Curriculum

MBAE

Program Objectives & Design

The MBA degree is meant to prepare people for positions at the highest levels of organizational management. This requires development of the capacity to analyze both structured and unstructured complex problems, and the implications of proposed solutions, from multiple perspectives.

The curriculum therefore is built around an integrated set of topics that provide tools for addressing organizational problems and formulating strategies. Periodic sessions designated “Integrated Business Problems” feature simulations and other experiential exercises which demand the application of an interdisciplinary approach that draws upon frameworks from a variety of fields such as marketing, finance, decision science and strategy, to devise solutions or develop strategic plans.

You will be part of a small cohort of students, all participating in the same course of study in a way that promotes relationship building and team learning. Classroom-based learning will be supported by reading assignments, class projects and team meetings with classmates. Technologically mediated instruction will also support collaboration and learning.

The Foundation Module and the Completion Module frame the program. The Foundation Module introduces you to the school and its resources, provides some fundamental tools that you will use throughout the program and offers a benchmarking experience to assess both personal strengths and areas for improvement and further growth. This experience also brings the new cohort together in an academic environment that promotes a learning community. The Completion Module requires that the students demonstrate the ability to apply and integrate what they have learned from all of the academic streams.

The Intensive Learning Experiences in the program provide additional opportunities to apply your learning through a variety of simulations and other experiential exercises.

Program Calendar

The program begins on September 26, 2007 with a four day Foundation Module. Subsequent classes meet for eight hours on Saturdays, generally three times a month for 17 months, with no sessions held during July 2008 or August 2008. The program concludes in April 2009 with a four day Completion Module. The total time from start to finish is 19 months. The program also includes five Intensive Learning Experiences that meet on consecutive Fridays and Saturdays for eight hours per day.

Executive Lecture Series

An “Executive Topics” series that features talks by business and other organizational leaders is incorporated into the sessions described in the program calendar above. This networking opportunity allows students to interact with experts on topics of special interest in the current managerial environment.

Curriculum Modules and Content

Course modules are presented in the context of four broadly defined areas: 1) Leading, Managing and Communicating; 2) Finance, Accounting and Economics; 3) Data, Decisions and Operations; and, 4) Ethics, Social Responsibility and Law.

Modules of various duration run throughout the 19 months. The curriculum provides both the fundamental toolkit skills that developing managers can use within their scope of current responsibilities and the strategic focus necessary for effective leadership of an organization.

Topical coverage within each area is summarized below.

Leading, Managing and Communicating

• Leadership and Management
• Communication Strategy
• Strategy and Competitive Advantage
• Business Planning and Entrepreneurship

Finance, Accounting and Economics

• Macroeconomics
• Financial Accounting
• Managerial Finance
• Financial Institutions and Markets
• Venture Capital

Marketing

• Marketing Management
• Business Research
• Marketing Strategy

Data, Decision Modeling and Operations

• Data Analysis
• Decision Modeling
• Management Systems and Processes
• Operations Management
• Supply Chain Management

Ethics, Social Responsibility and Law

• Foundations of Moral Reasoning
• Managerial Misconduct and Criminal Liability
• Employment Practices and Legal Pitfalls
• Products Liability, Safety and Risk Management
• Corporate Governance

A balance of individual and group projects helps students expand their knowledge of various industries.

Program Personalization

Program personalization is available upon completion of the MBAE program. By taking elective courses within the regular MBA program, students can focus their learning in areas that provide the level of specialization necessary for professionals working in a specific field. This includes such areas as marketing, finance, accounting, international business and operations. Students who choose to enroll in such additional courses would pay tuition at the regular MBA rate.