Paul Merage School of Business


The Paul Merage School of Business is the business school at the University of California, Irvine. The business school is housed in two buildings located on the eastern side of the UC Irvine campus, which is often ranked among the safest large campuses in the United States. It is one of the university's 14 academic units. In addition to an undergraduate Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, the school offers graduate degree programs that include full-time, part-time and executive Master of Business Administration, Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Accountancy, Master of Science in Biotechnology Management, Master in Management, Master of Finance, full- and part-time Master of Science in Business Analytics, and Master of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The school's Leadership Development Institute also offers certificate programs.

Leadership

Ian O. Williamson has served as dean of the Merage School since January 1, 2021.
The following individuals have served as dean of the Merage School:
  • Richard C. Snyder
  • George W. Brown
  • Lyman Porter
  • Newt Marguiles
  • Dennis J. Aigner
  • David H. Blake
  • Jone L. Pearce
  • Andrew J. Policano
  • Rajeev Tyagi
  • Eric Spangenberg
  • Ian O. Williamson

History

The school originated as the Graduate School of Administration in 1965, offering graduate degrees in Master of Science in Administration, Master of Public Administration, and Master of Business and Public Administration. In 1981, the school changed its name to the Graduate School of Management and offered its Master of Business Administration degree. In 1987, the school earned its accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business accreditation, which it has continuously maintained. In 1997, U.S. News & World Report ranked the Merage School within the top 50 business schools for the first time. In 2005, the Graduate School of Management officially changed its name to the Paul Merage School of Business after entrepreneur and Orange County philanthropist Paul Merage donated $30 million to the school. In the same year, the alumni network reached 5,000.
In 2007, the school announced that it would offer undergraduate courses starting in fall 2008.
In January 2015, the school opened its new Platinum-level LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified building. The 78,000-square-foot Merage School building serves as home to a high-tech 300-seat auditorium, several of the Merage School’s Centers of Excellence, a Charles Schwab Trading and Technology Lab, and a 70-seat Lyman W. Porter Colloquia Room & Executive Terrace. Other features include 70-seat and 90-seat case-study classrooms, a multi-purpose classroom and 20 small group study rooms providing new student learning opportunities, faculty research, community engagement, and facilities and grounds.

Academic programs

The Merage School offers numerous degree and certificate programs. Along with classroom learning, the school offers experiential learning and internships hosted by local employers.

Undergraduate program

The school's undergraduate Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration program was ranked #27 in the United States by U.S. News and World Report in 2025.

MBA programs

The school offers the following Master of Business Administration programs:
  • Full-Time MBA
  • Flex MBA
  • Executive MBA

Master's programs

The school confers the follow master's degrees:

Doctoral program

The school offers a Ph.D. in Management. Doctoral alumni have pursued areas of specialization that include accounting, economics, finance, information systems, marketing, operations and decision technologies, organization and management, and strategy.

Leadership Development Institute

The school’s Leadership Development Institute offers specialized programs directed at working professionals. Programs include:
  • Generative AI for Business Application
  • Generative AI Driven Business Transformation
  • Corporate Governance for Human Resource Officers

Centers of Excellence

The school’s Centers of Excellence provide academic programming, resources, and events relating to specific industries. As of 2025, the school hosts six Centers of Excellence:
  • Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
  • Center for Digital Transformation
  • Center for Global Leadership
  • Center for Health Care Management and Policy
  • Todd and Lisa Hallbrook Center for Investment and Wealth Management
  • Center for Real Estate

Notable alumni

As of 2025, the school has 18,577 alumni. Notable alumni include:

Rankings

U.S. News & World Report
  • Full-Time MBA program ranked #43 nationally
  • Part-Time MBA program ranked #23 nationally
  • Undergraduate business program ranked #27 in the United States
Financial Times
  • Full-Time MBA program ranked #27 overall in the United States and #9 among public institutions in the United States
  • Ranked #1 among United States institutions in percentage of women faculty
  • Executive MBA program ranked #19 in the United States
Fortune Magazine
  • Full-Time MBA program ranked #32 in the United States
  • Part-Time MBA program ranked #17 in the United States
  • Executive MBA program ranked #36 in the United States
TFE Times
LinkedIn
  • MBA program ranked #26 in the United States and #77 globally