Master of

Business Administration

Real-World Skills for Real Business Success

Golden Gate University's MBA program blends foundational skills of core business disciplines with essential soft skills such as effective communication, executive presentations, and team building. You'll apply these concepts in a hands-on, case-study framework that takes place in classrooms resembling actual management experience. Expert instructors, who also work in some of the Bay Area's most successful businesses, will provide you with the insight you need to become a successful leader.

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San Francisco
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1,090 /unit
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45 Total Units

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The Golden Gate University (GGU) MBA program will advance your leadership skills and business knowledge using an activity-based learning approach. Faculty members are seasoned professionals in their respective fields and will prepare you to lead in today's complex business environment.

GGU's MBA program builds your business acumen, leadership skills, and contextual knowledge throughout the practical degree design. It provides an integrated perspective of management, and allows you to tailor the program with one of several concentrations to meet your professional interests and goals. Concentrations include business analytics, entrepreneurship, project management and even the option to design your own.

Since launching the MBA program more than half a century ago, GGU has pioneered evening and online programs for working professionals to achieve their career objectives. You can proceed at your own pace in deciding how many courses to take in a given trimester and study fully in-person, completely online or a combination of both.

Students in the program come from the San Francisco Bay Area, the United States and more than 50 countries around the world. With our location in the heart of San Francisco's thriving business community, strong connections to Bay Area business leaders, and a distinguished community of more than 70,000 alumni, the educational experience and the networks available to you are unparalleled.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants should hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited US institution or the equivalent from a recognized foreign (outside the US) institution, and provide official transcripts.
Master's degree holders only need to submit transcripts from previous graduate programs. However, applicants are encouraged to submit all transcripts to maximize transfer credit.
Applicants whose native language is not English must meet the English Language Proficiency Admission Requirements.
Applicants with an undergraduate GPA below 3.00 should submit a statement of purpose and a resume.
GMAT is required but can be waived if student meets one of following criteria:
- Master’s degree earned from a regionally accredited U.S. institution.
- Cumulative GPA of at least 3.20 in studies leading to a U.S. bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
- CPA License.
- 5+ years of professional managerial work experience or 4+ years of military experience (Must Submit Resume).
- We will also accept official GRE.

PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS

Business Proficiency

Students will need to have an understanding of United States business practices to be successful in our graduate programs. Learn More

Math Proficiency

Intermediate Algebra (Math 20); See Graduate Mathematics Proficiency Requirement for more information.

Writing Proficiency

Students are expected to possess proficiency in writing to ensure they can be successful in their course of study. Students may meet this requirement by satisfying one of the screening criteria listed under Graduate Writing Proficiency Requirement.

Requirements for the Master of Business Administration

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) requires completion of 6 units in the foundation program, 30 units in thecore program, and 9-12 units in the concentration area, with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 or better in coursestaken at Golden Gate University that are applicable to the program’s requirements. For further information regarding grad-uation requirements, see Academic Requirements for Graduate Programs.

GMAT/GRE Requirement

The GMAT/GRE is NOT required if you have more than 5 years of professional work experience and hold an earnedbachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited US institution or the equivalent from a recognized foreign (outside the US)institution. If you have less than 5 years of work experience, you may need to take the GMAT or GRE. For all exceptions tothe GMAT/GRE requirement, please view our Graduate Admission information.

Graduate Writing Proficiency Requirement

Students are expected to possess proficiency in writing to ensure they can be successful in their course of study. Studentsmay meet this requirement by satisfying one of the screening criteria listed under the Graduate Writing Proficiency Requirement.

Graduate Mathematics Proficiency Requirement

Students are expected to possess a level of mathematical proficiency at least equivalent to MATH 20 Applied Intermediate Algebra. Students may meet this requirement by satisfying one of the screening criteria listed under the Graduate Mathematics Proficiency Requirement.

FOUNDATION PROGRAM - 6 UNITS

The two-course foundation program provides the groundwork for the advanced program core and concentration courses. Some, or all, of the foundation course requirements may be waived if they have previously completed comparable undergraduate courses at a regionally accredited college or university with a grade of “C” or better. Students may be admitted to advanced program courses before completion of the entire foundation program, but they must complete the foundation program by the time twelve units have been earned in the advanced program.

BUS 202: Fundamentals of Business
BUS 240: Data Analysis for Managers

CORE PROGRAM - 30 UNITS

The core program courses are taken by all MBA students. This ensures that all MBA graduates have an understanding ofthe important skills for effective management and an integrative knowledge of the core area of business, regardless oftheir area of concentration. Although they are required to choose either a concentration or a general concentration whenthey apply for admission, the common core allows students to rethink their concentration (or general concentration) de-cision, and to change it with minimum course penalty.

BUSINESS CORE - 21 UNITS

Students are strongly encouraged to complete the courses in the order below. It is also recommend that students take BUS 202 with LEAD 300 in their first semesters and MATH 240 in their second semesters of study.

LEAD 300: Management & Leadership
LEAD 303: Teamwork in Organizations
FI 300: Corporate Finance
MBA 323: Information Technology
MSBA 300: Foundations of Business Analytics
MKT 300: Marketing Management
OP 300: Operations and Supply Chain Management

STRATEGIC COURSES AND CAPSTONE COURSE - 9 UNITS

Students are strongly encouraged to complete the courses in the following order:

MBA 311: Strategic Analysis & Design
MBA 345: Context of Business
MBA 350: Business Planning (Capstone course, to be taken in final semester.)

PLAN YOUR SCHEDULE

Projected Schedule

CONCENTRATION COURSES
9-12 UNITS

One of the following:

Adaptive Leadership
Business Analytics
Entrepreneurship
Finance
General
Human Resource Management
Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Information Technology Management
Marketing
Project Management
Public Administration (4-unit courses)

or choose Declaring Concentrations*

Students may declare up to two concentrations in a given degree program. Students seeking to declare more than two concentrations will be required to appeal to the dean for approval. Students’ diplomas will list the concentrations that they had successfully completed at the time their degrees were conferred. Students may not declare additional concentrations after their degrees have been conferred.

CONCENTRATIONS

GENERAL CONCENTRATION

Whatever the student's goal in the world of business, the general concentration allows the student to tailor the MBA program to his or her individual needs.

Students may choose any four 3-unit courses from the GGU graduate catalog to build a custom course of study. With an array of electives to choose from, students can pick those courses that provide the set of knowledge and skills that they will need in their careers. Students may select courses from accounting, economics, finance, information technology management, international business, management, marketing, operations and supply chain management, project management, public administration, psychology or taxation.

REQUIRED COURSES -- 9 UNITS

Select any three 3-unit 300/400-level courses with the following prefixes: ACCTG, ECON, EMPA, FI, HRM, ITM, LEAD, MGT, MKT, MSBA, OP, PAD, PM, or PSYCH.

Note: any course prerequisites must be completed in addition and cannot be used to fulfill this requirement unless they are also 300/400-level courses.

ADAPTIVE LEADERSHIP CONCENTRATION

This practice-based concentration educates students in an understanding of contemporary leadership and management theories with special emphasis on application and skill development. Students who take this concentration will be well prepared to manage, lead, and produce results in today’s complex, global business environment.

REQUIRED COURSES -- 9 UNITS

LEAD 301: Personal Leadership
LEAD 304: Leading Complex Change
LEAD 305: Adaptive Decision Making

BUSINESS ANALYTICS CONCENTRATION

A targeted graduate concentration designed for MBA students to work within the business analytics field.

Business analytics has exploded in the last few years, offering many new opportunities for managers who understand business operations and are able to evaluate massive amounts of data. The Business Analytics Concentration is designed for the MBA student who must be able to apply data analytics tools and techniques to both structured and unstructured data, extracting information that the organization can use for strategic decision-making. Students taking this concentration will be introduced to specialized analytics tools and technologies.

REQUIRED COURSE -- 3 UNITS

MSBA 300: Foundations of Business Analytics (Take This First)

ELECTIVE COURSES -- 9 UNITS

Plus three of the following:

MSBA 301: Enterprise Performance Management and Metrics
MSBA 305: Business Intelligence
MSBA 324: Web & Social Network Analytics
MSBA 328: Visualization and Communication
MSBA 330: Self-Service Analytics

ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONCENTRATION

For ambition persons who want to start and grow their own business, and / or manage innovation within a larger enterprise.

This concentration offers the opportunity to learn how to design, finance, and manage a new venture. Real-world practical skills combined with the most current theory provides a solid foundation. All students in this program will construct a business plan for their venture, and will also have the flexibility to choose additional courses to support their particular interests.

REQUIRED COURSES -- 3 UNITS

MGT 312: Business Planning for Entrepreneurs

ELECTIVE COURSES -- 6 UNITS

Two of the following:

FI 318: Venture Capital & Start-Up Financing
MGT 348: Negotiating in Business
MKT 335: New-Product Decisions

FINANCE CONCENTRATION

An analytical graduate concentration designed to prepare MBA students for a finance specialty.

Whatever goal students have in the world of business, from corporate management to consulting and entrepreneurship, the study of finance gives them the grounding in decision-making techniques that will help ensure the financial health of their enterprise in the competitive global market. Students learn capital budgeting, capital structure, investment management, and short-term capital management. Our unique method; combining a theoretical knowledge of finance with extensive hands-on learning, using real-life case studies and our state-of-the art computer labs, gives students the abilities to be an effective and competent manager in any organization.

REQUIRED COURSES -- 12 UNITS

Select any three FI or ECON 300/400-level courses, excluding FI 300, which is an MBA program functional course requirement. .

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CONCENTRATION

In the competitive global marketplace, effective management of human resources is necessary for success. Students learn to understand the human resource issues brought about by technology and the international business environment, and how to apply their knowledge as a human-resources professional in organizations. Students will choose among courses to learn how to hire, train, develop, retain, compensate and ethically manage a workforce.

REQUIRED COURSES -- 9 UNITS

Three of the following:

HRM 301: Work & Workforce Trends
HRM 302: Acquiring & Retaining Human Resources
HRM 303: HR as a Legal Partner
HRM 304: Technology Strategies for Human Resources Management
HRM 305: Total Compensation
HRM 306: Learning and Development
HRM 307: International HRM
HRM 308: Ethics in Managing People at Work

INDUSTRIAL-ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY CONCENTRATION

An Industrial-Organizational Psychology graduate concentration is designed to help MBA students combine increased business acumen and the applied skills of the business world with in-depth knowledge of and capacity to critically analyze the psychological dynamics of people in organizations. With this concentration, you will understand the psychological research and practices that support organizational life, from executive coaching, consulting skills and conflict resolution to understanding the emotional complexities of human difference in organizations and using tests and measurements to understand and improve organizational dynamics.

REQUIRED COURSE -- 3 UNITS

Four of the following:

PSYCH 345: Organizational Behavior and Development

ELECTIVE COURSES -- 6 UNITS

Select two of the following:

PSYCH 308: Applied Psychological Research
PSYCH 344: Tests and Measurements
PSYCH 349: Executive Coaching Theory and Practice
PSYCH 352: Structure, Theory and Ethics of Conflict Resolution
PSYCH 353: Conflict Resolution: Skills and Techniques
PSYCH 354: Consulting Skills
PSYCH 355: Diversity in Organizations
PSYCH 361: Coaching: Interpersonal Skills and Practices

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT CONCENTRATION

A focused graduate concentration designed to prepare MBA students to work with or within the IT field.

The concentration in information technology introduces students to the capabilities made possible by IT, as well as the challenges associated with being an IT manager. Students learn about selecting and planning IT initiatives, applying data analytics to business problems, and addressing issues of security and privacy within the business environment. Upon completion, students will also understand how to align IT with business needs and how IT enables business value.

REQUIRED COURSE -- 3 UNITS

ITM 300: IT Management & Digital Transformation in the Business Enterprise

ELECTIVE COURSES -- 6 UNITS

ITM 304: Managing Data Structures
ITM 316: Software Engineering Leadership
ITM 323: Security, Privacy & Compliance

MARKETING CONCENTRATION

A fundamental graduate concentration designed to prepare MBA students for success in the rapidly changing marketing field.

Often considered the central discipline of business, the challenges and practices of marketing are evolving along with the changes in the contemporary business environment. This concentration prepares students to manage the marketing function inside private or public sector business organizations. General management and marketing techniques, such as market research and market planning, are covered along with the current trends and techniques in the field like digital marketing, social media, and the increasing mobile marketing trends.

REQUIRED COURSES -- 9 UNITS

Select any three MKT 300-level courses, excluding MKT 300, which is an MBA program functional course requirement.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT CONCENTRATION

A structured graduate concentration designed to groom MBA students for careers in project management

Golden Gate University is a PMI^® member.

The concentration in Project Management gives students grounding in multiple skills including budgeting, conflict resolution, communication, project scope, developing and using resources, leadership, and team building. Students gain knowledge from faculty who are certificated by PMI^®. The content of courses is integrated with the Project Management Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^®, Guide) - Fifth Edition, Project Management Institute, Inc. 2013. As students progress through their courses, they are preparing themselves for the Project Management Professional (PMP^®) certification exam. The PM concentration provides an opportunity for those who wish to build on their MBA degree work by obtaining project management skills. The certificate is for those who may be working and intend to apply project management skills in their present and future professional endeavors.

PMP^® is a registered trademark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

REQUIRED COURSE -- 3 UNITS

PM 340: Introduction to Project Management

ELECTIVE COURSES -- 6 UNITS

Select two of the following:

PM 342: Agile Management for Project Managers
PM 343: Advanced Project Planning and Control
PM 344: Project Governance: Program and Portfolio Management
PM 348: Project Risk Management
OP 302: Quality Management and Process Improvement

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION CONCENTRATION

A progressive graduate concentration designed to prepare MBA students to navigate the bureaucracy of the public sector.

Outsourcing of public sector services to business and nonprofit organizations has increased the need for private sector managers who understand how the government bureaucracy works. This concentration provides students with the necessary skills and Knowledge to be successful at public management, applying what they learned to approach the public sector with the mindset of a private sector manager. Students will learn to manage finances in a not-for-profit company, labor practices in the public sector, and running a business amid all the legal red tape that can come along with public administration.

REQUIRED COURSES -- 4 UNITS

EMPA 300: Theory, Ethics, & Practice in Public Service

ELECTIVES -- 8 UNITS

Two of the following:

EMPA 302: Public Policy Analysis & Program Evaluation
EMPA 304: Public Enterprise Management & Public Sector Business Relations
EMPA 305: Public Budgeting & Financial Management
EMPA 306: Public Service & the Law
EMPA 307: Personnel Management and Labor Relations

DECLARING CONCENTRATIONS

CUSTOM MBA (CORPORATE SPONSORED)

TOTAL UNITS: 42 - 45

Foundation Courses - 6 units

The two foundation courses provide the groundwork for the core and concentration courses. Both of the foundation courses may be waived if students have previously completed comparable undergraduate courses at regionally accredited colleges or universities with grades of “C” or better or through coursework deemed equivalent by the MBA Program Director. Students may enroll in core courses before completion of both foundation courses, but they must complete them by the time they have earned nine units from the business core courses.

BUS 202: Fundamentals of Business
BUS 240: Data Analysis for Managers

Advanced Courses - 36 units

Core Courses - 21 units

LEAD 300: Management and Leadership
LEAD 303: Teamwork in Organizations
FI 300: Corporate Finance
MBA 323: Information Technology
MSBA 300: Foundations of Business Analytics
MKT 300: Marketing Management
OP 300: Operations and Supply Chain Management

Strategic and Capstone Courses - 9 units

MGT 345: Context of Business
MBA 311: Strategic Analysis and Design
MBA 350: Business Planning

Elective Courses - 6-9 units

Any two-three 300 or 400-level courses, as agreed upon by the corporate sponsor.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Graduates of the MBA program should be able to:

Demonstrate a general management "holistic" perspective.
Demonstrate managerial and leadership skills, such as teamwork, critical thinking and problem solving, communications and presentations, self-awareness.
Master and apply general management analytic processes and tools for decision making.
Integrate strategic business objectives within competitive industry dynamics.
Integrate strategic business objectives within the socio-political-economic-ecological-global context.
Understand functional areas' impact on business and departmental interaction issues.
Demonstrate integrated business level planning.
Demonstrate an understanding and ability to identify the ethical, environmental, and social implications of business issues and formulate appropriate responses.

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I was already a working professional, so my criteria for graduate school was that I needed classes that fit my schedule, I needed a location that was close, and I needed a program that wasn't going to take too long. I felt that GGU was really tailored toward working professionals. It was like a perfect fit for me.

Carrie SwingMBA 01

Getting my master's degree had been on my to-do list for 8 years. In choosing a school, I did my research. The flexibility of the every other Saturday classes was a deciding factor.

Sana LodhiMBA 17

Here at GGU -- in a city where being an entrepreneur and being innovative can take you to the next level -- you will be challenged and engaged. You will walk away with both technical and soft skills: better decision-making, understanding management, leadership skills, and values

Victor ShinMBA 04