Management - MBA

The five required elements of the M.B.A. program are the management core, Leadership Foundations, the advanced electives, the international requirement, and the Applied Management Research project. The management core courses teach the fundamental techniques and disciplines which underlie the practice of management. Leadership Foundations lays the groundwork for students to become excellent leaders. This is an important skill for all successful M.B.A. graduates. Advanced electives provide specialized knowledge and skills for one or more fields of management work. The international requirement recognizes the importance of a global perspective. The Applied Management Research project allows an opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the program to strategic issues in real organizations. A total of 94 units of course work is required for the degree. All courses applied to the degree must be taken for a letter grade unless the course is only offered for S/U grading.

Management Core. The management core consists of twelve courses (38 units) on subjects basic to the practice of management: Management-Full Time-MBA 401A, 401B, 402, 403, 405, 408, 409, 410, 411, 420, 421A, and 421B.

Advanced Electives. These courses are chosen by students from the management curriculum area or interdisciplinary studies courses to focus on one or more fields of specialization. Up to twelve units of free electives may be selected from any University department, subject only to general University regulations. A maximum of eight units of Management 596 courses may be applied toward the 94-unit requirement for the degree. These courses count as free electives. The Fieldwork course (Management-Full Time-MBA 426) is offered for unit credit and will only be applied once towards the 94 unit requirement. Students pursuing concurrent degrees from other UCLA departments will have a reduced advanced elective load, which varies according to the degree pursued in addition to the MBA.

International Requirement. Students fulfill the international requirement in one of three ways: (1) take at least one course from a list of approved Management international electives maintained by the M.B.A. program, (2) complete an approved international Applied Management Research project (approval required prior to the start of the project), or (3) attend a Global Immersion Study Abroad Trip.

Applied Management Research Project. A two-term team project in the second year, Applied Management Research, is the final, professional requirement of the M.B.A. program. Each team chooses a project from three options: (1) Management Field Study (MGMTFT/FE 423A, 423B, 423C), (2) Business Creation (MGMT 428A, 428B), or (3) Special Project (Substitute courses to be approved by the Senior Associate Dean).

At least 94 units of work toward the degree must be completed in residence in the full time MBA program at UCLA. In special cases, up to 8 units of graduate work taken elsewhere and not used toward another degree may, via petition, be counted toward the free electives component of the 94-unit total.

Students who have extensive academic or professional experience in the areas of Statistics, Accounting, Economics, Finance and Marketing may attempt to waive out of the equivalent core course by examination. Students who successfully waive a course do not reduce the units required for the degree; however, they can make up the units with more advanced electives. Students who hold a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license may waive the core accounting course without taking the waiver exam. Students who take Strategic Business Presenting (MGMTFT/FE 424) as a replacement for waiving summer Accounting (MGMTFT 403) are also waived from the first-year Communications course (MGMTFT 421A). Students in the concurrent program with Public Policy or Urban and Regional Planning waive the M.B.A. core Statistics and Economics course if they have taken the equivalent courses in those programs prior to starting the M.B.A.

The M.B.A. has 10 concurrent degree programs designed to allow a student to complete two degrees with a limited number of overlapping units. The time savings is achieved by allowing students to complete the M.B.A. with fewer than 94 units. In some cases, the other program has reduced their unit requirement, as well. Students should consult with the other program for their course and unit requirements. Students are expected to complete all aforementioned required MBA core courses (unless waived), the international course requirement, internship requirement and capstone/field experience requirement. The remaining units are satisfied by enrolling in MGMT/FT/FE 200-series and 400-series electives for a letter grade unless the course is only offered for S/U-grading.

Courses 402, 403, 405, 408, 411 and 421A may be waived. Those units must be replaced by additional Management 200 or 400-series electives. Concurrent M.P.P and M.U.R.P who take their program’s equivalent course to MGMTFT 402 and/or 405 must also replace those units with additional Management 200 or 400-series electives.

M.B.A. and J.D. in Law
Students must complete 80 Management units. The remaining 14 units needed to achieve 94 units are fulfilled from 10 semester units of coursework taken for the School of Law program and applied to the M.B.A. degree.

M.B.A and M.D. in Medicine
Students must complete 76 Management units. The remaining 18 units needed to achieve 94 units are fulfilled from 12 semester units of coursework taken for the School of Medicine program and applied to the M.B.A. degree.

M.B.A and M.U.R.P. in Urban and Regional Planning
Students must complete 76-82 Management units. The remaining 12-18 units needed to achieve 94 units are fulfilled from courses taken for the Urban and Regional Planning program and applied to the M.B.A. degree.

M.B.A and M.P.H. in Public Health
Students must complete at least 88 Management units. The remaining 6 units needed to achieve 94 units are fulfilled from courses taken for the Public Health program and applied to the M.B.A. degree.

M.B.A. and M.P.P. in Public Policy
Students must complete at least 88 Management units. The remaining 6 units needed to achieve 94 units are fulfilled from courses taken for the Public Policy program and applied to the M.B.A. degree.

M.B.A and M.A. in Latin American Studies
Students must complete at least 88 Management units. The remaining 6 units needed to achieve 94 units are fulfilled from courses taken for the Latin American Studies program and applied to the M.B.A. degree.

M.B.A and M.S. in Computer Science
Students must complete at least 84 Management units. The remaining 10 units needed to achieve 94 units are fulfilled from courses taken for the Computer Science and applied to the M.B.A. degree.

M.B.A and M.L.I.S. in Library and Information Studies
Students must complete at least 88 Management units. The remaining 6 units needed to achieve 94 units are fulfilled from courses taken for the Library and Information Studies program and applied to the M.B.A. degree.

M.B.A and M.SN. in Nursing
Students must complete at least 88 Management units. The remaining 6 units needed to achieve 94 units are fulfilled from courses taken for the Nursing program and applied to the M.B.A. degree.

M.B.A and D.D.S. in Dentistry
Students must complete at least 82 Management units. The remaining 12 units needed to achieve 94 units are fulfilled from 8 semester units of coursework taken for the School of Dentistry program and applied to the M.B.A. degree.

Teaching Experience

Not required.

Field Experience

Candidates for the M.B.A. program are required to do a minimum one-quarter internship with a company in their proposed area of study (e.g. finance, marketing, consulting). The summer between the first and second years is the preferred time to satisfy this requirement; however, internships may be pursued during the Fall, Winter or Spring terms. Candidates should wait until their second quarter in the M.B.A. program to begin satisfying this requirement. Candidates should expect to devote at least 120 hours during the term to their internship, and should be prepared to provide regular activity reports to their faculty adviser. Candidates who are employer sponsored or are considering entrepreneurial ventures may also discuss their plans with the M.B.A. Program Associate Dean in order to develop alternative fieldwork opportunities. Candidates who do not have an interest in entrepreneurial ventures may work with the program to develop a special research project to meet this requirement. Candidates will have their experiences evaluated by their faculty adviser through enrollment in Management-Full Time-MBA 426. Evaluation may consist of any combination of written or oral presentations.

Capstone Plan

The capstone plan requirement is fulfilled by successful completion of the two-term Applied Management Research (AMR) Project. Students earn 10 units of credit by enrollment in MGMTFT 423ABC (Management Field Study) or MGMTFT 428AB (Business Creation Option) and receiving a grade of “B” or better. Teams of M.B.A. students complete an original applied research project that integrates and expands students' capacity to solve complex business problems. Students are individually evaluated by three UCLA faculty members who supervise the project to ensure that the students’ work and contribution adhere to the rigorous academic requirements of the program. With the approval of the Senior Associate Dean, students may propose substitution of the AMR with projects of similar scope, academic rigor and evaluation as that of the AMR.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

The full-time M.B.A. must be completed within two calendar years of admission. The minimum time required to complete the M.B.A. program is six quarters.

MAXIMUM TTD

Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

Regular M.B.A. Program

At the end of the first year, a student who has a grade point average below 3.00 or who has completed fewer than 48 units is subject to a recommendation for academic disqualification to the Graduate Division. The student's records are reviewed by the Associate Dean of the program, who makes a recommendation for academic disqualification. A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification to the dean of the school.

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