Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Azusa Pacific’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program teaches working professionals the key concepts and skills, analytical and relational, to be successful managers and leaders in business and society.

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program offers working professionals an accessible yet rigorous graduate business program that can be completed in 12-30 months. The program prepares students to lead in the workplace by equipping them with key strategic concepts and the analytical and relational skills to make sound recommendations and decisions. The curriculum is designed to strike a balance between theory and practice, combining scholarship with practical experience and actual corporate case studies of business decision making. Students also select an area of concentration based on specific interests and career aspirations.

The program provides the opportunity for students to develop sound analytical abilities, establish collaborative and team-building skills, and become aware of social responsibility as a factor in decision making. The curriculum also allows students to acquire an understanding of the global business environment and how it is affected by cultural and market diversities. Faculty lectures are combined with case studies and discussions, student presentations, and team projects.

The accelerated and interactive classroom environment includes applied learning activities, use of new technologies in solving business problems, and independent field research and studies. National and international travel opportunities provide students with intensive boardroom field experience, where students get to dialogue with industry executives and government leaders.

Highlights

  • The MBA program equips students with strong moral character and the leadership and analytical skills needed to lead change in today’s business world.
  • Relevant coursework and real-world projects guided by faculty with business experience allow students to immediately apply learning at work.
  • Focused certificates and credentials provide in-demand skills, know-how, and experience, verifying and showcasing students’ skills and abilities to current and future employers. 
  • International and national travel opportunities give students intensive boardroom experience, where students get to dialogue with industry executives and government leaders worldwide. 
  • Students learn from Fulbright Scholars and world-renowned professors with real-world experience. 
  • Flexible course scheduling allows students to advance their academic and professional goals at their own pace.

Certificates, Credentials, and Microcredentials

Today, employers are looking for new hires with technical skills as well as leadership abilities such as decision making and teamwork. In the MBA program, students have the opportunity to earn industry-valued certificates, credentials, and microcredentials that can be added to résumés and uploaded to online portfolios, certifying and showcasing their skills and abilities to potential employers.

Flexible Course Schedules

To accommodate busy schedules, classes are offered during the evening, online, and at select regional campuses, and students may take advantage of the multiple delivery formats to customize their education experience. Students are admitted to and can start the MBA program in any of the six terms during the academic year. 

Requirements

The MBA program curriculum comprises 42-45 units: 33 units of core courses (including a 3-unit capstone) and 9-12 units of concentration courses. Concentration options include accounting, business analytics, entrepreneurship, finance, government financial management, healthcare management, international business, marketing, organizational science, public administration, and sport management. Students may request approval to take a second concentration.

Core Courses33
Management Accounting
Operations Management
Integrated Decision Making
Applied Research and Analysis
Corporate Finance
High-Performance People Management
Global Business Management
Ethical Leadership
Strategic Management
Marketing Strategy
Select one of the following experience-based capstones:
Global Field Study
Capstone Project
Concentration9-12
Select one of the following:
Accounting 1
Any 12 units of master’s-level accounting courses
Business Analytics
Big Data and Business Analytics
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for Business
Emerging Trends in Information Technology
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurial Decision Making
Strategic Digital Marketing
Entrepreneurial Finance
Finance
Entrepreneurial Finance
Investments
Advanced Financial Analysis
Government Financial Management
The Policy Process
Accounting for Nonprofit Entities
Government Financial Management
Healthcare Management
U.S. Healthcare System
Healthcare Administration
Community Health and the Built Environment
International Business 2
Global Field Study
Managing Teams and Conflict
Global Strategic Management
Marketing
International Marketing
Integrated Marketing Communications
Strategic Digital Marketing
Public Administration
Origin of Public Administration
The Policy Process
Economic and Urban Development
Organizational Science 3
Sport Management
Facility and Event Management
Foundations of Sport Management
Field Studies/Internships in Sport Management 4
Field Studies/Internships in Sport Management 4
Total Units42-45
1

Any student with a bachelor’s degree in accounting or its equivalent may choose the accounting concentration, which consists of 12 units of regularly offered Master of Professional Accountancy (MAcc) courses.

2

Students who choose a concentration in international business are required to take BUSI 577 Global Field Study. BUSI 577 may be repeated twice and substituted for the other two required concentration courses with approval.

3

This concentration is designed for students who for personal and/or career reasons need to create an individualized concentration. The final course of the concentration is a capstone project or global field study; the other three courses are typically chosen from existing concentration courses offered by the School of Business and Management, but students with unique needs may propose concentrations that include up to 9 units of graduate study offered by other schools or colleges within Azusa Pacific University. All concentrations must be approved in advance by the SBM Graduate Business Admissions Committee. Concentration courses must also be approved by the other college(s)/school(s) in which the courses will be taken.

4

PE 557A and PE 557B must be completed consecutively after all other sport management coursework is completed. 

Admission

University graduate admission and program-specific requirements must be met before an application is complete (see Admission to the University). Program-specific application requirements are available online.

International students should contact Graduate and Professional Admissions for application procedures.

View the MBA-specific admission requirements.  

Program Changes

If a student wishes to change programs, the School of Business and Management requires students to file a Change of Program form and comply with all program admission requirements.

Course Attendance and Schedule

The collaborative learning process that characterizes the MBA program requires that students are prepared to contribute value to class discussions and to the broader learning community based on their experiences. As such, class attendance is an important aspect of commitment to the MBA program, and absences from class are not appropriate except in cases of emergency.

Students should make note of the start and end of the term as they determine their schedules. Because program coursework is offered in accelerated seven-week sessions, students generally cannot miss more than one class without retaking the course. Students should notify instructors of planned absences as soon as possible and make arrangements with other students to get notes and assignments. Also, since every instructor considers participation in grading, absences and tardiness may significantly affect final grades.

Academic Honors

Outstanding Graduate

At each commissioning ceremony, graduate faculty may honor a single graduate with the distinction of Outstanding Graduate. The award is primarily based on academic achievement and is secondarily given to the outstanding candidate who contributed most to the APU MBA learning community.

Commissioning Ceremony

Preceding each commencement, the School of Business and Management holds a commissioning ceremony for graduating students and their families. This event includes an achievement awards ceremony, words to live by, student remarks, and a time of prayer and commissioning for each graduate.

Graduation

In order to graduate, students must complete the required courses with an overall grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 within five years of matriculation. This includes completing every required course with a C- or above. All courses taken within the SBM and applied toward the MBA degree must be taken for a letter grade, except for courses offered only on a pass/fail (P/F) basis.

Field Study Fees

Mandatory and elected international field study, global field study, and field experience trips incur appropriate required fees. Students who switch programs, withdraw, or are otherwise unable to participate in international field study, global field study, or field experience trips that are either required or elected for their program may be responsible for fees up to the full cost of the trip. View the most up-to-date fees.