MBA Comprehensive Examination

MBA Comprehensive Examination 

MBA students will have a comprehensive examination (ADMN 6981) as their culminating experience. Please see below for detail.

ADMN 6981

The MBA comprehensive examination, ADMN 6981, is a zero-unit culminating experience course.  In this course, an MBA student will take a comprehensive examination which evaluates his or her learning over the MBA essential courses. Before registering for ADMN 6981, an MBA student must complete seven (7) of the eight (8) essential courses (ACCT 6060, FIN 6020, IST 6090, MGMT 6010, MGMT 6850, MKTG 6050, SCM 6070, and ENTR 6210). The potential comprehensive examination questions are located in the “Tips for Preparation” section below. 

Comprehensive Examination Structure

• The MBA comprehensive examination will include one question from each of the essential courses (ACCT 6060, FIN 6020, IST 6090, MGMT 6010, MGMT 6850, MKTG 6050, SCM 6070, and ENTR 6210).  A total of 8 questions (including various types such as essay, calculation, definition, etc.) will be included on the examination.

• MBA students are only required to answer 7 out of the 8 questions, which match the essential courses taken in the program.   

• The dates for the comprehensive examination are posted below. The MBA Office will post the exam dates prior to the start of each semester.

• The potential comprehensive examination questions are posted below. The questions are updated at the beginning of each academic year and will remain the same through the summer term.
• The comprehensive examination for the on-campus Traditional/Executive Program is taken in-person at the University.  The comprehensive examination for the Fully Online MBA Program is taken online.  
• Students are given four (4) hours to complete the exam. This must be done in one sitting. 
• An MBA student can take the Comprehensive Examination (ADMN 6981) only twice during his or her program. A third and final attempt is only granted under extenuating circumstances through the approval of a petition with supporting documentation.

Tips for Preparation

• An MBA student is strongly encouraged to contact the MBA Office for any questions regarding the comprehensive examination. Please contact the MBA Program Advisor Deloren West via email at dewest@csusb.edu.
• An informational video about the MBA comprehensive examination may be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLG8kaRxHic. 

Potential Comprehensive Examination Questions for AY 2024-2025:

Accounting 6060 (ACCT 6060)

Entrepreneurship 6210 (ENTR 6210)

Finance 6020 (FIN 6020)

Information Systems and Technology 6090 (IST 6090)

Management 6010 (MGMT 6010)

Management 6850 (MGMT 6850)

Marketing 6050 (MKTG 6050)

Supply Chain Management 6070 (SCM 6070)

Registration

The MBA Office must register students in the ADMN 6980 (MBA Portfolio) and ADMN 6981 (MBA Comprehensive Examination).  Please contact the MBA Academic Advisor Deloren West (dewest@csusb.edu) to request enrollment in the ADMN 6980 & ADMN 6981 courses.   

Exam Dates:

Grading

Departmental committee or faculty members who make questions will evaluate students’ answers.  Each question will be graded as “High Pass,” “Pass,” or “No-Pass,” based on grading rubrics. 

1. If an MBA student passes at least 4 questions (graded as “High Pass”) out of the required 7 questions, the MBA student is considered to pass the comprehensive examination (ADMN 6981) and earn credit for ADMN 6981.  The MBA student is recognized as a student with “High Pass” in comprehensive examination. 

2. If an MBA student does not meet grading (1) but passes at least 4 questions (graded as either “Pass” or “High Pass”) out of the required 7 questions, the MBA student is considered to pass the comprehensive examination (ADMN 6981) and earn credit for ADMN 6981. 

3. If an MBA student does not meet Grading (1) and (2), the MBA student is not considered to pass the Comprehensive examination (ADMN 6981), no credit will be assigned for ADMN 6981. 

No-Pass Procedure 

If an MBA student does not pass the comprehensive examination (ADMN 6981), the MBA student must contact the MBA office to review their answers.  Then the MBA student must retake the comprehensive examination (ADMN 6981).  To earn an MBA degree, an MBA student must pass the comprehensive examination (ADMN 6981).  An MBA student receives two attempts to pass the comprehensive examination (ADMN 6981) . If extenuating circumstances exist, a student may submit a petition and supporting documentation to the MBA Office for review and consideration of a third and final attempt.

Grading Grievance

If a student believes his or her answers are not fairly graded, the student can file an academic grievance to Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration, following University guidelines. The academic grievance should include a detailed description of the grounds upon which the grievance is based, for each of the sections (questions) being included in the grievance. The grading grievance will be responded by the Department(s), depending on questions.