Concentrations

Azusa Pacific's MBA degree students are able to tailor their program by choosing from among the following seven concentrations:

Accounting

Students pursuing this concentration may choose from advanced courses in accounting ethics, accounting information systems, accounting and tax research methods, auditing, forensic accounting and fraud investigation, and more. Students develop the skills needed to understand and critically evaluate financial statements, apply accounting principles in the workplace, and make strategic recommendations and decisions that benefit the financial health of for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

Business Analytics

This concentration is designed for students who want to develop their analytical skills and learn how to use data-driven insights to make informed business decisions. Students also gain an understanding of how to interpret data and communicate their findings effectively to different stakeholders. Graduates will be prepared for a variety of roles in business, including roles as data analysts, business intelligence analysts, and data scientists.

Entrepreneurship

From ideas and inspiration through the feasibility-and-evaluation process, this concentration provides a framework for the application of practical business knowledge and tactics in transforming entrepreneurial vision into winning business strategies and thriving entrepreneurial ventures. Personal assessment and involvement exercises, team activities, new venture simulation, and case studies are utilized to provide knowledge and expertise as students analyze factors affecting consumer purchase decisions in the marketplace, apply behavioral and social science concepts, and study methods that organizations use for negotiating, marketing, and communicating with customers and prospects.

Finance

Finance professionals specialize in financial resource management at the personal and organizational levels in such areas as fundraising, cash management, investment activities, and budgeting for short-term and long-term success and growth. Students in this concentration learn about sources and uses of funds, the nature of capital markets, the role of financial institutions, financial instruments and investment principles, and the practical applications of the tools of financial management.

Government Financial Management

This concentration focuses on managing the finances of government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. Students learn about the unique challenges of managing government finances, including the need to balance competing priorities and the importance of transparency and accountability. Students also gain an understanding of the laws and regulations that govern government finances, such as the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB). Graduates of a government financial management concentration are well-prepared for careers in public finance, government accounting, and budget analysis.

Healthcare Management

This concentration is focuses on the unique challenges of managing healthcare organizations, including hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities. Students learn about the the healthcare business, including healthcare operations management, healthcare marketing, and healthcare quality and safety. Graduates of the healthcare management concentration are well-equipped to take on leadership roles in healthcare organizations, including healthcare administrators, healthcare consultants, and healthcare policy analysts.

International Business

This concentration prepares students for the global marketplace, challenging them to understand the macroeconomic and microeconomic environments in which global businesses function. The international dimensions of managing in different cultures, marketing to different societies, dealing with the financial complications of multiple currencies, and making ethical decisions in diverse contexts are explored and developed. Students also acquire increased awareness through study-away opportunities.

Marketing

With the rise of social media and an increasing number of direct touch points with consumers, companies require marketing specialists with the skills to ensure that their organizations are cutting edge while maintaining high ethical standards to deliver a solid value proposition to customers and stakeholders. In this concentration, students learn about strategic marketing, which utilizes environmental turbulence levels, industry forces, and organizational change. Students also engage in hands-on research, planning, and analysis as they learn how to build market-centric organizations via digital marketing, integrated marketing communications, social media analytics, case study analysis, and decision making.

Public Administration

This concentration focuses on the management and administration of public organizations, including government agencies, non-profit organizations, and international organizations. Students learn about the unique challenges of managing public organizations, including budget constraints, political pressures, and the need to balance the interests of multiple stakeholders. They also gain an understanding of public policy analysis, the policy process, and economic development. Graduates of a public administration concentration are well-prepared for careers in government, non-profit management, and international development, as well as consulting and advocacy roles in the public sector.

Organizational Science

This concentration serves the unique education and training needs of professionals with specific career objectives not captured by any other concentration. Each student designs this concentration according to his or her interests and career goals, proposing specific business courses and select courses from other graduate programs within the APU community. All organizational science proposal forms must be submitted to the School of Business and Management Graduate Program Committee for review and approval prior to beginning the concentration.

Sport Management

This concentration balances advanced business instruction with fundamental sport management training to prepare individuals for successful leadership and operation of various sport and athletic enterprises at the youth, collegiate, and professional levels. Students also acquire an understanding of the global business environment and how cultural and market diversities impact the world of sports. Students learn how to apply quantitative analytical abilities, effective collaborative and team-building skills, and an awareness of corporate social responsibility from a Christian worldview to become sport management professionals who are efficient and effective decision makers.