MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MBA)


MBA 501 - ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Prerequisite:

This course explores the theories and concepts managers can apply, on their own or in collaboration with an OD consultant, to drive effective change management initiatives within their departments or organizations. The course examines how to create and enact positive change in business at the systems level by understanding the elements of organizational design as well as theories and models pertinent to organizational change. The course focuses on large-scale OD interventions as well as strategies and tactics managers can employ to plan, enact, and monitor change within their spheres of influence. Topics covered in this course include understanding the fundamentals of organizational design; systems thinking and its impact on the change process; defining OD and the dynamics of change in relationship to organizational culture; exploring core OD values in the content of globalization; various OD interventions used at the individual, group and organizational levels; and key issues managers should weigh to initiate and successfully manage change processes within their organizations.

Credit: 3


MBA 502 - MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS

Prerequisite:

Managerial economics instructs managers on the economic approach to management. This course stresses three areas of management decision making: allocative, controlling behavior, and profit analysis. Central to any organization's functioning is the allocation of resources to competing ends for the purpose of accomplishing a final goal. Managerial economics teaches the logic of this process using the classical optimization vocabulary of resource, constraint, competing ends, accounting prices, economic prices, final goal, and choice. Humans, being a highly social species with a high-level consciousness, want to describe, explain, control, and predict behavior. Any human organization, if it is to be successful, requires behavioral technologies to deal with its own members and outsiders. Managerial economics teaches the rational actor's approach to describing, explaining, controlling, and predicting behavior. Finally, the sine qua non of a capitalistic business is profit. Yet few managers appreciate the constellation of variables that determines it. Managerial economics employs a profit model that allows managers to see the connections among demand, resource prices, technology, quantities of fixed input, a product's price, a firm's capacity utilization rate, and profit. Emphasized throughout this course are reasoning and problem solving skills as opposed to memorization.

Credit: 3


MBA 503 - OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

Prerequisite: MBA 500H Quantitative and Statistical Methods or equivalent

The study of concepts relating to the operations function in both manufacturing and service organizations that is responsible for planning, organizing and controlling resources in order to efficiently and effectively produce goods and provide services and meet the goals of the organization. Quantitative tools of analysis used to support decision making in the various operations management activities will be surveyed, and case analysis will be employed to relate theory to practice.

Credit: 3


MBA 504 - BUSINESS STATISTICS

Prerequisite: MBA 500H Quantitative and Statistical Methods or undergraduate statistics course

Included in this course are the topics of descriptive statistics, sampling procedures, hypotheses testing, statistical quality control charting, confidence limits, analysis of variance, chi-square tests, and simple and multiple regression. These concepts are related to business decisions and form the basis for data analysis and model building encountered in other MBA courses.

Credit: 3


MBA 505 - FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Prerequisite: MBA 500B Accounting, and MBA 500F Finance or equivalent

Financial planning and control for the financial and the nonfinancial executive, including decisions of investment, growth and expansion strategies, dividend policy, and capital structure. Analysis of principles leading to decisions in management of current assets, fixed assets, debt, equity and capital. Emphasis is on decision making based on quantitative analysis.

Credit: 3


MBA 506 - BUSINESS AND SOCIETY

Prerequisite:

A study of the ethical, moral and legal responsibilities of the manager in the business world. Ethical theory as applied to situations will be presented for discussion. General government regulation, whether federal, state, or local laws will be stressed as it relates to the business enterprise. The relationship of the manager and the rights of various stakeholders are identified, with legal theory serving as the basis of such study.

Credit: 3


MBA 507 - MARKETING MANAGEMENT

Prerequisite: MBA 500E Marketing or equivalent

This course deals with proactive marketing topics- strategic market planning, interactive marketing, innovation and creativity, customer satisfaction and research-as well as the more traditional 4Ps of marketing: product, place, price and promotion. Attention is given to the development of conceptual and analytical thinking, oral and written communications, and interpersonal and team management skills.

Credit: 3


MBA 509 - INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Prerequisite:

This course deals with international/global business as an element of operational, functional, and environmental variables and patterns of behavior of the corporation. Intra-corporate research and analysis dealing within the corporation to determine the ability to successfully compete in a foreign market will also be examined. The firm's competitive advantages, anatomy, goals and objectives, internal resources, priorities, and a general framework will be studied. This segment will also examine the techniques of the industry and competitive analysis. Additionally, the course will deal with inter-corporate research and analysis of those variables and conditions outside the control of the firm.

Credit: 3


MBA 510 - ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

Prerequisite: MBA 500A Business Organization or equivalent

A conceptual understanding of the complexities of human behavior human behavior is essential for the success of any manager. This course seeks to enhance student knowledge concerning the behavior of individuals and groups in an organizational setting through the use of research perspective, and to guide the application of conceptual organizational behavior knowledge to managerial problems. The topics covered in the course include learning, perception, job attitudes, work motivation, leadership, decision making and various group dynamics and processes.

Credit: 3


MBA 511 - MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING

Prerequisite: MBA 500B Accounting or equivalent

The study and evaluation of accounting information relevant to internal management decisions. Topics include cost behavior concepts, product costing, cost-volume-profit analysis, budgeting, variance analysis, and performance measurement.

Credit: 3


MBA 513 - MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Prerequisite:

A Management Information System (MIS) is a set of systems and activities used to provide managers with information needed to support planning and decision making. Effective and efficient use of a firm's information resources are facilitated by computer-based storage, manipulation, retrieval, analysis, and presentation of relevant information in a timely fashion. This courses provides a basic perspective on the design, development, implementation, utilization, and administration of computer-based information systems. Topics covered include systems analysis and design; decision support systems; artificial intelligence including expert systems, fuzzy logic and neural networks; end-user computing; telecommunications including the internet; and the application of information systems to a firm's competitive strategy.

Credit: 3


MBA 514 - SPECIAL TOPICS IN BUSINESS

Prerequisite:

This course will explore an area of interest to the student that is current and builds upon an existing course in the program. Topics of offerings may include, but are not limited to, leadership, emerging markets in the global arena, human resource issues, information management, e- commerce, entrepreneurship, project management, investment and global finance. Any special topics course can be applied as an elective course in Phase III. If a course topic is related to an MBA specialization, a student can petition the appropriate department chair to approve a course substitution for that specialization.

Credit: 3


MBA 516 - MBA SEMINARS

Prerequisite:

The purpose of these seminars is to provide MBA graduates, active students and prospective students the opportunity to broaden their knowledge of current issues in business. These courses will be presented in seminar format, such as all day Friday and Saturday morning sessions, taught by educators as well as business professionals. Some seminars may feature a keynote speaker at either a luncheon or dinner included in the seminar. The prerequisites required for a specified seminar would depend upon the detail and rigor of the topic. Students may apply credit from a maximum of three of these seminars as a substitution for only one MBA course.

Credit: 1


MBA 517 - STRATEGIC PLANNING AND POLICY

Prerequisite: Twenty-four (24) semester hours of business core courses

The capstone course stresses how to implement contemporary tools and techniques successfully in developing strategic initiatives for an organization. The student will learn the importance of the strategic management process and its value in creating competitive advantage. The course will demonstrate how high-performing enterprises often initiate and lead trailblazing strategies in their industry. Also the capstone course employs the functional areas students learned from previous courses in the MBA program. There is a strong emphasis on utilizing business cases which will help the student to develop strategic offensive and defensive initiatives during their case presentation.

Credit: 3


MBA 525 - DIGITAL MARKETING

Prerequisite:

This course is an examination of the rapidly growing and dynamic space of digital marketing that is often underutilized from a strategic marketing perspective. This course explores the Internet and digital domain in the context of business issues that concern marketers, with an emphasis on understanding digital marketing strategies and current trends.

Credit: 3


MBA 526 - SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Prerequisite: MBA 525

This course is an examination of social media strategies and it effect on the dynamic business industry. The course merges current theory with practical applications as it investigates the role of social media in strategic planning and execution of both marketing and organizational messaging goals.

Credit: 3


MBA 527 - MOBILE MARKETING

Prerequisite: MBA 526

This course is an examination of mobile marketing in a changing environment. This course explores mobile strategies and tactics that shape the marketing of products and services using online and offline marketing.

Credit: 3


MBA 530 - FOUNDATIONS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Prerequisite:

This course provides an overview of the methods and processes of modern project management. Topics covered include project scope, time, cost, risk, communications, quality, human resource, integration, and procurement management. It will also cover common project management tools like precedence diagramming, developing a work break- down structure, risk analysis, and earned value analysis.

Credit: 3


MBA 531 - INCREASING ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Prerequisite:

This course provides an overview of the strategies and tools necessary for the development of effective, long-lasting organizational capacity in project management. Topics covered include project management, skill development, related skills, and organizational arrangements for effective project management, organizational learning, project management communities of practice, effective processes and tools for project management, and building the business case for project management initiatives.

Credit: 3


MBA 533 - ADVANCED TOPICS IN COMMUNICATIONS FOR PROJECT MANAGERS

Prerequisite:

This course introduces students to advanced communications methods and techniques of use to project managers. It explores the challenges of communications, including requirements definition and conflict management, in the project context and allows students to develop skills that they can use as they manage their projects. Topics covered include communications models, conflict models, positional versus interest- based conflict management methods, and the application of conflict management tools and techniques.

Credit: 3


MBA 535 - SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN

Prerequisite:

This course is designed for those who want to equip themselves with business systems analysis and design skills, which is a specific category of information systems dealing with methodologies and procedures to analysis business needs in evaluation existing and proposed systems. The course will examine the life cycle of an information system from initial business problem through system development, implementation, and maintenance. Students will follow the development of various systems stems through the use of select business cases. This course will address issues important to managers when considering the big picture of providing the right information to the right person in the right format at the right time.

Credit: 3


MBA 540 - ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INTRAPRENEURSHIP

Prerequisite:

A study in creating and /or expanding your own business as an entrepreneur. To succeed as an entrepreneur, the student will investigate the basic elements of entrepreneurship, including the foundations of entrepreneurship, sources of funding the business, acquisition practices in practices in purchasing an existing business, and understanding the essential components of a business plan. Entrepreneurship foundations will examine how corporate managers may capture the initiative in trying new ideas and developing internal markets for their business organization.

Credit: 3


MBA 541 - BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS

Prerequisite:

This course will examine business information systems as they relate to small businesses. It will examine the various cycles of a small business- revenue cycle, purchase cycle, human resources, financial statement preparation, and the information which needs to be obtained to accurately report on these cycles. This course will identify the core concepts of small business information systems and the information requirements which should be included in those systems.

Credit: 3


MBA 542 - BUSINESS TAX PLANNING

Prerequisite:

A study of federal income tax law applied to various business entities, including sole proprietorships, C corporations, S corporations and partnerships, as well as to individual business owners.

Credit: 3


MBA 543 - ENTREPRENEURIAL LAW

Prerequisite:

This course will study the legal implications involved in the creation or acquisition of a business opportunity. Topics will include contractual arrangements, employment agreements, entity selection and tax implications thereof, liability for the owner/operator, and business continuation/termination. This course will integrate the legal considerations into a structured business plan.

Credit: 3


MBA 544 - SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Prerequisite:

Management theory generally considers the application of organizational strategies and tactics from a macro point of view. Complications arise in applying many theories to the small venture, where capital, labor, marketing, and many other traits of a smaller business present different perspectives. With limited resources, the small business manager/owner must be able to sustain performance, grow and broaden its mix of goods and services and develop management and leadership styles commensurate with the pace of the opportunity.

Credit: 3


MBA 545 - BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AND DATA ANALYTICS

Prerequisite:

In today's competitive environment it has become imperative for business to analyze, understand, and interpret Big Data. This course is designed for those who want to equip themselves with business analytical and intelligence (BI) skills, which is a broad category of analytical techniques, technologies, and applications for gathering, storing, accessing, and analyzing data to help users make better business decisions. Business Intelligence requires foundation knowledge of data storage and retrieval. For this, the course also covers fundamentals of database management in terms of data modeling, the entity relationship model, and Structured Query Language (SQL). The course will also address ethical issues and considerations in management of data. Although several commercial and open-source tools used for data analytics will be examined, the primary concepts will be illustrated using SAS Enterprise Miner.

Credit: 3


MBA 546 - BUSINESS ANALYTICS I

Prerequisite:

Business Analytics 1 teaches the basic skills, applications, and practices necessary for continuous exploration and investigation of organizational data. Based on statistical methods, business analytics searches for new insights and understanding of organizational performance. Business Analytics 1 presents the logical process of conducting statistical analytics project. Topic coverage includes descriptive and inferential statistics. Students are encouraged to analyze data relevant to their job.

Credit: 3


MBA 547 - BUSINESS ANALYTICS II

Prerequisite: MBA 546

Based primarily on multiple regression techniques, Business Analytics 2 searches for new insights and understanding of organizational performance. Business Analytics 2 presents the logical process of conducting a regression project. Topic coverage includes multiple linear regression techniques for quantitative and categorical cross sectional data, logistic regression, diagnostic techniques for detection of violations of model assumptions with recommended corrective actions, and methods for model selection. Additional topics include dealing with missing data, data reduction techniques, decision tree analysis, neural networks, and data mining. Emphasis is on using computer software to estimate models and reporting on the output from computer software, rather than theoretical statistical properties. Students are encouraged to analyze data related to their job if possible.

Credit: 3


MBA 548 - ANALYTICAL MODELING FOR DECISION MAKING

Prerequisite: MBA 546 or MBA 500H, or equiv.

Analytical modeling is the important tool used in business analytics to improve an organization's ability to enact rational and meaningful management decisions. This class will expose students to the use of optimization and simulation models to assist in decision-making in a variety of business applications, including production, logistics, marketing, accounting and finance. Topics covered include linear/nonlinear optimization, simulation, and decision analysis. A strong emphasis on case studies and experiential learning will be used throughout the course, in order to give students practical experience with the tools. Students will develop and apply optimization and emulation models using Microsoft Excel and Excel's add-in, solver.

Credit: 3


MBA 550 - FUNDAMENTALS OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Prerequisite:

This course is designed to provide an in-depth examination of the issues facing the manager and his or her employees. Through text readings, case studies, experiential exercises, internet activities and research, MBA students will learn to integrate theory and application in managing Human Resources effectively in their organization.

Credit: 3


MBA 551 - LABOR RELATIONS AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

Prerequisite:

This course surveys the current field of employee-employer relations, with particular attention to union-management relations. It provides a historical perspective of the social, economic and legal factors influencing the development of unions and union-management relationships. The primary focus is the current legal framework and organizational collective bargaining in the United States. The bargaining process and negotiations are explored in the private and the public sector. The course examines many aspects of unions and the process of certifying and decertifying unions.

Credit: 3


MBA 552 - TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Prerequisite:

This course is designed to familiarize you with the roles and practices of training and development in organizations. The overarching objective is to enable each student to learn how to assess, develop, execute and evaluate a training program. To reach this objective, we will review academic and practitioner oriented research in the field of training and development. This would include some basic concepts of training such as motivation and learning theory, needs assessment and evaluation of training programs. Different types of training programs will be examined, including orientation, skills training, team building, management development, organizational development, and multi- cultural and diversity training.

Credit: 3


MBA 553 - COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Prerequisite:

This course surveys both the theories behind employee reward, including basic compensation and the basis therefore, as well as additional employee benefits provided by the company. Developing an effective and efficient system of compensation for labor and benefits created should be a principal goal of the cost-conscious organization. Consideration is made for discriminatory pay that may significantly play into the manager's response to wage concerns. The course examines both processes of employee performance appraisal and administration of benefits.

Credit: 3


MBA 560 - INVESTMENTS

Prerequisite:

This course is designed to improve students understanding of the fundamentals of money and capital markets and how it relates to personal investing. During this course we will discuss stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. Students will gain a better understanding of equity and income security pricing models. Construction of an investment portfolio will also be developed. This course will require students to develop their own investment strategies through the management of a group of investments.

Credit: 3


MBA 561 - EMERGING FINANCIAL MARKETS

Prerequisite:

This course focuses on the characteristics of financial markets, instruments, and practices in transition economies where economic liberalization and financial deregulation have recently been implemented as a strategic response to globalization.

Credit: 3


MBA 562 - GLOBAL FINANCE

Prerequisite:

This course focuses on the risks involved in financial operations in a global setting and identifies the techniques required in measuring and minimizing those risks. Topics in multinational finance, foreign exchange, risk management and financing the foreign operations are emphasized.

Credit: 3


MBA 564 - FINANCIAL MARKETS TOUR (CHICAGO OR NEW YORK CITY)

Prerequisite:

This course is to help the MBA student understand the different vehicles and instruments available for the investor and how they are traded, purchased and sold, in the market place. It is designed to emphasize the institutions that create markets for investment purpose. This course will culminate in a tour to Chicago/New York to visit financial districts.

Credit: 3


MBA 567 - MULTINATIONAL MANAGEMENT

Prerequisite:

This course focuses on management tasks confronting managers operating in a transnational environment presented from an operational perspective, alternatives for overall corporate policy and development of a global strategy.

Credit: 3


MBA 568 - INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STUDY TOUR

Prerequisite:

This course integrates class theory with practical observation of the global market activity today's manager may experience. Students will have an opportunity to visit and interact with foreign business managers, financial markets, government representatives and other cultural events that will provide the student with a better understanding of the intricacies when working in an international setting. This course may be repeated for credit for different study tours at different destinations.

Credit: 3


MBA 570 - SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

Prerequisite:

This course will introduce the student to the fundamentals of Supply Chain Management systems. The student will demonstrate knowledge in topics such as purchasing, logistics, operations, and system development.

Credit: 3


MBA 571 - LOGISTICS AND PROCUREMENT

Prerequisite:

This course will introduce the student to the basic principles of Logistics and Procurement. The course will focus on information, warehousing, and transportation mode requirements necessary for the development of a comprehensive logistics system. It will introduce the student to the basic principles of Procurement by focusing on the purchasing process and structure, as well as, supplier evaluation.

Credit: 3


MBA 572 - SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGY

Prerequisite:

This course will introduce the student to the basic principles of Supply Chain Strategy. The course will focus on the integration of the warehousing, inventory, and transportation requirements to form an operational Supply Chain Strategy.

Credit: 3


MBA 575 - THE HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATION

Prerequisite: None

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the health care system in the United States by examining the various components that collectively define the health care industry. The course will enable the student to develop a global understanding of health care management and leadership.

Credit: 3


MBA 577 - MANAGING THE HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATION-THE FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE

Prerequisite: MBA 575 or permission

This course provides the student with a set of strategies and techniques from managerial finance and economics that can be applied to financial and operational problems in the health care industry.

Credit: 3


MBA 579 - IMPROVING THE HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATION

Prerequisite: MBA 575 or permission

This course focuses on the application of business analytics, informatics, performance and quality improvement in the health care sector with the goal of integrating each of the factors into the overall improvement of a health care organization.

Credit: 3


MBA 601 - INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECT

Prerequisite:

The primary intention of this project is to integrate the student's educational experience with a practical issue worthy of examination. Thus, the student is encouraged to research matters relating to his or her own business or employment area. The first and foremost purpose is one of learning; any resulting benefit, economic or otherwise, will be secondary.

Credit: 3


MBA 602 - INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECT

Prerequisite:

The primary intention of this project is to integrate the student's educational experience with a practical issue worthy of examination. Thus, the student is encouraged to research matters relating to his or her own business or employment area. The first and foremost purpose is one of learning; any resulting benefit, economic or otherwise, will be secondary.

Credit: 3