Philosophy

The fundamental mission of the College of Business Administra­tion is to educate the leaders of tomorrow’s business and non-profit organizations by concentrating on the management skills needed in the complex, multicultural and technological environments of the future.  The design philosophy for the graduate program is to integrate rigor with relevance and theory with practice.

The program has been influenced by the writings of premier educators, commissions, and managers, as well as by the talents of our faculty and by the needs of our constituencies.  It is modern in structure and pedagogy as well as content.  It recognizes the sea-changes such as diversity, a global economy, technology, the cooperative nature of decision making, and accelerating rates of change that are occurring in business, government and society, and in higher education.

The program emphasizes a commitment to values:  ethics, respect for the individual and the environment, intellectual curiosity, commitment to lifelong learning, and self-direction. It makes use of information technologies in the delivery of the program and requires that students develop a significant level of proficiency in the application of technology.  The curriculum stresses the importance of good communication skills for successful management; thus, written and oral presentations are a part of every course.

Description of the Program

The Master of Business Administration is designed for the employed student who has several years of work experience as a professional and is either preparing to enter management or has moderate management experience.

The program require 39 units of coursework beyond a 12-unit pre-program “foundation.”  There are three types of courses:  Foundation, Program, and Master’s Project.

1.  Foundation Courses [12 units] provide the background knowledge and skills essential to virtually all management activity.  The foundation is organized as two courses. Typically, stu­dents who have completed an undergraduate program in business within the last seven years will be able to waive the foundation courses.  Also see the requirements for the Minor in Business Administration.
    
2. Program Courses [33 units] contain more advanced material.  Courses in the program are all variable (2-4) unit courses. 
    
3.  The Master’s Project [6 units] involves the investigation of a government or business entity’s operations to achieve a significant cost reduction, service enhancement, etc.  Each project is proposed, researched and reported, and culminates in a written report that includes problem identification, evaluation of potential solutions, discussion of the selected implementation, and evaluation of the results.

Program Schedule

The program is designed for working professionals.  Cohorts of 25-40 students take courses in a predetermined sequence.  The full program, including the foundation and Master’s Project, can be completed in 21 months.  Students attend regular semesters (fall, spring, and summer).  Three schedules are offered:

1) Tuesday p.m. and alternate Saturdays, or

2) Wednesday p.m. and alternate Saturdays, or

3) Tuesday/Thursday p.m.

Admission Requirements

The admissions policy assesses the applicant’s competencies in five primary areas essential to success in the Master’s program and to success as a manager:

• Problem recognition and analysis.
• Basic skills in computer applications and quantitative methods.
• Effective communication, both written and oral.
• Intellectual curiosity, managerial point of view, respect for the individual and for the value of diversity, self-awareness and self-direction, and concern for the consequences of one’s actions.
• General academic proficiency in areas relevant to management.

 

In addition, we also evaluate the candidate’s “commitment” to the program — the probability that the candidate has the time and resources essential to the successful completion of the degree.

The primary data for assessment includes the following required items:

• Transcripts of university-level coursework.  GPA will be computed from the most recent 60 semester units of academic course­work taken at the graduate or upper-division level.
• The Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT), taken within the last 5 years, or, under certain conditions, the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).  Test scores may be waived for applicants who have successfully completed a minimum of 24 semester (36 quarter) units of graduate management coursework.  Similarly, applicants who have completed a master’s degree or other graduate degree (e.g., M.D., J.D., Ph.D.) from a U.S. university may also waive these tests.  Nevertheless, applicants who have taken the GMAT or GRE should submit their score, and applicants eligible to waive these tests should still consider taking the GMAT to supplement the application.  If the applicant has not taken one of these tests within the last five years, the GMAT must be taken. 
• Two essays covering career achievements plus expected challenges and rewards from the MBA Program.
• Three completed Recommendation for MBA Applicant forms.
• An in-person interview or, in special cases, a telephone interview.
• A math assessment test.
• Computing Requirement.  A notebook computer may be required to attend some MBA classes.

The admissions committee will also evaluate the applicant’s skills in quantitative methods, communi­cation, and computer applications.  Where deficiencies are identified, the applicant may be required to complete additional courses or attend workshops.  In addition, the assessment will also determine whether the 12-unit Foundation may be waived.

Graduation Requirements

Completion of the MBA degree requires:  (1) an overall GPA of at least 3.0 (B average) in all course­work within the program, and (2) a grade of C or better in each course.

Foundation Courses (12 units)

There are two 6-unit foundation courses. Typically, students who have com­pleted an undergraduate program in business within the past seven years will be able to waive the foundation.

BGA 501
BGA 502

 

Business Management Option
(33 Units)

All program courses are variable,
2- to 4-unit courses.   

BA 620BA 644
BA 621BA 662
BA 622BA 670
BA 624BA 690
BA 630BA 698
BA 640ECON 610
BA 643      

Master’s Project (6 units)

BA 680