Full Time MBA

The MBA program provides a full-time immersive experience, with access to a wide variety of co-curricular events and networking opportunities that complement the classroom learning.

As an MBA student, you will build a solid foundation in business through the core curriculum and customize your degree through elective coursework. The opportunity for summer internships allows you to strengthen a new set of skills and enhance your professional network to facilitate a possible career transition.

Core courses in economics, accounting, marketing, finance, quantitative methods, data-informed decision making, operations management, leadership, team effectiveness, corporate social responsibility, and corporate strategy prepare you to think critically about business issues, and raise thought provoking strategic and philosophical questions.

This cohort-based program requires 55 credits; 31 credits of MBA core courses and 24 elective credits (at least 18 of which must be MBA electives.) The degree is designed to be completed in two years. Please note, the program plan outlined below is an example of when electives can be taken. MBA students have the flexibility in how many credits, and in which terms they are taken over the last 3 semesters of the program, as long as 24 elective credits are completed.

Click on this link to access the program summaries for the Evening, Hybrid, and Executive MBA programs. 

Note: Calendar dates are tentative and subject to change. 

Mandatory All Student Orientation will take place July 30 - August 1, 2025.

International students are also required to attend the following orientation sessions:
Mandatory International Student Boot Camp - July 28-30, 2025
Mandatory International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) Orientation - August 17, 2025

Classes start August 4, 2025.

Note: Semester Calendar Dates are tentative and subject to change.

SUMMER SESSION COURSES - 3 Total Credits (August 2024)

Classes start August 4, 2025.

MBAC 6030: Quantitative Methods (1.5 credits)
MBAC 6001: Foundations of Teamwork (1.5 credits)

FALL SEMESTER COURSES (August 21 - December 15, 2025) - 17.5 Total Credits

Session A courses (August - October 2025):
MBAC 6020: Financial Accounting (3 credits)
MBAC 6011: Managerial Economics (1.5 credits)

Session B courses (October - December 2025)
MBAC 6060: Corporate Finance (3 credits)
MBAC 6090: Marketing Management 3 credits)

Whole semester courses (August - December 2025)
MBAC 6002: Social, Moral, and Economic Foundations of Business (3 credits)
MBAC 6081: Data and Decisions (3 credits)
MBAC 6001: Professional Development I (1 credit)


SPRING SEMESTER COURSES (January 8 to May 1, 2026) - 16.5 Total Credits

Session A courses (January - March 2026):
MBAC 6050: Strategy (3 credits)
MBAC 6096: Managerial Economics II (1.5 credits)

Session B courses (March - May 2026)
MBAC 6003: Foundations of Leadership (1.5 credits)
MBAC 6096: Managerial Communications (1.5 credits)

Additional Spring Semester courses (January - May 2026)
MBAC 6051: Operations Management (3 credits)
Elective Courses (up to 6 credits)

For additional information, please see the Plan of Study section of the University Catalog for the Full Time MBA program.

Note: Calendar Dates are tentative and subject to change.

Summer 2026 - Optional Internship
Students who would like to participate in a summer internsship must secure their internship placement on their own. (While the Graduate Career Management team can provide assistance and support, students are responsible for making the necessary arrangements with their internship site.)

Additionally, international students who choose to participate in a summer internship must use 1.5 credits of elective coursework for the internship.


FALL SEMESTER COURSES (August 21 - December 11, 2026)
Students typically enroll in 9 credits of elective courses.

SPRING SEMESTER COURSES (January 7 - April 30, 2027)
Students typically enroll in 9 credits of elective courses.

As you plan your curriculum choices, we recommend building expertise in one of the functional areas like marketing, finance, management, or systems/operations. Students complete a total of 24 elective credits that count toward the 55 total credits needed for graduation. Electives are typically offered only once each academic year, and offerings are subject to change.

It is possible to enroll in graduate classes from other departments upon program approval. This flexibility allows you to tailor the degree to fit your career goals and enhances your marketability to potential employers.

Full Time MBA Elective Coursework

Entrepreneurship Courses
MBAX 6100 Entrepreneurship (1.5 credits)
MBAX 6110 Entrepreneurial Finance (3 credits)
MBAX 6130 Sustainable Venturing (3 credits)
MBAX 6140 Social Entrepreneurship (3 credits)
MBAX 6170 New Venture Creation (1.5 credits)
MBAX 6180 New Venture Launch (3 credits)
MBAX 6190 Projects in Entrepreneurial Companies (3 credits)

Finance Courses
MBAX 5280 Sustainable Finance (3 credits)
MBAX 6110 Entrepreneurial Finance (3 credits)
MBAX 6210 Applied Financial Management (3 credits)
MBAX 6220 Investment Management & Analysis (3 credits)
MBAX 6250 Derivative Securities (3 credits)
MBAX 6710 Financial Statement Analysis (3 credits)
MSBX 5205 Financial Strategy & Decision Modeling (3 credits)
MSBX 5225 Advanced Portfolio Management (3 credits)
MSBX 5260 Fixed Income Investing (3 credits)
MSBX 5270 Applied Derivatives (3 credits)

Management Courses
MBAX 6000 Socially Responsible Enterprise (3 credits)
MBAX 6500 Management of Organizational Change (3 credits)
MBAX 6530 Negotiating & Conflict Management (1.5 credits)
MBAX 6540 Consulting Skills (3 credits)
MBAX 6560 Executive Leadership (1.5 credits)
MBAX 6565 Inclusive Leadership (1.5 credits)
MBAX 6801 Global Perspectives (3 credits)

Marketing
MSBX 5310 Customer Analytics (3 credits)
MBAX 6310 Marketing Strategy (3 credits)
MBAX 6330 Market Intelligence (3 credits)
MBAX 6350 Digital Marketing (3 credits)
MBAX 6360 New Product Development (3 credits)
MBAX 6380 Consumer Decision Making (3 credits)

Real Estate
MBAX 6600 Real Estate Principles (3 credits)
MBAX 6620 Real Estate Project Competition (3 credits)
MBAX 6630 Real Estate Economics (3 credits)
MBAX 6640 Real Estate Law & Practice (3 credits)
MBAX 6815 Sustainable Real Estate Development (3 credits)
MSBC 5610 Real Estate Modeling (1.5 credits)
MSBX 5605 Real Estate Investment & Risk Management (3 credits)

Social Responsibility & Sustainability
MSBX 5280 Sustainable Finance (3 credits)
MBAX 6000 Socially Responsible Enterprise (3 credits)
MBAX 6130 Sustainable Venturing (3 credits)
MBAX 6140 Social Entrepreneurship in US and Global Economies (3 credits)
MBAX 6720 ESG Reporting & Analysis (3 credits)
MBAX 6815 Sustainable Real Estate (3 credits)
MBAX 6930 Commercializing Sustainable Energy Technologies (3 credits)

Systems & Operations
MSBX 5415 Advanced Data Analytics (3 credits)
MSBX 5405 Structured Data (3 credits)
MSBX 5420 Unstructured and Distributed Data Modeling & Analysis (3 credits)
MSBX 5450 Transportation and Logistics (3 credits)
MSBX 5470 Procurement and Contracting (3 credits)
MSBC 5680 Optimization Modeling (3 credits)
MBAX 6410 Process Analytics (3 credits)
MBAX 6420 IT & Business Strategy (3 credits)
MBAX 6440 Project Management (3 credits)
MBAX 6460 Supply Chain Management (3 credits)
MBAX 6843 Supply Chain Operations & Analytics (3 credits)
MSBX 5435 Planning & Production (3 credits)

Please see our catalog for more information about elective coursework in the Full Time MBA program.

An MBA Pathway is a roadmap toward an MBA’s ultimate career in a specific industry.

Students have the option to follow a recommended combination of courses and co-curricular programs at our Centers of Excellence to acquire targeted skills, knowledge and connections. Armed with experience and a specialized skillset, they graduate ready to lead and make immediate impact in their area of interest.

Pathways are offered in Clean Energy, ESG & Sustainability, High Growth Venture, Natural & Organic, and Real Estate.

Note: Only students in the Full Time MBA program may participate in an MBA Pathway. Students in the Evening MBA, Hybrid MBA, and Executive MBA programs are not eligible. However, co-curricular pathway activities are open to all students (across programs).

The Leeds School of Business offers 8 dual degree options with other highly–renowned graduate programs on the CU–Boulder campus and an MBA/MS STEM dual degree housed within the Leeds School of Business.

Dual degrees give full-time MBA students the opportunity to build expertise in multiple disciplines creating greater career marketability. The dual degree programs allow you to earn two degrees together in less time than earning them sequentially. Note: Evening MBA students are not eligible for dual degree programs.

You must apply to and meet the application and admissions standards of each program separately. Each of the dual degree options offered at Leeds requires completion of the Full Time MBA core course sequence (31 credits); elective courese requirements vary by dual program and should be verified with your academic advisors. When pursuing a dual degree program you must complete the requirements for both degrees in order to receive either one of them.

Learn more about dual degree options at Leeds.

Note: Only students in the Full Time MBA program at Leeds may be enrolled in one of our dual degree options. Students in the Evening MBA, the Hybrid MBA, and the Executive MBA programs are not eligible.

Co-curricular activities are a critical counterpart to the classroom experience and enrich the value of your degree.

Students are encouraged to participate in case competitions, student leadership positions, clubs, networking opportunities, guest speakers, small-group meetings with business leaders, and professional mentoring. These opportunities add to the immersive nature of our full-time program. Summer internship opportunities allow you to apply those core skills and develop new insights to help focus your choice of elective courses.

Clubs and Competitions

Centers of Excellence

Tuition and program fees will vary based on a student's residency status. The estimated total cost of attendance for an academic year could include expenses such as books and supplies; and items that are not billed by the university, such as personal expenses, housing, groceries, transportation and medical insurance.

Applicants to the Full Time MBA program are automatically considered for competitive merit scholarship awards. Selected candidates will be notified of their scholarship in the admissions letter. Leeds also offers scholarships that require a separate application, consisting of an essay submission. To apply, you must first have an active Leeds Graduate Application.

Estimated Cost of Attendance
Financing your MBA

Students may also apply for scholarships and fellowships from private sources (outside of the University of Colorado Boulder and the Leeds School of Business) to help finance their degree. Click o the links below for more information.

List of Outside Scholarship Search Websites
List of National Fellowships

Prospective students considering the Full Time MBA program should review our website for information about deadlines, application requirements, and admissions criteria.

If you decide to apply, you will start by creating an account in our application portal.

International students should also review our dedicated webpage for international applicants.

The Full Time MBA Program at the Leeds School of Business is dedicated to creating a collaborative community centered on a cohort experience. Our high-performing students come from a variety of backgrounds and professions. The Class of 2026 arrives with an average of 5 years work experience, an average GMAT of 608, and an average undergraduate GPA of 3.24. The result is a rich learning environment of peers, faculty and connections to Boulder and the Front Range's business community.
 

Full Time MBA Student Profile

The Leeds School of Business values applications from international candidates. The cultural diversity and perspectives that international students bring to the program enrich the experience for all of our graduate students.

We evaluate candidates from outside the US using the same criteria used for domestic applicants. However, some additional information is required to complete the application for international candidates.

International Admissions - MBA Applicants

International students may apply for admission up until the "Final International Deadline" listed on our website. However, we generally recommend applying significantly earlier than the final international deadline. Once an admission decision has been rendered, our international applicants have to take additional steps to enroll at CU Boulder. These steps include submitting additional documents, paying a deposit, receiving your I-20, applying for a student visa, and making travel arrangements to the US. Applying early will ensure you have enough time to complete all the necessary steps prior to the start of your program.

Leeds values the leadership and management skills our veterans contribute to the school.

Our MBA programs offer collaboration, community, and support to build on the skills you’ve developed during your military service. We will help you build the business skills that will prepare you for a significant role in a civilian career. We also recognize that our military veterans are making a significant transition into a civilian career, and offer resources and support. For more information, please review our website and the links below:

Office of Veterans Services

MBA Veterans Club

Also note: The application fee for active US military and US military veterans will be automatically waived at the time of submission.

If you have questions, we invite you to connect with us in one of the following ways:

• Sign up for a virtual event or appointment, hosted by a member of our graduate admissions team.
   
• Send us an email at leedsgrad@colorado.edu.
   
• If you would like to be added to our mailing list, complete our interest form for the Full Time MBA program at Leeds.

Additional Resources regarding the Leeds School of Business:
Leeds School of Business Homepage
Program website: Full Time MBA
Professional Development and Mentoring
View a pre-recorded information session for the Full Time MBA Program
Centers of Excellence
Faculty Directory

Other Campus Websites of Interest:
Housing and Dining Information
Student Employment