Frequently Asked Questions
MBA Program - General Questions
- What is the best way for me to learn about the Graduate Programs offered by the Orfalea College of Business?
- Why should I pursue an MBA?
- What are the guiding principles, goals and philosophy of the Cal Poly Orfalea College of Business MBA program?
- What is the basic structure of the Cal Poly MBA program and how long does it take to complete?
- What makes the Cal Poly MBA Program unique?
- What is the size of your entering class?
- How many people apply to the Cal Poly MBA Program each year?
- What "type" of applicant is likely to be successful in gaining admission into the Cal Poly MBA program?
- Who will my classmates be?
- May I opt out/waive out of required courses in a program if I already possess a strong background (academic or work-experience) in the subject?
1. What is the best way for me to learn about the Graduate Programs offered by the Orfalea College of Business?
Besides looking carefully over the web site, we recommend visiting the Cal Poly University campus and our program. We invite you to email mba@calpoly.edu to schedule an on campus meeting with our Graduate Programs staff.
In addition, for those applicants unfamiliar with Cal Poly, volunteer led campus tours are available. Although these on-campus tours are primarily used by and geared toward undergraduate applicants, these tours are nevertheless an informative way of getting to know and developing a feel for the Cal Poly campus. Visitors will need to obtain a daily parking permit to park on campus. The permits can be obtained at parking vending machines available at most parking lots, as well as the Visitor Information Center located on Grand Avenue.
- Register online for a Cal Poly Tour (registration for these tours is recommended but not required).
- Click here for maps and directions to Cal Poly
- Where do you park when you get here?
2. Why should I pursue an MBA?
It's simple. Today's marketplace is competitive and regardless of your chosen profession, business is the glue that holds it all together and makes it work. In this environment learning essential graduate level business skills and competencies in areas such as finance, accounting, marketing, law, economics, management, etc. will allow you to work more effectively with your colleagues, clients and external constituents. In fact, the ability to advance in your career will depend on your mastery of these business skills. Do not think for a minute that those in the industry trenches and those in management stay in their own little worlds and the magic of the firm or business then happens for the customer: It's the exact opposite. The key is integration between business and your chosen field that adds value to your professional portfolio (a sum greater than the parts). Obtaining a Cal Poly MBA degree will move you forward in this regard.
3. What are the guiding principles, goals and philosophy of the Cal Poly Orfalea College of Business MBA program?
The MBA program at Cal Poly's Orfalea College of Business prepares students for positions of high responsibility in all phases of business. The program is broad in nature, requiring advanced study and research during the program in the foundational business disciplines. To ensure a productive and competitive future for our students in a rapidly changing world, we teach the concepts and principles of management which make rapid adjustment to new conditions possible.
The primary goals of the program are to provide potential managers with:
- An integrated understanding of the principles of various business disciplines. The successful manager must have an ability to integrate and apply information from a variety of disciplines in an ethical and socially responsible manner. Our approach to MBA education is aimed at fostering this integrated and applied understanding.
- An expertise in assembling and analyzing relevant facts as a basis for significant business decisions. Students learn analytical, planning and forecasting skills to provide a basis for making effective decisions in a changing managerial environment.
- The ability to work with other people and various stakeholders of the firm through an understanding of human values, motivations, behavior and organizational structures.
We believe in the case method, lectures and seminars, field study, simulations, group work and individual hard work and initiative. Faculty members choose among teaching methodologies to present courses in the manner most appropriate to the material and the professor's individual style.
4. What is the basic structure of the Cal Poly MBA program and how long does it take to complete?
e Cal Poly MBA program is a 60-unit program made up of 9 required courses and 6 elective courses (4 units each) that provides students who are willing to commit to a rigorous schedule of prescribed courses the option to complete the program in less than 12 months (Track One). For those not pursuing the accelerated option and/or simultaneously pursuing dual graduate degrees a second more traditional option is also offered (Track Two).
The cohort based program offers courses during the traditional academic year along with several innovative and specifically developed short summer session elective courses that can facilitate the completion of the MBA program on an accelerated basis. These short summer session elective courses include a project-based "Commercial Development of Innovative Technologies" course, "Effective Communication Skills for Managers" course, and a transformational two-and-a-half week International Business Study tour to the People's Republic of China. These short summer session courses are required for Track One students, and optional (but nevertheless strongly encouraged) for those students pursuing Track Two.
The program also primarily consists of full-time students, and generally offers classes Monday through Thursday with the vast majority of classes offered during the daytime hours. Completion of the program on a part-time basis is possible, but is qualified by the fact that courses are offered only once per year and generally during daytime hours on Monday through Thursday.
Our faculty's highest priority is also excellent teaching, and their professional qualifications are among the best you will find in any university.
5. What makes the Cal Poly MBA Program unique?
- No undergraduate business degree is required. Further, there are no prerequisite business course requirements to enter the program.
- It is possible for a full-time student devoting 100% attention to his/her studies, and who follows a prescribed course of study to complete their MBA in less than a year (Track One - Accelerated Track).
- Relevant, current, challenging, and intellectually stimulating
courses from top to bottom. These include two short intensive
summer sessions to facilitate the completion of the MBA program
or to follow the accelerated option requirements.
- GSB 528 Effective Communication Skills for Managers.
- GSB 529 Commercial Development of Innovative Technologies.
- GSB 563 a 2 1/2 week International Business Tour to the People's Republic of China, an experiential study tour designed to integrate and apply what students studied during the program.
- The opportunity to work with outstanding faculty in a friendly and professional academic atmosphere.
- The opportunity to live and study on California's Central Coast - one of the most beautiful locales in the world and located midway between the urban areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco.
- Affordability - our MBA program is extremely affordable, especially compared to programs offered by other schools.
In summary, this is an exciting, innovative, current and affordably priced MBA program offered in an unparalleled location.
6. What is the size of your entering class?
Because our methods of instruction require extensive interaction between students and faculty, we limit the number of students in order to foster a sense of community. Thus, roughly 40 to 50 students each year are admitted and enroll in the MBA program. Among those, approximately 40% will be pursing some type of a dual degree simultaneously. We also admit approximately 20-30 students into the Master's in Business and Technology program and approximately 30-40 students into the Master's in Accounting-Taxation program.
7. How many people apply to the Cal Poly MBA Program each year?
The MBA program receives approximately 160-200 applications in a typical year.
8. What type of applicant is likely to be successful in gaining admission into the Cal Poly MBA program?
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. No specific undergraduate majors are preferred for admission to the program and previous study in business-related topic is not required. However, an applicant for admission to the MBA program must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
An applicant's academic potential and promise for a productive career in management are central concerns when making our admission decisions. Therefore, the applicant's involvement in activities that demonstrate development of strong leadership skills and the information an applicant provides regarding the way an MBA will contribute to his/her professional growth are carefully considered. Persons whose intellectual abilities and personal characteristics are suited for careers in management are selected.
9. Who will my classmates be?
The student population of Cal Poly's Orfalea College of Business Graduate Programs varies from year to year. Overall, you can expect that a large percentage of the MBA class will be comprised of students with an undergraduate education in one of the engineering or science disciplines. Another significant group is usually students from an architectural discipline with a smattering of other undergraduate degrees usually represented. The Cal Poly MBA program attracts students from all disciplines because of its unique design and philosophy of enhancing, not replacing career paths. The student population of the *MS in BT program* will be comprised of students with an undergraduate education in Industrial Technology or Engineering or international students with a similar academic background. Thus you will have a wonderfully broad group of classmates. In fact, Orfalea College of Business graduate students are alike in only one way: they all want an outstanding education.
For further details on the current student population, review our web site's Demographics section.
10. May I opt out/waive out of required courses in a program if I already possess a strong background (academic or work-experience) in the subject?
No. Given the intense coursework design and overall structure of the program, students are not permitted to waive any of the required courses.