University of California, San Diego

The Rady School of Management is a graduate business school within one of the top-ranked institutions in the U.S. and the world for higher education and research- the University of California, San Diego. The school was established in 2003 and is one of the youngest in the USA ever to achieve AACSB accreditation (2011).

The Rady School helps students develop their knowledge, gain hands-on experience and network to find their own path and shape their future. A Rady MBA provides a strong foundation in business principles and the inspiration and encouragement students need to launch their own business or innovate within an established company. 

Rady offers a full-time MBA program, two FlexMBA (part-time) programs for working professionals, a Master of Finance program, a Master of Science in Business Analytics, a Ph.D. program, as well as undergraduate courses.

An MBA for Entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs

The Rady School’s MBA curriculum is unique and collaborative. The capstone Lab to Market course sequence allows students to explore an idea and determine if it has value in the marketplace. Whether that idea seeds an entrepreneurial venture or revolutionizes an existing industry is decided by students’ career aspirations.

An Emphasis on Science and Technology

Innovations in science and technology are driving dramatic change in business and in the world. The Rady MBA program enables students to face the complex challenges and take advantage of the multitude of opportunities presented by science- and technology-driven industries. Rady MBA students come from a variety of career backgrounds and industries, but it’s no coincidence that over half of Rady students have career experience in science or technology fields.

In its 14 years, Rady’s students and alumni have developed over 115 companies that impact the economy in its region, state, country and the world. Rady will continue to recruit top faculty, attract leading student scholars, and create a climate for innovative business and research collaborations.

The Rady School embraces cultural inclusion as essential to the fabric of the School. Diversity is fundamental to creativity, to innovation, to insight and especially to understanding, all of which contribute to the mosaic that makes the Rady School so extraordinary.

San Diego is a great place to study — and a great place to live. The university, research institutions and innovative business community have become a magnet for attracting smart, successful people to the region.

As California’s second-largest city (after Los Angeles), San Diego has the resources and diversity of a major metropolitan area — and it has a feel of community, with distinctive neighborhoods and a strong civic sense.

On campus and off, Rady students and alumni are meeting people, creating networks and friendships, and participating in the life of a vibrant city. The Rady School is a critical node in the innovation network that is San Diego and a catalyst for expanding networks, building bridges and enhancing relationships. Collaborations are common in the region, which has a track record of amazing innovation — especially in the life sciences, high tech and communications — and a deeply entrepreneurial culture.

The Rady School of Management offers a series of undergraduate business and accounting courses, as well as the business minor, accounting minor, and entrepreneurship and innovation minor. 

These courses are designed for undergraduate students who wish to enhance their accounting, business and management skills. Course materials and lectures cover a broad set of applications and are appropriate for students from a wide range of academic disciplines.

Visit the website for program and admission details.

MBA

The Rady MBA curriculum provides the analytical and theoretical frameworks for rigorous business decision making. Its world-class faculty teach students how to identify and capitalize on new trends, ideas, and technologies. Students will gain the practical knowledge needed for their success as an entrepreneurially minded leader.

Required of all Rady MBA students, the signature three-course sequence, Lab to Market, is unique among all business schools.  It is more than a single course or simulated exercise in entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial thinking.  Students will learn how to identify scalable new ideas that fill a market need and that add social and economic value – be it in a large established business, emerging company or a startup. 

Lab to Market is a real time, action-learning experience, immersing students in a real market problem or unmet need, moving from the classroom into a real world environment to test their hypothesis.  At its core, Lab to Market is about teaching students how to:

• Identify the emerging “opportunity space” in an industry sector
• Generate and validate new ideas and innovations
• Distinguish real viable opportunities from interesting ideas

MS in Business Analytics

The Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) at the Rady School is an intensive program that provides students with the skills to succeed in data-rich business environments. The program offers rigorous, hands-on training that will prepare you to use data and analytics to identify business opportunities, generate business insights and create business solutions. As an MSBA student, one will gain both the quantitative skills to create better decision tools and the ability to manage teams and communicate effectively with stakeholders throughout each phase of an analytics project.

Master of Finance

The Master of Finance program at UC San Diego's Rady School of Management prepares graduates to tackle significant challenges facing the financial sector.

Students will learn leading-edge methods for analyzing "big data" for financial decision-making and risk management. The program’s combination of experiential learning and classroom emphasis on quantitative models and methods ensures graduates are equipped to develop innovative solutions to the complex problems facing the financial industry.

Ph.D.

The Rady School Ph.D. program is committed to training intellectual and innovative scholars who will contribute to the advancement of management education and knowledge in the 21st century.

Its emphasis is on innovation, rigorous training and impactful research.

Visit the website for program and admission details.

Students gain more than an extraordinary business education. They gain lifelong connections with fellow students, faculty and alumni who are invested in their success. The Rady School’s small class size and focus on collaboration encourages a close-knit community where students can push their boundaries within a supportive environment.

The network students develop with their classmates gives them access to a world of relationships in San Diego and across the globe. Their Rady colleagues have lived and worked around the world and represent industries and companies that are vital to global economic success.

UC San Diego’s strong ties to the regional science and technology communities provide students with a large array of opportunities — like internships, professional seminars, company collaborations and networking events.

Thoshna Arasappa

MBA Full-Time, 2018

Why she choose to pursue a MBA…

“I have a background in electronics engineering and 3 years of work experience in Management Consulting. A MBA degree seemed like the eventual step to help both develop my business acumen, along with transition from the sell-side to the buy-side of business (MNCs and Service Providers).”

Why she chose the Rady School…

“Rady has the perfect location advantage- entrenched at the center of high-tech innovation & entrepreneurship which largely appeals to my area of interests. The small, and highly eclectic class at Rady was one of the greatest selling points for me choosing Rady.”

What she feels makes Rady unique and how she benefits from these aspects…

“Rady's most unique feature lies in the diversity of its class- students coming from varied cultural, educational and professional backgrounds, representative of a wide age demographic, make every interaction inside and outside of class extremely thought provoking and resourceful.”

What she looks forward to taking this year…

“I look forward to taking various finance related courses this year as this is not an area I was privy to prior to my MBA. The faculty and staff at Rady are world-class and world renowned. Learning has never been more fun!”

How her perspective on her career and her life changed since she came to Rady…

“Prior to joining Rady, I was rather head-fast on the idea of starting out as an entrepreneur. Now, after interacting with numerous alums and peers at Rady, I realize I might need to develop function-specific skills before taking on the "self-employed" brand tag.”

Her goals after graduation…

“Post-graduation, I would like to work in the high-tech space in the capacity of a program manager where I can leverage both my management skills as well as engineering background.”

Her advice for prospective students…

“Rady has one of the most tightly knit student-alum networks. The breadth and tenacity of this network is truly commendable. Also, being a rather young B-school, Rady gives you the unique opportunity to make your own ‘rules’- form your own clubs, support a cause that matters to you and truly be the voice of change you'd like to see.”

Rady Graduate Career Connections offers effective career management tools and resources that will assist Rady students and alumni in developing, evaluating and implementing important career decisions.

Some of the support services are…

Personalized Coaching

• One-on-one counseling beginning with first career assessment
• Company research
• Interview coaching
• Evaluating opportunities
• Negotiating compensation offers

Career Workshops

• Cover letter and resume workshops
• Mock interviews
• Networking skills
• Group discussions around industries and functions
• Case Interviewing
• 2 Hour Job Search

Tools & Resources

• Career Leader
• Interview Stream
• Going Global
• CareersRady - online job and internship postings
• LinkedIn Job Search Engine

Rady Graduate Career Connections also fosters strong partnerships with the business community in San Diego and beyond, creating long-term relationships between the Rady School and corporate partners.