MicroMBA
The UC San Diego Rady School of Management’s MicroMBA
Program Dates: July 7th - August 20th, 2025
Applications now open. Applications close June 20th.
Apply now
If you have general questions regarding the 2025 MicroMBA program, please direct your inquiries to rsm-micromba@ucsd.edu.
Business is a science at the UC San Diego Rady School of Management, and our MicroMBA program is perfect for graduate students and professionals with STEM backgrounds, providing a unique opportunity to gain exposure to business concepts like operational strategy, finance, analytics, entrepreneurship and more.
You will be introduced to world class researchers who will serve as your instructors, become immersed in our quantitative STEM-designated coursework, learn alongside like minded peers and build your network.
The MicroMBA is a seven-week program, with each course offering a glimpse into the full MBA program at the Rady School of Management. The courses will be held online via ZOOM with select in-person networking opportunities available.
Courses include:
- Accounting for Startups
- Business Analytics and Generative AI
- Corporate Finance
- Financial Decision Making
- Power and Leadership
- Innovation
- Marketing
- Operational Strategy
- Leading with Emotional Intelligence
The program will provide you with essential business tools and insights to bring back to your graduate studies or full time work in science, health or technology.
See what our previous students had to say!:
"The MicroMBA is a great way to expose non-business people to the excellent programs and expertise that Rady has to offer.” - W. Jenkins ‘22
“The professors did a really good job of summing up very heavy topics into short lectures!" - K. Sudqi '22
"I really enjoyed engaging with the faculty and other students in the program.” - A. Phillips '22
The UC San Diego Rady School MicroMBA will prioritize UC San Diego graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, followed by general public applicants.
The MicroMBA program, in collaboration with UC San Diego’s Division of Extended Studies and overseen by graduate student coordinators and volunteers, will run from July 7 to August 20, 2025.
Program Format
This is a seven-week program which meets from 4:30pm - 6:00pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Each course is a glimpse into the full MBA program at the Rady School of Management. The lectures will be held online via ZOOM. Additional career-exploration and networking sessions will be offered through coffee chats with industry professionals online with select in-person sessions. There is an application process and if accepted, you will be notified and allowed access to the online sessions, materials and other information.
Pricing
The cost of this 7-week program is $1500. Students and postdoctoral scholars, along with UC San Diego affiliates, are able to attend at a reduced rate:
- UC San Diego graduate students and postdoctoral scholars: $350 (note, students graduating in June 2025 are still eligible for the student rate)
- UC San Diego affiliates who are not matriculated students/postdoctoral scholars: $525 (note, this includes alumni and researchers associated with key San Diego Mesa collaborators: Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Sanford Burnham Prebys, and Scripps Research)
- Non-UC San Diego graduate students and postdoctoral scholars: $525
*When applying, please use your university email address; and UC San Diego students please be prepared to provide your student ID.
Attendance Policy & Grades
You must attend 10 of the 13 total sessions and two coffee chats in order to receive a certificate of completion. There will be no grades but attendance is tracked.
Upon successful completion of the MicroMBA program, students will receive a verifiable digital credential. The digital credential (badge) may be shared on social media, with colleagues and/or employers in recognition of the achievement. In addition, official university transcripts are available upon request to verify participation in the MicroMBA program.
Class Location
All classes will be available via Zoom. Each class will have a separate ZOOM link created and sent to you via email one week prior to the course date. For those coffee chats with an in-person option, the room information (on campus at the Rady School of Management) will be sent in your chat confirmation email (see below).
Coffee Chats
We will host networking events called “coffee chats.” These are conducted at different times throughout the program and will feature prominent executives, entrepreneurs and other business professionals from the San Diego region who you will be able to connect with directly in an informal setting. You will be notified each week of the upcoming coffee chats and provided with the information at that time. You must attend a minimum of two coffee chats but we strongly encourage you to attend as many as you can. The Coffee Chat schedule is coming soon and will be updated once finalized.
2025 Schedule
|
DATE |
TIME |
TOPIC |
FACULTY |
|
Monday, July 7 |
4:30pm – 6:00pm |
Power and Influence via Networks and Networking |
Pam Smith |
|
Wednesday, July 9 |
4:30pm – 6:00pm |
Business Analytics and Generative AI |
Vincent Nijs |
|
Monday, July 14 |
4:30pm – 6:30pm |
Accounting for Startups** |
Eric Floyd |
|
Wednesday, July 16 |
4:30pm – 6:00pm |
(Optional) Virtual Networking Reception |
|
|
Monday, July 21 |
4:30pm – 6:00pm |
Marketing 1 |
On Amir |
|
Wednesday, July 23 |
4:30pm – 6:00pm |
Marketing 2 |
On Amir |
|
Monday, July 28 |
4:30pm – 6:00pm |
Leading with Emotional Intelligence |
Helen Wang |
|
Wednesday, July 30 |
4:30pm – 6:00pm |
Strategy 101, Industry Analysis |
Anya Samek |
|
Monday, August 4 |
4:30pm – 6:00pm |
Innovation |
Vish Krishnan |
|
Wednesday, August 6 |
4:30pm – 6:30pm |
Operational Strategy |
Vish Krishnan |
|
Monday, August 11 |
4:30pm – 6:00pm |
Corporate Finance |
Rossen Valkanov |
|
Wednesday, August 13 |
4:30pm – 6:00pm |
Financial Decision Making |
Rossen Valkanov |
|
Monday, August 18 |
4:30pm – 6:00pm |
Airbus Case Study |
Rossen Valkanov |
|
Wednesday, August 20 |
4:30pm – 6:00pm |
(Optional) In-Person Networking Reception |
** Two hours
Disclaimer - topics subject to change based on faculty schedules