Master’s Degree in Business Administration Overview
The master of business administration (MBA) degree program is designed to give you the tools you need to succeed in today’s business world. The MBA in San Diego program was developed for aspiring managers as well as working professionals who want to earn a degree that includes the study of business principles along with practical training in applied settings.
The on-campus and online MBA program builds foundational skills and helps you to develop deep expertise in your area of interest during the program. With experienced faculty and hands-on learning opportunities, you'll graduate from this MBA in San Diego program with the education and experience you need to pursue a successful career in the field of international business and more.
The MBA program is offered on-ground at the San Diego and Los Angeles campuses. (Only the Hospitality Management concentration is offered on the LA campus).
- The evening/weekday MBA track Courses are offered on-campus in the evenings
- The practical training/executive-style weekend MBA track Courses meet on-ground, in-person one-weekend a month.
Both tracks include practical training from beginning (Day 1) through the end of the program. They contain the same courses and curriculum totaling 36 credit units for degree completion. The courses are offered in an academic calendar of eight-week terms with a program completion time of 14–16 months.
Which Business Program Is Right For Me?
Program Highlights
Executive-in-Residence Program
In the MBA program, you’ll be matched with an executive who will mentor you and guide you in professional experience and development and provide you with networking opportunities during the six-month executive-in-residence mentorship program.
Program Concentrations
Choose your specialization in Management and Leadership, Marketing and Digital Trends, Information Systems and Technology, or Hospitality Management. You can also build your own concentration that is more specific and relevant to your career path.
Practical Training Throughout
The MBA program includes practical training throughout the program. You will participate in gaining hands-on experience from the beginning (Day 1) through the end of the program. As you learn about your specific area of interest, you can apply the knowledge to real-world projects within your own organization. Read More
A Message from the Program Director
Saba Ozyurt, Professor & Program Director, California School of Management and Leadership
Admissions
Learn About Admissions Requirements
Faculty
Get to Know Our Diverse Faculty
Degree Concentrations
The concentration offerings for the master’s in business administration program are designed to give you a higher level of mastery in a specific area of your choosing.
Hospitality Management
(Available for both MBA tracks)
This concentration is designed to provide an opportunity for you to meet the needs of the growing and fast-paced hospitality industry. It will prepare you for a career in the large hospitality segment focusing on the hotels industry but also including the travel and tourism segments. The courses provide an understanding of emerging aspects in these segments which include a number of highly profitable markets which are also poised to grow with innovation and technology. Employers and market trends confirm that careers in these fields are coveted, well-paid with a well-defined progress path. Students should also note that demand for professionals in the hospitality industry is internationally growing.
Please note that there may be other requirements for completion or options for elective and specialized courses. Please see the academic catalog for the full curriculum. Course offerings and sequence are subject to change.
Information and Technology Management
(Available for both MBA tracks)
This concentration provides you with specialized knowledge in enterprise business models such as process integration, system analysis, data management/business intelligence, and information systems for small- to medium-sized businesses. SAP software is used for a majority of the hands-on instruction. Using this software gives you highly practical skills for real-world IT situations. The concentration provides expert training on the full range of SAP products from Netweaver, ERP, Business Suite, and Business Objects Solutions. For additional details, refer to the detailed SAP instruction sheet.
MBA students choosing this concentration will complete the following courses:
- Enterprise business process integration
- Data analytics and decision making
- Information systems technology and infrastructure management
- Industry infrastructure, functional aspects and systems
Please note that there may be other requirements for completion or options for elective and specialized courses. Please see the academic catalog for the full curriculum. Course offerings and sequence are subject to change.
Marketing and Digital Trends
(Available for both MBA tracks)
In this concentration you’ll learn the principles and applications of branding and brand management. Focuses will include: developing and presenting marketing plans, sales strategy, market research, and data analysis. Another key component will include global consumer behaviors and the impacts of national and geographic cultures.
This concentration provides the technical skill sets necessary to function in the rapidly advancing digital marketing age. As marketing continues to develop alongside a range of new technological advancements, the need for professionals who understand the changing digital environment is greater than ever.
Digital marketing skills are in high demand as companies are putting more effort into digital marketing than ever before, which means the job market will continue to grow.
Students choosing this concentration will complete the following courses:
- Consumer behavior and culture
- Marketing research and data analytics
- Digital and social media marketing
- Industry infrastructure, functional aspects and systems
Please note that there may be other requirements for completion or options for elective and specialized courses. Please see the academic catalog for the full curriculum. Course offerings and sequence are subject to change.
Management and Leadership
(Available for both MBA tracks)
This program prepares you to take control of a range of business functions through advanced managerial studies.
A concentration in management and leadership includes additional course offerings in the science and art of effective management, enhancing your business skills even further with advanced study of:
- Risk and opportunity assessment
- Systems and process analysis
- Critical problem solving
- Resource and supply management
- Organizational behavior and team development
This concentration prepares you to manage people, resources, and processes in a professional setting. You’ll study the effects of change on organizations and learn practical strategies for successfully guiding teams and processes through change.
Course Topics – Management
The management concentration delves into issues covered in the core MBA curriculum, with a focused look at process integration, operations management, and organizational change.
Students choosing this concentration will complete the following courses:
- Contemporary approaches to leadership
- Strategic HRM and managing change
- Project management
- Industry infrastructure, functional aspects and systems
Courses are taught by faculty with industry-experience and a focus in managerial theory and practice. In the program you’ll receive mentorship and preparation that focuses on the real-world application of concepts covered in course materials.
Please note that there may be other requirements for completion or options for elective and specialized courses. Please see the academic catalog for the full curriculum. Course offerings and sequence are subject to change.
Vatel Institute of Hospitality Management
Alliant International University and Vatel have partnered to provide students studying hospitality management opportunities to become effective hospitality industry managers and leaders. Vatel was voted Best Hospitality School by the Worldwide Hospitality Awards and is the leading group in hospitality management education with over 50 schools worldwide on five continents, enlisting world-class faculty with deep knowledge and experience in the industry. With Vatel, MBA students are given the opportunity to receive placement and sometimes paid internships at their four- and five-star partner hotels.
Degree Information
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
Students in the MBA ground program are required to participate in curricular practical training as part of their experiential learning throughout the program. Practical training is intended to develop professional and applied practice related skills and expertise in the student’s program through a variety of work and learning experiences which could involve supervised practical training and/or applied client projects. This is required throughout the academic program from start on Day 1 to program completion. Domestic students can contact the CSML Professional Development (CPD) Coordinator directly for guidance. International students must apply for authorization for Curricular Practical Training to the Designated School Official (DSO).
CSML CPT Application Process for International Students
- Obtain a job offer letter from your employer.
- The offer letter needs the following: To be on company letterhead
- Start and end date. (For example: CPT start date is 10/17/22, End date is 08/20/2023)
- Include specific duties to perform, office location, direct supervisor name and contact number.
- State that it is a part-time position
- Include the following statement: “employer agrees to cooperate with the school in achieving the curricular purposes of the employment/training”
- Complete the Application for CPT and the Advisor Verification Form for CPT. These forms are located on the student portal: http://alliantintluni.sharepoint.com/sites/IntlStudent/SitePages/International-Forms.aspx
- Email your offer letter and the 2 forms to your Program Director/Faculty Advisor at Alliant.
- Once they have signed the forms, please follow up and email ISSO@krissystems.com. The DSO is the one who will give you the authorization to start working.
- Also, if it is your first time in the USA, you will need to go to the Social Security Administration office to obtain a social security number, this process can take 2 or more weeks. Your employer will need your social security number for you to work. So please start the process as soon as possible. For the address of local Social Security Administration offices, see: www.ssa.gov
Links and Downloads
Accreditation
The California School of Management and Leadership (CSML) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) for its PhD in leadership, doctorate in business administration (DBA), master’s in business administration (MBA), and MS in data analytics degree programs.
ACBSP accreditation certifies that the teaching and learning processes offered within CSML programs meet the rigorous educational standards established by said accrediting body, which is a leading specialized accreditation body for business education across the country. ACBSP’s mission is to promote continuous improvement and recognize teaching excellence through its recognition of business education programs throughout the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
What scholarship and financial aid options are available?
Private and public scholarships can help you meet the cost of your education, and Alliant offers institutional scholarships for many of our students. Learn more about these scholarship opportunities here. Additional financial aid is available for those who qualify in the form of loans, grants, federal work study, and military aid. Learn more in our Financial Options Guide.
What concentrations are available in the MBA degree program?
There are several concentration options within the MBA degree program in California and online, including: corporate finance, hospitality management in partnership with the Vatel Institute of Hospitality and Management, information and technology management, marketing and digital trends, and management and leadership. Each of these concentrations consists of four, three-credit courses that are completed as part of the regular degree program.
When does the degree program start?
The program is an eight-week term program and is open for enrollment during those enrollment periods. You can find a copy of our eight-week term academic calendar here.
How long does it take to complete the MBA degree program?
The master’s degree is a 36-credit program and takes approximately 16 months to complete, across eight terms.
What is the modality of this program?
You can earn your MBA degree online or on-campus, offering you an educational experience that is both customizable and tailored to your schedule.
How Do I Get to Alliant’s Grad School in San Diego?
Alliant International University of San Diego is just off exit 14, Pomerado Road. We’re close to Scripps Ranch and the Elliot Chaparral Reserve. Our San Diego Campus address is: 10455 Pomerado Rd. San Diego, CA 92131, and contact number is: (858) 780-5771
Business School Campus in San Diego
San Diego is referred to as "America's finest city" and for good reason. It boasts picturesque coastlines, ideal weather, and exceptional dining options. These attributes, along with its naval base and reputation as a biotechnological, medical, and military hub, make San Diego a highly sought-after destination for the nearly 1,200 MBA graduates who call it home after graduation. San Diego offers Alliant students an abundance of internship and career opportunities. Alliant's business school in San Diego is located in the scenic Scripps Ranch neighborhood which is close proximity to downtown, nestled between the mountains and the beach.
"The program teaches you how to fine tune your ideas via the development of objective-oriented thinking, strategy creation, and implementation. MBA students at CSML are given the best tools to navigate short-term and long-term realities in different contexts, whether it is business or personal. As the saying goes, take care of your business and your business will take care of you."
Why Alliant
At Alliant, our mission is to prepare students for professional careers of service and leadership and to promote the discovery and application of knowledge to improve lives. We offer an education that is accredited, focused on practical knowledge and skills, connected with diverse faculty and alumni, and aimed at the student experience.
Why CSML
CSML is a business management school that trains you to have a competitive edge in the technology and quantitative fields. CSML offers management and leadership degrees where you can learn to guide and mentor the next generation of professionals and make your mark as an innovator in the modern business world.