MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
For information and/or an
admissions package, please contact:
Jack Leu, Ph.D.
MBA Program Director
College of Business
Administration
CSU San Marcos
San Marcos, CA 92096-0001
(760) 750-4267
FAX (760) 750-4263
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 620 BA 644
BA 621 BA 662
BA 622 BA 670
BA 624 BA 690
BA 630 BA 698
BA 640 ECON 610
BA 643
Master’s Project (6 units)
BA 680