The Best Information Technology MBA Programs in Los Angeles
As the line between business and information technology industries continues to blur, more and more tech professionals are looking to business schools and MBA programs to help give them a leg up on the competition. An MBA with a focus on information technology (IT) is a great path to landing any number of tech-related jobs, especially in the Los Angeles metro. Here’s a rundown of what the city has to offer:
Anderson School of Management – UCLA
Founded as the College of Business Administration in 1935, the UCLA Anderson School of Management initially taught vocational business skills to people who would be teaching others. The program was renamed the John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA in 1987 in honor of Anderson’s $15 million gift to the program. Today, the school offers a full-time, two year MBA program, as well as a part-time, Executive and two Global Executive MBA programs.
The UCLA Anderson Easton Technology Management Center prepares business students to drive change in technology through coursework, workshops and events covering tech in the business world. MBA students enrolled at Anderson are also able to specialize their degree through the Center with the Easton Technology Leadership concentration. Sample Courses include:
- Innovation in Media & Entertainment Technology
- Intellectual Property
- New Product Development
- Payment Technology
- Technology Management
Argyros School of Business – Chapman University
The Argyros School of Business at Chapman University gives students the opportunity to pursue a track during the MBA program, including Information Systems in Digital Times. While the track will not be recorded on the transcript or diploma, the coursework will come in handy while pursuing a career in technology and can be referenced on a resume. Students on the Information Systems in Digital Times track can choose from the following elective classes:
- Marketing Research
- Information Technology for Sustainable Competitive Advantage
- Statistical Models for Analytics
- Data Mining
- Marketing Analytics
California State University, Long Beach
California State Long Beach began offering business classes in 1949 with only 24 business students and four faculty members. Today, the College of Business Administration is located in state-of-the-art building, complete with decision support laboratories, classrooms with the latest in technology, multimedia capability and modern lecture halls. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International accredited school is also offers a Daytime Accelerated MBA program.
Long Beach offers an MBA Emphasis in Information Systems through the school’s IS department. Students on this track must take the IS core classes of Quantitative Methods for Managerial Decision Making and Management of Information Systems before selected three of the following electives:
- Internet Applications Development
- Business Telecommunications Management
- Network Modeling and Simulation
- Database Management Systems
- Electronic Commerce
Graziadio School of Business and Management – Pepperdine University
The Graziadio School of Business and Management offers a Digital Innovation & Information Systems MBA to its 15 and 20-Month MBA Students. According to the school, this program focuses on bridging the gap between business and technology and helps students gain an advanced and in-demand understanding of technology innovation. This degree prepares students for careers in the following fields:
- Systems or Technology Analyst
- Infrastructure Manager
- IT Director, CIO
- Business Intelligence Analyst/Manager
- Process Analyst/Manager
- IT Program/Project Manager
- Business-IT Relationship Management
- Digital Business Consultant
- Operations Management, COO
- Technology Product Management
Loyola Marymount University
Founded in 1911, Loyola Marymount University (LMU) is a premier Catholic university rooted in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions. LMU’s College of Business Administration (CBA) was established in 1926. Today, the college offers several undergraduate degree offerings and graduate degree offerings, including an MS in Accounting, MBA and Executive MBA.
Marymount offers various areas of emphasis for their MBA degree, including Information Technology. Six different IT courses are offered, such as Risk Analysis and Financial Modeling, which introduces advanced quantitative model building skills for financial risk analysis. Another high-level IT class offered for Marymount MBAs is Information Technology Security. The school describes the course as follows:
“After 9/11 and the fall of Enron—the 7th largest corporation in America—information technology security has become one of the fastest growing areas in the business world. The need to know how to protect corporate information from attacks both from terrorists and business insiders are enormous. The main objective of this course is to provide students an exposure to the complex information security management issues in the US today. This course offers business professionals a unique blend of technical knowledge and managerial training to investigate digital threats, study corporate security needs, modeling potential risk, and explore possible strategies that management can adapt to protect valuable corporate assets.”
Mihaylo College of Business – California State University, Fullerton
The Mihaylo College of Business and Economics was founded in 1963. The college is named for Steven G. Mihaylo, a 1969 Cal State Fullerton graduate-turned-businessman who made significant contributions to the university. The school has offered MBA degrees since its inception, and today offers MBA, MA and MS programs, including online programs and programs for working professionals.
The Information Systems And Decision Sciences Department at Mihaylo offers concentrations in Information Systems to MBA students. Coursework includes:
- Integrated Enterprise Information Systems
- Information Privacy and Security
- Systems Analysis, Design and Development
Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management – Claremont Graduate University
The Peter F. Drucker & Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management was founded in 1971 and in 1987 was named in honor of Peter Drucker, a pioneer in management theory who helped create one of the first EMBA programs in the United States. In addition to the traditional full-time MBA, the Drucker School of Management offers a part-time and an Executive MBA.
Drucker offers a dual MS in Information Systems & Technology/MBA degree that teaches foundations in technology and management. The special degree is presented in partnership with the Center for Information Systems & Technology (CISAT) and features a curriculum that teaches best practices in both IS&T and management. Students earn two degrees simultaneously and consists of 19 courses.
The Paul Merage School of Business – University of California, Irvine
Located about halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego, the UC Irvine campus is just ten minutes away from the coastal communities of Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach. The UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business offers a full-time, two year MBA program, as well as a part-time, Executive and Healthcare Executive MBA programs.
The Merage School offers some Information Systems coursework for MBA students. All MBAs must take the core Information Technology class. These electives include:
- Critical IT Decisions for Business Executives
- Business Intelligence for Analytical Decisions
- Digital Strategies and Markets
- Special Topics in Information Systems
The Top Marketing MBAs In Los Angeles
Earning an MBA is a great way to gain broad business knowledge that can be applied to many different roles and industries in the business world. As a result, an MBA degree can be ideal for students who haven’t yet made up their mind about their career path.
Yet even those who have known for a long time what path they want to pursue can benefit from an MBA education. To make the most out of an MBA, those who want to focus their degree can benefit from the option to focus or concentrate in a particular subject, which many schools offer.
If you are thinking about pursuing your degree in sunny Los Angeles and have an interest in marketing, there are a number of schools in the metro area which allow students to focus their degree. Below, we’ve rounded up some of the top Marketing MBAs in the Los Angeles metro.
California State University, Long Beach
The Evening MBA at California State University, Long Beach offers students the opportunity to choose a focus area and obtain a specialization for their MBA degree.
The Evening MBA at CSU is a self-paced MBA that allows students to choose how many classes they take each semester, with the option to either earn a general MBA or select a specialization. Marketing is among the several MBA specialization options available for students, including courses such as Marketing Concepts, Seminar in Marketing Policies, Seminar in Marketing Research and Marketing and Sustainability, among others.
Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management – Claremont Graduate University
The Drucker MBA program allows students to select an area of concentration for their degree, with options like strategy, global management and of course—marketing. The marketing program aims to help students “develop a critical understanding of key marketing concepts and gain analytical and evaluative skills to inform strategic marketing decision making”.
Argyros School of Business – Chapman University
The full-time MBA at Argyros School of Business is well regarded across the country, ranked 81st nationwide by U.S. News & World Report.
Students pursuing an MBA at Argyros can choose a ‘Course Track’ with just three electives that can help focus their education. To choose a Marketing Course Track, students must select three courses from options like Marketing Research, Statistical Models for Analytics and Internet & Social Media Marketing, among others.
College of Business and Economics – California State University, Los Angeles
The California State University at Los Angeles’ College of Business offers a number of flexible options for students to pursue their MBA in a cross-functional and integrative educational setting. Students have the option to select their graduate level courses within specific areas of studying, marketing included.
Graziadio School of Business and Management – Pepperdine University
The full-time MBA at the Pepperdine’s Graziado School of Business has been recognized as a top MBA program in the country by Bloomberg Businessweek and U.S. News & World Report. The program offers students a strong foundation in business through experiential MBA courses, also offering the chance to choose from a variety of MBA specializations.
The MBA in Marketing at Graziado is available for 12, 15 and 20-month MBA Students and focuses on providing students with the basic concepts, tools and techniques for developing a strong marketing strategy. Some course options include Global Marketing, Consumer Behavior and Business-to-Business Marketing.
Loyola Marymount University
The LMU MBA can be earned in 24-36 months or more, designed with a flexible schedule for meeting the needs of working professionals. The first year of the MBA requires students to complete core courses, where the second year allows more flexibility for focuses on a particular area of emphasis.
Students may choose to focus on a Marketing emphasis for their MBA, selecting from such courses as Business and Capitalism, Sales Force Strategy and Customer Relationship Management.
Marshall School of Business – USC
The MBA program at USC Marshall is a universally top-ranked degree which allows students to pursue a marketing focus, beginning with a required Marketing Management class as part of the core. In year two, marketing students will have the option to take courses that are part of the MS in Marketing program, such as Business Analytics, Customer Insights and Analysi, and Market Demand and Sales Forecasting.
The Paul Merage School of Business – University of California, Irvine
Industry Spotlight: Los Angeles Entertainment Companies
If you’re thinking about heading to the Marshall School of Business at USC or the Paul Merge School of Business at the University of California for your MBA, then a career in the entertainment industry better be on your radar. Just as Philadelphia is known for its pharmaceuticals, LA is known for entertainment. Continue reading…
Cal State Long Beach Students Aim High for Boeing Competition
A group of 11 California State University, Long Beach students participated last month in the Boeing Business Case Study Competition, advancing to the final round.
The group, who gave themselves the name “Team Enigma,” will have the chance to tour the corporation’s satellite facilities and network with high-level executives to explore job options. Each team member is enrolled in CSULB’s Accelerated MBA program.
CSULB Students Win Innovation Challenge
A team of students from California State University, Long Beach were the winners of CSULB’s fifth annual Innovation Challenge. The team was granted $10,000 in seed funding for winning the competition. The team’s innovative idea was for a 3D printer that can replicate bone structures. In addition to the $10,000 in start up money, the team will also be provided with a variety of business services such as office space, marketing tools and services and legal assistance.
CSULB’s Innovation Challenge is co-sponsored by the colleges of Business Administration, Engineering and the Arts. The winner of the competition was selected from a pool of four finalists. The CSULB winning team, LuxNova, was chosen as the competition’s winner during an awards ceremony on April 9 at the Pointe Conference Center at the Walter Pyramid.
CSULA Holds MBA Information Session
The next information session for the College of Business and Economics at the California State University, Los Angeles MBA program will be held March 26. The information session will begin at 5 p.m. and last for one hour. The event is free to attend and open to alumni, current CSULA students, and prospective members of the public.
Those interested in attending the event can complete an online registration form. During the event, prospective students will have the opportunity to learn more about the MBA program and the benefits of an MBA for your career.
