MBA Degree Requirements
The Master of Business Administration degree program at Columbia Business School is a full-time program designed to be completed in four terms. The curriculum consists of 24 credits of required core coursework, normally completed in the first year, and a minimum of 36 credits of elective courses. No transfer credits from other institutions may be applied toward the MBA degree.
Students who exempt out of core courses replace them with electives to fulfill the MBA requirement of 60 academic points taken in residence at the School in four terms of study. Fifty-four of these credits must consist of in-classroom Business courses. Students may count a combined maximum of six credits of independent study, field studies, and courses from other Columbia schools toward the MBA degree.
A failed core course must be repeated; a failed elective must either be repeated or replaced by another.
For students who entered prior to Fall 2009, no more than three LP grades may be counted toward the degree. Students entering in the 2009-2010 academic year should review the Academic Standards for minimum GPA requirements.
Students may choose from many different areas of study; a concentration is not required.
Requirements differ for dual degree programs.
Both domestic and international one-term exchange programs are offered to third- and fourth-term students through the Chazen Institute.
MBA Program Outline (as of Fall 2008)
First Week of Classes for First-Term Students
Managerial Statistics
Financial Accounting
First Term (15 pts.)
B6301 Corporate finance (3)
B6013 Financial Accounting (3)
B6014 Managerial statistics (1.5)
B6006 Managerial economics (1.5)
B6701 Strategy formulation (1.5)
B6601 Marketing strategy (1.5)
B6801 Marketing strategy (1.5)
B6703 Leadership Development (1.5)
Second Term (15 pts.)
Elective 1 (3)
Elective 2 (3)
B6005 Global economic environment (1.5)
B6015 Decision models (1.5)
B6602 Managing marketing programs (1.5 pts.)
Menu 1: Organizations (1.5)
Menu 2: Performance (1.5)
Menu 3: Markets (1.5)
Third Term
Electives (15 pts.)
Fourth Term
Electives (15 pts.)
