Program Description

The Master of Business Administration degree offers critical preparation needed by working professionals for challenging careers in business. Competing in the complex, rapidly changing environment of business and public sectors requires having the knowledge, skills, and values that the MBA degree provides. The CSUB MBA program is continuously assessing and evaluating itself to provide advanced business knowledge to prepare professionals for the changing global market place. Individuals from all areas of study (business and not-business) and industry (private and public sector) are welcome to apply.

Format and Location

The program is offered in both face-to-face and online formats. The face-to-face format is available at the main campus in Bakersfield.

Students enrolled in a format are generally required to take core required classes exclusively within that format, though exceptions may be granted with the permission of the Director. In order to provide as many elective options as possible, students may move freely between online and face-to-face formats for electives.

It is important to note that, while format and locations may differ, the program is otherwise identical with respect to admission and graduation requirements (see “APPLICATION AND ADMISSION” and “REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION” below).

Mission

The mission of the MBA program is to provide our region with an advanced business education which will foster a commitment to lifelong learning and facilitate the career growth of our graduates.

Values

The faculty and the students of the CSUB MBA program will work together to create an environment that is supportive of the highest standards of ethical behavior.

Faculty

All MBA courses are taught by full-time academically qualified (i.e., Ph.D. or other equivalent degrees) faculty and all of them have some type of domestic or international real-world business experience. The Faculty maintains currency in their fields by actively engaging in research, consulting, and serving on local, regional, and national boards. The Faculty brings a strong theoretical foundation, as well as relevant practical experience, to the classroom, providing for a relevant, applied approach to master’s level education.

Professional and Academic Standards

The MBA program acknowledges the significant impact of business on society. Consequently, those admitted to the program, retained, and awarded degrees, must possess, develop and demonstrate academic and professional integrity in all activities. They should be able to inspire public confidence and trust in business and in CSUB MBAs. In addition, all established university academic performance and student conduct standards for graduate students apply. Any student or applicant that is found by formal review to be lacking in academic integrity or in professional ethical standards of behavior may be denied admission, placed on probation, suspended, or dismissed from the program. Such actions are, of course, subject to university review and appeal.

Program Goals

Goal 1: The MBA graduate will demonstrate advanced knowledge of the functional areas of business and the external business environment.
Goal 2: The MBA graduate will demonstrate professional presentation and communication skills.
Goal 3: The MBA graduate will demonstrate complex problem-solving skills.
Goal 4: The MBA graduate will have explored personal and professional ethical frameworks.

Student Population

The CSUB MBA Program student population is primarily composed of professionals and executives representing a variety of industries. There are also a number of international students representing a variety of countries. The student mix enriches learning by providing exposure to various industries, cultures, and international perspectives. The average MBA student enters the program with a 3.2/4.0 undergraduate GPA and a 520 GMAT score. There is approximately a 60/40 male/ female ratio within the program. Half of the currently enrolled students are completing classes at a full-time pace. The Occidental Petroleum Graduate Research Lab and the MBA Students’ Association provide networking opportunities.

Facilities

CSUB’s MBA students have their own facility-the Occidental Petroleum Graduate Research Laboratory-to study, work in teams, or network. This facility serves as a resource center for the students by providing study space, individual and team computing facilities, and academic support resources. Students also have the benefit of a state-of-the-art library and computing resources to facilitate the development of the skills needed in an information-oriented world.

Accreditation

The CSUB MBA program is the only program in its region accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-International (AACSB). “AACSB International accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. Institutions that earn accreditation confirm their commitment to quality and continuous improvement through a rigorous and comprehensive peer review. AACSB accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in management education.” (Source: The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, Tampa, Florida USA).

Application and Admission

Application for admission to the MBA program is simple. Complete the CSU graduate application at www.calstate.edu/apply. Two levels of review are completed: University and MBA program. Prospective students are notified of admission decisions at the completion of the MBA program review. We encourage prospective students with questions to call us or “drop- in” with questions. The CSUB Graduate Student Center in Numenor Building is also an excellent resource for potential graduate students.

All domestic applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree from a four-year college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association. International applicants who attended non-US institutions are required by the University to provide a professionally evaluated transcript.

Application Procedure

All MBA applicants must submit the following items to the

Admissions Office of the California State University, Bakersfield
9001 Stockdale Highway
Bakersfield, CA 93311-1099

1. A completed application and the application fee;
2. One official transcript from each college or university attended (international students must submit foreign transcripts in the original language and an English copy);
3. An official GMAT score (GRE may be substituted with prior approval of the Director);
4. A resume;
5. Two letters of reference;
6. Statement of Purpose

International applicants must also submit:

1. An official TOEFL Score or IELTS score;
2. Submission of a financial declaration and supporting documentation (international applicant); and
3. A professionally evaluated transcript that demonstrates prior education equivalence.

Note: Applicants whose preparatory education is principally in a language other than English must have a minimum TOEFL score of 80 or a minimum IELTS score of 6.5. Documentation must be in original form by the testing institution. Copies submitted by the applicant are not acceptable. Please note that despite TOEFL or IELTS scores that meet standards, students whose English competency is deemed insufficient by the faculty may be required to take additional courses to improve communication skills in English before continuing with MBA courses.

Admissions

The goal of the admission policy is the selection of those candidates who demonstrate high potential for academic and professional success.

Generally, the applicant should have a minimum score of at least 500 on the GMAT, along with an upper division GPA of at least 2.75 out of 4.0. The GMAT scores are used with GPA to compute an index score that is a component of the admissions decision, along with the applicant’s background and experiences, letters of reference, and statement of purpose. Each applicant is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Applicants who meet the program’s standards will be granted Classified Admission.

Applicants who meet the Classified Admissions standard but require program prerequisite courses will be required to complete the identified program prerequisite courses with a “B” or better (3.0/4.0) in every foundation course. Students not meeting this standard will be subject to dismissal.

Applicants who do not meet the standards for Classified Admission may be considered for Conditionally Classified Admission. If granted conditionally classified admission, the student must earn grades of “B” (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or above in the first 12 hours of MBA coursework. Students not meeting this standard are subject to dismissal.

In rare instances, the applicant who has taken the GMAT but does not meet requirements may be considered for admission. Those who have previously been denied admission may present new information to be reconsidered. In either case, the applicant must petition, in writing, the MBA Admissions Committee, giving those reasons relevant to the situation that demonstrate the likelihood of success; the burden of proof is on the applicant.

GMAT Waiver

The applicant may request GMAT waiver if one of the following requirements is met:

• A business degree from AACSB accredited school with a minimum cumulative or last 60 units GPA of 3.0
• A non-business degree with a minimum cumulative or last 60 units of GPA of 3.2
• Professional experience
• Small Business owners/operators
• National certifications
• PhD/terminal degree from accredited institutions

For professional experience, the following criteria are required:

• At least 5 years of full-time professional work experience, with internal promotion above entry-level and/or managerial role over people and/or budgets.
  • This work experience requires an undergraduate degree.
  • This work experience must be attained after completing a bachelor’s degree.
• An interview with the MBA admission committee and a letter from the supervisor attesting to the level of work responsibilities will be required.

For small business owners and operators, provision of documents establishing significant involvement in a multi-employee business and other qualifications are required. An interview with the MBA admission committee is required.

To qualify, a national certification would need to require an exam, work experience, and have ongoing continuing education requirements. The potential students must also be currently maintaining their certification. The following licenses qualify; others may apply but they would have to be approved by the MBA Admissions Committee.

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
• Chartered (or Certified) Property and Casualty Underwriters (CPCU)
• Certified Liability Underwriter (CLU)
• Professional in Human Resource Management (PHR)
• Senior Professional in Human Resource Management (SPHR)

Students who are admitted through GMAT waiver will be Conditionally Classified. These students must earn grades of “B” (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or above in the first 12 hours of MBA coursework. Students not meeting this standard are subject to dismissal.

Advising

The School is dedicated to meeting the needs of our individual students. Students should schedule an appointment with the MBA Director to discuss individual background, experiences, goals, and objectives so that a program plan of study can be developed to best meet the student’s academic and career needs. It is recommended that each student meet with the MBA Director during pre-registration to enroll in classes for each subsequent semester and to discuss their progress in general.

The Master of Business Administration program is designed to advance current business knowledge 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 36 units of approved 6000-level graduate courses are required for the Master of Business Administration degree. 5000-level graduate courses may be taken with prior approval of the Director. 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.

All graduate students are required to maintain a cumulative 3.0 grade point average in all graduate course work. Students who receive a grade below “B-” 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.

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 Director;
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 Graduate Programs office. Applicants should consult with the MBA Director regarding which course(s) might be appropriate.

1. Business Math & Statistics (equivalent to BA 3010 Data Analysis & Decision Making)
2. Financial Accounting (equivalent to ACCT 2200 Introduction to Financial Reporting and Accounting
3. Understanding Corporate Finance (equivalent to FIN 3000 Financial Management).
4. Fundamentals of Economics (equivalent to ECON 2018 Essentials of Micro-Economics).
5. Principles of Management (equivalent to MGMT 3000 Organizational Behavior).

Requirements for the MBA Program (36 units)

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Core Courses
ACCT 6200	Accounting for Decision Making and Control 1	3
FIN 6000	Financial Management and Policy	3
MGMT 6020	Operations Management	3
MGMT 6050	Managerial Skills	3
MGMT 6100	Human Resource Management	3
MGMT 6900	Strategic Management	3
MIS 6100	Information Systems for Leaders	3
MKTG 6000	Marketing Management	3
BA 6900	Master's Culminating Project	3
Elective Courses
Select a minimum of 9 units (three courses) of electives		9
Total Units		36

¹

not required for accountants with professional certificates – electives used to replace

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 organizational management or entrepreneurship might select MGMT 6000 Organizational Theory and Design, MGMT 6040 Advanced Organizational Behavior, MGMT 6100 Human Resource Management, and/or MKTG 6010 Consumer Behavior. Should you wish to build something in your field please see the MBA Director.       

Industry Specific Elective Patterns

The MBA currently has two industry-specific specializations.

1. Insurance Industry–CPCU (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter)
   Students who have passed the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter national certification exams (CPCU 510, 520, 530, 540) may count these as their electives towards their CSU Bakersfield MBA. See the MBA Director for more specific information.
2. 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 or Masters in Health Care Administration. For example, a student who is interested in non-profit should take non-profit management (PPA 5190 Management in Non-Profit Organization), grant writing (PPA 5200 Fundamentals of Grant Writing), and a marketing elective. See the MBA Director for an appropriate plan of study.