Waiver exams allow you to test out of certain core courses for which you can demonstrate competency. You should strongly consider taking a waiver exam if you have academic and professional experience in the subject matter. The opportunity cost of taking a core waiver exam is relatively low and the reward – if you pass – is relatively high in terms of expanding your opportunity to take electives.

Waiver exams are administered once for each course immediately before the semester in which the waivable core course is offered. You will be eligible to take waiver exams only at the following times:

Class of 2027:

  • Friday, July 5 at 12:00 noon PT until Tuesday, July 9 at 11:59 PT
    • EWMBA 201A – Economics for Business Decision Making (Microeconomics)
    • EWMBA 206 – Marketing Organization and Management
      EWMBA 200S – Data & Decisions
  •  November/December 2024 – Specific dates/times TBD
    • EWMBA 201B – Macroeconomics in the Global Economy
    • EWMBA 202 – Financial Accounting
    • EWMBA 203 – Introduction to Finance
  • July 2025 – Specific dates/times TBD
    • EWMBA 204 – Operations

Class of 2026:

  • Friday, July 5 at 12:00 noon PT until Tuesday, July 9 at 11:59 PT
    • EWMBA 204 – Operations

Watch the Fall 2023 Core Waiver Webinar and review the slide deck to learn about Core Waivers, Waiver Exams, and what happens if you waive a class. 

Students have only one opportunity to take each waiver exam. If you receive permission to defer a core class to the following academic year, that does not grant permission to defer taking the associated waiver exam or allow you to attempt the associated waiver exam a second time.

Exams are assessed on a waive/no waive basis, not the A-F letter grade scale. There are no comments or feedback provided. The final decision is not subject to debate or negotiation with the Program Office or professor. You should approach this like the GMAT — you prepare, you take the test and you receive your results. If you waive, you will receive additional information on your options.

To waive out of a core course, you must receive an assessment of waive on a waiver exam, as determined by the course professor, or be eligible for an automatic waiver (see below). Completion of other classes or exams is not an acceptable reason to waive a core class. Waiving a core course does not reduce the number of units needed to graduate. You must take additional elective course(s) to complete the 42-unit graduation requirement.

Classes Eligible to be Waived

  • EWMBA 201A – Economics for Business Decision Making (Microeconomics)
  • EWMBA 201B – Macroeconomics in the Global Economy
  • EWMBA 202 – Financial Accounting*
  • EWMBA 203 – Introduction to Finance*
  • EWMBA 204 – Operations*
  • EWMBA 206 – Marketing Organization and Management
  • EWMBA 200S – Data & Decisions

*Eligible for automatic waiver.

Classes NOT Eligible to be Waived

  • EWMBA 200C – Leadership Communications
  • EWMBA 205 – Leading People
  • EWMBA 207 – Ethics and Responsibility in Business
  • EWMBA 200P – Fundamentals of Design Thinking
  • EWMBA 299 – Strategy