October 15, 2025 | 12:30pm PT
Join us for a 30-minute virtual info session on Golden Gate University’s MBA program.
GGU’s MBA enhances leadership, strategic thinking, and business acumen to prepare graduates to thrive in complex and evolving business environments. Whether you’re looking to accelerate your current career or pivot into a new field, our program offers the flexibility and real-world relevance you need.
During this session, you’ll hear from program leadership, get details on admissions and deadlines, and have a chance to ask questions. Don’t miss this opportunity to take the next step in your professional journey with GGU’s MBA. Register today!
Program
Business Administration, MBA
Format
Online, Hybrid
Total Units
36
Requirements
No GMAT or GRE Required
Spring ’26 Final Application Deadline
January 3
Golden Gate University’s Master of Business Administration program is designed to prepare the next generation of business leaders for today’s complex business environment. Led by instructors who are active professionals in some of the Bay Area’s largest and most successful organizations, we bring cutting-edge techniques into the classroom and equip you with in-demand skills that you can immediately apply in the real world.
At GGU, our well-rounded curriculum empowers MBA students to build a holistic management perspective as well as a comprehensive understanding of business. Throughout the program, you’ll learn to blend core business disciplines with vital soft skills like communication, presentations, and teamwork, applied through hands-on case studies that mirror real-world management scenarios.
Through our practical degree design and hands-on learning opportunities, you’ll be able to build your business acumen, leadership capabilities, and contextual understanding as you prepare for a successful business career. You also have the ability to tailor your curriculum to match your unique career goals with our 8 concentrations, including business analytics, entrepreneurship, project management, and a self-designed option.
Since launching our MBA program more than half a century ago, GGU has been committed to providing flexible education for working adults. That’s why we make it simple for you to take courses that fit into your lifestyle and complete the degree at your own pace, deciding how many courses you want to take at a time and whether you’d like to study fully online or in a low-residency, hybrid format. Beyond exceptional education, we offer personalized support and career resources, guiding your academic journey from admission to graduation.
Our location in the heart of San Francisco and near Silicon Valley provides unique opportunities for internships and networking with countless businesses and startups, even for students studying fully online. Our diverse student body comes from the San Francisco Bay Area, the US, and over 50 countries around the world, connecting you to a vibrant global community of over 70,000 alumni. With our strong connections to Bay Area leaders and our vast alumni network, Golden Gate University’s MBA program offers you an unparalleled educational experience and invaluable connections as you take the next step in your career.
In this virtual info session, we explored Golden Gate University’s MBA program—designed to help professionals strengthen leadership, strategic thinking, and business acumen in today’s fast-paced and evolving business landscape.
Golden Gate University is an outstanding university, and I’m proud to say that the Ageno School of Business MBA program is known for excellence, with a record of continued student success year after year. Our Master of Business Administration program is rigorous and challenging, yet full of fun, collaboration, and engagement.
At GGU, our faculty and staff truly care about the student experience and treat every student with respect. Our MBA faculty are experienced professionals who come to the classroom with their expertise, unique industry insights, and years of work experience. Their courses engage our students and empower them to develop the skills required to become critical thinkers and executive presenters who make pertinent decisions that bring success and make organizations thrive.
Our flexible MBA program allows working professionals to complete their degrees in different modalities — fully online or hybrid — and we provide plenty of resources to our students, such as the business library, course reserves, and Harvard Business Review articles that bring real case scenarios to the classroom. We also offer a variety of student career services, preparing our students for success through resume review, job search resources, interview preparation, and more.
Our GGU MBA alumni network is an essential part of our program, with many alumni engaging and mentoring students in the MBA club, raising funds to support the business school, and finding internships or job opportunities for our current students and graduates. We hope you will join our MBA program and become a part of our diverse, worldwide community of GGU business professionals.
— Theresa Markham, Associate Director of the MBA Program
100% Online or Hybrid
36 Credits
No GRE/GMAT Required
Taught by Top Industry Leaders
8 Concentrations Available
Graduate in as Few as 18 Months*
*Estimated completion time for full-time students.
Earning my MBA with a concentration in Finance from GGU was one of the most pivotal steps in my professional journey. As an international student, GGU provided not just an exceptional education, but also a supportive, diverse, and dynamic learning environment that helped me grow both personally and professionally. Today, I’m proud to serve as a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch, guiding affluent clients through important financial decisions with confidence. The practical curriculum, real-world faculty, and strong alumni network at GGU played a key role in preparing me for success in the competitive world of wealth management.
I attended Golden Gate University as a retired United States Marine and graduated from GGU’s MBA program at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, with little expectation of applying my degree in the civilian workforce. Yet to my surprise, in 2022, I was offered—and proudly accepted—the position of Director of Membership at the Marines’ Memorial Association and Foundation in San Francisco. My time at GGU prepared me in ways I never anticipated. The academic, social, and leadership skills I developed have proven critical to my daily success. Thank you, Golden Gate University, for the opportunity to continue my education and for helping me carry forward a standard of excellence in all that I do.
Graduates of the Master of Business Administration program will have the knowledge and skills to:
Earning your MBA can lead to endless career opportunities and help you stand out in today’s competitive business world. From marketing and management to technology and finance, the versatile skills you’ll develop in our MBA program will empower you to build the career you want.
An MBA is highly valued across every industry, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates there will be about 1.1 million new management jobs per year, on average, through 2032. Our graduates work in a wide variety of industries and roles, including executive leadership, business strategy, investment management, healthcare, education, and tech.
Recent career outcomes for our MBA graduates include:
Golden Gate University MBA graduates earn 61% more than the national median for the field.
Source: WSCUC Key Indicators Dashboard (KID) — Summer 2025 Dataset. Earnings data is provided only for students who received federal financial aid and were working at the time of data collection (5 years after graduation).
The MBA program requires completion of the following:
Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher in courses taken at Golden Gate University that are applicable to the program requirements. For further information regarding graduation requirements, see Academic Requirements for Graduate Programs.
GMAT/GRE Requirement: The GMAT/GRE is NOT required.
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.
The two-course foundation program provides the groundwork for the core program 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. Students may enroll in core program courses before completion of the entire foundation program, but they must complete the foundation program by the time they have earned twelve units in the core 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 – 18 UnitsStudents are strongly encouraged to complete the courses in the order below.
(Capstone course to be taken in final semester.)
The three concentration courses allow students to develop expertise in specialized areas of business. The concentrations may include required and elective courses. Courses listed carry three semester units of academic credit unless otherwise noted.
Students may select from the following concentrations:
Students wishing to develop on-the-job experience can obtain hands-on experience by taking three units of an internship course in the student’s field of interest. For three months, under the supervision of GGU faculty, students will work for a business or nonprofit organization, applying their Golden Gate education to real-life circumstances.
The Applied AI concentration within the MBA program equips future business leaders with the strategic, technical, and ethical foundations to harness artificial intelligence for real-world impact. Students explore how AI technologies-such as machine learning, natural language processing, and predictive analytics-can drive innovation across industries, optimize decision-making, and create competitive advantage.
Select three of the following courses:
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 Courses – 9 UnitsNote: MSBA 300 is a MBA program business core requirement and must be completed first.
Select three of the following:
The Entrepreneurship Concentration is for students 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, whether a startup, small business, or within an organization in transition.Real world practical skills combined with the most current theory will provide a solid foundation. All students in this concentration will construct a business plan for their venture, and will also have the flexibility to choose additional courses to support their particular interests..
Entrepreneur Track – 9 UnitsSelect three of the following
Select three 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.
Financial Track – 9 UnitsSelect any three FI 300 or 400 – level courses, excluding FI 300 Corporate Finance, which is an MBA program core course requirement. FI 497 Internship: Finance may also be taken to satisfy 3 units of this requirement.
Select three 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:
Select three of the following:
Select three of the following:
Take three of the following courses through Samuel Merritt University:
The information technology management track 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.
Select two of the following:
Select three of the following:
The project management track provides a course of study for students seeking to build their career in the growing profession of project management. Graduates leave with the following knowledge and skills: beginning and advanced project management technical skills based on the PMBOK® (Project Management Body ofKnowledge), Agile management framework and tools, and the complex leadership and organizational skills to manage virtual and in-person project teams. The completion of just one GGU class fulfills PMI®’s education requirement to apply for either the CAPM® (Certified Associate in Project Management) or PMP®(Project Management Professional) exams. Students will gain knowledge from faculty who are certified by PMI®, and who have significant real-world project management experience. Course materials align with the Project Management Institute A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide).
Select two of the following:
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 succeed in the marketing function inside a wide variety of organizations. Fundamental and advanced marketing principles, strategies, and tactics in an increasingly digital world are covered.
Required Courses – 9 UnitsSelect any three MKT 300-level courses, excluding MKT 300, which is an MBA program functional course requirement. MBA 398 may also be taken to satisfy 3 units of this requirement.
Government regulation, compliance, taxation, and outsourcing public services to business and nonprofit organizations have increased the need for private sector managers to understand how the government bureaucracy works. This concentration provides students with the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful at public policy, government affairs, and community relations applying what they learned to approach the public sector with the mindset of a private sector manager. Also, be able to liaise and lobby effectively on behalf of business interests. Furthermore, students will learn how public sector finances, labor negotiations, ethics, programming, and policies are administered and influenced by citizens, activists, and advocates.
Required Courses – 3 Units Electives – 6 UnitsSelect two of the following:
Associate Director of MBA Programs / Lecturer
Professor Theresa Markham obtained her undergraduate degree in history and philosophy from the University of Ghana, Legon. She holds master’s degree in political science from San Francisco State University and a Master’s in Human Resources from Golden Gate University. She has taught for over seven years at GGU and is currently the Associate Director / Lecturer of the MBA program in the Ageno School of Business.
Adjunct Professor
With a career spanning over three decades, Richard is a dynamic and results-driven professional with expertise in project management, IT systems administration, infrastructure operations, and restaurant industry leadership. His diverse experience across corporate, government, and service sectors has equipped him with a unique blend of technical acumen, operational excellence, and leadership expertise.
Distinguished Adjunct Professor
Dr. Homer Johnstone is a Distinguished Adjunct Professor at GGU and has years of experience in the military, public, and private sectors.
Faculty Lecturer
Ted Mitchell Distinguished Adjunct Professor (2024)
Principal, Tri-Valley Advising LLC; Board Member
Steve Lanza is a business leader, educator, and advisor with over 20 years of global executive experience in the technology sector. As the Principal of Tri-Valley Advising, LLC, he specializes in guiding small and mid-sized companies through strategic growth, operational excellence, and executive leadership development.
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.
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