Business Administration (M.B.A.)

Randall Brown, Ph.D., Director

Office: Demergasso-Bava Hall 209
Phone: (209) 667-3280

Professors: Brown, Filling, Harris, Hernandez, Petrosky, Wagner
Associate Professor: Chronis, Huang, Li, Petratos, Zong

View information for the College of Business Administration .

The Master of Business Administration program provides study in advanced concepts of business, industry, and government operations. This program is designed for the active manager or technical supervisor as well as the recent graduate who is interested in advanced study in the field of business. The program includes accounting, finance, operations management, marketing, economics, management, and computer information systems.

Learning Goals and Outcomes

1. Students will have the advanced knowledge of the business disciplines (management, marketing, operations management, management, accounting, finance, and information systems management) and apply the knowledge in new and unfamiliar circumstances.  Objective:  Students will demonstrate understanding of each functional area in a strategic management case.
2. Students will demonstrate advanced oral and written communication skills.  Objective:  Students will effectively present business analyses and recommendations through oral forms of communication.  Students will effectively present business analyses and recommendations through written forms of communication.
3. Students will think critically by adapting and innovating to solve business problems.  Objective:  Students will analyze complex business situations and develop and implement effective solutions to the business problems.
4. Students will work collaboratively with others in group projects, and have the capacity to lead in an organizational setting.  Objective:  Students will effectively participate and contribute in a team-based environment.
5. Students will have awareness of global perspective.  Objective:  Students will analyze management issues from a global perspective.
6. Students will be ethically conscious decision makers.

Admission to the Program

Note: The following admission requirements are effective Spring 2009.

Qualified applicants holding a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university may be admitted to the program. Each applicant must submit the following to the Graduate School:

1. A fully completed California State University Graduate Application for Admission form, submitted online at www.csumentor.edu.
2. Two copies of official transcripts from each college attended other than CSU Stanislaus, submitted to the Graduate School in MSR 120.

Each applicant also must submit the following to the MBA Program Director, College of Business Administration:

1. A completed MBA Program Application Form.
2. Three letters of recommendation or evaluation forms from faculty and/or other professional sources.
3. The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score, which should be sent directly from the testing service. (Note: the Graduate Record Exam, or GRE, may be substituted for the GMAT). The MBA Program Director will consider indicators of high promise of success in postgraduate business study from the following: 
   1. Performance on the GMAT (or GRE): All candidates must sit for the exam prior to being admitted to the program. They must achieve scores in the verbal and quantitative categories at or above the 20th percentile. And, they must achieve a minimum score of 3.5 in the “analytical writing” component of the exam. Persons who score below the 20th percentile in either or both categories may be admitted on a conditional basis that requires them to take additional foundation coursework as prescribed by the MBA Program Director.
   2. Candidates’ overall or upper-division grade-point average prior to admission: a minimum of 2.5 GPA is required in the last 60 semester units attempted. In addition, a total of 1,000 points must be achieved based on the formula [200 times the overall GPA plus the GMAT score], or a total of 1,050 points based on the formula [200 times the upper-division GPA plus the GMAT score]. For persons taking the GRE, the formula is: A total of 200 points must be achieved based on: [20 times the upper division GPA plus the average GRE score]. To first obtain the average GRE score, a person must add the two category scores (verbal and quantitative) and divide by 2.
   3. Experience:  Candidates must demonstrate a two-year record of relevant, full-time employment in a professional or supervisory role. Applicants wishing to enter the program without the required two years experience may achieve a waiver of the work experience requirement by meeting a higher point score of 1150 points based on the formula [200 times the overall GPA plus the GMAT total score].
4. Applicants whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and have a minimum total score of 550 (or 213 electronic) with part scores of at least 54 (21 electronic), reported directly from the testing service.

Requirements (33 units minimum)

The Master of Business Administration is awarded upon satisfactory completion of 33 units of core and graduate elective courses and either the completion of a graduate project or the passing of a comprehensive examination. Students must have completed the 18 units of foundation courses listed below or their equivalents. To be exempted from any or all foundation courses, equivalent undergraduate courses must have been completed with a grade of C or better within ten years prior to admission to the program. Exemptions from the foundation courses also can be obtained by passing the corresponding qualifying examination.