The master of business administration remains the top choice of working students locally and across the state seeking a graduate degree. “It has such a broad appeal and (can) apply to a number of different fields,” says Bruce Williams, vice president and director of the University of Phoenix San Diego campuses.

Enrollment in National University MBA programs is up throughout California, says Sydney Blake, San Diego chair of the school’s business and technology department. The value of the MBA is that employers know what it is, says Blake, while they may not know what other specialized degrees represent. Students enrolled in MBA programs also may take supplementary courses. Depending on the educational institution, these courses are referred to as a specialization, concentration emphasis, or as electives.

At National, Blake says MBA students are interested in adding entrepreneurial courses to their studies. At Keller Graduate School, the MBA remains the most popular of the seven degree programs offered, says Thomas Horstmann, San Diego center director. Within that program, students are focusing on concentrations in marketing, information technology and project management.

The MBA also is the No. 1 choice at the University of Redlands, says Judy Myers, associate dean of admissions. She surmises that a working student may initially want to focus only on graduate degree studies. After students have been in school for a time, they may enroll in an emphasis such as financial management and information systems.

At Alliant International University, concentrations in information systems and technology are well-attended. “The majority are international students, and these markets are picking up,” says Ali Abu-Rahma, assistant dean of the school’s business administration college.

At the University of San Diego, the most popular emphases are finance, marketing and international, says Stephani Richards-Wilson, assistant director of USD’s graduate business program.

University of California, Irvine, polls students to learn what electives they want, says JoAnne Starr, assistant dean of student services. The 2001 survey revealed that graduate business students seek a balance of courses. While the demand for dot-com classes has diminished, students remain interested in attending such courses as marketing on the Internet. Students also want courses on the basics like business statements, finance and entrepreneurship and organizational analysis.

“The dot-com bubble may have busted, but the Internet is still important” says Starr. “Entrepreneurship is still a viable option. We’re getting a pretty solid set of requests; they’re not trendy. People want the fundamentals of a high quality graduate education.”

— Liz Swain