As today’s workplaces become more complex, experienced professionals are increasingly being asked to lead organizations through change, navigate emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and make strategic decisions across functions. Beginning in fall 2027, Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics will offer a reimagined Professional MBA built around the needs of managers looking to advance their careers without stepping away from them.
“As professionals take on greater responsibility, technical or functional expertise alone is no longer enough,” said Dean Sri Sundaram. “They need to understand how different areas of a business connect, how to lead people through change and how to apply technology with sound judgment. The Professional MBA is designed to help them develop that broader perspective and prepare for what comes next.”
The Ideal Professional MBA Candidate
Designed for individuals with seven or more years of experience, the Professional MBA is intended for managers and emerging leaders who have already built significant experience in their fields and are ready to extend their impact outside their current functions. The program combines advanced business strategy, leadership development and applied learning to help students expand their perspective beyond an individual function and lead more broadly across an organization.
“It’s going to be most valuable for those looking to move from managing a function or team to a role with wider scope and strengthening their decision-making skills,” says Courtney Watts, the college’s executive director of graduate and non-degree programs. “This could be a functional manager overseeing a team, a high-potential employee preparing for a director-level role, or someone whose next step requires a broader understanding of the business.”
The program could also be a strong fit for those in technical fields transitioning into senior managerial roles or entrepreneurs seeking greater insight into how to scale what they have built.
Built Around the Working Leader
The Professional MBA combines the flexibility required by a demanding career with the structure of a two-year cohort-based MBA.
Students progress through the program with a class size of no more than 30, bringing together individuals with varied backgrounds and areas of expertise. Approximately half of the coursework is completed asynchronously online, with the other half delivered through Saturday sessions on campus. An eight-week academic format and summers off provide a predictable schedule, while in-person learning preserves the relationships, discussion and professional network that are central to the experience.
“The cohort is an important part of the experience,” Watts explains. “Students aren’t only learning from faculty. They’re learning alongside peers who bring different industries, functions and organizational challenges into the classroom. Those relationships become part of the value of the program.”
A Comprehensive MBA Experience
The tuition package includes tuition and fees, in-country study abroad costs, meals during in-person sessions and student support services, giving students greater clarity around the full investment required to complete their degree.
Dedicated advisors will provide individualized guidance throughout the program, while guest speakers and industry engagement will connect coursework to current business challenges. A one-week international study experience will further broaden students’ perspective on leadership and business in an interconnected economy.
“We’ve intentionally designed the program so students know what to expect from the beginning,” Watts says. “They know the schedule, progress through the program together and have advising, international experience and other key components already built in.”
Preparing Leaders for What’s Next
“We started with market research and conversations with employers about what they need from people taking on more senior roles,” says Eric Setten, associate professor and faculty director of the MBA program. “That input informed a course-by-course review to make sure what we teach reflects both where business is now and where it is headed. Just as important, the learning is highly applied. Students should be able to take something from class on Saturday and put it to work on Monday.”
Coursework spans the major business disciplines while emphasizing the strategic perspective required as managers take on organizational responsibility. A management consulting capstone will allow students to integrate what they have learned while working directly with a company to address a real-world business challenge.
Emerging technology will also be integrated throughout the program, helping students evaluate how tools such as artificial intelligence can reshape decision-making, operations and competitive strategy while strengthening the judgment, communication and ethical reasoning required of seasoned leaders.
For Watts, the program’s ultimate value will be reflected in how graduates approach leadership after completing it.
“The goal is for graduates to leave thinking beyond their individual function. We want them to see the organization more holistically, bring different areas of the business together and approach complex challenges with the perspective and judgment expected at the senior level.”
Get Started
Applications for the fall 2027 Professional MBA cohort are now open. Prospective students can learn more about the program, admissions requirements and upcoming information sessions on the Professional MBA website.
