Nov 06, 2024  
2023-2024 University Catalog 
    
2023-2024 University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Business Administration, Information Systems Concentration, M.B.A.


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(40-45 UNITS)

Master of Business Administration


The College of Business and Economics holds dual accreditation in Business Administration and Accounting from AACSB International, the premier accrediting body for university-level business programs in the world. We are the only university in Orange County, and one of five in California, to hold this prestigious level of dual accreditation. Our accreditation guarantees that students receive a high quality education, delivered by the most qualified faculty, all from a college that has met the highest standards in business education.

Depending on personal and professional commitments, students may earn their MBA on a full- or part-time basis. Classes are offered during the late afternoon and evenings.

Admission


Admission into the MBA program is competitive and decisions are based on the holistic assessment of each candidate’s academic and personal/professional background. Students must meet the CSU requirements for admission to a master’s degree program. Please consult the Graduate Admissions section in this catalog for complete information. In addition, applicants will be evaluated based on the following:

  • A satisfactory score on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Students should score in the top 50 percent on the verbal, quantitative and analytical writing areas. GRE/GMAT might be waived based on the waiver policy.
  • A minimum TOEFL score of 570 on the paper exam, or 90 on the internet based (iBT) is required1.
  • A recommendation from the MBA Admissions Committee based upon a review of the above requirements, the student’s “Statement of Purpose” and prior work experience.

Additional coursework may be required of admitted students who holistically satisfy the criteria but are weak in one of the above areas.

GRE/GMAT Waiver Policy


The GRE/GMAT exam is required of all program applicants. However, a waiver may be considered for those applicants who can show through their academic and professional work experience a high level of quantitative and analytical skill and ability necessary for program success. GMAT Waiver Eligibility:

  • Option 1: Hold a quantitative-based master’s degrees or a terminal degree (MD, PhD, JD, DO) from an accredited school.
  • Option 2: At least 7 years of professional work experience AND an undergraduate degree that includes extensive quantitative coursework with at least a B average.
  • Option 3: Official documentation of expired GMAT or GRE scores that meet/exceed the program target.
    • GMAT: At least 35th percentile on the Quantitative portion and a total score of at least 550.
    • GRE: At least 35th percentile on the quantitative section and total score of 300.

Additional Information


1 For international students

Proficiency Requirements


All newly admitted students must demonstrate proficiency in calculus and statistics, either at the time of admission or within their first year of study. The technical courses listed below, or equivalent coursework, must be completed with a “C” (2.0) or better:

Degree Requirements


Students with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration may be able to complete the program with a minimum of 40 units of adviser-approved coursework. However, students with little or no recent coursework in Business Administration and have not met the university writing requirement may require 45 total units of advisor-approved coursework. A minimum 3.0 GPA (“B”) is required in study plan courses and overall applicable coursework. Any study plan course with a grade lower than “C” (2.0) must be repeated and passed with a “C” (2.0) or better.

Required (19-24 units)


The M.B.A. program at CSUF presumes that all students demonstrate proficiency in the topics covered by the following business core, which consist of 19-24 units of coursework. These courses must be at the 500 level. All specific required courses are determined by faculty advisers within the College of Business and Economics, who make decisions about core coursework equivalency. Based on a student’s previous coursework, faculty advisers may waive a maximum of 3 units of required core. If additional required core coursework is found to be equivalent, CBE faculty advisers may approve a substitution of a 500-level course in the same discipline. Consideration for equivalency may only be provided if the proposed equivalent courses are no more than seven years old and the student has achieved a “C” (2.0) or better with an overall GPA of 3.0 (“B”). Each student in the M.B.A. program must complete an adviser-approved study plan.

Additional Information


* Students must get approval from Business Graduate Programs on which of these courses to take.

** Students who do not meet the Graduate Writing Requirement must take BUAD 501.

Capstone Experience (3 units)


Must pass with a “B” (3.0) or better.

Information Systems Concentration (18 units)


Information systems are the backbone of modern businesses. As the capabilities of information systems and technologies continue to grow, both management and functional business areas such as marketing, accounting and finance will increasingly rely on information systems as the basis for building and maintaining competitive advantage. There is strong demand for individuals with knowledge and capabilities that lie at the intersection of management and modern information systems and technologies, and this demand is projected to continue growing for the foreseeable future. The Information Systems concentration allows students to capitalize on current and future opportunities by preparing them for careers requiring general managerial knowledge, as well as specialized knowledge in the areas of information resources management, analyzing information technology needs, designing IT-based solutions, managing information technology projects, and designing and working with databases and large data sets.

Total (40-45 units)


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