General Background Information

More than 110 Years of Professional Education

Founded in 1901 in San Francisco, Golden Gate University (GGU) meets the needs of working adults by offering graduate programs in business and management, accounting, taxation, and law. Courses are designed to engage students in real-world business situations and to prepare them to compete in a volatile marketplace.

GGU has also developed Saturday MBA programs as well as the Professional and Executive MBA programs, which emphasizes the application of theory, concepts, and techniques to real business situations and problems. The university's School of Taxation has earned a reputation as one of the largest and most respected in the nation with specialized internship programs that give students practical, hands-on business experience.

With its main campus in San Francisco, Golden Gate University has regional sites located conveniently in Silicon Valley, Seattle and Los Angeles. Accredited degree programs can also be taken through Golden Gate's CyberCampus, which permits students to work and study on their own schedules using the Internet. International students must take in person classes in the San Francisco campus.

Golden Gate's overall mission is to offer a variety of exceptional programs that utilize the most advanced technologies and learning tools available.

Accreditation

GGU programs, policies and plans are reviewed by members of our accrediting agencies as well as educators from peer institutions. Golden Gate is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Our School of Law is also accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), the State Bar of California and the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).

Graduate Degree Programs

• Master of Accountancy
  with concentrations in:
  • Forensic Accounting
  • Taxation
• Master of Arts in Psychology
  with concentrations in:
  • Counseling
  • Industrial/Organizational Psychology
  • Marriage and Family Therapy
  • Counseling and Industrial/Organizational Psychology
  • Marriage and Family Therapy and Industrial/Organizational Psychology
• Master of Business Administration
  with concentrations in:
  • Accounting
  • Finance
  • Health Services Management
  • Human Resource Management
  • Information Technology Management
  • International Business
  • Management
  • Management of Healthcare Information Systems
  • Managing for Sustainability
  • Marketing
  • Operations and Supply Chain Management
  • Project Management
  • Public Administration
• Professional Master of Business Administration
• Executive Master of Business Administration
• Master of Business Administration/Juris Doctor
• Master of Science in Finance
  with concentrations in:
  • Corporate Finance
  • General Finance
  • Investment Management
• Master of Science in Financial Planning
• Master of Science in Financial Planning and Taxation
  with concentrations in:
  • Estate Planning
  • Taxation
• Master of Science in Human Resource Management
• Master of Science in Information Technology Management
  
  • Management of Healthcare Information Systems
• Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications
  with concentrations in:
  • Public Relations
• Master of Science in Marketing
• Master of Science in Project and Systems Management
  with concentrations in:
  • Information Technology
  • Project Management
• Master of Science in Taxation

Graduate Certificates

• Accounting
• Applied Psychology
• Conflict Resolution
• Finance
• Financial Planning
• Forensic Accounting
• Human Resource Management
• Information Technology Management
• Integrated Marketing Communications
• Marketing
• Operations and Supply Chain Management
• Public Relations
• Taxation

Doctoral Degree

• Doctor of Business Administration

Law Degrees

• Juris Doctor
  with certificates of specialization in:
  • Business Law
  • Criminal Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Intellectual Property Law
  • International Law
  • Labor and Employment Law
  • Litigation
  • Public Interest Law
  • Real Estate Law
  • Tax Law
• Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration
• Juris Doctor/Doctor of Clinical Psychology
• Master of Laws in Environmental Law
• Master of Laws in Intellectual Property Law
• Master of Laws in International Legal Studies
• Master of Laws in Taxation
• Master of Laws in United States Legal Studies
• Doctor of Juridical Science in International Legal Studies

2012-2013 Per-Course Tuition Charges

Tuition is based on the total course cost for a 3-unit course (4-unit EMPA and doctoral courses), including standard fees. Courses that have fewer than three units are prorated accordingly. Tuition varies by program. The following rates for tuition and fees become effective starting fall 2012.

Rates usually remain in effect for at least one academic year. The university reserves the right, however, to adjust the rates for tuition and fees prior to the beginning of each term.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS BY SCHOOL

• Ageno School of Business: $$2,520 (per 3-unit course)*
• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA): $3,880 (per 4-unit course)
• Executive MPA (EMPA): $2,400 (per 4-unit course)
• Executive MBA (EMBA): $55,000 (all inclusive)
• Professional MBA (PMBA): $44,200
• School of Accounting: $2,520 (per 3-unit course)
• School of Law: See the School of Law website
• School of Taxation: $2,775 (per 3-unit course)

Application Deadlines and the Admissions Process (Non-law)

GGU operates on an academic calendar of three, 16-week trimesters each year. International students are welcome to apply for any of the trimesters. GGU recommends international students to complete applications at least 30 days before the term start date. There are no specific application deadlines.

English Language Proficiency Admission Requirements

All graduate applicants whose first (native) language is not English must meet an English language proficiency requirement to qualify for admission. This requirement may be met in a number of ways: 

Official TOEFL score requirements for full admission
Graduate
550 or higher on paper-based test
213 or higher on computer-based test
79 or higher on Internet-based test

• Completion of English 1A/1B (or equivalent) at regionally accredited US college or university with grades of B or better in both;
• Bachelor's degree from regionally accredited US college/university (or equivalent from recognized college/university in another English-speaking country) with at least 60 units completed at the US college (or equivalent);
• Master's degree or higher from a regionally accredited US college/ university (or equivalent from recognized college/university in another English-speaking country);
• IELTS (Cambridge) Graduate: Band 6.5 or higher;
• APIEL (College Board) Graduate: 4 or higher
• Completion of 3 years of high school in the US or another acceptable English-speaking country;*
• Completion of a British-standard "O-level" examination in English Language/ Literature with a mark of C or higher**;
• Completion of a British-standard "A-level" examination in English Language/ Literature with a mark of A/O or D or higher**.

*Note 1: Not all English medium educational systems fulfill this requirement. Countries that qualify are: Australia, Anglophone Canada, Great Britain, Ireland and New Zealand.

** Note 2: Not all countries that offer O- and A-level examinations meet British examining board standards. Countries that meet this standard include: Bahamas, Belize, Brunei, Ghana, Great Britain, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jamaica, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

You can still be admitted to Golden Gate University even if you do not meet these requirements. Check out GGU's PLUS Program -- Preparation in Language and University Studies. Successful completion of the PLUS Program is required in order to qualify for admission to a degree or certificate program.