Craig School of Business | Fresno, CA | Visit website
About the California State University Fresno Craig School of Business
Backed by a legacy of academic excellence (it was the first business program in the CSU to be awarded AACSB accreditation), the California State University Fresno, Craig School of Business offers a well-rounded selection of business programs, including two contemporary MBA programs—one for the early career professional and the other an executive program for seasoned business leaders.
Affordable tuition rates, innovative business programs, and exceptional opportunities to build and refine your skills, rub elbows with top pros in the industry, and immerse yourself in the art and science of business are what’s on tap at the Craig School of Business.
Founded nearly 100 years ago, the Craig School of Business creates strategic thinkers and visionaries prepared to lead the enterprises of today and tomorrow.
MBAs and Other Programs Offered Through the California State University Fresno Craig College of Business
The MBA holds a prominent position as the Craig School of Business’ flagship graduate program and is offered in two, distinct formats, both of which feature a blend of applied and experiential learning and culminate in an MBA project or thesis.
MBA
The traditional MBA is designed for early-career professionals with limited experience. It is delivered in a hybrid format, with online study complementing on-campus evening courses. Students of this 36-credit program usually graduate in four semesters. This program includes an optional Summer Study Abroad program and opportunities to build your professional network.
MBA for Executives (EMBA)
The EMBA is designed for seasoned business professionals with at least ten years of professional experience and at least three years of managerial experience. This cohort-style program begins with a boot camp that includes a set of five prerequisites classes that are completed in just two and a half weeks. After that, students meet on campus for Saturday classes (8AM-5PM) delivered in eight-week blocks. This 36-credit program is offered in an accelerated format that is completed in just 17 months. The EMBA incudes a required ten-day, international trip.
Undergraduate Business Degrees
-
BSBA
- Engrepreneurship
- Human Resource Management
- Management
- BA in Economics
- BA in Fashion Merchandising
- BA in Accountancy
- BS in Finance
- Minor in Economics
Undergraduate certificates are available in Entrepreneurship, HR Management, and Organizational Management.
MBA Program Customization
In addition to the 18-credit MBA core, students customize the MBA or EMBA through their choice of 12 elective credits. Just some of the electives offered include:
- Seminar in Advanced Financial Management
- Seminar in International Finance
- Seminar in Investments and Portfolio Management
- Seminar in Management of Financial Institutions
- Seminar in Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives
- Managing Human Capital-Applications of Human Resource Management Theory to Practice
- Seminar in Comparative Human Resource and Industrial Relations Systems
- Seminar in Business Ventures
- Seminar in New Venture Management
- International Business Units
- Independent Study
- Internship
MBA Admissions Requirements
Applicants must meet the following requirements to qualify for admission to the Cal State Fresno Craig School of Business’ MBA programs:
MBA
Education
You must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 2.75.
Experience
No experience required.
GMAT Score
Your minimum GMAT score must be 550 and fall at or above the first quartile in the verbal and quantitative portions of the test.
The admissions office may waive the GMAT requirement if you meet one of the following:
- Two letters of recommendation
- Resume (optional)
EMBA
Education
You must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 2.75.
Experience
You must have at least ten years of professional experience and at least three years of managerial experience.
GMAT Score
The GMAT is waived for EMBA applicants.
International Students
International applicants must provide scores from one of the following English proficiency exams
- TOEFL: minimum score of 80iBT
- IELTS: minimum score of 6.5
Application
In addition to the above requirements, your application must include:
- Two writing samples:
- A Personal Statement (one page) that answers the following questions:
- What do you expect to accomplish through the MBA for Executives program?
- What learning experiences do you expect, and how will you apply them to your professional career?
- What are your personal reasons for wanting to undertake this program of study?
- A Statement of Job Responsibility (two pages) in which applicants describe the organizational unit to which they are attached in relationship to the total organization. This involves providing an accurate description of the position by answering these questions:
- What is your scope of responsibility?
- To what position do you report?
- What is the scope and size of your profit and loss responsibility?
- What are your management responsibilities with respect to staff?
- A Personal Statement (one page) that answers the following questions:
- Two recommendations
- Resume/CV (optional)
Note: A rolling recruitment process determines which applicants are selected for the next EMBA cohort. At least 30 students must enroll before the cohort begins; therefore, there is no set deadline to apply for the EMBA.
MBA Program Highlights
Course Delivery | MBA: hybrid; blend of online and on-campus evening courses EMBA: on-campus Saturday courses |
Class Size | MBA: 49 students per class (97 total student enrollment) EMBA: 30-35 total students per cohort |
MBA Program and Business School Accolades | MBA ranked among the nation’s top business programs by the Princeton Review |
MBA Graduates Outcomes | 94.7 job placement rate among graduate students of the Craig School of Business (2021-2022) |
One of the Most Affordable Tuition Rates Among California Business Schools
The Cal State Fresno, Craig School of Business offers outstanding tuition rates for both its graduate and undergraduate programs, ranking it among the most affordable business schools in California.
MBA
- MBA: $26,550 (resident), $40,806 (non-resident).
- EMBA: $39,590
Both programs fall well below the state average of $44,406 for MBAs at public schools in California.
Undergraduate Business Program
The tuition for the BSBA is $6,980 per year ($27,920 total) for residents and $19,580 per year ($78,320 total) for non-residents.
Specialty Business Program Accreditation
The Cal State Fresno, Craig School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), which is synonymous with the highest standards of academic excellence. Today, just 5 percent of all business schools worldwide hold AACSB accreditation. AACSB accreditation signifies that a school of business has met rigorous standards in faculty qualifications, student outcomes, and more.
The Craig School of Business is also a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), a United Nations-supported program that was founded in 2007 to ensure that business and management schools provide future leaders with the skills needed to balance economic and sustainability goals. PRME has more than 800 signatory business schools around the world and has become the largest organized program to liaise between the UN and management-related higher education institutions.
Experiential Learning and Travel Opportunities
Both the MBA and the EMBA include opportunities to travel and study abroad to broaden your business skills and gain a better understanding of global business practices. The MBA offers an optional Summer Study Abroad program. The EMBA includes a required, ten-day, international study trip that is designed to complement the program’s international business course.
Undergraduate students in the Craig School of Business also have the opportunity to participate in the Summer Study Abroad program. The upcoming undergraduate program is scheduled for London, England.
Students of the MBA and EMBA enjoy many opportunities to connect and network with professionals in the field. The Craig School of Business regularly hosts program alumni as guest lecturers and sponsors biannual networking events designed to provide students with valuable insight into real-world business practices.
Unique Business Student Supports, Clubs, and Networking Opportunities
The Craig School of Business Advising and Student Experiences (BASE) serves as an academic hub for all business students. Academic advisors here work closely with the Career Development Center and the Office of Student Experiences, which is staffed with career development center liaisons who provide students with support and connect them with a host of services and resources to promote professional success.
The Craig School of Business also provides outstanding opportunities for real-world learning and professional networking through its community partners like the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which helps innovators and entrepreneurs develop their ideas into businesses. The Center is home to the Entrepreneurship Club, a student organization that promotes entrepreneurship and the development of student-run enterprises. A dedicated Intrapreneur in Residence and Entrepreneur in Residence provide students here with invaluable insights, advice, and guidance.
Student organizations provide many opportunities to connect with peers, engage with the university community and the broader business community, and participate in exciting events. Just some of the clubs and organizations at the Craig School of Business include:
- African-American Business Students Association
- American Marketing Association (AMA)
- Association of Finance (AFS)
- Computer Information Systems Student Association (CISSA)
- Craig Business Scholars
- Economics Student Association
- The Entrepreneurship Club (CEO)
- Family Business Student Association
- Hispanic Business Student Association (HBSA)
- International Business Association (IBA)
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
International Student Supports
Cal State Fresno has an outstanding system of supports for its international student population. The International Office is home to a dedicated team that provides a comprehensive suite of academic services, along with guidance and support for social, emotional, and cultural adjustment issues.
Through the Pathway Partners program, Cal State Fresno partners with universities around the world to create pre-articulated transfer credits for seamless transfer opportunities. Institutional partners include universities in Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan.
A number of programs and events throughout the year provide international students with exciting opportunities to connect with peers and the broader campus community:
- International Coffee Hour: Highlights the university’s diversity while providing students with opportunities for cross-cultural engagement.
- International Cultural Night: A student-led event that celebrates cultural diversity through performances, activities, demonstrations, and more.
- International Education Week: An entire week devoted to celebrating the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.
Why We Recommend the California State University Fresno, Craig School of Business
The Craig School of Business easily makes the cut for quality and affordability, but it’s far from what makes this school so special. From MBAs complemented with opportunities for outstanding, applied learning experiences to superb international student supports to convenient course delivery for busy, working professionals, the Craig School doesn’t disappoint.
AACSB accreditation and tuition rates make the business programs here among the most competitively priced in the state, so you can’t go wrong choosing Cal State Fresno to study business at the undergraduate or graduate level.
Its MBA program is flexible and customizable, offering a traditional MBA for early-career students and an Executive MBA for mid-career professionals. We love the options to specialize through your choice of electives, as well as the international study experiences available (optional for the MBA program, required for the EMBA). And thanks to Saturday-only classes for the EMBA and a blended format of evening and online classes for the MBA, it’s easy to earn your MBA while still fulfilling your professional obligations.
We recommend the Cal State Fresno, Craig School of Business for its well-rounded MBA program, value, commitment to academic excellence, and exceptional student supports.