Columbia MBA Review: Curriculum, Deadlines, Fees & Admission Guide
0
29
0
Columbia MBA Overview
The Columbia MBA program equips students to lead in a rapidly evolving global business landscape. Its forward-thinking and comprehensive curriculum lays a strong foundation for success across various sectors, while also offering specialized knowledge in key industries.
With unparalleled access to real-time business developments and a dynamic, diverse community, graduates emerge well-informed, agile, and prepared to tackle real-world challenges through innovative, strategic solutions.
Columbia MBA Curriculum
The core curriculum at Columbia Business School equips students with deep academic knowledge and practical tools to lead across industries. Taught by full-time faculty and industry experts, it emphasizes case-based learning, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. This foundational experience prepares students to think critically and lead with a future-focused, inclusive approach.
Columbia MBA Core Curriculum
Columbia Business School’s core curriculum includes two full-term and eight half-term courses, providing a strong foundation in essential business disciplines. Taught by faculty and industry professionals, it emphasizes case-based and collaborative learning to build decision-making and leadership skills. Students can take exemption exams before each term to replace core subjects with electives, allowing for greater academic flexibility.
Columbia MBA First-Term Core Courses
Pre-Term
Lead: People, Teams, Organizations
This course helps students advance beyond technical expertise by focusing on influence, negotiation, and leadership. Designed for those ready to elevate their careers, it offers practical tools to drive change and inspire others. Through classroom experiments and real-world application, students gain hands-on experience. A final project applies course concepts to a current workplace challenge.
Full Term
Financial Accounting
This course builds understanding of accounting principles from the perspective of financial information users. It focuses on interpreting reports for business decisions, emphasizing profitability and performance evaluation. The course also explores global accounting practices and key measurement issues beyond the U.S. model.
First Half
Foundations of Valuation
Foundations of Valuation is a core finance course for all MBA students, designed to equip future managers—regardless of specialization—with essential financial knowledge. The course covers key financial instruments such as stocks, bonds, and options, and teaches students how to value them using practical tools and frameworks. Topics include the present value formula, bond valuation, stock pricing models, risk and return (including CAPM), and the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Learning is driven by a blend of lectures, case studies, and Excel-based in-class exercises.
Managerial Statistics
This course introduces MBA students to foundational concepts in probability and statistics essential for managerial decision-making. Topics include data analysis, probability distributions, sampling, estimation, hypothesis testing, and regression. Practical examples are drawn from fields such as finance, marketing, management, and quality control to reinforce real-world applications.
Strategy Formulation
This course explores the key factors that drive firm performance and equips students with strategic tools to gain competitive advantage. It focuses on analyzing competitive environments and developing strategies that define long-term goals, target markets, customer value propositions, and required capabilities. Learning is case-based, supported by short lectures and written assignments.
Managerial Economics
This course offers insight into how markets operate and how managerial decisions shape supply, demand, pricing, and firm value. The first part focuses on decision-making in efficient markets, while the second explores strategies when firms have market power. It also addresses market failures and public policy responses. As a foundational part of the MBA program, the course equips students with versatile economic frameworks applicable across industries.
Second Half
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance is a core MBA course that introduces key financial principles essential for all managers. Students learn to value firms using frameworks like enterprise DCF and multiples, while covering topics such as free cash flow projections, residual value, WACC, and optimal capital structure. The course blends lectures with case discussions to combine theory with practical decision-making skills.
Business Analytics
This MBA course focuses on how computer models support effective managerial decision-making. Students learn to build, analyze, and interpret simplified representations of complex business situations. With practical applications across finance, operations, marketing, and risk management, the course emphasizes spreadsheet-based modeling using tools like Solver and Crystal Ball. Through hands-on experience, students gain the skills to use optimization and simulation models intelligently and avoid common modeling pitfalls in real-world business contexts.
Marketing
This course explores marketing as a key driver of business value. It highlights marketing’s role in connecting with customers, gathering competitive intelligence, and shaping long-term customer relationships alongside short-term sales. Emphasizing how customer value translates into value for stakeholders, the course prepares students to understand marketing’s strategic importance in generating revenue and sustaining profitability.
Global Economic Environment
These courses examine the foundations of national competitiveness, productivity, and economic growth. They focus on the dynamics of production, consumption, savings, and investment, while introducing the implications of fluctuating foreign exchange rates. The curriculum also explores the interplay between government policy and private-sector performance in a global economic context.
Columbia MBA Second-Term Core Courses
First Half
Students will take Operations Management along with elective classes they select to fill their schedule. Elective courses are offered in block weeks, full term, and half term.
Operations Management
This course offers a foundational understanding of manufacturing and service operations within organizations. It covers key topics such as process flow analysis, supply chain management, capacity planning, facility location, and total quality management. With a managerial, application-focused approach, the course highlights how operations integrate with and support other business functions.
Columbia MBA Electives
Columbia Business School’s Curriculum Pathways are optional elective sequences designed to guide MBA and EMBA students toward courses aligned with specific career goals. With 17 pathways—including areas like asset management, data analytics, and entrepreneurship—students can build practical skills relevant to their chosen fields. These pathways are flexible and not officially recorded on transcripts, allowing students to customize their academic experience. All electives are listed in the CBS Course Catalog.
Curriculum Pathways
Asset and Wealth Management
Climate
Customer Insights
Data Analytics and AI
Economic Analysis
Entrepreneurship
Family Enterprise
Fundamental Analysis
Healthcare
Innovation
Leadership
Media
Private Equity
Product Management
Real Estate
Strategy
Venture Capital
Columbia MBA Admissions
Columbia Business School’s MBA program, led by world-renowned faculty, equips students to thrive in today’s dynamic business environment. Based in New York City, CBS offers unparalleled industry access, networking, and real-world learning. The Admissions team ensures a smooth application process, helping candidates focus on presenting their strongest applications.
August Entry: 20-month program with a summer internship
January Entry: 16-month accelerated program (no summer internship)
Both options share the same rigorous admissions standards
Columbia MBA Application Process
Step 1: Choose Your Entry Point
Evaluate the two entry options for the MBA at Columbia Business School and determine which makes the most sense for your personal and professional goals. Read more about entry options and deadlines and determine a timeline based on the deadlines for your entry point.
All potential applicants are strongly encouraged to download the MBA program brochure, attend an event , and join our mailing list to get updates.
Step 2: Review Admissions Requirements
Ensure that you understand and are able to meet the application requirements, which include:
Official transcripts
GPA
GMAT, Executive Assessment, or GRE Score
Resume
One short answer question and three essays
One letter of recommendation
Application fee ($250)
Learn more details about each of the application requirements and explore the class profile to understand the makeup of the current class of MBA students. Re-applicants should visit the Re-applicant Checklist for relevant information.
Step 3: Apply for the MBA Program
Once you’ve gathered all of the required application materials, you will submit the application online via the Columbia Business School application portal. All materials, including your letter of recommendation and application fee, must be submitted before the deadline.
Step 4: Prepare for Your Interview
Interviews are by invitation only
January-entry: Interview invites or decisions released ASAP, no later than round deadlines
August-entry: Updates posted on the Options and Deadlines & Application Requirements pages
Interviews conducted virtually by second-year MBA students, alumni, or admissions staff
Step 5: Secure Your Spot
If you are admitted, you will secure your spot with a nonrefundable tuition deposit. More information about next steps will be communicated upon admission.
Columbia MBA Deadlines
For more information on options and deadlines click here
Columbia MBA Application Checklist
Deferred Enrollment applicants should refer to the Deferred Enrollment Program application requirements page for more details.
Columbia MBA Fees
The budgets provided are based on a moderate student lifestyle and represent the maximum amount of financial aid possible for the current academic year. The budget is determined by the tuition and fees as well as an estimated living expense amount based on university averages. Estimated budgets for the new academic year are usually available by May of each year.
Columbia MBA 2025 - 2026 Budget
Columbia MBA August Entry Budget
The 9-month student budget will include tuition, mandatory fees, health service fees and health insurance, books and supplies, and moderate living expenses. This number represents the maximum amount of funding you can receive through any scholarships, fellowships, sponsorship or student loans. The Financial Aid office recommends that you borrow responsibly and only the amount you truly need.
Columbia MBA January Entry Budget
The 8-month student budget will include tuition, mandatory fees, health service fees and health insurance, books and supplies, and moderate living expenses. This number represents the maximum amount of funding you can receive through any scholarships, fellowships, sponsorship or student loans. The Financial Aid office recommends that you borrow responsibly and only the amount you truly need.
*Note that tuition and fees generally increase 2-7% in the second year.
**Mandatory fees include the University services & support fee, one-time document fee, health services fee, and CBS program fee. The loan and ISSO fees are excluded from the general estimate. Changes may be forthcoming in all billing details.
Students may incur additional costs not included in the budget above and should prepare accordingly.
Examples include:
Relocation/moving expenses and apartment security deposits
Chazen-approved study tours, cluster travel, treks, recruiting trips and other job search-related expenses
Medical expenses not covered by insurance
Optional club dues, conferences, travel, and event costs
Summer expenses before, during, and after school
Past or current credit card or other consumer debt
Who Should Apply?
CBS MBA students come from diverse cultural, personal, and professional backgrounds. They are intellectually driven individuals with proven records of achievement, strong leadership qualities, and the ability to collaborate effectively in teams.
Strong Work Ethic: You're committed to excellence in everything you do.
Relationship Builder: You understand the value of creating and maintaining professional and personal connections.
Impact Maker: You aspire to make significant contributions to your industry and society.
