Business
Administration, MBA
Program at a Glance
Program
Business Administration, MBA
Format
Online, Hybrid
Total Units
45
Requirements
No GMAT or
GRE Required
Spring ’25 Final Application Deadline
December 15
Program Overview
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.
Real-World Skills for Real Business Success
The Master of Business Administration (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
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) requires completion of 6 units in the foundation program, 30 units in the core program, and 9-12 units in the concentration area, with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 or better in courses taken at Golden Gate University that are applicable to the program’s requirements.
For further information regarding graduation requirements, see Academic Requirements for Graduate Programs in the course catalog.
- Applicants should hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or the equivalent from a recognized foreign institution (outside the United State), and provide official transcripts.
- All applicants will need to submit a Statement of Purpose (SOP) and a resume.
- For applicants with a GPA under 3.0, the Statement of Purpose should address the circumstances that led to the applicant’s academic performance, what has changed, and why they think they’ll be more successful now.
- Applicants whose native language is not English must meet the English Language Proficiency Admission Requirements.
- The GMAT/GRE is NOT Required.
Proficiency Requirements
Graduate Writing Proficiency Requirement – 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 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.
Curriculum
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.
The core program courses are taken by all MBA students. This ensures that all MBA graduates have an understanding of the important skills for effective management and an integrative knowledge of the core area of business, regardless of their area of concentration. Although they are required to choose either a concentration or a general concentration when they apply for admission, the common core allows students to rethink their concentration (or general concentration) decision, and to change it with minimum course penalty.
Business Core – 21 UnitsStudents are strongly encouraged to complete the courses in the order below. It is also recommended that students take BUS 202 with LEAD 300 in their first semesters.
(Capstone course to be taken in final semester.)
Students may select from the following concentrations:
- Adaptive Leadership
- Business Analytics
- Entrepreneurship
- Finance
- General
- Human Resource Management
- Industrial-Organizational Psychology
- Information Technology Management
- Marketing
- Project Management
- Public Administration (4-unit courses)
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.
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 UnitsA 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 Courses – 9 UnitsNote: MSBA 300 is a MBA program business core requirement and must be completed first.
Select three of the following:
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 Course – 3 Units Elective Courses – 6 UnitsSelect two of the following:
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 – 9 UnitsSelect any three FI or ECON 300/400-level courses, excluding FI 300, which is an MBA program functional course requirement.
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, business analytics, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, human resource management, information technology management, leadership, management, marketing, operations and supply chain management, project management, public administration, public relations, or industrial psychology.
Required Courses – 9 UnitsSelect 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.
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 UnitsThree of the following:
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 Elective Courses – 6 UnitsSelect two of the following:
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 Elective Courses – 6 UnitsSelect two of the following:
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 UnitsSelect any three MKT 300-level courses, excluding MKT 300, which is an MBA program functional course requirement.
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 Elective Courses – 6 UnitsSelect two of the following:
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 Electives – 8 UnitsSelect two of the following:
The custom Master of Business Administration (MBA) requires completion of 6 units of foundation courses, 21 units of core courses, 9 units of strategic and capstone courses, and 6 units of elective courses for a total of 42 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.
Foundation Courses – 6 Units Advanced Courses – 36 UnitsCore Courses – 21 Units
Strategic and Capstone Courses – 9 Units
Elective Courses – 6 Units
Any two 300 or 400-level courses, as agreed upon by the corporate sponsor.
Graduate Tuition
The tuition for most graduate degree programs at Golden Gate University is $1,090 per unit, covering the cost of high-quality, career-focused education led by experienced faculty. This investment supports essential resources, including personalized academic advising, state-of-the-art technology, and student services designed to help adult learners succeed.
Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the Master of Business Administration program will have the knowledge and skills 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.
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.
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.
