MBA Degree Requirements

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
The Master of Business Administration program is designed to advance current business knowledge and to and to update the student’s continuous learning foundation. MBA courses provide both additional depth and breadth through the identification of relevant learning materials, faculty interaction, and interaction with their peers on current personal business issues.

A minimum of 52 units of approved 600-level graduate courses are required for the Master of Business Administration degree. The typical MBA candidate is expected to have a working knowledge of the fundamentals of business including management, quantitative decision-making, accounting, finance, and the current business environment.

Students who are "conditionally" admitted are on a probationary status. Students who do not earn a "B" in their first three MBA classes are subject to dismissal, but may remain in the program on a restricted basis at the discretion of the MBA Director. "Classified" graduate students are required to maintain a cumulative 3.0 grade point average in all graduate course work. Students who receive a “C” in any course will not be able to use that result towards the fulfillment of any degree requirement. Graduate courses may not be taken on a credit, no-credit basis.

Note that all graduate students with undergraduate degrees from outside of California must complete the equivalent of the Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) to graduate. We recommend that this requirement be completed early as it can be a useful refresher. Achievement on the verbal section of the GMAT or GRE at or above the 60th percentile also satisfies this requirement.

Program Prerequisites
All MBA applicants will be expected to demonstrate competency in the following topic areas identified as program prerequisites. Competency can be established by any one of the following:

  1. proof of appropriate coursework at the undergraduate level;
  2. taking a foundation knowledge course as recommended by the MBA Coordinator;
  3. completing an online review course and passing the appropriate competency exam.

For applicants with baccalaureate degrees not in business administration or those persons needing review, courses are available.

It is incumbent upon the student to provide such evidence to the BPA Student Services office. Applicants should consult with the MBA Director or BPA Student Services office regarding which course(s) might be appropriate.
  1. Statistics or Quantitative Methods for Business Decision Making (equivalent to BA 301)
  2. Principles of Financial Accounting (equivalent to ACCT 220)
  3. Principles of Finance (equivalent to FIN 300)
  4. Economics Theory (equivalent to ECON 202)
Core Courses (40 units)
All candidates for the degree must complete the following courses:
  1. Accounting 600: Financial Accounting for Leaders (4)
  2. Accounting 620: Accounting for Decision Making and Control (4)
  3. Finance 600: Seminar in Financial Management and Policy (4)
  4. Management 602: Seminar in Operations and Technology Management (4)
  5. Management 604: Advanced Organizational Behavior (4)
  6. Management 605: Managerial Skills (4)
  7. Management 690: Seminar in Strategic Management (4)
  8. Management Information Systems 610: Information Systems for Leaders (4)
  9. Marketing 600: Seminar in Marketing Management (4)
  10. MBA 690: Master’s Culminating Project (4)

Elective Courses (12 units)
All CSUB MBA students are required to take a minimum of 12 units (3 courses) of electives. While MBA programs typically do not have formal concentrations, the MBA student may specialize in an area of interest. For example, the student who is interested in small business management or entrepreneurship might select Finance 640 (Working Capital Management), Management 600 (Organizational Theory), Management 610 (Human Resource Management), and/or Marketing 601 (Consumer Behavior). Perhaps your interest is marketing – in which case you might select a couple of additional marketing courses and an advanced statistics/data analysis course. Should you wish to build something in your field please see the MBA Director or the MBA advisor.

Industry Specific Elective Patterns
The MBA currently has three industry-specific specializations.

Accounting
Accounting majors who intend to seek CPA licensing outside of California are required to complete a fifth year of course work prior to licensure. The CSUB MBA Program has developed a course track that enables accounting majors to complete the fifth year while simultaneously engaging in personal development. This fifth year requirement will soon be adopted by California as well – and at that time an appropriate course solution will be developed.

Upon completion of their fourth year and graduation, the student wishing to complete the fifth year should apply to the MBA Program using the standard MBA Program Application process. Once enrolled in the program, the student should contact the MBA advisor for an appropriate course list. At the completion of the 5th year course sequence, students who would like to complete the MBA degree program need only take the remaining courses. Accounting students are not required to take ACCT 600 or ACCT 620 and electives are substituted in place of those courses.

Insurance Industry – CPCU (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter)
Students who have passed the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter national certification exams (CPCU 510, CPCU 520, CPCU 530, CPCU 540) may count these as their electives towards their CSU Bakersfield MBA. See the MBA Director or the MBA Advisor for more specific information.

Non-Profit/Public Administration Students who would like to combine the MBA with non-profit or public sector work interests may create a specialization using classes from the Masters in Public Administration. For example, a student who is interested in non-profit should take non-profit management (PPA 519), grant writing (PPA 520), and a marketing elective. See the MBA Director or MBA Advisor for an appropriate plan of study.




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