UCLA Anderson MBA - Class Profile, Fee, Salary & Curriculum

UCLA Anderson MBA with reasonable entry criteria and a competitive post-MBA salary in Technology, Finance, and Consulting while maintaining an impressive placement in real-estate and entertainment is a hidden gem on the west coast. The school’s emphasis on balancing international and minority class representation provide the school’s class with an ideal balance of local and international perspectives.

In this in-depth analysis of UCLA Anderson Full-time MBA program, we cover:

• UCLA Anderson MBA - Incoming Class Profile
• UCLA Anderson Pre-MBA Education
• UCLA Anderson Pre-MBA Industry
• UCLA Anderson MBA Fees and Total Cost
• UCLA Anderson MBA Financial Aid, Loans, Scholarships, and Fellowships
• UCLA Anderson MBA Curriculum
• UCLA Anderson MBA Experiential Learning
• UCLA Anderson MBA Application Process
• UCLA Anderson MBA Entrepreneurship
• UCLA Anderson MBA Dual Degrees
• UCLA Anderson Post-MBA Salary - By Function (2021)
• UCLA Anderson Post-MBA Salary - By Industry (2021)
• UCLA Anderson Post-MBA Employment - Location Trends (2021)

UCLA Anderson MBA - Incoming Class Profile

The incoming class profile of the latest academic year represented 42% women candidates and 32% of minorities. The average GMAT score was typical of that of leading MBA programs in the US at 714, with an average middle 80% range of 670 to 750. The acceptance rate was 11.66%, and a class size of 360 candidates emerged. 202 undergraduate institutions were represented by the latest incoming class from 41 countries.

UCLA Anderson Pre-MBA Education

Business was the dominating undergraduate qualification of UCLA Anderson MBAs in this class, followed by economics and engineering. Humanities 17% and Math/Science 10% took the last two spots. The intake of business, engineering, and economics graduates aligned with UCLA Anderson’s conversion of its MBA to a more management science orientation. Students from these majors would have the relevant pre-requisites and understanding to undertake the technical rigor of statistical modeling, data warehousing, data mining, programming, forecasting, and operations research that are fundamental to core courses.

UCLA Anderson Pre-MBA Industry

Usually, Finance or Consulting are the leading industries from which MBA graduates are admitted in the top MBA programs with technology in the top 3. However, at UCLA Anderson, High-Tech was the leading pre-MBA industry. Finance and consulting were tied in second place, with 21% represented in the latest academic class. Consumer goods and healthcare were at the bottom rung of the pre-MBA industries represented by this academic class. The average experience was 5 years, with 62% of the class having 3 to 6 years of experience and 22% above 6 years.

UCLA Anderson MBA Fees and Total Cost

The tuition fees at UCLA Anderson are $70,368. Housing ($25,200), health insurance ($5,567), travel ($6,846), and personal ($5,460) costs make up the bulk of the total cost of $116,737. Other costs include computer expenses of $1,137 and books $836. There is an additional loan fee of $1,323.

UCLA Anderson MBA Financial Aid, Loans, Scholarships, and Fellowships

UCLA Anderson MBA Scholarships and Fellowships

UCLA Anderson graduates have 54 funding options  - a combination of fellowships (7) and majority (47) of the aid from international funds and organizations. The fellowships are merit-based and require consistent involvement with the community, whereas aid from external organizations is need-based and inclusive of a broad demographic. There are region-specific funding options available to students of Brazil, Australia, Korea, India, China, Scandinavian and European countries. Industry-based opportunities are provided in finance and government finance, marketing, real estate, and environmental science. Students need to consider the eligibility criteria and awards provided by each scholarship.

UCLA Anderson MBA Loans

Federal loans are only applicable only to domestic students (United States citizens). Federal Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan has a limit of $20,500, whereas the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan has a higher limit of the cost of attendance minus other financial aid. The standard loan repayment period is 10 years for both types of loans.

Private loans are available for both domestic and international students with varying interest rates subject to the loan provider. Discover Custom Graduate Loan, Prodigy Finance, and Quorum are some of the listed providers for international students, but there is the flexibility to choose an alternative source.

UCLA Anderson MBA Curriculum

Core Curriculum

9 Core courses are covered in addition to 2 electives in the spring quarter of the first year. The traditional foundational courses in Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Organizational Behavior, and Strategy are complemented by leadership focussed data & decisions and communication courses as well. Operations Technology Management is a unique focus in the core at UCLA Anderson.

UCLA Anderson MBA - Specializations

The 15-specialization focused mostly on functions – accounting, consulting, brand management, corporate finance, investment management, and healthcare management with emphasis on leadership development at the CXO level – Executive Development and in Technology – Easton Technology Leadership, while covering niche specialization in Sustainability, Entertainment, and Real Estate. Each specialization requires four courses to be completed. Digital Marketing Strategy, Evolution and Innovation in the Global Mobile Industry, Persuasion and Influence, Negotiations Behavior, Tools and Analysis for Business Strategy, Technology Analytics and FinTech: Cryptography, Blockchain, and Contracting are popular courses chosen by the recent UCLA MBA class.

Accounting

The department is focused on research and providing insights to firms and global economies. Previous theoretical and empirical research has yielded results in trading strategies and the effect of information asymmetry on stock prices in the US. The courses cover corporate valuation, financial reporting, and corporate decision-making with implications on incentives.

Brand Management

Brand Management is a specialized function of Marketing. Some courses offered under this specialization are Advertising, Consumer Behavior, Customer Assessment and Analytics, Marketing Strategy, Price Policies, and Persuasion and Influence. It provides students with the relevant frameworks to make crucial decisions in consumer decision-making and design customer experience-centered processes.

Corporate Finance

Corporate Valuation, Behavioral Finance, Risk Management, and Takeovers, Restructuring, and Corporate Governance are some of the courses offered in the corporate finance specialization. The Fink Centre for Finance bridges the industry-academia gap by offering a platform for students, researchers, and industry professionals to collaborate on the latest ideas and practices in the industry. Recently, Girls Who Invest, a non-profit that started at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, was hosted by the Fink Centre for Finance at UCLA Anderson and created a roadmap for young women to pursue careers in portfolio and asset management.

Easton Technology Leadership

The Easton Centre provides MBAs with the frameworks and opportunities to explore leadership and interdisciplinary technology-based solutions for the betterment of businesses, consumers, and society. Examples of courses offered by the center are Innovation in Media and Entertainment Technology, Intellectual Property, New Product Development, Payment Technology, and Technology Management. Previous events organized by The Easton Centre have focused on cybersecurity, product management, digital pharma, and biotech.

Entertainment

The Center for Media, Entertainment & Sports offers MBAs at UCLA Anderson, networking with alumni and industry executives, immersive conferences by thought leaders, and real-world projects. Previous events organized have given students insights on how to market events such as the NHL during a pandemic. The courses offered under the entertainment specialization explore content creation and exploitation in the digital age, entertainment and business models, law, marketing, and profitability in entertainment and technology. UCLA’s alumni include Susan Wojcicki ('98), CEO of YouTube, and Mike Hopkins ('01), SVP for Prime Video & Amazon Studio.

Global Management

The Centre for Global Management (CGM) at UCLA Anderson offers courses and multiple opportunities through (virtual and on-site) experiential learning, global capstone projects, and assistantships. They explore global macroeconomics, law, strategy, and financial markets. Since 2008, the center has provided 70 courses, allowing students to travel and explore 31 countries in Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The CGM Mentor and Career Development Program establishes a connection between students and board members for professional growth.

Healthcare Management

4.7% of UCLA Anderson graduates from the last academic class were hired by the healthcare industry in various functions with a median base salary of $125,000 and sign-on bonuses of $15,000. The specialization focuses on providing general management and quantitative analysis skills with industry-specific knowledge of strategic management and law. Students interested in products (pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical devices) or services (consulting or provision) are encouraged to pursue this route.

Kayne Investment Management

The Kayne Investment Management specialization offers courses that explore Fixed Income Markets, Options Markets, International Financial Markets, Venture Capital and Private Equity, and Behavioral Finance in depth. Associated with the Fink Centre for Finance, students can find resources and opportunities to further their knowledge and understanding.

Leaders in Sustainability

Offered by the UCLA Institute of Environment and Sustainability, the specialization offers courses in Business and Environment, Social Entrepreneurship, Management in Public and Private Nonprofit Sectors, and Green Energy Entrepreneurship. The Leadership Project is an opportunity for students to put their knowledge to practice. Examples of previous projects completed include reducing the carbon footprint of a Chinese semiconductor company, producing a film festival focused on the environment, and organizing nature walks for African American youth with disabilities.

Marketing Analytics

The Morrison Center for Marketing & Data Analytics provides UCLA Anderson students with networking opportunities, access to cutting-edge research from faculty in data analytics, consumer research, behavioral insight, purchasing behavior, and online effectiveness. Examples of courses include Customer Assessment and Analytics, Data Analytics for Marketing and Finance, Digital Marketing, and Tools and Analysis for Business Strategy.

Real Estate

This specialization analyses Cases in Real Estate Investments, Real Estate Finance and Investments, Real Estate Economics, Real Estate Law and Taxation, and Urban Real Estate Financing and Investing. The UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate provides sustainable, social, and environmental perspectives in real estate along with exposure to the dynamic changes in the industry.

Executive Development

This specialization offers 14 courses that train future leaders with strong foundations. Courses cover behavioral aspects of persuasion, influence, motivation, communication, and negotiation. UCLA Anderson’s Human Resources Round Table (HAART) has published cutting-edge practice and research material on human resources.

Social Impact

Under this specialization, MBA students can take courses like Impact Creation, Analysis and Evaluation, Law and Management of Nonprofit Corporations, Real Estate Social Entrepreneurship, and Social Entrepreneurship.

Consulting

Strategic consulting was the most sought-after function for UCLA Anderson graduates. The curriculum in consulting is multidisciplinary with foundations in economics, mathematics, psychology, sociology, and political science. Business competition and optimal pricing, incentives, innovation, imitation, technology adoption, alliances, and market entry are taught in-depth.

UCLA Anderson MBA Global Options

This is a mandatory requirement to qualify for the MBA at UCLA Anderson. Students are required to participate in an international project. This could be either through a global immersion course (virtual or in-person) or completing the AMR or BCO capstone projects internationally, or enrolling in a global management elective course.

UCLA Anderson MBA Academic Centers

UCLA Anderson has nine academic centers. Each of the centers carries out research and partnership with industry professionals to bring the best of both worlds to students through the curriculum and creation of the latest industry-relevant courses.

• Easton Technology Management Center (technology and leadership focused)
• Laurence and Lori Fink Center for Finance (finance focused)
• UCLA Anderson Forecast (economics focused)
• Center for Global Management (management focused)
• Center for Management of Enterprise in Media, Entertainment & Sports (MEMES) (media, entertainment, and sports-focused along with the impact of globalization and technology)
• Morrison Family Center for Marketing Studies and Data Analytics (consumer markets and behavioral analytics-focused)
• Harold and Pauline Price Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (entrepreneurship-focused)
• UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate (real estate-focused with societal and economic implications)
• IMPACT@ANDERSON (social innovation and the triple bottom line-focused)

UCLA Anderson MBA Experiential Learning (Capstone Projects)

Capstone projects are real-world applications of classroom learning where students must form teams with which they will execute their learnings and present their insights.

Applied Management Research (AMR)

Taking place in the Winter and Fall quarters, this experiential learning project enables students to network and gain new skills in management. The AMR has been executed at Fortune 500 companies, microfinance, and start-ups. In 2019, 11 international projects were completed.

Business Creation Option (BCO)

Entrepreneur students can launch their businesses through this capstone after taking two pre-requisite courses designed to assist in preparing business plans. Students will work in teams to strategize, market, and launch the business based on adequate hypotheses and research. Students are supported by mentorship from faculty and industry professionals.

Student Investment Fund (SIF)

Candidates interested in portfolio or asset management should participate in the student investment fund. Select students have the responsibility of managing the $2 million fund and simultaneously connecting with leading companies to gain knowledge strategies, ideologies, and practices in investment management.

Anderson Strategy Group (ASG)

This capstone project is designed for those who wish to pursue consulting careers in both, first and second years of their MBA. The partnership of ASG with think-cell exposes students to the industry and high-impact data-driven projects with quality presentation skills.

NAIOP Real Estate Case Competition

This capstone project involves a 6-months long assessment of a property with research on the impact of factors that could influence the profitability of the project, such as interest rates or the co-working and remote working on properties. Students also participate in national and local case competitions.

UCLA Anderson MBA Application Process

UCLA Anderson looks for students on the following principles - share success, think fearlessly, and drive change. These principles are required to be demonstrated by collaborative experience, change leadership, and bold innovating thinking.

Candidates are required to complete essays written with their future career plans in mind. There is one compulsory essay question and one optional essay question. The word limit is 250 words (maximum) for each essay. The first essay question centers around the impact the candidate would like to make in their community or career, or both. Candidates are required to demonstrate the impact of recent events and the reasoning behind their decision. Answering the optional essay question does not negate the candidate’s application in any way. The optional essay question gives students with extenuating circumstances to voice their difficulties to the admissions committee.

The UCLA Anderson MBA application requires two recommenders with valid email addresses through which they will send the recommendation letters. Recommenders should be direct supervisors in a professional context with whom the student would have interacted after securing their undergraduate degree. The evaluation criteria are the candidate’s strengths, areas of growth, and ratings across a variety of metrics.

In addition to the essays and recommendation letters, candidates need to provide their resume, GMAT or GRE scores, and proof of English proficiency in their online application.

UCLA Anderson MBA Entrepreneurship

UCLA Anderson's BCO capstone projects provide students the platform to create ventures in teams. It has generated over $30 million in funding since its inception. In 2019, 26 teams participated in BCO, leading to the launch of 16 start-ups. Academically, students are required to achieve the outcomes of finding and evaluating potential opportunities, seek funding to pursue the selected opportunity, develop marketing strategies to develop the interest of their chosen product or service. In addition to these responsibilities, students are also required to operate, transition, and grow the start-up.

UCLA Anderson MBA Dual Degrees

Candidates have the option to study joint degrees in eight different subject areas with their MBA but are required to apply separately to each school. For all programs, students are required to apply concurrently for both programs, except for MD/MBA. Students wishing to pursue MD/MBA need to apply for the MBA program in the 3rd year of medical school at UCLA. The dual degree options are:

• MBA/MSCS Computer Science
• MBA/MLAS Latin American Studies
• MBA/JD Law
• MBA/MLIS Library & Information Science
• MBA/MD Medicine
• MBA/MPH Public Health
• MBA/MPP Public Policy
• MBA/URP Urban Planning

UCLA Anderson Post-MBA Salary - By Function (2021)

Consulting and Finance were the leading functions in which UCLA Anderson graduates were employed. Graduates in investment banking secured the highest sign-on bonuses, whereas those in consulting secured the highest median base salary. However, the median base salary was shy of $5,000 from the national average among the top US MBA programs in consulting. About half of Marketing and Sales positions were in product management, a function which saw only new graduates hired, i.e., no returnees, unlike Finance and Consulting. Brand management and product marketing were other popular Marketing/Sales functions.

UCLA Anderson Post-MBA Salary - By Industry (2021)

The technology industry was the preferred industry for UCLA Anderson’s latest MBA graduating class (32%). Internet services and eCommerce was the largest sub-industry to hire UCLA Anderson’s MBAs (7%). Consulting was the second most represented industry. The finance industry was the third leading industry, with the majority being hired in investment management (4.6%) and investment banking (5%). Real Estate at 6.4% and Entertainment (5.5%) have the highest number of respective industry placements compared to other top MBA programs.

UCLA Anderson Post-MBA Employment - Location Trends (2021)

89.8% of all MBA graduates from the last academic class were hired in North America. Southern California represented 53.8% of hires with a median base salary of $130,000 and a sign-on bonus of $30,000. International hires were nearly 2% higher than the previous academic year, at 6.8%. Full-time MBAs secured employment internationally in Brazil, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Singapore, and Indonesia, with 2.5% of those employed in Latin America securing higher base salaries at $122,500 than their peers in Asian countries, by $10,750

Related Service

F1GMAT's Essay Review Service for UCLA Anderson MBA Program

Reference

ULCA Anderson Full-time MBA