The MBA Experience

A lecture takes place in the Mosaic MBA classroom, with students participating in-person and online in real-time via webcam.

The Classroom and Beyond

The learning journey for MBA students at the College of Business encompasses more than traditional instruction. From immersive travel courses to collaboration with business leaders throughout Colorado, the nation and across the globe, our MBA students enjoy applied learning experiences that add depth and meaning to their degrees.

This innovative approach to business education is part of why the CSU College of Business is home to some of the top-rated MBA programs in the U.S. Our alumni make an impact in industries and communities throughout the world, and our faculty's cutting-edge research continues to shape strategic thinking across markets.

Learn more about what distinguishes our MBAs through the stories below. Want to talk to an advisor about whether the MBA is right for you? Contact us.

MBA students and faculty pose for a photo in South America during an International Business Experience trip.

Immersive Travel Opportunities

The College offers an International Business Experience annually for MBA students and alumni. Each experience is a unique opportunity to meet business leaders around the world, encounter a new community abroad and gain a deeper understanding of business strategy and innovation in a global context.

Two women at a table in a cafe examine a note.

Hands-On Learning

Our MBA students take on projects with real businesses looking for real-time solutions. This hands-on learning experience takes a practical approach that makes a difference to companies in an instant. Students apply class concepts to help local companies achieve real growth.

MBA students and College of Business Staff pose for a picture at the UCLA Training Center in Los Angeles.

Connection With Industry Leaders

The College offers business immersion courses for MBA students many times each year. Domestic and international trips help MBA students deepen their connection to real-world industries and leaders. Our students have visited companies like Sony Pictures, Snap Inc. and the Chicago White Sox to learn from influential leaders across a variety of sectors.

“My MBA experience has had a lasting impact on my career. It deepened my understanding of business strategy and enhanced my ability to coach, mentor and lead effectively.”
Geoff Preece
2024 Evening MBA Alum

Industry-Shaping Research and Insights

College of Business faculty influence business practices beyond the classroom with impactful research that advances how industry leaders can clarify their purpose, tackle complex challenges and enhance their operations. Our AACSB accreditation — achieved by just 6% of business schools worldwide — reflects the caliber of instruction in our MBA programs and the transformative impact of our faculty's research.

Using Supply Chains to Stop Wildlife Trafficking

Illegal wildlife trafficking can be difficult to stop, but an interdisciplinary team is studying how supply chain disruption can be used to bring down trafficking networks.

Dr. John R. Macdonald

Macdonald is an associate professor of supply chain management and logistics in the Department of Management. His research interests include supply chain risk and resilience, behavior and decision making, sustainability, and illicit supply chains.

Rethinking Financial Vulnerability

New research is challenging the belief that financial vulnerability only affects low-income consumers, reframing it as a pervasive, dynamic issue that affects people across the socioeconomic spectrum.

Professor Kelly D. Martin, Ph.D. with the Department of Marketing

Dr. Kelly D. Martin

Martin is a professor with the Department of Marketing. Her primary research involves the marketing ethics-firm strategy interface on topics such as customer data privacy, political marketing strategy and approaches to reducing consumer vulnerability.

Exploring Teamwork and Resilience In the Arctic

Team resilience is critical for overcoming challenges in any industry. College of Business faculty studied high-performing teams in Antarctica to gain insight into how teams adapt to challenges and build and sustain resilience in extreme, high-pressure environments.

Senior Associate Dean and Professor M. Travis Maynard

M. Travis Maynard, Ph.D.

Maynard is Senior Associate Dean of Academic Programs and L. Carl and Wilma G. Bailey Professor. His research focuses on organizational team effectiveness with a special emphasis on the role that team context has on team interactions and outcomes.

Alumni Building a Better World

College of Business MBA students graduate well-prepared to make an impact — our Online MBA is ranked among the nation's best programs for employability. Whether you're interested in pursuing an MBA to move up in your industry, transition into a new field, or blaze your own trail, you'll join a global community of 35,000+ BizRams using business to build a better world.

Online MBA Alum Blazes New Trail

After a decade in private investment, Tim Fuller pursued an MBA and leveraged his financial expertise to lead international marketing strategy for Michelin Aircraft Tire.

CSU College of Business alum Jordan Gaspard

Two-Time Alum Appears on Dirty Jobs TV Show

Jordan Gaspard knew that serving as managing director at Biochar Now could be a “dirty job” — but she never expected to appear on TV with Mike Rowe.

CSU MBA and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine alum Dr. Sarah McFadden-Palmer

Grad Pursues Joint Passions as Vet and Consultant

Dr. Sarah McFadden-Palmer graduated from CSU's combined Master of Business Administration and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program to build her dream career from scratch.