Graduate Program Master of Business Administration (MBA) Economics

This is an applied course, which will provide students with the mathematical knowledge and skills that underlie many courses offered in the school of business. Students will learn the fundamental concepts and methods of linear algebra, mathematical functions, differential calculus and statistics and their applications to business. They will also sharpen their quantitative, analytical and problem-solving skills that are so important for success in the world of business today.

This course is intended to provide the student with a concisely focused yet rigorous introduction to both micro- and macroeconomic theory needed at the foundational level of a graduate degree program. Some of the topics to be addressed include: market behavior; demand theory and related elasticity concepts; production and cost theory; managerial decision-making in perfectly competitive and imperfectly competitive markets; GDP determination; unemployment and inflation; and fiscal and monetary policy.

This course emphasizes the creation and interpretation of financial statements critical to an understanding of today's economy. Various financial topics related to financial statements are covered. Income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements are explored in-depth giving students an appreciation of how these statements are prepared and the standard accounting rules that apply to their creation.

This course provides a survey of the legal environment of business by looking at legal issues and regulations in a business context. The students assess the impact of business law on organizational decision making for informing strategic legal decisions. The course covers employment law, contracts, tort and product liability, internet law as well as other legal issues affecting the business environment. The students also assess the legal and ethical implications of US companies doing business abroad.

This course focuses on the basics of business by introducing students to business environments in which they focus on the big picture, identify internal and external opportunities for growth, and manage resources. The course will also present students with management techniques to help them stay current and apply creative solutions to problems. Students will be introduced to the programmatic themes of globalization, leadership, team work, and ethics.

Finance is the language of business, and in this course students will take their understanding of finance to the next level by using analytical skills when dealing with financial reporting. Students will apply financial and analytical skills gained in prior coursework, as well as principles of corporate finance, to business decision making. The course covers financial statements and other reports, the basics of financial forecasting and budgeting, and the communications and vocabulary related to financial statements.

The course focuses on personnel management at all levels: individual, team, and internal and external networks. With an emphasis on interpersonal skills, as well as strength-finders, students will learn essential concepts in conflict management, negotiations, and development of creative culture. Students will also learn how to establish productive relationships, motivate people, align teams and individuals to a vision, and drive change.

The course will focus on brand management and how marketing should be approached as a partner in strategic decision making, both internally and externally. Students will study strategic positioning, market opportunities, pricing strategies, market analysis, as well as product differentiation. SWOT analysis and the marketing mix will be covered in a decision making focus, together with the programmatic themes of globalization, leadership, team work and ethics.

This course examines corporate culture and social responsibility, how to build a sustainable business, and how to promote corporate ethics and values. The course also looks at how to deal with group think, diversity and cultural awareness, civic engagement, and how to be at the forefront of using environmental and sustainable practices that have a positive global impact. The course will also examine personal ethics in relationship to corporate ethics, governance, and civic mindedness.

The course is a continuation of MBA 520 Accounting and Financial Analysis and focuses on effective business decisions using quantitative and qualitative data, microeconomic and macroeconomic variables, and internal financial priorities. The students refine operational and investment decision-making skills with respect to organizational sustainability and growth, mergers, debt vs. equity funding and capital markets. In addition, students are exposed to foreign currencies, foreign direct investment (FDI), and international trade.

This course focuses on the macroeconomic aspect of business, including governmental impact (local, national, international), by exploring public policy, regulatory bodies, regulations' impact on business, trends and current politics and their impact on business, power structures, and lobbying.

This course explores essential aspects of project management, the tracking and measurement of key performance indicators (KPI), and the use of current technology to create automation and sustainability. Students have the opportunity to examine technology management and operations management from a strategic perspective, creating a common view into the different layers of a business. In addition, students learn to collect, identify, and determine quality measures and use common methodologies and strategic planning processes.

This capstone course is the culminating experience for the MBA program. The aim of the capstone is to assess students' ability to synthesize and integrate the knowledge and skills they have developed throughout their coursework, rather than introducing new concepts. This course is structured to support student success in fulfilling program requirements.