Online MBA Courses: Core Curriculum

The MBA core curriculum will provide you with a broad-ranging education in business fundamentals through the courses listed below and their areas of concern.

The MBA requires a minimum of 42 credit hours of graduate work. The core courses make up 27 credit hours, including three one credit seminars. The elective courses are nine credit hours and, if taken in a given area, will make up a concentration. The capstone courses are six credit hours, which complete the degree.

Leveling Courses

If you have not earned a baccalaureate degree in business within the past five years, you will be required to enroll in 3 leveling courses. Leveling courses will be waived if you pass a competency exam for these courses. Click on a course name for more information.

• BUS 5000

  Introduction to Economics and Statistical Analysis

  The course uses theory and real world cases to examine the concepts of demand; pricing; the firm; market theory; interaction between markets; and the impact of government policy on macroeconomics outcomes. The students will also learn basic spreadsheet modeling, data analysis techniques, and statistical inference.

• BUS 5100

  Introduction to Accounting and Finance

  This course is as an introduction to accounting and finance fundamentals, financial planning and control and investment and financing strategies. Some of the topics included are financial statements analysis and cash flows, interest rate concepts and the time value of money, financial markets and market efficiency, cost of capital and financial structure.

• BUS 5200

  Introduction to Management and Marketing

  A general introduction to managerial process, business functions, fundamental marketing principles and policies. The first half of the curse will focus on marketing functions and integration of marketing with other activities of the business enterprise. In the second part the focus will be on management activities.

Core Courses (8 core courses @ 3 credits each = 24 credit hours):

• ACCT 6000

  Accounting for Managers
  • Application of financial and managerial accounting principles to the process of planning and controlling activities of an ongoing enterprise.
  • Budgeting as a means for implementing and communicating the planning process.
  • Integration of cost accounting, capital budgeting, and management by objectives into the planning function.
• ECON 6000

  Economics for Business
  • Microeconomic and macroeconomic issues relevant to business managers, such as efficient business decision making and understanding the economic environment in which business enterprises operate.
  • Study of market structures, pricing strategies, cost analysis, monetary and fiscal policies, and the open economy.
  • The progress and interrelatedness of economies of the world at various stages of development.
• FIN 6000

  Financial Management and Strategy
  • Planning, acquisition, use, and management of the resources needed by a business concern.
  • Asset management, capital structure, portfolio management, and risk analysis.
  • Investment decision theory and practice, and quantitative methods for financial analysis.
• MGMT 6000

  Individuals, Group Dynamics & Teams
  • Examines essential aspects of group dynamics and their impact on how teams function.
  • Analyzes situations causing conflict in groups and the hidden dynamics preventing teams from functioning effectively.
  • Solutions to overcome these problems are discussed.
• MGMT 6020

  The Regulatory and Ethical Environment of Business
  • Analyzes business operations along extensive international, ethical, and legal boundaries to understand how the current legal environment, government regulations, and societal ethics impacts and guides business decisions and activities.
  • Examines functional areas of risk management—internally, such as human resources and employment law; and externally, such as contracts, torts, insurance, and property law.
  • Uses contemporary, cutting-edge, local and international case studies to explore multiple perspectives on complex ethical business dilemmas.
• MGMT 6050

  Information Technology and Management
  • A survey of information technologies as they influence the structure and processes of organizations as well as the roles and techniques of management.
  • Focuses on the value of information and how it can enhance efforts in leading and shaping organizations.
  • Studies the many different strategies used to manage IT resources within organizations.
• MS 6000

  Decision Models for Managers
  • Introduces students to multivariate statistical data analysis, forecasting, and Management Science techniques as they apply to managerial decision making.
  • Focuses on decision modeling emphasizing decision analysis, optimization and simulation, and how these procedures improve the overall system performance of organizations.
  • Applications are drawn from within such contexts as production and planning as well as the distribution of goods, services, and information.
• MKTG 6000

  Marketing Strategy for Managers
  • Marketing theory and practice.
  • The marketing mix; the legal environment; pricing strategy; research and analysis; the marketing information system; product/service promotion; distribution channels; consumer behavior; and strategy implementation.

Seminar Courses (3 courses @ 1 credit hour each = 3 credit hours):

• MGMT 6910

  MBA Seminar I: Managerial Communications
  • A seminar that focuses on effective verbal and written presentation techniques for managers.
  • Topics include: do's and don'ts in making effective presentations; how to write a professional report to communicate ideas and articulate policies, processes and practices.
• MGMT 6920

  MBA Seminar II: An Integrated Approach to Global Trade
  • Assesses students' understanding of the knowledge, skills and attributes obtained in the core courses.
  • Through in-class activities and out-of-class integrative assignments, students will have opportunities to deal with various situational scenarios.
  • Issues related to exporting, importing, franchising, licensing and direct overseas investment will be addressed.
• MGMT 6930

  MBA Seminar III: Leadership
  • A survey of various leadership styles (structural, political, symbolic, human resource), exploring the effectiveness of each through real-world examples.
  • Types of leadership styles used by business leaders when facing challenges will be discussed.

Concentrations/Electives (3 courses @ 3 credit hours each = 9 credit hours):

To earn a concentration, the student must successfully complete nine semester hours from the identified list. Those who do not desire a concentration may choose any three classes (9 semester hours) from the 6000-level courses listed.

For a listing of available courses, click here.

Capstone Courses (2 seminar courses @ 3 credits each = 6 credit hours):

• MGMT 7001

  Strategic Management I
  • A critical overview of planning, policy formulation, strategy evaluation techniques, methods of strategy development within various types of organizations, and the economic, social, political, technological, and environmental conditions that influence and impact these strategies.
  • In addition, an analysis of competitive capabilities, personnel resources, and customer attitudes will be taken into consideration in the development part of the students' business plan.
  • The development of this plan for a specific organization forms the basis for applying the various course components, while its implementation becomes the basis for the Strategic Management II course.
• MGMT 7002

  Strategic Management II
  • Empowers students with the knowledge and experience they need to identify areas of potential failure within business plans, especially during the implementation phase.
  • Requires students to design action plans that enable the successful implementation of a business plan inside and outside of an organization.
  • Students are also required to make a written and verbal presentation of their plans to the class, and then, possibly, to the specific organization itself.