MBA Graduate Courses

Master of Business Administration

MBA 510
Organization in Society: Legal Environment of Business 3 credits
A study of law and the changing social environment of the work organization. Constitutional protection of individual freedoms. Current legislation. Law by judicial decisions and by administrative agencies. Property rights, consumer protection. Law of organizations.

MBA 512
Statistical Analysis and Models for Decision Making 3 credits
Concepts and techniques of statistical analysis. Probabilities, frequency distributions, sampling, estimation, statistical inference, regression. Analysis of variance, forecasting, time series analysis and other statistical models.

MBA 514
Organizational Behavior:Management and Motivation 3 credits
An introduction to models of individual and group motivation and decision making processes and their implications for effectively leading and managing individuals and groups to achieve superior performance in organizations. Effects of variables such as organizational structures and reward systems on members'satisfaction and performance.

MBA 516
Marketing Management 3 credits
(Prerequisite: ECN 510.) A study of the marketing concept, marketing environment and marketing functions within the context of the operations of a business or organization. Planning, organization, and control of four key elements of marketing: product, price, place and promotion. Consumer behavior, marketing research and multinational marketing concepts.

MBA 518
Financial Management 3 credits
(Prerequisites: ACC 510, ECN 510, MBA 510.) This course emphasizes financial theory and applications. It is intended to develop the students' ability to evaluate the investment and financing decisions of business and social organizations.

MBA 519
Production and Operations Management 3 credits
Prerequisite:MBA 512.) An introduction to the concepts and techniques of modern operations management. Design and structuring of operating systems, production planning, inventory control, material requirements planning, project management. Facilities layout, process and job design. Quality control. Software packages are utilized in the application of these topics.

MBA 520
Modeling and Executive Decision Making 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 512.) An introduction to the process of decision making. Mathematical programming, project management, network analysis, forecasting and simulation as decision support systems.

MBA 521
Personal Development and Social Responsibility: Management Perspectives - 3 credits
This course is a gateway to the MBA program. Topics related to three levels of human systems (person, group, and society) are introduced: personal development, team development, and social responsibility. Topics include personal values and goals, ethics in business, team roles and processes, role of free markets, sustainable growth, global commerce, governance of the firm, transparency, and business-government relations. Service learning is required.

MBA 522
Financial Planning and Administration 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 518.) The case method is applied to financial theory and analytical techniques covering a variety of areas in financial management.

MBA 524
Strategic Marketing 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 516.) Strategic analysis, application and coordination of business and marketing strategies. Market analysis targeting and the formation of an optimal marketing mix. Development of complete marketing programs and positioning strategies in cases and/or projects which represent a wide variety of organizational and marketing situations.

MBA 525
Leadership
Prerequisites: MBA 514
This course addresses the characteristics of contemporary work organizations (flat in structure, team-based in decision making, networked for information sharing and communication, diversified in membership, and global in orientation) and the leadership function. It concentrates on the essential leadership skills of critical thinking, problem solving, written presentation, oral presentation, and behavioral flexibility. For each skill area, individual feedback is given to participants as the basis for personal and career development.

MBA 526
Management of Information Systems 3 credits
(Prerequisite:All pre-core courses.) Comprehensive study of Management Information Systems theory and practice. All phases from long-range or strategic management information systems planning to development and operation (maintenance) addressed from a management point of view. Team effort will be applied to master management skills on a live project assignment. Information services will be studied as a separate topic.

MBA 528
Organizational Behavior:Management Development 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 514.) An in-depth examination of the leadership function within the work organization. Essential skills of effective leaders: goal setting, written and oral presentation and behavioral flexibility. The behavioral dimension and the impact of various skills to explain the necessary leadership role of both technical and non-technical personnel in the work organization.

MBA 529
Organization in Society: The Manager and Social Responsibility 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 514.) The interdependence of the work organization and society. The manager's role and responsibility relative to productivity. Quality participation in work. Governmental relations, energy, pollution and resource policy. Job discrimination, consumerism and the implementation of social policy and social reporting. Each student examines his/her goals and develops an ability to make decisions using ethical criteria and models.

MBA 531
Applied Decision Analysis 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 512.) The management skill of modeling in support of decision making. Assessing uncertainties, risk preference and selecting the best course of action in a management decision making situation. Decision making with prior probability, decision analysis with sampling, incorporating decision preference into models. Single and multi-attribute utility models and risk analysis.

MBA 533
Operations Research 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 512.) Deterministic and stochastic models and their application in business decision making and research.

MBA 535
System Simulation 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 512.) Investigation of computer-based simulation techniques as a tool for analyzing various business, industrial and service organizations.

MBA 537
Systems and Project Management
Prerequisites: MBA 519 and approval of instructor.
As technological integration and product complexity increase, so do new-product introduction lead times. To stay competitive, companies have sought to shorten the development times of new products by managing product development efforts as discrete projects using project management tools. This course provides students with up-to-date project management methods and tools to effectively plan, organize, and control product development processes.

MBA 539
System Dynamics: Managing Complexity
Prerequisites: MBA 514 and approval of instructor
This course introduces students to system dynamics modeling for the analysis of policy and strategy in social systems. Students learn to visualize an organization in terms of the structures and policies that create dynamics and regulate performance.

MBA 538
Advanced topics in Industrial and Operations Management 3 credits
(Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.) Analysis of current problems facing industrial managers. JIT, flexible manufacturing, DSS.

MBA 540
Capital Expenditure Analysis 3 credit
(Prerequisite: MBA 522.) Capital expenditure analysis theory and current practice. The course involves the application of quantitative analysis techniques to the operational aspects of capital budgeting.

MBA 542
Investments 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 522.) An introduction to investment analysis and management from the point of view of capital market theory. Topics covered include: valuation of stocks, bonds, balancing between risk and return, options, futures, theory and evidence of market efficiency, and an introduction to portfolio theory.

MBA 543
Portfolio Management 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 542.) A continuation of the development of MBA 542 with particular emphasis on portfolio construction and portfolio risk control. Development of modern portfolio theory, portfolio construction and administration. The capital asset pricing model, beta, index funds and asset-mix decisions.

MBA 545
Global Financial Management Analysis 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 522.) Financial problems caused by foreign exchange rate variations. International monetary system and basic financial instruments of international transactions. Issues in foreign investment, internal and external financing and financial control in the international corporation.

MBA 546
Management of Financial Institutions 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 522.) An overview of the opportunities and challenges faced by major financial institutions such as banks, savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks and insurance companies. Application of principles and techniques of financial institutional management.

MBA 547
Real Estate 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 522.) Selection, financing and taxation of investments in real property. Types of real estate investments, analysis of risk and rates of return, sources of investment capital and the criteria for the selection of real estate investments and financing sources.

MBA 550
Product Planning and Development 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 524.) Management of new product planning and development as a systematic process. The operational aspect of market demand/need analysis, concept testing and determination of product features. Product-line objectives, environmental competitive factors affecting product strategies and new product adoption processes.

MBA 551
Promotion and Advertising Management 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 524.) A theoretical and practical study of communication strategies in marketing, especially media advertising, corporate advertising and promotional campaigns. The effectiveness of advertising and promotional mix strategies on influencing buyer attitudes and behavior. Media evaluation in relation to media ethics and social responsibility.

MBA 552
Marketing Research 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 524.) A study of marketing research as a process, including preliminary steps and research design, questionnaires, secondary and primary data, sampling, processing and interpreting data, evaluation and effective presentation of findings. Behavioral science aspects of research as well as statistical techniques.

MBA 553
Consumer Behavior 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 524.) Current theories and research on the behavior of consumers studied from the viewpoint of marketing management decisions, planning and research. Consideration of the behavioral science concepts underlying the study of consumer behavior.

MBA 554
Social Marketing and Marketing Ethics 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 524.) Recent developments in marketing ethics, macromarketing theory and codes of marketing conduct. Legal, moral, ethical and social aspects of current marketing strategies in relation to contemporary buyer-seller institutions and government regulation-deregulation frameworks. New macromarketing developments such as social and societal marketing, ecological marketing, negative marketing and consumerism.

MBA 555
Channels Management and Logistics 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 524.) Design, implementation and evaluation of marketing channels. Channel theory, channel member interactions, retail marketing systems, wholesaling, franchising and logistics concepts (transportation, warehousing, location analysis). Pricing issues, regulatory impact and deregulation, particularly in the international markets.

MBA 556
Seminar in Services Marketing 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 524.) An integration of theories pertaining to a new concept of services marketing through an understanding of consumer behavior in the service encounter. Evaluation and selection of target markets, service market development and analysis, quality, price determination and marketing communication. Financial services (banking, insurance, brokerages), transportation, hospitality, travel, restaurants, entertainment, telecommunication, hospitals, religious and teaching institutions and other professional services (including those provided by architects, engineers, legal and accounting).

MBA 557
Sales Management 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 524.) The interrelationship of personal selling and strategic marketing with emphasis on salesmanship, personal selling objectives, and sales/marketing policies. An in-depth analysis of sales force management and techniques of controlling sales effort, including sales budget, territorial quotas, sales and cost analysis.

MBA 558
Global Marketing Management 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 524.) The organization's marketing problems and opportunities as an exporter, licenser or manufacturer in a foreign country. Functions of marketing on an international basis. Differences in cultural, political and economic environments. Integration and coordination of diverse marketing plans into a multinational firm's world-wide marketing strategy.

MBA 559
Comprehensive Marketing and Strategies 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 524.) A capstone course in Marketing which will incorporate other functional areas such as accounting, finance, MIS, personnel and production into designing and evaluating comprehensive marketing policies and strategies. Case studies and optimal marketing strategy mix theories. Current marketing positioning and targeting practices in the industry.

MBA 562
Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship 3 credits
(Prerequisite: Completion of pre-core or permission of instructor.) This course is composed of lectures, case analysis, the development of a business plan by each student and classroom visits by entrepreneurs. Student teams will act as consultants for existing businesses. Key course topics include: developing skills needed to initiate and sustain a business venture, conceptual aspects of building a business, financing alternatives, government regulations, management, customer relations, human resources, and planning. The importance of individual leadership in developing and maintaining innovations in larger organizations will also be addressed. Nonbusiness majors are also welcome to sign up for this class. The focus of the course will vary with each term. The areas of concentration will include: (i) professional services; (ii) international trade; (iii) manufacturing and (iv) family-owned business.

MBA 570
International Business Law 3 credits
The internationalization of business throughout the world has introduced to the American business community the fact that American law no longer is the dominant rule. This course is designed to introduce to the American businessperson the difference in legal systems governing international trades, the different legal rules and restraints imposed by treaty and by the realignment of the world business community, and the various remedies and protections available to the American business community.

MBA 572
Human Resource Management: Personnel Processes 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 514.) A treatment of job analysis. HRM planning, selection, training and development, performance evaluation and compensation processes for the work organization's personnel. Legal and international aspects of HRM.

MBA 574
Human Resource Management: Labor Management Relations in Collective Bargaining 3credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 514.) An analysis of the collective bargaining process, including the history, a conceptual approach to the laws, organizational make-up and process, good-faith bargaining and unfair labor practices. Duty of fair representation and collective-bargaining techniques and practices.

MBA 576
Organization in Society: Critical Issues in Labor 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 514.) Current issues affecting employees as they deal with collective-bargaining processes. A study of past, current and anticipated goals, policies and practices of the U.S. labor movement.

MBA 577
Human Resource Management: Labor Management Relations in Arbitration 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 514.) A practical approach to sound management principles in interpreting and applying employment policy and/or collective bargaining agreements. Review of the management of employee behavior in union and non-union environments. Administration of management personnel policies and/or union-contract settlements, up to and including arbitration from the management perspective. Rules of contract/policy interpretation and rules relating to corrective discipline and the employment-at-will doctrine.

MBA 578
Human Resource Management: Selection, Placement and Training 3 credits
(Prerequisites: MBA 572.) A study of policies, techniques and procedures for the selection, placement and training processes. Special consideration of reliability and validity measures underpinning the various techniques, as well as the problems, considerations and measures associated with the effectiveness of the training process.

MBA 582
Organizational Behavior: Small Group Processes 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 514.) A study of current concepts of interpersonal and small-group behaviors in work organizations. Dyadic relationships, role behavior, formation, structure and functioning of small groups and their impact on organizational decision making.

MBA 584
Organizational Behavior: Organizational Analysis 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 514.) Structural and functional effectiveness of work organizations and their implications for behavioral consequences. Mechanistic vs. organic systems, adherence to classical principles of organization, technology as a base factor. Organizational climate. Technical vs. social foundations of organization.

MBA 585
Organizational Behavior: Organization Development 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 514.) The organization as a complex social system whose outputs are dependent upon human inputs. Issues and technologies associated with the introduction of organizational change, including laboratory training, diagnostic intervention (survey-feedback confrontation), process interventions (team development) and task and environmental interventions.

MBA 586
Organizational Behavior: Administrative Strategy 3 credits
(Prerequisite: MBA 514.) Administration as a dynamic process from the perspective of upper level management, with an emphasis on the political processes in the work organization. Power relationships established with internal and external influences. Types and composition of coalitions.

MBA 589
Managing the Multinational Firm 3 credits
(Prerequisite: All core courses.) Managerial decisions facing the manager of a multinational corporation. The case method is used extensively to examine marketing decisions, financial operations, personnel processes and strategies planning.

MBA 590
Strategic Management 3 credits
(Prerequisite: Completion of MBA Core.) Administration as a dynamic process. Leadership strategy and the formulation, analysis and evaluation of organizational strategic policy. Case material and reports require the student to integrate his/her knowledge and skills for purposes of strategic policy decision-making.

MBA 592
Emerging Trends in Business 1-3 credits
This course will be devoted to the investigation of significant, current trends in the area of business. Topics covered in the course will vary across a wide spectrum of possible areas. Topics will be announced in advance. The course may be repeated when the topic changes.

DATA MINING FOR MARKETING STRATEGIES 3 credits (Winter 2001)
Data Mining for Marketing Strategies is computer-assisted, computer-lab centered, database marketing analysis. More specifically, it involves mining, exploring, and analyzing large marketing databases using statistical tools and computer-based decision models for making marketing decisions and for designing effective marketing plans. Harnessing the latest computer hardware, software, networks and data, most of the traditional marketing functions, processes, and activities will be reengineered to meet the demand of data-explosion, market turbulence, and competitive pressures. Specific strategic marketing issues addressed in this course include segmentation, targeting, brand-positioning via perceptual mapping, market selection, portfolio analysis, market measurement, and strategic planning. Time-permitting, other tactical marketing issues such as new product design, advertising and communications, sales-force deployment, outlet location, and price and promotion decisions will also be addressed using appropriate computer software.

MBA 594
International Studies in Business 3 credits
(Prerequisite: Completion of all pre-core requirements and approval of program director.) Study in one or more disciplines conducted abroad under supervision of members of the faculty. This course provides students with the opportunity to gain additional perspective on international business, with specific reference to the host country. May be repeated once with permission of program director.

MBA 595
Directed Study and Research 3 credits
(Prerequisite: Approval of instructor and the Director of Graduate Business Programs.) Readings and research in a pertinent field of studies chosen by the student and supervised by a faculty member. Conferences, oral reports or papers are required by the supervising faculty as evidence of work progress and project completion. May be repeated once with permission of Director of Graduate Business Programs.

MBA 599
Master's Thesis 6 credits
(Open to students with approval of instructor and the Director of Graduate Business Programs.) Requires the submission of a thesis under the direction of a supervising faculty member. Students should consult the Graduate Business Programs Office for format requirements.