Master of Business Administration (MBA)

According to a 2016 report from the Graduate Management Admission Council, those who earn a graduate degree in business recoup their tuition investment within an average of four years. Ninety-five percent of the alumni in the report rated their degree as an "excellent or outstanding" value.

The University's MBA program helps students tailor their education to their professional ambitions by offering areas of emphasis in accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, information technology and renewable energy. MBA students can also pursue other areas of emphasis by taking graduate courses of their choice outside of the College of Business. 

Note: ^*The GMAT/GRE requirement is waived for fall 2023 applicants.

Admission to the MBA Program requires fulfillment of all of the following:

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in the United States, or proof of equivalent training at a foreign university. The MBA Program is open to graduates from all disciplines.
• A minimum GPA (grade point average) of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale.
• MBA applicants may take either the GMAT or GRE examination^*. A recommended minimum score of 500 is required for the GMAT examination. The GRE examination has three sections (verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and analytical writing), the minimum score for the verbal and quantitative reasoning sections is 150, and 3.5 for the analytical writing section. GMAT or GRE scores more than five years old are not accepted. Exceptions are only granted if the applicant has completed one of the following:
  • An accredited graduate degree (Master's, Ph.D.).
  • A professional degree (JD, MD, DVM, etc.).
  • An active CPA, CFP, CMA, or PE license.
  • A graduate certificate or GMAC executive assessment test.
• A minimum of two years of professional work experience.
• International candidates must have strong English language communication skills, both written and spoken. International must have a minimum Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 550 or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) of at least 79. The minimum score for Duolingo is 105.

The TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo is waived for students who have completed degree programs conducted in English in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia or New Zealand. International students who are admitted to the program may be required to complete additional courses as recommended by the Intensive English Department upon enrollment.

Applications are accepted for the fall and spring semesters. Application materials must be filed at the Graduate School by the following dates:

• March 15 for fall semester
• October 15 for spring semester

For fall semester, decision letters will be sent out by the last week of March. For spring semester, decision letters will be sent out by the last week of October.

For admissions information, please see the MBA Admissions Checklist.

Advising for the MBA Program is serviced by the Office of the Director of Graduate Programs, located in the Dean's Office of the College of Business in room 409 in the Ansari Business Building. All graduate students admitted to the program should meet with either the director or the associate director of the graduate programs prior to initial registration to develop their program of study.

The MBA program is subject to the University differential fees, in addition to the usual course tuition. Differential fees impose a course fee in the amount of $100 per credit for graduate level courses in accounting (ACC), business administration (BADM), business (BUS), entrepreneurship (ENT), gaming management (GAM), finance (FIN), information systems (IS), management (MGT) and marketing (MKT). These additional fees will support financial aid of students in the programs, as well as enhance the curriculum and services to the program's students.

For more on tuition and fees, please see the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

The Nevada MBA program accommodates the needs of students by offering all evening courses. Students can complete a degree at their own pace without interrupting their professional career. This MBA program is also among a select group of worldwide graduate business programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the highest level of accreditation attainable in business education.

The University's MBA program has appeared on several lists of top business school in recent years. Kambiz Raffiee, Ph.D., associate dean for the University's College of Business and director of its MBA program, says this is because of the quality of its faculty and the student-focused nature of the program.

"Our faculty is comprised of internationally respected scholars with real-world experience and a passion for teaching and inspiring students," says Raffiee. "Our class sizes are relatively small, which prevents students from getting lost in the crowd. Our extensive ties to local, regional and national business communities through the Office of Corporate Partners and Outreach and the Office of Career Services help students and alumni when it comes time to navigate their careers."