MBA@UCDavis Curriculum

“I chose the UC Davis MBA for its flexibility, community and STEM-designated rigor. Its collaborative, analytical program strengthens my marketing expertise, sharpens my leadership skills and empowers me to grow strategically and creatively.”

—Daniel F.R., 2026 cohort

A Curriculum That Promotes New Approaches to Business

The online MBA@UCDavis curriculum is designed to reflect the global demands of modern businesses and encourages you to innovate across a wide range of industries. Live, online courses are led by faculty who have years of industry experience and bring tactical considerations into classroom discussions. Each online session is hosted via our flexible online platform and meticulously designed to promote discussion and collaboration.

Topics are presented through projects, case studies, and simulations to give you hands-on experience with solving real-world business problems. You will also complete the Integrated Management Project capstone course where you will collaborate with peers on the executive team of a simulated startup. During the project you will formulate and defend a strategic vision, integrate various functional areas, stay on budget, and make the necessary trade-offs to compete in a dynamic market.

Why Choose UC Davis?

The online MBA@UCDavis curriculum is built upon three guiding principles to ensure that you’re prepared to breathe new life into your industry when you graduate.

Innovation

The online MBA@UCDavis program has continued to evolve alongside the business world through updates to course offerings, implementation of new business analytics strategies, and a range of immersive experiences. These include local in-person residentials, industry immersions and global opportunities.

Impact

The Graduate School of Management impacts the community through its research, teaching and service activities. UC Davis faculty and staff both inside and outside the University have received recognition for their academic and advisory work.

Engagement

The curriculum offers a fusion of business education and company engagement through corporate projects, interactions with senior corporate executives through in-person residentials, and faculty engagement with professional organizations in their respective fields.

Learning Outcomes

By the time you graduate from the online MBA@UCDavis program, you will demonstrate five key skills:

Collaborative Leadership: Inspire and motivate co-workers to achieve, help them succeed, and build trust and positive energy toward your organization’s goals.

Ethical Values-Based Leadership: Understand how to develop an ethos where leading and evaluating success based on values is the best way to build a high-performance culture.

Analysis and Problem Solving: Develop problem-solving skills, supported by appropriate analytical and quantitative techniques.

International and Cultural Understanding: Bring a global perspective to your business world.

Articulation and Critical Thinking:  Build your critical thinking and communications skills to better lead and collaborate inside your company and with clients and customers.

“UC Davis GSM offers flexibility, diverse connections and world-class professors, empowering me as a mom, entrepreneur, and professional to advance my career while enjoying collaborative and engaging class projects.”

—Myrna R., 2025 cohort

Highlights of Our Online MBA@UCDavis Curriculum

Our STEM-designated online program features core classes that provide you with a foundation in the functional areas of business. Electives make up 50% of the curriculum, empowering you to align your online MBA with your long-term career goals.

The 72-unit program can be completed in as little as 24 months.

10

core courses
(4 units each)

16

elective courses available (4 units each)

2

in-person residentials
(2 units each)

1

Integrated Management Simulation (IMS)

Our STEM-Designated MBA is Designed for Your Career Goals

To empower you to get the most out of your MBA, UC Davis offers 10 foundational core courses that provide a comprehensive, 360-degree view of business fundamentals, plus personalized learning options to align with your interests. View the full breakdown of core and personalized learning courses below.

Focus Areas

  • Business Analytics 
  • Finance and Accounting
  • Leadership
  • Marketing

Core Courses

Quantitative Foundation Course

Personalized Learning

The following personalized learning topics are available online:

The following personalized learning topics are open to online students for cross-enrollment, but are only available on campus: 

  • Product Management 
  • Business Strategy Consulting 
  • Project Management with Applications in Healthcare 
  • Fundamentals of Applied AI 
  • Applied Data Science for Leaders
  • Storytelling for Leadership 
  • Negotiation in Organizations 
  • Personal Branding

Learn more about these on-campus personalized learning topics. 

* STEM-designated course

Industry Immersions With Top Executives 

Online MBA students will have the option of coming to campus and participating in our exclusive industry immersions: the Food & Ag Industry Immersion, the Sustainable Energy Industry Immersion and the Biotechnology Industry Immersion. During these intensive elective experiences, you will: 

  • Work directly with senior executives on real business challenges 
  • Explore live case studies grounded in UC Davis research 
  • See business strategy come to life during site visits to top companies 
  • Gain interdisciplinary perspectives from graduate students and industry experts 

Build industry-specific knowledge, expand your network and open doors to career opportunities in high-demand fields while working on business solutions that could change the world. 

Expand Your Network With In-Person Residentials

In the program, you will attend in-person experiences where you will network with classmates from all UC Davis MBA programs in an intensive, weekend-long format. Residentials are planned in Davis, the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, including engaging learning and team-building experiences in nearby venues such as Napa Valley and Las Vegas. 

These case studies are designed to promote collaboration while challenging you to adjust your business perspective and engage in real-world scenarios on teams with subject matter experts.

Take the Next Step

To learn and request more information about the online MBA@UCDavis program,
email an enrollment specialist, or connect by phone at 844-592-6104.

Request Information