On-Campus MBA Curriculum

This course provides an introduction to Business Intelligence, including the processes, methodologies, infrastructure, and current practices used to transform business data into useful information and support business decision-making.  Business Intelligence requires foundation knowledge in data storage and retrieval, thus this course will review logical data models for both database management systems and data warehouses. Students will learn to extract and manipulate data from these systems and assess security-related issues. Data mining, visualization, and statistical analysis along with reporting options such as management dashboards and balanced scorecards will be covered. (3 Credits)

In this course students will learn to prepare and interpret the three major components of the corporate annual report: the Balance Sheet, the Income Statement, and the Statement of Cash Flows. The underlying accounting model that produces these statements will be critically reviewed; both its strengths and limitations will be evaluated. Additionally the role of popular ratios in forecasting firm profitability, risk, and liquidity are considered. Student will gain this knowledge through homework assignments, discussion questions, and an integrative case analysis. This course is a prerequisite for Financial and Managerial Accounting SCH-MGMT 633. (1 Credit)

This course provides an understanding of the strategic role of Information Technologies (IT) in business; how to successfully integrate IT into the organization; how to manage the challenges associated with conceiving, justifying, implementing and maintaining  IT-based initiatives ; and how to be an active and productive participant in management decisions that involve IT. (3 Credits)

An overview of the concepts and language of financial and managerial accounting that covers how accounting information can be used as an effective tool for communication, monitoring, and resource allocation. Topics include the principles and methodologies underlying financial statements and the inherent limitations of that information. Additional topics include behavior, cost analysis, and tools used to motivate and coordinate business activities. (4 Credits)

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the area of corporate finance and investments. Students will learn about the basic concerns and responsibilities of financial managers, and gain an appreciation of the methods of analysis employed by them. Students will learn both theory and practice of corporate finance and investments. (3 Credits)

This course reviews the foundations of modern economics with an emphasis on its applications in business.  Course coverage includes a range of both microeconomic and macroeconomic subjects.  Topics include demand and supply analysis, consumer theory, theory of the firm, unemployment, inflation, monetary and fiscal policy, economic growth, the causes and consequences of recessions, and issues in global economics. (3 Credits)

This course provides an overview of statistical analysis and inference. The language and methods of statistics are used throughout the MBA curriculum, both in the classroom and in assigned readings. In addition, the language and methods of statistical analysis have permeated much of academic and professional writing as well as media reporting, both inside and beyond the business community. The goal is to present a broad introduction to statistical thinking, concepts, methods, and vocabulary. The course has an emphasis on business applications. (3 Credits)

This course provides an executive viewpoint of marketing concepts, such as branding and segmentation, for strategic and organizational decision-making. There is an emphasis on tools available for analysis and control of marketing activities, including the use of new media. Topics also include industrial life cycles, customer experience, and pricing strategy. (3 Credits)

The goal of this course is to teach leaders what they need to know in order to build high-performance operations with world-class processes of innovation and continuous improvement. We cover the most current methodologies and tools, together with the most important soft skills required, to create efficient and responsive operations that deliver the highest quality services and products. (3 Credits)

Provides an overview of different perspectives and approaches to leadership practice and related organizational behavior topics. Relying on a participative multi-learning approach, the course goes beyond traditional leadership practices to examine empowering leadership approaches for addressing contemporary organizational behavior challenges such as leading teams. The overall objective is to increase students' understanding of and ability to apply contemporary leadership and organizational behavior knowledge in work situations. (3 Credits)

Capstone course requiring application of knowledge and techniques derived from previous courses. Course presents strategic management theories and frameworks, uses integrative cases, and leverages empirical observations to guide students in the formulation of successful firm-level strategies. (3 Credits)

Overview of human resource management theory and practice in organizations. Legal framework; job design; recruitment, selection, performance appraisal, and separation; compensation; benefits; contemporary issues in HRM. (3 Credits)

The risk management concept and the associated insurance-related financing tools. Emphasis on the corporate risk handling function from a financial perspective. The insurance industry, pertinent trends, and the products offered.

The objective of this course is to provide an in-depth overview of alternative assets, alternative investments strategies, options theory, real-life examples, hands-on modeling, the use of financial data, and in-depth business applications projects with real project sponsors. Students will construct asset-allocation and risk management models and provide investment recommendations for hedge funds, investment banks, investment companies, pension funds, insurers, and start-ups. (3 Credits)

This course introduces risk management practices used to measure and manage risk of financial firms. The course will explore interest rate risk, market risk, currency risk, and credit risk.

This course is designed to bring together concepts from Business Strategy and from traditional investments courses-in order to develop the thinking and techniques behind what is called "value investing."  Unlike traditional investments curriculum, however, the emphasis here will be on individual company analysis and stock portfolio construction. That is, although understanding market dynamics remains important, we will mostly look at the capital markets from the vantage point of investors evaluating the investment prospects of one company at a time.  In all, the course will develop concepts that help understand how and why stock prices fluctuate-or behave-so badly, and how careful individuals and companies ought to navigate through wildly unpredictable financial markets. In order to develop useful concepts and ways of thinking about the financial markets, therefore, this course will go beyond the textbook to practices, principles, and methods of investing as suggested by such value investing greats as Ben Graham, Phil Fisher, Warren Buffet, and Charlie Munger. (3 Credits)

This course covers the unique challenges and prospective solutions associated with humanitarian logistics in emergency mitigation and preparedness, disaster response, and recovery.  The course overviews the similarities and the differences between commercial supply chains and humanitarian relief chains, introduces performance metrics, and provides tools for the analysis and design of supply chains for humanitarian critical needs products, as well as for the coordination and learning of humanitarian organizations.  It also covers such major issues as material convergence and earmarked financial funds for disasters. Guest speakers, who are experts in emergency preparedness, humanitarian healthcare, and advanced communications, will provide additional in-depth knowledge and practitioner-based experiences to support the lectures, textbook, primary source reading materials, including journal articles, case studies, newspaper articles, and videos in the course. (3 Credits)

This course will be divided into two sections with a thread of sustainability-oriented innovation running throughout the semester. First, we will learn the basics of Systems Thinking, applying the issue of climate change to the process of mapping the system and learning opportunities for leverage. Next, students will be introduced to Biomimicry and Green Chemistry, both of which are needed in a truly sustainable nature-inspired innovation. The Biomimicry Institute runs an annual design challenge supplying a comprehensive toolbox to those who participate in the challenge. We will use the tools to work through our own sustainable product innovation. As part of their requirements, the Business Model Canvas is the recommended tool to bring the idea to market. (3 Credits)

This course provides an introduction to programming with a focus on business and analytics applications. The curriculum supports the development of skills in data extraction and manipulation as well as automating data analysis tasks. Students will become adept in the use of important libraries and will be able to use trusted open-source resources to support continued development of programming skills. No prior programming experience expected. (3 Credits)

Cybersecurity risk continues to evolve at a rapid pace. It is essential for accounting professionals to have a broad understanding of cybersecurity and how cyber risks affect an organization. It is equally imperative to be able to identify, assess, and evaluate the necessary controls to mitigate the risk of a compromise. This introductory course will teach students how to leverage various types of cybersecurity risk management frameworks to accurately assess an organization's overall cybersecurity maturity. (3 Credits)

The course Negotiation Theory and Practice examines negotiation fundamentals, including the two core strategies of competitive (win-lose) negotiation and integrative (win-win) negotiation.  Course content focuses on negotiation preparation, strategy formulation, determination of goals and objectives, and processes for bringing about a successful settlement.  The course will also explore psychological processes, power dynamics, communications at all stages of negotiation, ethical issues and the challenges of cross-cultural negotiations.  The format of the course will be organized around a series of bargaining simulations and cases that are supported by readings, videos, and cases. (3 Credit)

This course surveys the practical frictions managers encounter when solving problems and getting organizations to do things.  These frictions include ambiguity, imperfect information, politics, and flawed human beings.  In working through a series of difficult cases, drawn from both academic and popular sources, students learn a set of techniques for overcoming these frictions.  Students emerge with a broader appreciation for the general manager's job, and with the ability to avoid getting stuck on issues which can otherwise fluster junior executives. (3 Credits)

The most challenging decisions that business leaders have to make often require particular attention to core values and ethics.  These situations can be triggered by a government investigation, ambiguous clinical trial results or product safety concerns.  Others may involve a potential employee termination.  In each case, the leader must understand the facts, grapple with nuances and consider the deeper dimensions of the required action. Playing the role of CEO, board chair or other decision-maker, students in this seminar will examine dilemmas that test a company's core values and ethics.  Using case studies drawn from today's hyperconnected business environment, students will weigh the interests of corporate stakeholders while taking into account issues of transparency, fairness and trust.  They will assess who to consult, what to disclose and when to act.  And students will look deeper to consider how values-based behavior can be a source of inspiration, excellence and competitive advantage. (3 Credits)

This course provides an introduction to topics in managerial data mining, and related data retrieval and manipulation content. Models in regression, clustering, neural nets, classification, and association rule mining are applied to business data sets. In this managerially-focused course, students will learn how to use such models and interpret output. Students will also be introduced to a programming language for extraction and manipulation of data. Experiential exercises will be assigned using leading industry applications. (3 Credits)

This course provides an introduction to topics in managerial data mining, and related data retrieval and manipulation content. Models in regression, clustering, neural nets, classification, and association rule mining are applied to business data sets. In this managerially-focused course, students will learn how to use such models and interpret output. Students will also be introduced to a programming language for extraction and manipulation of data. Experiential exercises will be assigned using leading industry applications. (3 Credits)

This course explores issues in emerging best practices for operating a business in the online environments of today. We will review various digital marketing efforts which generate web traffic (SEO and organic search vs. paid adverting venues, i.e. Google Adwords).  Specifically, this course will explore the collection, measurement and analysis of Internet information for the purposes of improving the customer online experience.  Use of a demo Google Analytics (GA) account will provide a practical and applied learning environment.   Student will work through the analytics reports available in GA and create user specific dashboards.  Students will be able to plan, execute and manage a web analytics strategy, including key performance indicators and a measurement plan.  No previous programming or technical skills are required. (3 Credits)

Commercial properties occupied by a business for its operations across office, industrial, logistics, and data centers.  This course will provide an overview of the practice and execution of Corporate Real Estate including strategic planning, transaction management, capital markets, construction project management, facilities management and lease administration. Topics will include occupancy planning and trends, co-working, site selection, outsource partners, financing, own vs. lease decisions, sustainability and LEED, and portfolio management. (3 Credits)

n/a (3-6 Credits)

Course will address the needs of students considering starting their own business or purchasing and managing a business or franchise. Areas to be covered during the class are as follows: Idea generation ? differentiate or die; discuss the importance of ?differentiation? and why most new businesses underestimate this critical concept.  Choosing the appropriate business structure: Limited Liability Company, Subchapter C Corporation, Subchapter S Corporation.  Developing the business plan: gathering and preparing the proper information to attract financing.  Funding your business: identifying sources of funding such as Venture Capital, Private Equity, partners, lenders.  Human resources: hiring your first employee, evaluating potential sales people, choosing incentive programs.  Successful marketing strategies: numerous examples of creative and effective marketing decisions propelling companies forward.  Successful sales strategies: numerous examples of tactics designed to get consumers to buy.  Exit strategies: selling to private firms, going public, maintaining partial ownership while remaining in management. (3 Credits)

This course develops skills in prescriptive analytics for business process modeling and optimization. It examines systems where scarce resources must be allocated in a manner that furthers the goal of the decision-maker. It focuses on model building using linear and mixed-integer programming for applications arising in production, logistics, supply chain management, and finance, among others. Innovative modeling techniques, the use of state-of-the-art commercial solvers, and insights into specially-structured models are explored in the context of business and engineering applications. (3 Credits)

Basic concepts of supply chain management such as synchronized information, product and financial flow, channel design and configuration, supplier relationships, internal and external logistics, and inventory deployment and replenishment. Supply chain modeling for the optimization and monitoring of a supply chain, or a segment thereof, using network (mathematical programming) models. (3 Credit)

Examines and evaluates legal problems as they relate to the business environment. Course will deal with areas of law including contracts, agency, ethics, bankruptcy, business organization and other areas of commercial law. (3 Credits)

Modeling and solution of decision problems under uncertainty. Topics include stochastic dynamic programming (Markov decision processes), covering both finite and infinite horizon problems; and stochastic linear/integer programming.  Several computational techniques and applications are presented. (3 Credits)