE Range Quantitative | 151 - 164 |
Mid 80% GRE Range Verbal | 152 - 163 |
Average Undergraduate GPA | 3.40 |
Mid 80% Undergraduate GPA | 3.0 - 3.95 |
Business | 47% |
Science and Engineering | 40% |
Humanities and Social Sciences | 13% |
Admission Criteria
The Penn State Smeal MBA Program features a multi-step application process, during which you will be asked to submit the following:
- Penn State Graduate School Application
- GMAT or GRE Scores
- Admissions Essay - What are your short-term and long-term career goals? How does your past experience enable you to achieve these goals? How do you see your MBA experience fitting into this plan? (600 Word Limit)
- Resume
- Copies of Official Educational Transcripts
- Video Application Response
- Letters of Recommendation
- Official English Language Proficiency Exam Scores (International Candidates)
- Application Fee: $65
GMAT/GRE Test Waiver Policy
GRE/GMAT waivers may be available for highly qualified candidates with focus on one or more of the following criteria:
- Advanced degrees (M.D., D.O. and Ph.D. automatically waived)
- Have at least 7 years of relevant and progressive post-undergraduate work experience
- Significant leadership experience, particularly in the armed forces
- Able to demonstrate a readiness to complete graduate education, quantitative ability, and advanced analytical reasoning skills.
To request a waiver:
- Complete both your Smeal MBA Program application and Video Responses.
- In the optional essay portion of the application, add your request and discuss your eligibility for a GMAT waiver.
- All requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.