Academics / MBA

MBA students are expected to enroll in one of the three major degree program offerings and complete real-client class projects and evaluation assignments each trimester.

The objective of this master’s degree programs is to provide advanced training to those who wish to practice their profession with increased competence in the global business industries. The program emphasizes both mastery of subject matter and an understanding of related research and research methodology. This emphasis implies development of the student’s ability to integrate and apply the subject matter.

Key learning objectives are listed below:

• Students will demonstrate an understanding of business knowledge (principles, concepts, theories, perspectives) and skills (procedures, methods, strategies, approaches) for each business function/discipline, and of the interrelationships among business functions/disciplines.
• Students will demonstrate the capacity to assess business environments and opportunities, and to align business activities in developing and implementing organizational strategy and change in complex and uncertain conditions.
• Students will demonstrate the capacity to identify problems, define objectives, gather and analyze information, evaluate risks and alternatives, make decisions that are ethical and responsible, and to communicate clear, defensible ideas and plans.
• Students will demonstrate the capacity to acquire and manage organizations’ financial capital, human capital, assets, information, and technology.
• Students will demonstrate the capacity to work effectively and communicate with others as a colleague and as a manager.
• Students will demonstrate the capacity to collaborate and communicate effectively with others.
• Students will demonstrate the capacity to manage, influence, and lead others, and facilitate their development.
• Students will demonstrate the capacity to perceive commonalities and differences in others’ values, styles, and perspectives, and how culture affects those commonalities and differences.
• Students will demonstrate the capacity for continual self-managed learning for professional and career development.

Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75, or a master’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

Applicants whose native language is not English may be asked to submit evidence of English proficiency.

Please visit the USTSV Degree Programs' Admissions page for more information on how to apply for this program.

The structure of USTSV’s MBA degree programs is unique in its flexibility and ability to integrate the latest advances in Silicon Valley business community. Our instructors introduce new content and emerging best practices as they appear in the professional environment, thereby arming its students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in their careers. By the end of the program, the curriculum will have not only covered the material of a traditional degree program, but also developed a strong foundation of real-world skills in business.

The MBA - Entrepreneurship and Innovation degree program equips students with the critical skills and knowledge needed to start a new company or pursue a career in corporate venturing and technology commercialization. It gives students a sophisticated understanding of entrepreneurial decision making, business model formation and evaluation, product development and execution strategies, team formation and growth, and launching and financing a new venture — a complete toolkit for the future.

The MBA - Technology Management degree program teaches students technology management strategy, organization behavior, technical leadership, technology strategy formulation, organization design, developing engineering teams, and motivating engineers. We teach you the importance of learning the technology management function and become a leader in technical and engineering organizations.

The MBA - Data Science and Analytics degree program focuses on statistical modeling and analysis, big data formation and analytics, computer science, and business process management.

At USTSV, our MBA programs adopts the method of Project-based learning (PBL). Students are continuously exposed to different aspects of the functional areas of business. Taught within a larger context pertinent to any company or industry around the world, students apply what they know to solve authentic problems and produce results that matter.

The MBA program at USTSV offers unparalleled flexibility, allowing seamless integration of the latest technological advances and business practices in to our curriculum. In combination with Project-based learning, USTSV student’s ability to expertly relate and apply knowledge to real-world challenges is heightened compared to that of a traditional MBA program. Upon completion of the program, students will have covered all the subject matter of a traditional MBA program and understand how that knowledge is relevant and applicable in the real world.

A minimum of 36 trimester units of graduate study are required for the MBA program. They include a few required foundation courses, a set of major-specific courses based on a student’s chosen major, a required capstone course, and elective courses. The MBA coursework is to develop business skills beneficial to a student for his/her career development. Students also have the opportunity to take elective courses outside of business administration to broaden their skills.

A student must meet prerequisite requirements when taking any course. Upon clearing background preparation work, the student starts to take courses to meet the degree requirements. The student must begin his/her graduate study with the subjects listed in the Foundation Requirements section.

(Required subjects)

• MB500 Financial Management
• MB510 Human Resource Management
• MB520 Logistics and Operations Management
• MB530 Statistics for Business Decision (data analysis method)

A student is advised to consider industry trends when selecting his/her major and its related courses. Before taking the Capstone Course (MB599) near the end of the program, a student will have taken a minimum of 12 units of graduate level MBA courses and 9 units of electives. The following are examples of cluster courses for each major:

• Technology Management:
  • MB550 Project Management
  • MB552 Management Information System
  • MB554 Leadership
  • MB556 International Business Management
• Marketing:
  • MB560 Marketing Management
  • MB562 Global Marketing
  • MB564 New Product Development
  • MB566 Strategic Management
• Human Resources:
  • MB570 Human resources Law
  • MB572 Organizational behavior
  • MB574 International and Comparative Labor
  • MB576 Managerial Communication Skills

Selecting any four (4) courses from the above lists will meet the Major Course Requirements. Taking four (4) courses in a cluster area will also help the student develop desirable skills in that specialized business profession.

Each trimester when the course offering list is published, instructions on graduate level courses belonging to various major areas are also published along with the course offering list. Every graduate student is advised to refer to these instructions to select courses and build his/her expertise area.

The students may elect any graduate-level courses to meet the electives requirement but only 6 units of the nine units can be courses in other concentration areas, or courses from MSCSE or Hacker Academy. The following is additional options for the elective courses:

Curricular Practicum: When applicable, a student may take curricular practicum courses 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. Each 1 unit of a practicum course requires at least 45 hours of practical experience related to the student’s program curriculum.

(A required subject)

Upon completing all or most coursework for this program, a 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.

• MB599 Business Administration Capstone Course

The MBA degree program requires a minimum of 36 units of graduate-level courses, in following categories:

1. Foundation Requirements,
2. Major Requirements,
3. Electives, and
4. A Capstone Course.

The following are required for graduation:

• A graduate student admitted with under-graduate deficiencies must clear the deficiencies in the early terms. The student may clear a subject by either taking the course and earning a passing grade or passing a proficiency exam on the subject,
• Maintain a grade of C- or better for all courses taken to clear deficiencies or towards the degree requirements,
• Maintain an overall G.P.A. of 3.0 or better,
• Maintain good standing with the University – with clear financial, library, and other school records,
• The student is approved to graduate after filing a petition for graduation.

85%+ of graduates of USTSV’s MBA program have obtained jobs within three months of graduation.

Please visit Career Center page for more details.

The USTSV MBA faculty is made up of leading scholars from a diverse array of business backgrounds and disciplines in Silicon Valley. Each is dedicated to building a truly unique experience for MBA students. Although some MBA professors teach in other settings or have a daytime job in a Silicon Valley tech company, you'll find that each faculty member teaches classes within the distinct MBA context, integrating material with that of other professors to create a cohesive learning experience in each theme. The program's faculty function as one team with a common objective - developing and refining your leadership skills. They meet regularly to coordinate materials, review content, and evaluate your progress.

Our faculty's work extends well beyond the case room and lecture hall. Many serve as business executives, managers to a broad range of companies, both Fortune 500 and smaller. This is where much of our curriculum innovation comes from - our professors are in tune with what's really going in business in Silicon Valley. The inevitable intersection between practice and academia creates a learning environment that fosters both insight for innovative ways to improve business as it is practiced today and foresight for future curriculum changes.