Contact Information
San Diego State University
College of Business Administration
Graduate Business Programs MC 8228
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-8228
619 594-8073
Web: http://cbaweb.sdsu.edu
Email: gradbusiness@sdsu.edu
Degree Programs
• MBA
• Executive MBA
• MSBA-Financial and Tax Planning
• Sports MBA
• MBA-JD
• MBA-MA in Latin American Studies
• MSA
• MSIS
Accreditation
• WASC
• AACSB
Admission Requirements
• Bachelor’s Degree
• Two References
• Statement of Purpose
• GMAT or GRE Score
• TOEFL or IELTS required if student’s first language is not English or prior degree not taught in English
Tuition Costs
• California residents $27,914
• Out-of-state and international $44,654
• Additionally, international students are required to pay $1282 for health insurance annually.
Learning Environment
MBA students at SDSU take classes at San Diego State’s main campus, ten miles away from downtown San Diego. All courses are taught in-person; most classes are held once a week for two hours and forty minutes each, and many are offered in the evening hours to accommodate working professionals. Students are free from the restrictions of a cohort-based program while still benefiting from small class sizes (classrooms rarely have more than 45 students). Classroom participation and group work are a significant component of the classroom environment, and frequently a considerable part of the student’s grade. SDSU uses the Harvard case method; a typical class for a MBA student might involve 75 minutes of lecture, a 10 minute break, and 75 minutes of case study. Other classroom activities may include guest speakers and simulations. Most classes in the MBA program structure their assignments in such a way that prepares students for their capstone business consulting project, which is taken in the last semester of their program. Thus, many class papers and presentation ask students to assess a given company within a given environment, apply a particular model or framework, and then provide recommendations to companies and assess the resulting implications. Students actively practice strategic and managerial thinking.
Professors and lecturers emphasize discussion, debate, and presentations, and MBA classrooms at SDSU require substantial engagement by students, yet tend to be more collaborative and supportive than some other programs. Professors are understanding of student life and most are accommodating if students communicate their concerns effectively ahead of time. Most students work either part-time or full-time; many are married and have family and other commitments. With these factors in mind, MBA students frequently have a choice in who their teammates are, and they often work together virtually and meet in the campus library on Sundays as necessary. With classmates from China, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Japan, Thailand, Norway, Germany, and many other countries, MBA students have the opportunity to work with professionals from all over the world, making SDSU classrooms a truly global experience.
Faculty
SDSU’s College of Business Administration has 40 women in faculty positions, which includes two department chairs.
Accomplishments/Recognition
Rankings
US News & World Report – Business Schools that Enroll the Most Female MBA Students 2014-15 – 8th
Forbes – America’s Most Entrepreneurial Universities – 23rd
BloombergBusinessweek – Executive MBA Program – 2nd Tier*
Military Times – Best MBA School for Vets – 20th
US News & World Report – Best Part-time MBA – 109th
Poets & Quants – US MBA Programs – 16th
Value Colleges – Best Value Master’s in Management Programs 2015 – 21st
US News & World Report – Best Undergraduate International Business Program** – 9th
US News & World Report – Best Undergraduate Business Program – 87th
US News & World Report – Best Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Program – 82nd
Accolades
Professional Woman’s Magazine – Top MBA Schools for Women – 2014
Forbes – Best Value Colleges – 2015
Hispanic Network Magazine – Best of the Best Top MBA Programs for Hispanics – 2015
US News & World Report – 10 MBAs With the Most Financial Value at Graduation – 2014
BloombergBusinessweek – The Complete 2013 Executive MBA Ranking (Top 66 Globally) – 2013
Human Resources MBA – Top 25 Bachelors’ in Human Resources Degree (13th) – 2014
Accounting Degree Review – 30 Most Affordable Residential Bachelor’s Degrees in Accounting (24th) – 2014
* Not numbered
** Program offered jointly with College of Arts & Letters