California Institute of Advanced Management
The California Institute of Advanced Management (CIAM), a nonprofit private university, is conveniently located in Southern California, close to Los Angeles. It is just an hour's drive from LAX, offering superb convenience.
CIAM's MBA program features a Day 1 CPT option, requiring on-site attendance only once per semester. As a smaller business school, CIAM prides itself on offering personalized attention to each of its students.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- About
- CPT Policy
- 🔺On-Site
- 💰Tuition
- ⏱️ Deadlines
- Programs
- Application
About & Accreditation
CIAM, established in 2011 by Dr. William A. Cohen and Ms. Jennie Ta, is a relatively new institution. It was founded to cultivate successful, responsible, and globally oriented leaders grounded in practical experience, using Peter F. Drucker's management theories as a foundation and employing both classroom and online teaching methods.
CIAM, while not as widely recognized as some other Day 1 CPT universities on the West Coast, stands out for its unique offerings. Currently, its focus on a single major has been one of the main reasons for its lesser mention, but this is expected to change within 2024. At CIAM, the commitment to student well-being is evident, making it possibly the only Day 1 CPT university known to provide free lunch to students during their on-site visits. With a reasonable workload, affordable tuition, and a blended approach to classroom instruction and internship training, students genuinely appreciate their educational experience at CIAM.
Accreditation
- WASC - Western Association of Schools and Colleges
- BPPE - Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education
- CHEA - Council for Higher Education Accreditation
- USDOE - The U.S. Department of Education
- ACBSP - Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
Address: 1000 South Fremont Avenue, Alhambra, CA 91803
Day 1 CPT Policy
Who can apply for Day 1 CPT at CIAM?
All students
How long can I use CPT at CIAM?
CIAM's MBA program integrates work experience directly into its curriculum, requiring all students to complete at least one internship course to qualify for graduation. This means, at a minimum, participation in a Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for one semester is mandatory. If you secure a job opportunity that meets the CPT application criteria, you have the option to undertake up to six semesters (two years) of a full-time internship. It's worth noting that if you utilize full-time CPT for more than 11 months, you will not be eligible for Optional Practical Training (OPT) after graduation.
On-Site Requirement
1 / Semester
Day 1 CPT Cost & Application Process
The CPT course is a zero-credit hour course, meaning there is no additional tuition fee for registering for it. Each semester, students have the opportunity to enroll in an Experiential Internship Course for their CPT, authorizing them to engage in CPT work.
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INT501 Experiential Internship Course: Available for the first three semesters, with a maximum of three enrollments. This course is designed to support students in applying time management skills and health and stress management techniques to effectively balance work, school, and life for optimal success.
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INT599 Experiential Internship Course: Available for the last three semesters, with a maximum of three enrollments. This course focuses on integrating the work environment with the academic environment of the MBA program.
Students who have been in F1 status for more than one year are eligible to apply for Day 1 CPT, allowing them to choose INT501 from the first semester. Otherwise, students must wait until the third semester to apply for CPT (choosing INT501).
To apply for CPT, a student must have an Employment Letter from a company, and the start date cannot be in the past. CPT must be renewed each semester.
On-Site Requirement
CIAM implements a hybrid format for its graduate program, detailed as follows:
Program Structure
The graduate program consists of 36 credits, divided over three semesters per year. Each semester, students need to complete 6 credits, equivalent to two courses—one online and one onsite.
Onsite Classes
- Students are required to attend campus once each semester (lasting 4 months).
- Onsite classes are scheduled for Saturdays from 9 am to 9 pm and Sundays from 9 am to 2 pm. (lunch is provided)
- The rest of the coursework is completed online.
Attendance Requirements for F-1 International Students
- Mandatory. Failure to attend will result in expel.
Leave of Absence Policy
- Students who cannot attend an onsite class must request leave in advance and receive approval from the professor.
- Leave from onsite courses is limited to no more than two instances per semester.
Tuition & Scholarship
Tuition & Fees
$667 / Credit Hour =
$4,000 / Semester =
$12,000 / year (3 semesters) =
$24,000 / program (6 semesters)
Other Fees:
- Application Fee (Non-Refundable) - $75 (contact CPTDog to waive the application fee)
- STRF Fee (Non-Refundable) - $60
- Estimated Total Textbook Cost - No Additional Cost
- Estimated Parking Fee - No Additional Cost
- INT/CPT Registration Fee - $50 for each term
- Total Estimated Program Associated Fees - $235
Scholarships
For the 2023-2024 academic year, the California Institute of Advanced Management (CIAM) offers a variety of scholarship options for students. Students with an undergraduate or graduate GPA above 3.8, those with outstanding community service experience, or those with entrepreneurial experience can seek assistance from CPTDog to apply for scholarships of up to $3,000.
The scholarship opportunities for international students include:
- President's Scholarship/Women in Leadership Scholarship: Open to female students with work experience. Applicants must complete an essay of 300-500 words.
- Management as a Liberal Art Scholarship: Available to all students. Requires the completion of an essay of 300-500 words.
- Joseph A. Maciarello First Generation Scholarship: First-generation college students are eligible to apply and must complete an essay of 300-500 words.
- Academic Excellence Scholarship: Students maintaining a GPA of 3.8 or above can apply and must submit their transcripts.
- Entrepreneurship Scholarship: Entrepreneurs are eligible to apply and must provide relevant proof.
- International Scholarship: New international students in the United States can apply and must submit relevant proof.
Program Start Date
Program Start Date
- Summer I 2024 5/4/2024
- Summer II 2024 6/15/2024
- Fall I 2024: 8/31/2024
- Fall II 2024: 10/12/2024
- Spring I 2025: 1/4/2025
- Spring II 2025: 2/15/2025
Every term is open for enrollment.
Application Deadline
- F1 transfer students (F1/OPT/CPT): 4 weeks before the first day of the term.
- Others: 3 months before the first day of the term.
Tuition Due Date
5 working days before the program start date.
Day 1 CPT Programs
How to Apply
Application Requirements
Applicants are recommended to have at least one year of work experience (contact CPTDog to waive this requirement).
- Bachelor's degree.
- International students must meet ESL requirements:
- TOEFL 79+
- IELTS 6.5+
- Duolingo 105+
- ESL requirements can be waived if you have a degree in the U.S. before.
Application Processing Time
usually 2 - 3 weeks. If you are in a hurry, contact CPTDog for an expedited application. We can help you to secure an offer within 2 business days.
Application Process
Step 1: Gather all materials
- Undergraduate diploma, degree certificate, official transcript.
- Application fee of $75
- Personal statement (300-500 words).
- Resume/CV.
- Passport.
- Proof of funds (minimum amount of $30,618; must be issued within 6 months. An additional $4,000 is required for a spouse applying for an F-2 visa, and $3,000 for each child on an F-2 visa. Note: Paystubs cannot replace the proof of funds).
Step 2: Submit Application Online
Use CPTDog's CIAM application portal to upload all your application materials. By using this portal to apply, your $75 will be waived automatically.
Step 3: Admission Interview
Once your application is processed, CIAM's admission officer will arrange a brief interview with you via Zoom. If you have any questions regarding this interview or wish to reschedule, you are welcome to contact us. As
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At CIAM, MBA programs have 3 concentrations:
MBA - Executive Management
MBA - Project Management
MBA - Business Analytics
Core Courses
- ACC501: Accounting For Decision Making
- BUS501: Quantitative Analysis For Decision Making
- DRU502: Innovation And Entrepreneurship Based On Drucker’s Principles
- DRU505: Ethical Leadership
- FIN501: Corporate Finance
- IS501: Management Of Information Systems
- MGT501: Management And Organizational Behavior
- MKT501: Marketing Management
- OPS501: Operations Management
Concentration Courses
Executive Management
- DRU503: Managing One's Self And One's Career Based On Drucker’s Principles
- GB501: Global Business Concepts
- MGT511: Strategic Management
Project Management
- PM501: Project Management Fundamentals
- PM502: Project Management In Practice
- PM503: Organizational Project Management
Business Analytics
- BA501: Database For Business Analytics
- BA502: Applied Probability And Statistics In Data Analytics
- BA503: Advanced Analytics For Business