Program Description/Overview
The MBA program provides skills in management and business and extensive practical experience in applying and integrating these skills through application, projects, case studies, and presentations. The program delivery format was developed to serve professional students who want to study and earn their degrees in a format that would make it possible to gain practice and training in applied settings at work sites while achieving the outcomes of the program.
The program follows a teaching and learning model with all students taking courses to build foundational and core skills in the curriculum as well as concentration courses in the Hospitality Management area to build deep expertise in their area of interest during their program of study.
The program is a graduate academic degree program which is geared to graduating students in a job-ready state. The courses in the MBA curriculum have been designed to give students the skills required to excel in careers in the hospitality management arena in a wide range of industries.
Practical Training Throughout the Program: Practical training is an integral part of the California School of Management Leadership (CSML) programs and aligns with the academic goals and learning outcomes for each program. CSML graduate programs at Alliant International University require practical training from the first term until graduation. Please refer to the Internship and Practicum section below for more information on the rules, regulations, and expectations of CSML Practical Training requirement.
Emphasis/Concentration/Tracks
Tracks
Students who are interested in the MBA Hospitality Management program have two tracks to choose from:
- Weekday MBA Hospitality Management Concentration Track
- Executive MBA Hospitality Management Concentration Track
Both MBA tracks require that students complete 36 credit units for graduation. The courses are offered in an academic calendar of 8-week Terms with a program completion time of 18 months. Both tracks are designed to train students for success in professional workplaces by enhancing their skills for state-of-the-art employment environments and educating them for excelling in handling new professional challenges.
Weekday MBA Hospitality Management Concentration Track
Students in the Weekday MBA Hospitality Management Track will attend classes on ground every week. California School of Management and Leadership at Alliant University is approved to offer immediate practical training throughout the MBA program to all domestic and international students. International students in graduate programs at Alliant need to consult ISSO and can start their CPT at the start of their programs. Practical training is defined as an approved work experience which is an integral part of an established curriculum and is directly related to the student’s major area of study. Students can complete the required professional practice hours by working on either a practical project, a client project or in an internship. Practical training can be part-time (20 hours a week or less) or full-time (more than 20 hours a week), paid or unpaid. International students should see guidelines from International Office regarding details of FT and PT practical training (see Curricular Practical Training section).
Class schedule: For each course, students attend ground classes once a week. Each course duration is 8-weeks.
Executive MBA Hospitality Management Concentration Track
Executive MBA with Hospitality concentration cohort is a closed cohort and students cannot transfer into this track/cohort after starting in any other MBA track/cohort. Students in the Executive MBA with Hospitality Management concentration track attend ground classes on one full day (12 hours) a month per course. This schedule is repeated throughout the entire program. Students in this track go through a rigorous admission process assessing their fit for the track. Students in the cohort start the program from day 1 of the first term and complete the full program’s curriculum to be eligible to join the cohort. Students may not transfer into this program once courses have begun.
California School of Management and Leadership at Alliant University is approved to offer immediate practical training throughout the MBA program to all domestic and international students. International students in graduate programs at Alliant need to consult ISSO and can start their CPT at the start of their programs. Practical training is defined as an approved work experience which is an integral part of an established curriculum and is directly related to the student’s major area of study. Students in this track also engage in practical training throughout their program. Practical training can be part-time (20 hours a week or less) or full-time (more than 20 hours a week), paid or unpaid. International students should see guidelines from International Office regarding details of FT and PT practical training (see Curricular Practical Training section)
Class schedule: For each course, students attend ground classes one full day each month. Each course duration is 8-weeks.
Concentrations
Hospitality Management
This concentration is designed to provide an opportunity for students to meet the needs of the growing and fast-paced hospitality industry. It will prepare students for careers in the large hospitality segment focusing on the hotels industry but also including the travel and tourism segments. The courses provide an understanding of emerging aspects in these segments, which include a number of highly profitable markets which are also poised to grow with innovation and technology. Employers and market trends confirm that careers in these fields are coveted, well-paid with a well-defined progress path. Students should also note that demand for professionals in the hospitality industry is internationally growing.
Fast Track Program
Students who are in good academic standing (3.0 GPA) are eligible to participate in the Fast Track program for the DBA and PhD Leadership programs. Students whose GPA is lower than 3.0 and interested in the Fast Track option will be interviewed by the PD.
MBA students who are interested in the Fast Track opportunity to doctoral programs will write an application essay which will be evaluated by a faculty committee. Those students who are approved by the committee will be allowed to take Fast Track courses.
In the Fast Track program, MBA students can take up to three (9 units) of doctoral level bridge courses from Alliant’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program or PhD in Leadership program. If students complete the bridge courses with a B or above grade, they can transfer these courses into these doctoral programs if they enroll in them at Alliant International University upon completing their MBA program.
The following Fast Tracks are available for this program:
- DBA
- PhD in Leadership
Program Learning Outcomes/Goals
PLO1: Demonstrate an understanding of core knowledge in the management, business, and operational fields.
PLO2: Demonstrate competence in oral and written communication for management, business, and operational fields.
PLO3: Utilize technical tools and scientific research methods to collect, analyze, and evaluate relevant information to make decisions and develop appropriate strategies.
PLO4: Apply critical thinking and analytical skills to solve problems in the context of the professional workplace.
PLO5: Demonstrate a positive and non-judgmental attitude in interpersonal and professional interactions within diverse teams and multicultural environments.
PLO6: Make ethical and socially responsible management decisions based on research and data.
PLO7: Demonstrate an understanding of specialized knowledge in the student’s area of concentration.
Programmatic Accreditation
The MBA program is accredited by Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), which is a globally recognized accreditation body for business and management area programs.
Internship, Practicum, and/or Dissertation Information
Students in the ground programs are required to participate in curricular practical training as part of their experiential learning throughout the program. In practical training courses students will be engaged in developing professional and applied practice related skills and expertise per the student’s program learning objectives. This is achieved through a variety of work and learning experiences which could involve supervised practical training and/or applied client projects. This is required throughout the academic program from start to program completion.
It is the student’s responsibility to find practical training opportunities, however the CSML Practical Training Coordinator will support students in providing practical training opportunities.
A student will have eight weeks (one term) to secure a practical training/internship site once they start the MBA program. Students who do not have practical training/internship by the end of their first term will be placed in a project by the school practical training coordinator. If a student loses their practical training at any point during their program, they must notify the practical training coordinator immediately to be placed in a project. Students are required to be involved in an internship or a project throughout the program. Students must maintain a good academic standing to be eligible for full-time practical training permission. Students whose GPA falls considerably below the required 3.0 may lose their practical training permission completely.
CPT eligibility based on cumulative GPA:
- Student whose GPA is between 2.0-2.5 can continue full-time CPT for 2 terms. If their GPA remains below 2.5 after 2 terms, the student will move to part-time CPT
- Student whose GPA is between 1.9-1.5 must move to part-time CPT that same term
- Student whose GPA is below 1.5 must stop CPT until GPA improves to above criteria
Approval of practical training sites: Program Director or Faculty Internship/Project Coordinator will have final approval which is required each term. Detailed procedures for approval of a practical training site and the training details will be provided by the program.
International students should meet the International Student Office (ISSO) and the Designated School Official (DSO) for guidance and approval to start their practical training. International students must apply for authorization for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) to the DSO and schedule an appointment at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the Curricular Practical Training (CPT). Please email ISSO@alliant.edu to schedule an appointment. Note that international students may begin curricular practical training ONLY after receiving their Form I-20 with the DSO endorsement. To be considered for Curricular Practical Training, the work must be related to your major field of study. Please view CSML CPT Application Process for International Students for application information.
CSML’s Career and Professional Development (CPD) plan and infrastructure: Goals:
Practical training courses are part of CSML’s Career and Professional Development (CPD) plan and infrastructure. Its goals are the following:
- To enable students to showcase their real-world experiences before graduation, CPD aims to assist them in developing and polishing their resumes and cover letters while also equipping them with a discipline-specific body of knowledge and encouraging research, scholarship, and continuous learning in their chosen field of study.
- To provide students with opportunities to participate in real-world application, consulting and research projects, including business development, professional development, applications in minority-owned businesses and humanitarian causes, while also emphasizing the importance of multicultural/international competence and promoting team-based and multidisciplinary approaches. This approach ensures that students develop a well-rounded set of skills, including cultural sensitivity and the ability to work collaboratively across diverse teams, which are essential in today’s global and interconnected workplace.
- To take a holistic approach that directs, equips, and empowers students to take control of their future selves by providing resources, accountability, and motivation to remove ambiguity and replace it with confidence and inspiration, while also fostering conduct, judgment, dispositions, and ethics. This approach ensures that students develop not only the skills and knowledge necessary for success but also the ethical values and personal qualities needed to make sound decisions and contribute positively to society.
Credit Units
Total Credit Units: 36
Total Core Credit Units: 27
Total Elective Credit Units: N/A
Total Concentration Credit Units: 9
Degree Requirements
In addition to classroom instruction, all students in the on-ground program are required to get practical training experience in an approved setting for a minimum of 45 hours in every academic term throughout the program.
Prerequisite Courses
The following one (1) prerequisite course is required for students without a business major in their Bachelor’s degree:
Emphasis/Concentration/Track Requirements
DBA
Students can transfer up to 9 units to the DBA program from the following list:
PhD in Leadership
Students can transfer up to 3 units to the LDR program from the following list:
Curriculum Plan
The following curriculum plan is a sample and serves only as a general guide. Curriculum plans and course sequence are subject to variation depending on a student’s start term. Students must complete all coursework required for their program as set forth in their individual master plan of study.