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 (AACSB) accreditation, which it has continuously maintained.[4] 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 CountyphilanthropistPaul Merage donated $30 million to the school.[5] In the same year, the alumni network reached 5,000. [6][7] In 2007, the school announced that it would offer undergraduate courses starting in fall 2008.[8]
In January 2015, the school opened its new Platinum-level LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified building.[9] 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[10] 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.[11]
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.[12]
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.[15]
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[16]
Center for Real Estate
Notable alumni
As of 2025, the school has 18,577 alumni. Notable alumni include:
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