Program Overview

Master of Business Administration, Full-Time

The Full-time Master in Business Administration (MBA) program at the Paul Merage School of Business is a two-year program designed to equip students with the skills necessary to excel in a digitally driven world. Ranked among the top 5% of business schools worldwide, the Full-time MBA offers a unique blend of coursework, real-world experiences, and career development opportunities.

Overview

The first-year curriculum focuses on building a strong foundation in business acumen through a structured curriculum, while the second year allows students to tailor their education with a variety of electives. Students benefit from experiential learning, global residential, internships, and workshops designed to enhance career resiliency.

Admission

The admission evaluation for the Full-Time MBA program involves a comprehensive assessment of all submitted materials, including academic transcripts, work experience, essays, and letters of recommendation. While there are no specific prerequisites, the Admissions Committee seeks evidence of quantitative proficiency and strong verbal skills. Applicants from diverse undergraduate backgrounds are welcome, however a quantitative background is encouraged, especially for those interested in the concentration in Analytics in Digital Leadership.

Requirements

The Full-Time MBA program requires a minimum of 92 units with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in the core curriculum and overall. The curriculum consists of courses divided into two groups designed to achieve specific educational objectives.

• Ten required Common Core Courses (40 units)
  • MGMTMBA 200 | Thinking Strategically in the Digital Age
  • MGMTMBA 201A | Business Analytics: Decision-Making
  • MGMTMBA 202 | Organizational Leadership for Management
  • MGMTMBA 203A | Financial Reporting
  • MGMTMBA 204A | Microeconomics for Management in the Digital Age
  • MGMTMBA 205 | Marketing Principles
  • MGMTMBA 207 | Competing with Digital: Technology, Analytics, and Platforms
  • MGMTMBA 208 | Operational Excellence: Processes, Models, and Analytics
  • MGMTMBA 209A | Managerial Finance
  • MGMTMBA 210 | Strategy: Foundations and Dynamics
• 52 units of elective courses which students select to emphasize career goals and educational interests

Concentration in Analytics in Digital Leadership

For those students pursuing a concentration in Analytics in Digital Leadership, students must enroll in:

• MGMTMBA 270 | Data Camp for Managers
• 16 units from the following list of electives:
  • MGMT FE 281 | Analytical Decision Models for Managers
  • MGMT FE 215 | Strategy in a Digital Age
  • MGMTMBA 245 | FinTech and the Digital Economy for Business
  • MGMT FE 245 | FinTech and the Digital Economy
  • MGMT FE 273 | Machine Learning Analytics for Managers
  • MGMTMBA 274 | Data and Programming for Analytics
  • MGMT FE 278 | Data and Programming for Analytics
  • MGMTMBA 285 | Supply Chain Analytics
  • MGMTMBA 288 | Predictive Analytics for Business
  • MGMT FE 288 | Predictive Analytics
  • MGMT FE 294 | Edge for Managers
• 34 units of electives

Residence Requirement

The program has a residence requirement of five quarters.

International Requirement

Students must fulfill the international requirement in one of the following ways:

• Completion of a Paul Merage School of Business international elective in a functional area
• Participation in a Paul Merage School of Business international exchange program
• Completion of an upper-division or graduate international course offered by another UC school, with the approval of The Paul Merage School of Business Associate Dean

Electives

In addition to the core courses, 52 more units of elective courses are required. The major emphasis in the elective courses is to develop additional depth in a discipline or interdisciplinary area or specialized competence in the use of a particular set of technical tools and methods. Students select their electives in light of their educational and career goals and interests.