MBA Degree Requirements Overview
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Stan State is awarded upon the successful completion of 30 units across 10 courses, and the culminating experience. The program is structured around seven core MBA courses and three electives, allowing students to tailor their education to match professional goals and interests.
To earn the degree, all coursework, including the culminating experience, must be completed within seven years of admission. Students are also required to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA across all degree-applicable coursework.
The foundation of the MBA program is built on seven core courses that provide essential knowledge in key areas of business. These required courses are outlined in the table below.
MBA Core Courses (21 units)
| ACC | 5110 | Management Accounting | 3 Units |
| CIS | 5620 | Computer Information Systems | 3 Units |
| FIN | 5210 | Managerial Finance | 3 Units |
| MGT | 5310 | Business Organization, Theory & Behavior | 3 Units |
| OM | 5630 | Seminar in Quality & Productivity Management. | 3 Units |
| MKT | 5410 | Marketing Management | 3 Units |
| MGT | 5900 | Integrated Business Strategy and Project Development | 3 Units |
Elective Courses (9 units)
Stanislaus State's MBA program offers students the flexibility to personalize their academic experience through three elective courses. These electives provide opportunities to deepen expertise in a specific area or broaden knowledge across multiple business disciplines.
Students in the MBA program may choose to pursue a three-course concentration in one of the following areas:
- Accounting
- Business Analytics
- Finance
These concentrations are ideal for those seeking to build advanced, career-focused skills in a defined specialty. To explore the curriculum and course requirements for each concentration, please visit the MBA Concentrations page.
Alternatively, students may opt for the General Track, a highly flexible path that allows the selection of any three electives from the concentration areas or other general management offerings. This track is ideal for those who want to customize their MBA to align with their current role or future career goals.
Elective courses are offered on a rotating basis each semester. Students are encouraged to review the MBA Course Schedule in advance to plan their electives strategically.
Culminating Experience Options
As part of the MBA program, students complete a culminating experience, either a comprehensive exam or an individual project. Most students choose the exam. Learn more about each option below, or contact the MBA Program Staff with any questions.
MBA students are eligible to take the comprehensive exam during the semester they complete their core courses, typically in their final term, while enrolled in MGT 5900 (Integrated Business Strategy and Project Development), the program's capstone course.
The comprehensive exam is an online, open-book exam administered through Canvas. It consists of seven questions, each corresponding to one of the MBA core courses. For each core subject area, students are presented with two question options and must select one to answer. The course learning goals and objectives identified in each core course syllabus will help students anticipate the content of the exam questions.
Faculty members who teach in the respective core areas develop and grade the questions. Each response is evaluated on a pass/no-pass basis. To successfully pass the exam, students must receive a passing score on at least five of the seven questions. If students do not pass the required number of questions, they may retake the missed questions during the next exam cycle.
Students are strongly encouraged to keep and organize all core course materials, including books, assignments, syllabi, study guides, and other information, as study materials for the comprehensive exam. The MBA faculty recommends that students download any course materials stored in Canvas before the course concludes, as these materials will be valuable for studying for the exam and for use during the exam.
Eligible students will be notified via email at the beginning of the Fall or Spring semester when they are scheduled to take the exam. Comprehensive exams are usually administered on campus during the weekend following finals week.
(ACC 5960, CIS 5960, FIN 5960, MKT 5960, MGT 5960, OM 5960)
Course 5960 - Individual Project is a culminating experience option available to Evening MBA students who have completed all seven core courses. This project-based pathway is worth three units and offers an alternative to the comprehensive exam.
Students selecting the Individual Project must adjust their elective coursework accordingly:
- General Track Option: Students complete two elective courses in addition to Course 5960, for a total of 30 units.
- Concentration Option: Students must complete three concentration-specific electives plus Course 5960, for a total of 33 units.
Approval to pursue the Individual Project must be secured one semester in advance. Students are required to obtain approvals from:
- An MBA Faculty Advisor
- The MBA Program Director
- Additional committee members
The Individual Project involves original work that contributes new knowledge or insight to a specific area of business or organizational studies. The project's topic and the academic discipline of the supervising faculty member will determine the concentration's course prefix (e.g. ACC 5960, CIS 5960, etc.).
Project deliverables include:
- A written report of approximately 70-100 pages, featuring original research tables, exhibits, and appendices.
- An oral defense presented to the project committee
Students are expected to complete their project within one semester or term. If additional time is needed, students must register for BUS 7005 - Continuing Thesis or Project (zero units) using a Special Registration Form and pay the associated fees.
Updated: June 06, 2025