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mbaMission’s UCLA Anderson School of Management Insider’s Guide

mbaMission’s UCLA Anderson School of Management Insider’s Guide

The University of California’s Anderson School of Management is located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. The school’s location makes it particularly attractive to those interested in careers related to the media and entertainment industries. Anderson is one of the country’s only business schools with a research center dedicated specifically to media and entertainment—the Center for Management of Enterprise in Media, Entertainment, and Sports—yet it is nonetheless a general management school with resources for the study of a diverse set of industries and functions.

The MBA curriculum includes a required two-quarter Capstone Project to be completed by the end of a student’s second year of study. A reportedly popular way to complete this requirement is with an AMR Project. This 20-week group project is a unique aspect of the Anderson curriculum; participating students work on strategic projects and develop recommendations for partnership organizations, which are located around the world and have included Fortune 500 companies as well as relatively small start-ups.

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  • Class size: Smaller versus Larger
  • Curriculum: Flexibly versus Mandatory Core
  • Pedagogy: Lecture versus case method
  • Academic Specializations/Recruitment Focus: Resources and Employers
  • Professional Specializations
  • Location: Urban Campus versus College Town
  • Facilities: Shaping the Academic/Social Experience
  • Alumni Base: Opportunities to Engage
  • Rankings and Reputation: Important Metrics or Arbitrary Measures?
  • The Dean: Antonio Bernardo
  • Notable Professors and Unsung Heroes
  • Social/Community Life
  • Academic Summary
  • Admissions Basics
  • University of California Los Angeles (Anderson) Essay Tips, 2024-2025
  • UCLA Anderson Class Profile (Class of 2025)
  • UCLA Anderson Employment Statistics (Class of 2023)

UCLA Anderson FAQs

Is Anderson a good MBA Program?

The UCLA Anderson MBA program consistently ranks among the top 20 programs in the country. Anderson students have the privilege of networking within Los Angeles during their studies, in addition to taking advantage of the 40,000+ people strong alumni pool. Of the Class of 2023, 86.9% received at least one job offer within three months of graduation. The average base salary for the Class of 2023 was $150,000 and the average signing bonus was $30,000.

The University of California, Los Angeles, is a large public research university with 13 schools within its system. UCLA is a well-known name around the world, and Anderson is a highly recognized name among business schools.

How hard is it to get into UCLA Anderson MBA?

The UCLA Anderson MBA program received 2,182 applications during the 2022–2023 application season and accepted 881 applicants. This means that the acceptance rate at UCLA Anderson was 40.4% in 2023. UCLA Anderson is a selective MBA program, but not as selective as some—for example, Stanford GSB accepts less than 10% of its applicant pool each year. The UCLA Anderson admissions committee reviews all applications holistically, meaning that it treats all parts of the application as simply that—a larger picture with no make-or-break aspects.

How much does UCLA Anderson MBA cost?

Annual tuition for the UCLA Anderson MBA program is $78,268 during the 2024–2025 academic year. The estimated total cost of attendance, including housing, health insurance, and course materials, is $128,687.

UCLA Anderson offers numerous financial aid options for incoming students. Approximately 75% of each class receives some level of financial aid, and roughly half receive fellowships. Financial aid options include need- and merit-based fellowships, federal and private loans, and outside scholarships.

What is UCLA Anderson MBA known for?

UCLA Anderson is perhaps best known for its strengths in the entertainment and media industries. Anderson is located in Los Angeles, which offers students a unique opportunity to network and receive hands-on experience in the creative capital of the world. The UCLA Anderson culture is collaborative, innovative, and hands-on. The Anderson MBA curriculum includes many options for immersive and interactive studies, including the Applied Management Research project, in which students work with real companies to solve business challenges.

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