2019-2020

Global Business Administration, Master of Global Business Administration

Business and Administration

Provost Office

The Master of Global Business Administration (MGBA) degree not only provides you with a strong theoretical background in domestic and global business practices, but also provides real work problem-solving experiences.  Our MGBA coursework frequently involves examples and assignments from domestic and global businesses, taught by faculty with experience beyond academia.  Students will work collaboratively with peers from different cultures and backgrounds to learn and apply these skills.  With our 4+1 structure (4-year Bachelor's degree and 1-year Master's degree), a student can earn an undergraduate business degree in four years and with only one additional year of study, earn a Master of Global Business Administration degree.  The MGBA curriculum is comprised of three terms including fall, spring, and summer which students complete in one year, demonstrating that it not only allows students to graduate quickly but also helps them save money.  The Master of Global Business Administration Mission Statement:  To develop organizational leaders equipped with global business knowledge, managerial skills and ethical approaches that advance business practices.

  • Available Emphasis Areas:
  • Transnational Justice Administration - Emphasis

  • To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units.

    You must additionally complete:

    • All requirements for your specific academic plan(s). This may include a thesis.
    • All graduate work with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.
    • All work toward the master's degree must be completed within six consecutive years. The six years begins with the semester and year of admission to the program.

    Read the full policy here.

In addition to University Requirements:

  • Complete individual plan requirements.

Minimum Units for Completion 30
Additional Admission Requirements

Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

Additional Fees/Program Fees Required
Progression Plan Link View Program of Study

Purpose Statement

The purpose of Master of Global Business Administration (MGBA) is to provide excellent graduate business administration education using the Malcolm Baldrige national Quality Award standards for education as applied through the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) accreditation.  We seek to be a premier provider of Baldrige-Quality graduate business administration education with an emphasis on value and accessibility.  We focus on core business competencies within a global context.

The program prepares graduates for a significant career in business, specifically with an emphasis on border business issues (including the Unites States and Mexico) and to fill demand by Arizona and other employers for such graduates.   In particular, students from all educational and professional backgrounds as well as experienced professionals will be provided opportunities to develop and strengthen their skills in ethical business practices, problem solving, communications, team dynamics, and leadership, with particular emphasis in foreign trade and trans-border issues, in order to prepare them for supervisory and executive management positions in any organization.  Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to (1) think creatively, analyze and synthesize data from multiple perspectives, (2) analyze and use financial information, (3) solve problems using decision-making tools and theories, (4) engage others through effective interpersonal skills, (5) communicate effectively in oral and written formats, (6) work well in team settings, (7) design and implement effective strategies for the global marketplace, and (8) discern the underpinning ethical issues in local and global business decision-making, including those involving social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and profitability.

The MGBA Program, taught by faculty with experience beyond academia, provides the participating students with a strong theoretical background in domestic and global business practices supplemented with hands-on innovative projects that are supervised by organizational mentors from collaborating business partners with the goal of promoting economic growth, locally, regionally, and globally.

Our faculty is selected for their scholarly and business administration experience. The faculty contribute to the body of knowledge primarily through engaged scholarship, including research, publications, and scholarly professional activities regarding teaching, discovery, integration, and application.

We value visionary and innovative leadership, lifelong student, faculty and organizational learning, ethical and socially responsible behavior, creating and improving excellent quality and value – personal and societal, and diversity of people and ideas.

Student Learning Outcomes


Master of Global Business Administration 

Ethical Business Practices – Develop ethical and sound business practices based on leading industry standards in marketing, accounting and finance, management, operations, and supply chain management.
  • Business Problem Solving – Evaluate business problems, formulate and then apply solutions based on financial and strategic information including the global business environment.
  • Business Communication – Apply effective written, oral, and non-verbal communication skills in a cross-cultural business environment.
  • Business Teams and Leadership – Build multi-cultural teams and evaluate multi-cultural leadership in contemporary business environments including virtual contexts. 
 
Transnational Justice Administration Emphasis 
  • Apply contemporary business and management techniques to improve financial decision-making and the administration of justice agency resources and programs; and
  • Understand the value of international cooperation for addressing transnational as well as local crime in the US-Mexico border region.

Additional Admission Requirements
  • Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

  • The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.

    Admission requirements include the following:

    • Transcripts.
    • Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.


    Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.

    Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

    International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.

    • Leveling Courses* (for applicants with a Bachelor degree in a subject area other than business)
      • BBA 290 (with additional project)
      • BBA 291 (with additional project)                      
       *If Bachelor's degree is in Business, then no leveling courses needed

    • Resume demonstrating 3 years professional work experience
    • Statement of professional experience
    • 2 Essays
      • Essay #1: How this degree will enhance your professional goals (500 words)
      • Essay #2: Global-based case study analysis essay (500 words)
      See Guidelines for the essay and resume for additional information. 
    • TOEFL (Conditionally)
Master's Requirements
  • Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

  • PROGRAM FEE INFORMATION
  • Program fees are established by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR). A program fee of $6000 has been approved for this program. A $1500 fee is applied to the following courses - MGBA 520, MGBA 650, MGBA 680, and MGBA 690.