Program Objectives:
The objective of the MBA program is to provide aspiring leaders a broad base of field-proven interdisciplinary business concepts in management, marketing, human resources, finance, analytics, and technology that will enable them to launch their professional careers to the next level. Program graduates will have acquired the flexibility of thought to make wise decisions in today's complex, diverse, multicultural, and global business settings.
MBA Program Learning Outcomes:
Students graduating with an MBA degree are expected to demostrate the following program learning outcomes -
- Written Communication - In a contextually appropriate manner, write strategic business plans and tactical implementation plans.
- Oral Communication - In a business setting, craft and deliver compelling messages, based on logic and variety of supporting materials.
- Quantitative Reasoning - Convert relevant information into insightful mathematical portrayals and apply across a wide range of business situations.
- Information Literacy - Determine, acquire, and analyze data needed from multiple sources in order to create recommendations for complex business situations.
- Critical Thinking - Methodically solve multi-criteria business and managerial problems.
- Speacialized Knowledge - Synthesize concepts in management, finance, accounting, and marketing to resolve complex business challenges.
Background Preparation
Students admitted into the MBA degree program are required to have proper business background preparation for taking the graduate level coursework. Background deficiencies in mathematics (3 units) or career development (1 unit) or professional career experience are identified in the admission evaluation report received by each School of Business applicant.
Students must jointly develop with university officials a study plan to clear the 3 unit college level mathematics and/or 1 unit career development deficiencies. Such a study plan may involve taking additional courses. Students are required to clear the mathematics deficiency as early as possible in his/her graduate study at NPU. Students who lack college level mathematics, statistics (preferred), business math, or the equivalent may clear the mathematics requirement by taking MATH208 Probability and Statistics (3 units), or MATH201 Calculus I (3 units), or BAN460G Introduction to Business Analytics (3 units). BAN460G is classified as a mezzanine course, with graduate level credit. BAN460G is considered an elective in the MBA program. The course P450 Career Development (1 unit) should be taken as early as possible.
In addition, English proficiency is also required. Refer to the section on “English Proficiency Requirement” in the chapter “Admission Policies” for details.
MBA Curriculum
A minimum of 36 trimester units of graduate study are required for the MBA program. The MBA curriculum includes coursework in the following categories: Foundation Requirements, Core Requirements, Electives, and a Capstone Course. A number of concentration areas are shown in the section of Core Requirements; each is listed with a cluster of courses. Students taking courses in a concentration area will gain in-depth knowledge and skills in the corresponding business professional field. Additionally, taking courses in a concentration area can be beneficial to the student for career planning. The student must meet prerequisite/corequisite requirements when taking any course.
I. Foundation Requirements (9 units)
The following required courses provide a knowledge base of interdisciplinary business theories and techniques.
| FIN501 | Financial Management |
| HRM531 | Human Resource Management |
| MGT530 | Logistics and Operations Management |
II. Core Requirements (12 units)
Beyond Foundation Requirements, the student is required to take at least 12 units of 500 level business coursework. Although not required, the student has the opportunity to select an area of interest and take courses in the chosen area to meet the core requirements. Taking sufficient number of courses in an area of interest is beneficial to the student for entering the corresponding business profession.
III. Electives (12 units)
The student may elect any graduate-level courses (courses numbered 4xxG, 5xx) to meet the Electives requirement.
Curricular Practicum: When applicable, the student may take curricular practicum courses (CPT501 or CPT502) and engage in practical training to work on company projects that are directly related to the student’s course of study. The student must observe the rules required for taking the practicum courses. No more than 6 units of practicum coursework may be counted towards graduation.
IV. Capstone Course (3 units)
(A required subject)
Upon completing most of the coursework for this program, the student is required to take the capstone course and, under the guidance of the course instructor, integrate the knowledge and skills learned from all of the courses taken during the program.
- MBA595 Business Administration Capstone Course
Areas of Interest
Although not required, the student has the opportunity to select an area of interest and take courses in the chosen area to meet the 500 level core and elective requirements (4xxG). Taking sufficient number of courses in an area of interest is beneficial to the student for entering the corresponding business profession.
Illustrative examples of course clusters related an area of interest are listed below:
Accounting:
| ACC450G | Managerial Accounting |
| ACC451G | Intermediate Accounting - I |
| ACC452G | Intermediate Accounting – II |
| ACC490G | Introduction to Taxation |
| ACC501 | Advanced Accounting |
| ACC512 | Federal Taxation of Business Enterprises |
| ACC530 | Auditing |
| BLAW482G | Information Policy, Governance, Security, and Compliance |
MBA students who are considering a future career as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) should; seek additional advising, study the California Board of Accountancy's (CBA – www.dca.ca.gov/cba/) numerous requirements, and from the start of their studies focus where possible all core and elective choices towards meeting the CBA's numerous academic requirements. The CBA requires substantial additional academic education and professional training outside the scope of the MBA program.
Business Analytics:
| BAN460G | Introduction to Business Analytics |
| BAN460LG | Introduction to Business Analytics Lab |
| BAN470G | Introduction to Machine Learning Based Prediction Modeling and Forecasting |
| BAN501 | Quantitative Methods for Business |
| IT455G | Server-Side Infrastructure Using Python/PHP |
| IT501 | Business Analytics and Applications |
| MGT451G | Agile Project Management |
| MGT460G | Production and Operations Management |
| MGT460LG | Production and Operations Management Lab |
| BLAW482G | Information Policy, Governance, Security, and Compliance |
Finance:
| FIN501 | Financial Management (Required) |
| FIN510 | Investment Analysis |
| FIN512 | Financial Risk Management |
| FIN522 | International Trade and Investment |
| FIN568 | Corporate Finance |
| FIN580 | Portfolio Management |
| FIN585 | International Finance |
Management:
| MGT450G | Organizational Behavior and Management |
| MGT451G | Agile Project Management |
| MGT460G | Production and Operations Management |
| MGT460LG | Production and Operations Management Lab |
| MGT480G | Entrepreneurship |
| MGT500 | Risk Management |
| MGT501 | Project Management |
| MGT530 | Logistics and Operations Management (Required) |
| MGT540 | Management of Innovation |
| MGT542 | Technology and Product Management |
| MGT550 | Global Outsourcing Project Management |
| GBM500 | Green Business Management |
| HRM531 | Human Resource Management (Required) |
| HRM532 | Strategic Workforce Planning |
Marketing
| MKT450G | Market Management |
| MKT541 | Strategic Marketing |
| MKT542 | Global Marketing |
| MKT545 | Global Trade and Operations |
| IT461G | Interaction Design (IxD) |
| MGT542 | Technology and Product Management |
| SOC450G | Emotional Intelligence |