Dual MBA/MPA Admissions FAQ
Below are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions of our Admissions Team. If you have a question that’s not covered here, please feel free to email us at admissions@presidio.edu or schedule a time to talk with an admission team member.
What degrees does Presidio Graduate School offer?
Presidio Graduate School offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Dual MBA/MPA Degree in Sustainable Solutions, which are delivered via a hybrid schedule. We also offer an online Master of Public Administration (MPA). Sustainability is fully integrated as the foundation of every course with each degree offering.
There are non-degree options in our Continuing Education Certificate Program for Leadership, Marketing & Product Development, Operations, and/or Energy Management.
Lastly, we also offer Climate Change Essentials for All Educators, an online certificate program to provide K-12 educators with the tools and confidence to incorporate climate change education into any classroom, regardless of subject area, grade level, or state requirements.
What does it mean to say that Presidio weaves sustainability into the curriculum?
We take a systematic approach to every issue, which means looking at root causes as well as symptoms. Our students are challenged to make impact assessments for all stakeholders, which includes the environment, evaluating potential outcomes of a business or policy decision even years into the future. We believe in seven-generation thinking, which means we consider generations beyond what our children or grandchildren will encounter in order to be the best ancestors we can be to our loved ones and others’ loved ones.
At Presidio, sustainability is not an elective. Sustainability, or regeneration, is both our foundation and our North Star.
Learn more about our teaching approach and dig a little deeper by reading this blog post: Climate Change in Every Course at Presidio Graduate School.
What type of jobs/industries do Presidio Graduate School alumni pursue after graduation?
Graduates of our MBA, MPA, Dual Degree, and Certificate programs are equipped for a wide variety of roles in for-profit, nonprofit, and governmental organizations. “Sustainability” can be applied to every industry, which is why we both attract and set up students with a diverse range of careers. Our alumni are entrepreneurs, Chief Sustainability Officers, consultants, presidents of nonprofit organizations, elected officials, and more. A search of “Presidio Graduate School” on LinkedIn shows the diversity of careers for our alumni, current students as well as our faculty and staff. We believe we all need to do our part and we all need to work together across industry lines to truly address complex issues for a better future.
Visit our blog, The Presidian, to read about the work that Presidio alums and students are doing to make the world more just and equitable. Our LinkedIn page is another resource highlighting the success of our alumni community.
How do I know if Presidio is the right school for me?
Presidio Graduate School is looking for candidates with unique perspectives who are passionate about being at the forefront of global environmental and social justice movements. Our students are collaborative instead of competitive, which means we’re not interested in who is the best but rather are interested in being the best we can be together. The Presidio Graduate School community actively moves toward practicing what we teach. This is shown through everything from our experiential learning to student activism.
Choosing a graduate program is a personal commitment, and through our high-touch admissions process, we’re here to help you determine if Presidio is the right fit for you. Contact Admissions at (415) 655-8912 or schedule a call.
What is the hybrid low residency course structure like?
Each course is designed to meet in-person once a month over our four-day Thursday through Sunday “Residency.” Full-time students take four classes per term and attend all four days of residency each month, one class per day. These classes run from 9 am-5 pm PST Thursday/Friday with an hour lunch for meetings, activities, and networking then 9 am-5:30 pm PST Saturday/Sunday with an hour and a half lunch. Part-time students take between one to three classes and meet on their designated residency days.
About half of our student body commutes to the Bay Area for our monthly in-person classes. If you would like to be put in touch with a commuter student to hear about their experience of traveling for class, please contact us.
Read more about our flexible learning format.
What happens between the monthly in-person class residencies?
In addition to our monthly residency classes, we have regularly-scheduled live webinar sessions via Zoom each term. These can be lecture series or more interactive learning times. Our in-between residency classes can meet every week or every other week depending on the course. Students also work on individual and group projects using distance learning platforms. Individual classwork is submitted through our academic platform Canvas.
Most of the classwork is completed out of the classroom including readings, assignments, and team meetings. Students also take advantage of this flexible schedule to attend events, industry-relevant conferences, meet with career services, and connect socially.
How many student experiential learning projects will I be a part of during the program?
MBA and Dual Degree students are required to complete three experiential learning projects as part of the degree programs. The courses that currently offer experiential learning are Marketing and Communications for Social Impact, Operations and Supply Chain Management, and Strategy for Sustainability.
What are the faculty like at Presidio Graduate School?
The faculty at Presidio are often practitioners in their fields. This means we have professors who are active consultants, local government officials, or multi-doctorate academics who also teach here and at other institutions around the world. Since Presidio integrates sustainability into every course, our faculty are also committed to making an impact, and to providing our students with the most relevant academic knowledge and an engaging learning environment.
Browse our Faculty to learn about their impressive academic and professional backgrounds.
Do you offer both full-time and part-time enrollment options?
Presidio offers both a full- and part-time schedule to ensure our programs have the flexibility students require. Our programs are rigorous and demanding, so we want to be sure students can still meet their personal and professional obligations while earning their degrees. We’re happy to talk to you and craft a schedule that works best with your needs.
What is the cost to attend?
What type of financial assistance do you offer?
Presidio Graduate School is a nonprofit institution. We strive to keep our tuition and fees accessible for as many as possible to ensure the cost of an advanced degree is not an impediment to achieving future goals. We feel confident in our competitive cost in comparison to other quality sustainability programs.
Degree-seeking students may apply to receive financial assistance through federal financial aid and student loans, scholarships, and matching funds for Post 9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program and Americorp. Please reach out to us to discuss your options.
What are the requirements for applying?
Find out more about our admissions requirements and process here.
Can I visit a class or talk with a student?
Typically, we offer opportunities for you to experience PGS both virtually and in-person each month. While respecting social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, we only offer virtual open houses and virtual class visits. We invite you to review the schedule and register for an upcoming open house or class visit admissions event. You can also request a conversation with a current student or be connected with alumni.
Do you accept international students?
While we hope to in the future, Presidio Graduate School is not accepting international students into our hybrid programs at this time, including the MBA and the Dual Degree programs. Please keep in touch with our Admissions team to learn when we can offer classes to international students.
However, when it comes to our online programs, including the online MPA, we can accept international students.
Do I need to take the GRE or GMAT to apply?
We do not require GRE or GMAT scores to apply. Like many other schools, we do not require standardized test scores as a criterion for admissions.