Business Administration, M.B.A.

Mission Statement

The mission of the MBA Program is to prepare future business leaders to serve our state, region and the global business world.  Upon graduation our students will have a greater sense of purpose. To accomplish our mission, they receive a personalized educational experience that encourages a global mindset, inspires creativity and innovation, and develops leadership skills in preparation for business challenges and opportunities.

Program Description

The College of Charleston School of Business offers a one-year, full-time MBA program for high-performing individuals who want to advance their knowledge of working in a business environment and excel with an expectation of career success. The program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB).

This rigorous, one-year program combines a solid core curriculum and the opportunity to focus in a specialized area of study. We work with business leaders to identify the core professional development skills, knowledge and perspectives that make graduates stand out in the global talent marketplace. Case-based, team-oriented projects, executive mentors, professional coaching and global experiences combine to help students dramatically increase and measure the impact of their abilities in these crucial areas. They emerge as changed individuals primed for successful careers. Students also learn the best practices, processes and applications used in progressive organizations throughout the world.

The School of Business is located in the heart of downtown Charleston, a historically significant, sophisticated, coastal city that provides numerous opportunities for an enriched experience during the students’ one year of study.

Dual MBA/JD Program

The MBA program in conjunction with the Charleston School of Law offers a dual MBA/JD degree program. Law school students who have completed two years of study or earned their Juris Doctorate and meet the admission requirements and prerequisites, may apply to the College of Charleston MBA program. After completing the requirements for the MBA degree, students who have not already earned their JD will return to the law school to finish their degree requirements. Additional information on this dual program is available from the College’s MBA program director.

Admission Requirements and Application Deadlines

Program Format

The College of Charleston’s MBA is a full-time program taught in residence on the College of Charleston campus. Admitted students are given access to online proficiency courses to be completed prior to the first day of Pre-Term. Pre-Term is a two-week, in-person orientation designed to acclimate students to the classroom, coursework and community while also enhancing their career development skills.

The MBA program core curriculum consists of ten courses, completed in a cohort environment. Four core courses are taken in the fall, five in the spring and a capstone in the summer. In addition to the core curriculum, students take one course each term related to a single focus area of their choosing. The emphasis areas are Finance, Marketing, Business Analytics and Hospitality and Tourism Development.

Courses are taught Monday through Thursday. Additional activities and seminars are scheduled on Fridays. The international immersion trip takes place at the end of the spring term. A detailed calendar of the academic year can be found on the program’s website.

The College of Charleston’s EMBA program condenses a traditional two-year full-time, in-person MBA and offers courses in an accelerated eighteen-month, hybrid program.

Transfer Credit Policy

The Master of Business Administration does not accept graduate transfer credit from another institution. Dual MBA/JD program students should discuss required number of academic units with the MBA program director.

Program Requirements

• Business Administration, M.B.A.  
• Executive Master of Business Administration, M.B.A.  

Program Learning Outcome