Global Business Development (MSGBD)

Enhancing Global Skills + Experiential Learning =
A Successful Global Business Career

The Master of Science Degree in Global Business Development (MSGBD) is a unique one-year program, with curriculum designed to provide students with a solid foundation for a career in international business with a particular focus on developing skills in international sales and analytics, marketing, strategy and entrepreneurial thinking. The program emphasizes learning through hands-on experiences involving three semester-long consulting projects.

Recent graduates have found successful careers as management consultants, sales executives, fiscal service experts, marketing managers and business development professionals in the areas of technology, logistics, biotech, healthcare and finance.

MSGBD Student Profile 

Average Annual Enrollment

15

Languages Spoken

20

Average Age

25

Average Years of Experience

7

Average GPA

3.44

Countries represented at Fowler College of BusinessCountries Represented: Brazil, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Germany, Greece, India, Iraq, Italy, Ivory Coast, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Russian Federation, and Singapore

57% Domestic Citizenship, 43% International Citizenship
48% Business Majors, 52% Non-Business Majors
Undergraduate Majors

Curriculum

  • BA 640: Financial Reporting and Analysis
  • BA 642: Statistics
  • BA 645: Marketing
  • BA 674: Financial Management
  • BA 673: Organizational Behavior
Undergraduate equivalents of the courses above generally satisfy the prerequisite requirements. Please inquire with Dr. Martina Musteen
  • BA 672: Managerial Marketing
    Identification, understanding, and resolution of marketing issues in organizations. Theoretical and quantitative tools within a decision-making framework to inform organizational strategic directions.
  • BA 676: Strategic Thinking
    Environmental, industry, and organization analysis; strategy formulation and implementation. Long-term multifunctional environmental and organizational managerial issues from the viewpoints of top managers.
  • MGT 710: Seminar in World Business Environment
    In the fall, students work with U.S.-based clients seeking to assess regulatory and compliance issues associated with international expansion.
  • FIN 654: Seminar in International Business Finance
    International financial instruments, markets, and institutions; international trade and capital flows; foreign exchange risks and their management; direct and portfolio investment; implications for conduct of global business.
  • MGT 748: International Entrepreneurship & Business Development
    In the spring, students work with international startups and SMEs on business development in the U.S.
  • MKTG 763: Seminar in Sales Management
    Sales management and personal selling decisions and strategies in business organizations.
  • MKTG 767: Sales and Marketing Analytics
    Communicating, reporting, and visualizing analytics to inform decision making. Descriptive, predictive, prescriptive modeling of data to address sales and marketing problems. Utilizing market intelligence and consumer response data to inform development.
  • MKTG 769: Seminar in International Marketing
    The impact of cultural, social, political, economic, and other environmental variables on international marketing systems and the decision-making process of multinational marketing operations.

Students can select their electives from the following options. These elective courses are typically taken in the second semester (spring) alongside other mandatory subjects.

  • MIS 753: Global Supply Chain Management
    Advanced concepts, method, and implementation of global supply chain strategies and management; global sourcing and supplier development; global logistic network and management; information technology and e-business for supply chain; supply chain design and optimization; performance metrics and measurements.
  • MIS 697: Project Planning and Development
     Project initiation, planning and organization, time management, cost estimation, monitoring and controlling, quality, and risk management. Students learn to create a project plan using project tools and technology. The managerial aspects of a project are discussed through case studies.
  • FIN 659: Decision Making in the World Economy
    Application of macroeconomic theory to business decision making, study of economic environment and government macroeconomic policy from a business viewpoint.
  • MKTG 768: Seminar in Internet Marketing and e-Business
    Theory and application of marketing utilizing the Internet and associated issues of electronic commerce.
  • MKTG 772: Strategic Brand Management
    Planning, managing, and evaluating brand strategies. Theories, models, concepts, and techniques used to build, measure, and manage brand equity. Marketing decisions faced by an organization in managing brands for long-term profitability.
  • MGT 724: Entrepreneurship
    Examination of the entrepreneurial approach; concepts, theory and techniques of managerial innovation and implementation; analysis of entrepreneurial skills.
  • MGT 744: Seminar in Managing the Growing Firm
    Problems and issues confronting entrepreneurs beyond start-up of a new venture. Focus on issues from both entrepreneur and investor perspectives.
  • JMS 574: International Advertising
    Comparative cultural, economic, legal, political, and social conditions relevant to international advertising.
  • BA 794: International Business Development Practicum
    The program concludes with a capstone, which is a summer-long assignment where students visit a client company in another country. They collaborate with executives to understand the company's operations, products, and strategy on-site. After scoping the project, students work on gathering data to provide recommendations on business development in a given market, drawing on the knowledge they obtained in the program. The project focuses on enhancing cross-cultural competencies, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset, and requires extensive data collection and analysis, culminating in a professional presentation

Program Faculty








Companies We've Worked With

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Hear from our Alumni

Valerio Vincenzo Coronella
Valerio Vincenzo Coronella'22, Global Business Development (MS)The faculty has been amazing, I had awesome professors and mentors who truly inspired me...
Anderson Devoglio
Anderson Devoglio'23, Global Business Development (MS)...This experience was straightforward and practical, providing us with real skills...
Dinny Tri Wiranti
Dinny Tri Wiranti'23, Global Business Development (MS)It’s a perfect one-year track, packed with all the knowledge needed in International Business.

San Diego: A Global Hub

San Diego, the second-largest city in Southern California, is a thriving global business center renowned for industries such as life sciences, biotech, medical devices, and cybersecurity. Situated near the Mexican border, it serves as a dynamic hub within the Cali-Baja mega-region, attracting foreign direct investment and top talent. With its stunning beaches, proximity to ski resorts, and vibrant cosmopolitan culture, San Diego offers an unparalleled lifestyle. San Diego State University, the city's largest university, boasts a 125-year (2022) legacy of excellence in education, research, and service. The university's Fowler College of Business (FCB) has a strong tradition of providing top-quality international business education, with its undergraduate program ranked #4 among U.S. public universities by U.S. News & World Report (2021). FCB also hosts the Wendy Gillespie Center for Advancing Global Business, designated as a National Center of Excellence since 1989, further enhancing the university's global reputation.

FAQ

MSGBD students have access to a variety of job opportunities across different industries. Roles range from executives and associates within sales, marketing, and business development, to consultants, analysts, and managerial positions.

Eligibility criteria typically encompass a combination of factors such as GPA, work experience, and academic coursework. On average, a GPA of 3.0 or above is preferred. Both business and non-business undergrad majors are considered eligible for the program.

The MSGBD program hosts its own graduation, for MSGBD students only, independent from the university ceremony. MSGBD cohort graduates in August.

No, students are expected to cover their plane ticket and in-country expenses for about 5 days. In the past, project clients offset some of the expenses for the participating students; however, this cannot be guaranteed for each project. Please reach out to the Program Advisor, Dr. Martina Musteen for details.

For additional questions, please contact, Dr. Martina Musteen, [email protected].