Academic Catalog

Master of Business Admin. (MBA)

MBA 601 Economic Theory3 cr

Introduces and reviews macro and micro economic concepts, theoretical foundations and management tools that build toward real-world application of basic economic principles and decision making.

MBA 602 Management3 cr

Examines the principles and concepts of managing organizations and their application to various techniques and strategies for managing and leading organizations. Uses analytical tools for assessing management programs and policies.

MBA 604 Statistics for Managers3 cr

Statistical methods and theories used in solving business problems. Present, summarize and analyze data as an aid to managerial decision making. A study of descriptive statistics, application of probability models, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, and regression analysis as they apply to business and management problems.

MBA 606 Marketing3 cr

Examines the fundamental concepts of marketing and their application in understanding consumer behavior, conducting customer and competitor analysis, developing new products, branding and brand extension, pricing, designing distribution channels, and managing marketing-mix activities.

MBA 608 Accounting3 cr

Blends and combines the fundamental principles and methods of both financial and managerial accounting. Introduces the guidelines underlying the construction of basic financial statements (income statement, balance sheet, statement of cash flows). Examines the determination of costs and pricing of products and services, assessment of profitability, and monitoring of costs and profits.

MBA 610 Independent Study in Graduate Business1-3 cr

Allows students to further specialize and focus their interests in their graduate program. In consultation with a faculty sponsor, a student develops a proposal for a paper or project related to a topic of their interest. Upon approval, students will be enrolled in 1-3 credits depending on the scope of the study. Independent study credits can only be used toward the 9 elective credits in the MBA program, and cannot duplicate content found in existing core and elective courses.

Prerequisite: 12 credits of MBA completed, department approval  
Repeatable: Maximum of 9 credits  
MBA 615 Crisis Management3 cr

Examines leadership, cooperation, and conflict in times of crisis. An emphasis is place on understanding the key dynamics that influence the way that decision makers perceive and respond to crises as well as the organizational and inter-organizational dynamics that impact crisis management. Students will have an interactive experience and a realistic understanding of the limitations and opportunities that arise in high-pressure crisis management situations.

Prerequisite: Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution  
MBA 620 Accounting Systems3 cr

Studies how accounting information is recorded and summarized using double-entry recordkeeping, first manually and then using a commercial accounting software package. Students will be introduced to the design, operation and management of computerized accounting information systems, and will develop an understanding of how accounting systems serve the other management informational needs of a business.

Prerequisite: BADM 224 or MBA 608  
MBA 640 Financial Management & Policies3 cr

Examines the principles and framework for corporate financial management decisions. Explores the valuation, investment, and financing of a company and its business activities. Includes short-term and long-term financial management policy decisions; maximizing shareholder wealth; investment strategies, financial strategies; and risk management strategies. Computer models for financial decision making will be used along with spreadsheets and statistical software.

Prerequisite: Completion of MBA foundation courses  
MBA 642 Non-Profit Financial Management3 cr

Focuses on financial management in a variety of nonprofit organizations, many relying primarily on donor support through pledges, grants, volunteerism and endowments, and others that rely on revenues generated through the provision of services. Examines issues involved in cash flow management, cost analysis, investment management, the analysis of new programmatic investments, and strategic financial analysis. Covers budgeting, expense control, income measurement, and fundraising practices.

Prerequisite: Completion of MBA foundation courses  
MBA 643 Managerial Economics3 cr

Studies the application of economic theory to decision-making problems in the private and public sectors, including both explicit and implicit constraints imposed by the environment on the decision-maker. Systematic development of the theory of the interaction of consumers, firms and industries; a study of market structure, conduct and performance; and capital budgeting.

Prerequisite: Acceptance into the MBA program  
MBA 645 Financial Strategy3 cr

Focuses on the valuation, investment and financing of a firm, and includes an emphasis on how financial decisions impact the success or failure of a business. Agency theory, strategies for investment, theories of choice and decision making, risk measurement, derivatives, efficient capital markets and value creation, capital structure, merger and acquisition strategies, leasing and international financial strategies are some of the topics to be covered.

Prerequisite: Completion of MBA foundation courses  
MBA 650 Competing in Global Economies & Markets3 cr

Addresses the impact of national and global economic developments on the business environment. The determinants of national income, inflation, interest rates, unemployment rates, business cycles, exchange rates, and foreign investment are discussed, with particular attention to the increasingly important linkages between and U.S. and global economies. The course also examines the effects of U.S. and foreign government policies with respect to taxation, public expenditures, money supply, capital.

Prerequisite: Completion of MBA foundation courses  
MBA 655 Doing Business in China3 cr

Using real-world cases, and working with our academic partners at Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade, this course focuses on the experiences of transnational corporations in managing business in the business environment as it actually exists in today's China.

Prerequisite: Completion of MBA foundation courses  
MBA 660 Managing and Leading3 cr

Examines effective and ineffective leadership, exhibited in a variety of organizations and environments, through historic and modern theory, ethical standards, and legal standards. Readings, case studies, and exercises are used to apply theory and standards. Managing issues of motivation, leadership, job satisfaction, team dynamics, and organizational restructuring are addressed.

Prerequisite: Completion of MBA foundation courses  
MBA 661 Decisions in Operations & Project Management3 cr

Develops an understanding of a portfolio of techniques for operations and project management and their selection and use in appropriate situations. Examines the alternative theoretical perspectives that inform management thinking in this field.

Prerequisite: Completion of MBA foundation courses  
MBA 662 Sustainability and Social Responsibility3 cr

Sustainable business development is designed to create a livable future that will provide balance between economic growth, long-term environmental protection, and social equity. The course examines methods of achieving organizational objectives while positively impacting the physical and social environments in which organizations operate.

Prerequisite: Completion of MBA foundation courses  
MBA 665 Managing Creativity, Innovation, Change3 cr

The managerial tools and skills used to clear paths in order to facilitate change within organizations, and to generate creativity and innovation throughout organizations, are examined through case studies, readings, and exercises.

Prerequisite: Completion of MBA foundation courses  
MBA 666 Managing Information in Organizations3 cr

Explores the nature and place of knowledge in contemporary organizations, paying particular attention to the management of information and data and to the crucial enabling role played by information and communication technology.

Prerequisite: Completion of MBA foundation courses  
MBA 667 Managing Financial Institutions3 cr

Provides students with an understanding of financial institution risks, while helping them develop skills in analyzing both financial statements and performance. It will introduce and apply measures of bank risk-adjusted return, extending previous understanding of hedging with futures, options, and swaps. The student will develop skills in analyzing commercial and consumer loan requests and increase 'banking sense' and depth of understanding of current financial institutions.

Prerequisite: Completion of MBA foundation courses  
MBA 668 Health Sector Management3 cr

Provides knowledge and skills needed to develop and implement systems capable of delivering accessible, high quality, efficient health care services. It will draw upon relevant information from disciplinary areas and application areas of study including strategy, operations, marketing, finance, law, human resources, quality improvement, and information technology.

Prerequisite: Completion of MBA foundation courses  
MBA 680 Marketing Strategies3 cr

Examines the marketing management decision process, with particular emphasis on market opportunity analysis, strategy development, product planning, pricing, distribution, promotional strategy, and the integration of marketing mix variables with segmentation and targeting decisions.

Prerequisite: Completion of MBA foundation courses  
MBA 690 Strategic Management of Organizations3 cr

Introduces the concept of strategic management through case analyses involving the basic direction and goals of an organization; the social, political, technological, economic, and global environment; the industry and market structure; and the organization's strengths and weaknesses. The emphasis is on the development and successful implementation of strategy in different types of firms. This course serves as the capstone course for the MBA.

Prerequisite: Completion of MBA 660, MBA 640, MBA 680, MBA 661  
MBA 695 Special Topics in Business1-3 cr

Studies a specific topic in a field of organizational management such as accounting, marketing, management, finance, or policy. Emphasis will be on current issues of importance in organizational management or specific areas of student interest or faculty expertise. Content will be identified by subtitle.

Prerequisite: Completion of MBA foundation courses  
Repeatable: Unlimited Credits