California Institute of Advanced Management

California Institute of Advanced Management (CIAM) was founded in 2011 by Dr. William A. Cohen, a retired Air Force general and now the honorary president, and Ms. Jeanne Ta. CIAM’s educational philosophy is deeply influenced by the theory of management master Peter Drucker , and it is committed to cultivating responsible leaders with a global perspective through classroom education and practice.

Based in Los Angeles, California, CIAM is a non-profit graduate business school accredited by WSCUC and ACBSP . It is known for its small class teaching methods and high-quality education, ensuring that education is personalized and interactive. On this basis, the practical courses offered by CIAM are designed to help students adapt to real work environments, which means internships and work experience are integrated into the study plan, allowing international students to obtain CPT legally from the first day of the program in the United States. internship.

California Institute of Management (CIAM) is located in Alhambra, CA, Los Angeles, which is not only well-connected to transportation, but also immersed in a rich cultural atmosphere. It only takes 30 minutes to drive northwest from Los Angeles International Airport to CIAM, and downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) is only 8 miles away. CIAM is surrounded by a famous Chinese community, where a variety of Chinese restaurants gather. After studying intense courses, students often enjoy a hearty Chinese meal in these restaurants. In addition, there are many hotel options near CIAM, and the cost for students from out of town to come to Onsite for classes is relatively low.

General Information

CERTIFICATION AUTHORITY:

  • WSCUC Western Association of Schools and Colleges (the highest accreditation in the United States)
  • ACBSP Accreditation Council for Business Schools
  • Certification from the Ministry of Education of China

CPT CAMPUS:

Alhambra, CA Los Angeles Alhambra

SCHOOL START WINDOW:

6 times a year

MINIMUM ANNUAL TUITION:

$12,000

TYPES OF SCHOOL:

Private Non-profit

MINIMUM ONSITE FREQUENCY:

Once per semester

MINIMUM CPT UPDATE FREQUENCY:

Once per semester

APPLICATION FEE:

$75

School advantages

  • Tuition is low , with monthly expenses of only $1,000, making it cost-effective.
  • The school has a strategic location and convenient commuting. The transportation and accommodation costs for students who come to attend classes from out of town are low.
  • There are 6 admission windows a year , and students can choose the most suitable time to enroll.
  • The school’s overall academic pressure is moderate, and there are no exams or tests.
  • The school has a long history and has the highest level of accreditation .
  • Hybrid teaching, using onsite only once a month .
  • Online classes are recorded and broadcast online, so you can flexibly arrange your own study time.
  • Some credits may be transferred to a new project (up to 6 credits).

Required materials for CIAM application

Material list:

  • Transcript of highest degree
  • Scanned copy of graduation certificate/degree certificate of highest degree
  • Proof of English proficiency (TOEFL/ IELTS/ PTE/ CPE/ Duolingo) – students who have obtained a US degree will automatically be exempted from the language requirement
  • Scanned copy of passport page
  • Latest resume (Resume/CV)
  • Statement of Purpose application essay ( 300-500 words , tell why you want to get this degree) (the school will conduct AI checks on the essay )

CPT POLICY

CPT Summary

Based on Peter Drucker’s management philosophy, CIAM California Institute of Management is committed to cultivating practical personalities. Therefore, CIAM requires students to participate in course-related practical internships during the project process to obtain first-hand, operational professional knowledge. Therefore, international students must use CPT to engage in professional-related work in order to meet graduation requirements.

Earliest start time of CPT

Students who have obtained a degree in the United States or have studied with F1 status for more than 12 months: The earliest start date of CIAM’s CPT is the Program Start Date, which is not the actual start date . It is usually about 20 days earlier than the official start of classes.

Students who have arrived in the United States for the first time or have been in F1 status for less than 12 months: Starting from the third semester, you can apply for CPT and start working.

CPT application time

After being admitted to CIAM, you will receive a guidance email from the school’s DSO on how to apply for CPT. You can start applying for CPT at this time.

CPT Agreement

If your current employer does not sign the CPT Agreement, CIAM will be one of your best options . CIAM does not require the student’s employer to sign the CPT Agreement.

CPT Update

CIAM authorization is usually for one semester . Students can apply for CPT Renew in advance 2-4 weeks before the end of the semester. The steps for CPT Renew are basically the same as those for new CPT application.

CPT application steps

CIAM’s CPT application is relatively simple. There is no CPT Agreement signed by the employer. If the materials are complete, you will usually receive the CPT I-20 in one week.1

THE SCHOOL WILL ISSUE A CPT APPLICATION GUIDE AFTER ADMISSION.

CIAM’s CPT application usually only requires two documents, and students need to be fully prepared:

  • Internship Application Form
  • Employment Letter
    needs to contain the following content:

    • EmployerCompanyLetter head
    • Employer name and address
    • Job Title and detailed Job Description
    • Specific employment start and end times (usually consistent with CPT start and end times)
    • Full-time or Part-time
    • hours worked per week
    • Supervisor’s name, position and contact information

REGISTER FOR THE INT501/INT599 COURSE AND SUBMIT CPT APPLICATION

Students need to register for the INT501/INT599 course and join the Waitlist (successful CPT application will automatically switch from Waitlist to Enrolled).

Send CPT application materials (Internship Application Form and Employment Letter) to Applications@day1cptlighthouse.com

GET THE CPT I20 AND START WORKING ACCORDING TO THE CPT START TIME ON THE I20

After CPT Approved and SEVIS is transferred to Trine, you will receive a new I-20 with CPT Authrization. Please start your work according to the CPT start time above.

Usually CPT approval time is 1-2 weeks.

class schedule

Semester Settings

CIAM California Institute of Management has a total of three semesters a year: Spring, Summer, and Fall. The average semester length is 4 months. In addition to the beginning of each semester, CIAM also has admission windows during the semester, the times are as follows:

  • Spring 2024 – Earliest Admission Date 1/6/2024
  • Spring II 2024 – Earliest Admission Date 2/17/2024
  • Summer 2024 – earliest admission date is 5/4/2024
  • Summer II 2024 – Earliest Admission Date 6/15/2024
  • Fall 2024 – Earliest admission date is 9/7/2024
  • Fall II 2024 – Earliest Admission Date 10/12/2024
Curriculum

International students must take at least 2 courses with 6 credits each semester, and can choose an onsite course and a purely online course . All Onsite courses will be conducted intensively, and there will also be homework on a regular basis. If CPT is required, you need to take an additional 0-credit internship course.

Onsite Policy

Onsite course schools must participate, otherwise they will automatically lose their F1 status .

Starting from 2024, CIAM will concentrate the monthly Onsite courses on one weekend, so students only need to come to school once per semester (Saturday 9AM-9PM and Sunday 9AM-2PM).

CIAM is about 30 minutes away from the airport, and there are many hotels nearby. Friends from out of town can also choose CIAM.

Vacation Policy

After completing the CIAM course for three semesters, you can take one semester off.

However, it should be noted that CPT work is not allowed during the semester when CIAM is on leave .

Other notes
  • Please note that your GPA must be maintained above 3.0 during school, otherwise you will not be able to graduate successfully and your Fulltime CPT may also be terminated.
  • CPT’s 0-credit courses may also have homework, so don’t miss it.

Tuition fees and scholarships

MBA Program Tuition Fee

The CIAM California Institute of Management MBA program for international students is charged by credit, $667 per credit .

  • Tuition per semester (6 credits) $4,000
  • Annual tuition (total 3 semesters) $12,000
  • Total program tuition (6 semesters in total, using CPT) $24,000
Other tuition and fees
  • Application fee: $75 (you can apply through the direct registration platform)
  • STRF fee: $60 (charged by the California Department of Education)
  • Textbook fee: $0 (already covered in tuition, textbooks provided by the school)
  • CPT internship course fee: $100/semester
tryon campus
scholarship
  • President’s Scholarship/Women in Leadership Scholarship (Female students with work experience can apply and need to complete an essay of 300-500 words.)
  • Management as a Liberal Art Scholarship (All students can apply and need to complete an essay of 300-500 words.)
  • Joseph A. Maciarello First Generation Scholarship (First-generation college students can apply. An essay of 300-500 words is required.)
  • Academic Excellence Scholarship (Students with a GPA maintained above 3.8 can apply. Transcripts are required.)
  • Entrepreneurship Scholarship (Entrepreneurs can apply. Relevant certificates must be submitted.)
  • International Scholarship (International students who are new to the United States can apply. Relevant certificates must be submitted)

CPT project details

Master of Business Administration  (MBA)
  • 36 credits, usually completed in 2 years

Program Architecture:

  • Executive Management
  • Project Management
  • Business Analytics

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