San Diego State University - Fowler College of Business

It is not difficult to sum up the qualities that draw students to San Diego State University’s Graduate School of Business. One student explains, “[It’s a] nice location for me, good class times, a competitive curriculum, and a good solid reputation for a great up-and-coming business program and full and part time MBA programs.” Those views are consistent throughout the comments about this “quite affordable” local school that has “a great business reputation.” Though some air complaints about a few “mostly uninterested” professors, the consensus is that SDSU’s business program is the “best quality for the money.” Couple a “flexible program” with a “large networking base” and attendees will find “a community with numerous opportunities to give back and share [one’s] new skills in constructive ways.”

What students walk away with will depend on their own focus and drive, since the “quality of professors is highly volatile and you can’t be sure how well they will teach or lecture.” However, when the professors are good, the classroom experience is very worthwhile. Business students are glad that “professors with long work experience are common.” For example, one student boasts, “The two courses in my last semester consisted of a senior director and a CEO from Qualcomm (a Fortune 500) and biotech firm, respectively.” That “large depth of experience and knowledge” these educators share with their students suggests “professors promote critical thinking in class, as opposed to just lecturing. More emphasis is placed on in-depth analysis than on test taking.” One student without a strong background in business was glad to note, “This school made my transition from a non-business background to a business program very smooth.”

Such experience extends to the students. “Fifty percent of people have their own business in my classes,” one student notes. Even for those without a wealth of previous business experience, SDSU offers a “consistently [top] ranked” entrepreneurship program and a Sports MBA program that boasts “access to many higher-ups in the sports industry in the San Diego and Southern California area.” It also takes part in a Venture Capital Investment Competition that gains big exposure for participants. Some students worry that “ridiculous budget cuts” will mar the MBA program, but for others the future looks bright. Current administrators are “transforming the program,” and the school is “integrating lecturers into the courses,” all of which indicates a program that is sometimes “flying by the seat of its pants” but is generally on the upswing.

A “large alumni network,” strong “career services assistance … helpful MBA advisors, and the flexibility of the program” are the strengths of the program here. There are “excellent career counselors and job matching,” along with “lots of alumni in the commu- nity” that make for good post-school career opportunities. With more than sixty years in operation, the school has amassed “a huge alumni base” which, some students note, “The program needs to utilize [more fully].” “The systems are in place, and as long as students tap into it,” one student writes, “the resources the school provides are amazing.”

“The San Diego State Campus is full of life and activity,” bustling with concerts, shows, and more. The San Diego area offers sports, a huge array of restaurants catering to every culinary desire, and of course, the students of SDSU. No matter your focus, and no matter whether full-or part-time, “there are many places where you can find your niche and be happy.” The common ground for SDSU Graduate School of Business students is, unsurprisingly, San Diego itself. One student notes, “It is a beautiful location, with beau- tiful weather and happy people. It has the feel of a big city, with many small communities making up that big city, so you get the best of both worlds.” Despite its cozy feel, San Diego is indeed a city—and urban areas often mean opportunities for education, recre- ation, and more. “The closer to campus you live, the more involved you can get, which ultimately leads to success in classes or building lasting relationships that will serve you into life beyond graduation.”

Like the surrounding city itself, students here are “very outgoing and easy to interact and work with,” a group of “high achievers with a strong competitive drive and interest in furthering their careers.” SDSU keeps students “very busy with work,” while the city offers ample opportunities for entertainment. Whether full-time students who are “hard-working, motivated individuals who want to improve their future career possibil- ities” or part-time students who are “busy, working professionals, mostly young in their careers,” students here tend to be “diverse, friendly, knowledgeable, and very helpful.”